Household Waste Management: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities
Jamille Hawkins;Susan Turner
Today the average American creates about 5 pounds of waste per day, half of which is recycled in some manner, leaving roughly 2.5 pounds of waste per day. This program focuses on ways in which participants can reduce the amount of waste that is produced and sent to landfills, and addresses the 3 R’s of waste management: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
- Identify one or more practices that will reduce the amount of household waste produced.
- Reduce the number of products purchased and used.
- Reduce the amount of waste material that is deposited in landfills through recycling and/or reuse of all suitable materials.
- Dispose of household hazardous waste properly.
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This lesson can be taught to a wide variety of audiences, such as KEHA members, 4-H clubs, schools, farmers’ markets, and community partners (e.g., local health department, parks/recreation).
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- Plan a community-wide or club yard sale to sale unwanted items. Donate proceeds to a local charity or organization.
- Make crafts from recyclable or reusable materials. Many websites are available that have ideas for various types of crafts to make from shoe boxes, butter bowls, newspapers, etc. Crafts can be made with a variety of audiences, such as homemakers, 4-Hers, Cloverbuds, school clubs, etc.
- Plan a “dumpster-dive.” Fill a trash bag with the items listed in the table below, and discuss with participants if they think an item is recyclable, can be reused, can be donated to a charitable organization, should be taken to a hazardous waste collection event, or should be thrown away in the garbage and ultimately sent to the landfill. You can also discuss composting items.
Content or Curriculum: Publications, Radio, Powerpoints, Handouts
Inputs: Specialist, Agents, City/ Gov't Officials
Date: Spring 2018- Spring 2020
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