The phrase "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" is synonymous with environmental sustainability and the fight against climate change. And it’s a good, catchy phrase that people remember. It’s so catchy, in fact, that its meaning becomes lost. Generally, people hear the phrase and solely think about the Recycling aspect. Which is important, don’t get me wrong. However, the lack of reducing and reusing are problematic. I understand this may not be the most interesting topic when it comes to environmental sustainability, however reducing and reusing is just as important as recycling, so bear with me.

When we say reduce, people may not fully understand what is meant by this, I certainly didn’t until recently. If we reduce what we use, it greatly eliminates the need to reuse and recycle. Reducing what we use is a major step forward to cut down on our carbon footprint. It’s not so difficult, either. When shopping for things in general, stop and question how much you need this. Is there an easy way to use something you’ve already bought instead of the item you’re looking to buy? Reducing your output is huge. Using a reusable water bottle, for instance, is game-changing. You would be amazed at how water bottles you might go through without even thinking. A reusable plastic water bottle also reduces how much you spend, by saving on purchasing plastic water bottles. Need a new dish towel? Cut up an old shirt. I know you’ve got one you don’t wear anymore. Try hanging up your clothes on a clothesline until the clothes are dry, then just put the clothes in the dryer for ten minutes to soften the clothes. This will cut down on your electricity bill and keep your clothes from fading for longer.

As I may have alluded to in the previous paragraph, reduce and reuse go hand in hand. Reusing is just as cost effective as reducing. When did we all of a sudden have to wash every article of clothing after one single wear (I know jeans are different and you probably don’t wash them after every wear)? Just consider wearing a t-shirt twice and then washing it. Just consider it. It’s less laundry for you to do, too.

Reusing is so easy, yet it is never considered by most. Simply questioning whether you need to purchase something is a great starting place, really. Just ask yourself if you need this item, or if you can use something you’ve already got at home.

Now, after we do our best to reducing and reusing, we recycle. Now you make sure trash and recyclables are separate. Or bring some old clothes to GoodWill. Maybe spend a little time cleaning up your block. There are tons of different things you can do to recycle, too.

The point of this phrase was not to just recycle. It is to reduce your intake first, if you can’t reduce then you reuse things you’ve already got, then if you can reduce or reuse, you recycle. This is crucial in the ever important battle to keep the Earth healthy. Maybe you think wearing a t-shirt twice without a wash is gross. Okay, in your head it’s worth doing extra laundry. But is it worth the death and extinction of countless animals and species? Is it worth the increase in temperature of our planet? That’s the argument you should put your conceptions of living sustainably against. Maybe not in your entire life, don’t go crazy. But that is the reality of the situation.