Today we stumbled across this great post from Derek Markham at Twilight Earth. Derek breaks down the three R’s “reduce, reuse and recycle.”

Of course, we tend to forget that reduce and reuse come before recycle. “The recycle message is the one that gets used (and abused) the most,” Derek writes.

We have to agree here. Many times people assume recycling is easy and that buying something that is “recyclable” will always help the planet, but that isn’t always the case. Just placing a plastic bottle into a recycling bin does not guarantee it will end up “recycled.”

At YouRenew, our first task is always re-use and we strive to find a second life for many of our electronics through wholesalers and refurbishers.

While recycling is important, it doesn’t effect the environment as much as reducing and reusing. This is partially because companies and factories are still producing the same amount of stuff. A combination of all three is the best way to make an impact.


Read Derek’s article “What’s greener than green? Brown.”