Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Repeat!

I recycle. I think at this point, most people do. Throwing an empty can or bottle into a regular old garbage can just feels wrong. I try to sort out my papers and plastics. The city was nice enough to give me a couple of blue bins, so it’s the least I can do. I rinse out tin cans, I flatten cardboard boxes, I reuse plastic shopping bags. I take public transportation or walk most places I need to go. I take short showers and leave the tap off when I brush my teeth. I would say that, for the most part, my carbon footprint is anywhere from a petite size 2 – 4. Not bad.

But I want to do more. Since I’m conscious of the environment and protecting the lovely Mother Earth, I would like to do more than my share in order to make up for people like my Uncle Murray who says, “Eh, I pay good money for someone else to do that” when it comes to recycling. Uncle Murray who, despite living in the mid-west, has a strong New Jersey accent. He believes that some sanitation worker painstakingly goes through his garbage (shudder) in an effort to separate the recyclables from the actual trash.

So what else can I do? After perusing the Cymax.com website, I have discovered that going green can be quite simple, as well as stylish. Take, for example, Tru Bamboo. These products, ranging from cutting boards to wine racks to canisters, are all made of 100% eco-friendly bamboo stock. These products aren’t killing any forests either; bamboo is a renewable resource, so as soon as bamboo is cut to make me a cool new set of cooking utensils, a new patch will grow back within a year. Suits me and the hungry pandas.

My other dilemma is food waste. I don’t want to flood the garbage bins with my eggshells and carrot tops, a compost would be an excellent investment. But I don’t want to touch garbage or anger my neighbors with the scent of rotting food wafting over the fence. Cymax carries composts from NatureMill that are super compact, easy to use (just lift the lid!) and mask the dirty garbage smell I would get from a plain old bucket.

That takes care of reuse and reduce, but what about recycle? Luckily, Cymax cares about the environment too, and carries a huge selection of pens, paper, files, and weekly appointment books all made from recycled materials. Who knew pens could be so environmentally friendly? Even without green ink (cough). As well, blue recycling bins are available to help your home or office err on the side of eco-friendly.

So, this glorious Earth Day, why not take a touchy-feely approach and think of all the things that this spiraling blue and green ball do for you. Take the time to send Mother Nature a thank you card in the form of waste and consumption reduction, and see how she repays you. Can’t see it? Look outside your window. Happy Earth Day!