It’s 2008. If you’re not practicing the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) you need a swift kick in the recycling can! In order to give our environment a ‘green’ bill of health, we need to learn what each person can do to change old habits and understand how much of a difference each person can make.

To reduce your water and energy consumption:

• Only use cold water and save up to 90 per cent of laundry energy costs. Run the washer and dryer before 7am and after 7pm, when energy demand is lowest and cheapest.
  
• Replace your old toilet with a low-flush model. The toilet is the greatest water waster in any household. Check out The City of Calgary’s Toilet Replacement Program at www.calgary.ca/toilet.
  
• Chill your water in the fridge instead of running the faucet until the water is cold.
  
• Your lawn only needs 1 inch of rain every week. If it rained an inch in the last week, there is no need to water.

Reality check - In Canada alone, we use 10 to 15 billion plastic bags annually. One bag takes approximately 1,000 years to biodegrade.

• Avoid discarding plastic bags after coming home from your shopping destination. They use up valuable space in our landfills and contribute to global warming.

• In order to become a conscious consumer, here are a few reusable options:

1. Get eco-chic with reusable cloth grocery bags. Available to purchase at most grocery store locations. If you are a Calgary Co-op member, you receive a 3¢ credit per reusable bag, which you can apply to your grocery purchase or donate to charity. (Keep the bags in your trunk so you never leave home without them.)
2. Avoid individually-wrapped items. Send the hubby and kids to work and school eco-style. The Tupperware® Lunch ‘n Things™ container stores sandwiches and more. Ideal for slipping into briefcases and backpacks. Dishwasher safe. To purchase, visit www.tupperware.ca and click on ‘kids.’
3. Use Hefty Blue 100 per cent recycled plastic garbage bags. They are made in Calgary with 100 per cent recycled post-industrial plastic waste. Packaging for these garbage bags contains 40 per cent recycled waste and can be recycled in the plastic bag green City depot bins. To purchase, visit www.cleancalgary.org.

3. Recycle

Reality check - According to The City of Calgary, Calgarians currently recycle 20 per cent of residential waste. The remaining 80 per cent goes to landfill. They want to reverse these numbers and have set a target of 80 per cent recycled and 20 per cent to landfill by the year 2020.

Items for recycling can be returned to the Bottle Depot – and you even get money back! The Bottle Depot accepts plastic bottles; other plastic jugs, cups and bottles; aluminum cans; polycoat containers; bag-in-a-box and pouches; glass bottles; and other metal cans. To find a location near you, visit www.abcrc.com.

The City of Calgary has many residential recycling depot locations. They accept newspaper; magazines; mixed paper; cardboard; metal food cans; clear and colored glass; milk cartons; plastic milk jugs; and plastic bags. To find a location near you, visit www.calgaryarea.com/recycling.htm.

Waste & Recycling Services with the Calgary Fire Department offers year-round chemical drop-off depots. Residents can take their household chemicals free of charge to any of The City landfill Throw ‘N Go areas or designated fire stations with special storage depots. This program is for residential household chemicals only. To find a location near you, visit www.calgary.ca/waste.

Calgarians can recycle old and unusable (end-of-life) electronic items free of charge at any of several depots in the city. Some items that can be dropped off are televisions (all sizes); laptop and desktop computers; printers and computer monitors (some restrictions apply). To find a location near you, visit www.calgary.ca/waste.

We’ve all heard the expression, It’s better late than never. Starting today – and every day – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Melissa is a freelance writer who practices the 3 R’s and enjoys writing about environmental issues. Even her cat is ‘green,’ sporting the latest in biodegradable kitty litter.