Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in the New Year!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is only the beginning, there’s also Refuse, Repair, Rethink, Repurpose, Refurbish and many others. What will you resolve to do this year?

So, the new year is upon us and if you’re like some of us (not naming any names) you may have already stretched some of those new year’s resolutions. We get it - some resolutions are hard. But let’s not set ourselves up for failure, let’s focus on some easy (and maybe a few slightly harder) resolutions to help us be greener and more sustainable in 2023.

Buy Less

Before you buy anything new, ask yourself, “do I really need this or is this just an impulse buy?” Impulse buys can be fun, but they can also be pretty wasteful. Think of all the resources needed to get that item to you, including manufacturing and transportation. We’ve all heard of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. There’s a reason that REDUCE is first – because it’s the most important. Think about that next time you go shopping. Or be like board member Oria Daugherty and commit to gifting experiences instead of stuff.

If you still decide you need or want said item, can you buy it second hand or get it free or cheap from a friend or neighbor? Our board president, Erin Fay, has resolved to only purchase secondhand clothing. Learn to mend and repair torn clothing to help it last longer and maybe even look cooler. Think of all the resources we could save if we REUSED items for longer periods of time.

Use Less Plastic

Be like board member Amy Burke and resolve to use less plastic. Buy produce in cardboard packaging (or no packaging at all) instead of plastic whenever possible. Use bar soap, shampoo and conditioner to cut down on plastic bottles. Eliminating plastic from our lives might just be impossible but limiting its use or buying items made from recycled plastic instead of virgin plastic is doable. And remember, you can recycle #2-7 and plastic without a number at the Hub. We still cannot accept #1 plastics.

Follow the lead of board member David Rolfes and support sustainability shops in Cincinnati such as Fill More Waste Less in Madisonville and Simply Zero in OTR where you can bring our own containers and refill them at the store.

Reduce Food Waste

When hosting a dinner party, use the Guest-imator website so you can cook just the right amount of food. If you do cook more food than needed, make sure you use those leftovers to make more meals, including soups and stews – don’t be afraid to be creative. Be like board member Steph Bradford and plan out your meals for the week to make it easier to grocery shop and cut down on food waste.

You can also follow the lead of board member Diane O’Brian and resolve to take your own leftover containers to the restaurant to save on one-time use plastic containers. 

Eating lower on the food chain can also help save lots of resources. It might be unrealistic to ask everyone to become a vegetarian but participating in days like ‘Meatless Mondays’ can help reduce your carbon footprint.   

After reducing all your food waste, make sure to compost those food scraps. If you don’t have a compost bin at home, you can use a composting service like CompostNow or Back2TheDirt or you can buy a countertop composting appliance if you don’t have outdoor space. Ask your neighbors if they want your food scraps or yard waste for their compost piles. Gardeners call it ‘black gold’ for a reason!

Reuse More

By now, we are all probably using our reusable bags at the grocery store, but have you used them in other places? The home improvement store, the vintage clothing shop, the big box store or the pet store (maybe not to put a puppy in). Challenge yourself to use those bags in more places. Buy or make reusable produce bags and add those to your rotation at the grocery store. 

Make Your Own

We’ve seen how creative customers at the Hub can be. Be like board member,  Gwen Roth and resolve to use stuff found at the Hub or other places to make more homemade items (cards, quilts, bags, furniture, mosaics, ornaments, whatever). If you think you’re just not that crafty, then buy items from small, local sellers to help support reuse and the local economy.

Educate Yourself and Others

Be like board secretary Jenny Brewer and resolve to take advantage of opportunities to educate people on sustainable choices. Help teach your friends about the things you’ve learned from the Hub. Learn new skills (crochet, painting, cooking, quilting or sewing) so you can make something homemade next year.  

Educate yourself on all the things the Hub can (and cannot take) and challenge yourself to collect more things for recycling and reuse.

Do Your Best!

Many folks come into the Hub and say they wish they could do more. Well, we all wish we could do a lot more, but let’s be realistic and give ourselves grace. If you have time, volunteer. If you have money, donate. Don’t stress, just do what you can and remember no one can do everything, but everyone can do something!