this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2023
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There's a reason the saying goes "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle"
Reducing comes first, then reuse what you can, and recycle what you can't.
Refuse > Reduce > Reuse > Repurpose > Recycle
5 Rs rule
What's the difference between Refuse and Reduce here? I always took Reduce to mean using as little plastic as possible, which to m3 would include refusing the use of single-use plastics.
Same with Reuse and Repurpose: Reuse it however you can, regardless of its original purpose.
3 Rs has the rhetoric benefit of being a tricolon, which helps with keeping it concise and memorable.
Would you like a plastic bag for your shopping?
Refuse: No thanks.
Reduce: I'll take just 1 bag and stuff it all in there, don't need 2.
Repurpose: it's ok because I'll use this bag as a bin liner.
Curious. To me, reducing to zero is reducing still, so bringing my own cloth bag instead counts as "reduce" for me.
Thanks for your take, though!
Refuse: use/buy an alternative
Reduce: if you have to use it (or buy it), use /buy as little as possible / until there's an alternative
Refuse is the worst possible word to use here, given its alternate meaning.