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Almost everyone has heard of the 3R's rule: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. These three notions are of vital importance to reduce and avoid pollution and preserve the environmental balance. However, there are still more steps that can be taken to take care of the planet.
With in this Green Ecologist article we want you to know the new initiative of the 7R: Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Renew, Recover, Recycle. Here you will learn what each of these actions are and how to put them into practice to achieve a circular economy and a sustainable future for all.
Redesign
This first concept refers to the introduction of ecology in the world of design. In other words, designing or manufacturing products taking into account the environmental consequences.
Functionality is no longer the sole objective when producing a new product and shares the limelight with The sustainability. For example, suitable materials are used for subsequent recycling, respectful packaging, etc.
Reduce
Today's societies consume a lot of goods, products and energy and very quickly. For this reason, it is very important to start reducing both the amount of products we consume and those we generate as waste.
For example, we can reduce our consumption energy by maintaining the heating or air conditioning according to the recommended temperatures, 19 ºC - 21 ºC (heating) and 24 ºC - 26 ºC (air conditioning). As well as many other actions: take advantage of daylight to avoid wasting electricity, turn off the tap when we are not using water even if it seems like just a moment, use low-consumption light bulbs and rechargeable batteries, etc.
Taking all this into account, you may be interested, for example, in reading this other post by Green Ecologist on How to reduce my carbon footprint.
Re-use
If you have the opportunity, give a new use to the products that have already been used for their primary purpose. On the Internet there are many ideas on how to reuse products to extend its useful life and, in this way, curb the excessive production of waste. For example, we can reuse cloth shopping bags instead of using a plastic one every time we go shopping. You can also make a variety of crafts with used objects, reusing and recycling them. Here are some of the best ideas:
- Ideas to reuse plastic bottles.
- Ideas to reuse plastic bags.
- 10 everyday things that you can easily reuse at home.
Repair
If something has spoiled you, before you throw it away and buy a new one try to repair it. Currently, people tend to immediately discard those products that "break" without worrying about trying to give them a solution so that they can work as before.
Repair is almost always cheaper than buying new products with the same utility. Allow yourself some time to try to fix it and thus save on raw materials and energy and collaborate with the reduction of waste.
Renew
As in the previous case, people have many old objects at home that we no longer use for the simple fact of being old. Try update objects so they can have the function for which they were created again Or reuse them for other things that may also be useful.
Recover
Continuing with the new strategy of the 7Rs: Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Renew, Recover and Recycle, we find the penultimate: Recover. According to this rule, recovers already used materials to reintroduce them as raw material in the production process to, in this way, be able to create new products.
Recycle
Once you have given all possible uses to a product, do not forget about the Recycling process. Separate waste according to whether it is organic, plastic, glass, paper or cardboard, metal or toxic and dispose of them in the appropriate container. This way you will help the environment by avoiding its contamination and the overexploitation of natural resources.
The importance of the 7Rs for the environment
The 7R model opts for a circular economy instead of linear. While the linear involves obtaining raw material each time a new product needs to be manufactured, the circular changes this concept by introducing the keys to the 7Rs.
The continuity of these actions promotes the use of resources that we currently have manufactured, significantly reducing our environmental impact on the planet. Thus, the 7R for the environment (Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Renew, Recover and Recycle) are keys that allow us to collaborate in caring for the planet. The continuity of these actions promotes living in a responsible society with the environment and with a fundamental objective, The sustainability. In this other article you can learn what is environmental and social sustainability.
Otherwise, if large cities continue to harvest the linear economic model that has been implemented so far, we will end up depleting the natural resources that the environment offers us, thus having serious consequences, such as the extinction of species, the acceleration of change. climate, the increase in natural disasters and environmental degradation.
If you want to read more articles similar to 7R: Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Renew, Recover and Recycle, we recommend that you enter our Recycling and waste management category.
