Source Reduction

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On November 1, the Oil and Antifreeze drop off at Gilbert Run Park will be relocated to the recycling center and accessible during normal operating hours of Monday, Wednesday, Saturday from 9am-5pm.

Source reduction, or waste prevention, eliminates waste before it is created. It includes the design, manufacture, purchase or use of materials and products to reduce the amount or toxicity of what is thrown away. Source Reduction means stopping waste before it happens.

Why is Source Reduction Important?
If you use less then there is less to dispose of, therefore saving money, energy, and resources. Source reduction helps to protect the environment by conserving natural resources and landfill space.

What can you do to prevent waste? Look below for helpful waste prevention tips!

At Home

Use cloth napkins and reusable cleaning towels instead of paper products.
Use rechargeable batteries.
Donate used toys, clothing and even appliances to charities and non-profit organizations.
Borrow or rent items you only use occasionally or consider buying and sharing that equipment with friends or family.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient long-lasting LED light bulbs.
Repair older items rather than purchasing new ones.
Reupholster furniture instead of purchasing new pieces.
Avoid using disposable cups, plates and cutlery.
Save bows, tissue paper, polystyrene peanuts, gift boxes, and newspaper to wrap gifts in the future.
Read books on an e-reader or tablet instead of purchasing a hard copy of the book.
Consider subscribing to electronic newspapers and magazines.
Donate back issues of magazines to schools for use in school projects or to a doctor's office for patients to read.
Use scrap paper for store lists, phone messages, art projects, and children's artwork.
Use thermoses and reusable containers for the food in your packed lunch.
Opt out of the delivery of telephone directories. www.yellowpagesoptout.com.
Reduce the amount of junk mail you receive at home by opting out using the following website: www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-andemail.
To stop catalogs, call the company’s toll-free number and have the mailing label handy.
Reuse disposable plastic bags for collecting dog waste and cat litter. ✓ Rent instead of buy infrequently used tools or equipment.
Start a backyard composting pile or use a composting bin to process organic wastes from your kitchen and yard. Finished compost can be used as a soil amendment to improve soil quality in gardens or flowerbeds or as a top dressing for lawn areas.
Leave grass trimmings on your lawn area (grasscycling) to add nutrients back into the soil.
Plant perennials instead of annuals that will have to be disposed of at the end of the year.
Start an indoor redworm composter to process organic wastes from your kitchen. Finished compost can be used to pot or fertilize houseplants.
Chip old, broken, or dead branches and trees and use the resulting mulch in your yard.
Use alternatives in landscape design such as mulch islands, natural areas, and ground covers.

At Work

While Shopping

Avoid individually wrapped or single-serve items.
Buy loose fruits and vegetables instead of packaged.
Buy concentrates because they last longer and may have less packaging.
Bring your own reusable bags- for things in the produce section too!
Only buy what you need.
Return hangers to dry cleaners for reuse.
Purchase items in concentrated form, bulk, or economy sizes that use the least amount of packaging. In addition to being cheaper and using less packaging, the use of these items eliminates the waste associated with many of the food containers used on single-serving items that cannot be recycled.
Purchase items in containers that have other uses.
Purchase high-quality, long-lasting products.
Purchase non-toxic items whenever possible.