The United Nations says that sustainability means “meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  In other words, people living today shouldn’t use up the world’s resources so that there are none left for those who live after us.

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Reduce, re-use, recycle

 

When thinking of ways to live more sustainably, it can be helpful to think about the following ‘Three Rs’: Reduce, re-use and recycle.

Reducing the amount of resources that we use is the most beneficial thing that people can do. That might mean buying fewer new things, from clothes to technological products such as computers or phones. This, in turn, reduces the resources used to make these products as well as reducing the energy needed to transport them around the globe.  People might also consider reducing the amount of waste that they throw away, reducing the number of miles that their food has travelled or reducing the amount of water that they use each day.

Re-using products is really another way to reduce the number of new things that people buy. Instead of throwing something away when it is no longer wanted, people might consider passing it along to someone else who can use it. Rather than buying the latest new technology, people might consider using something for far longer, or learning to fix things that break to extend their useful life.

Finally, when getting rid of items that are no longer needed, people can try to make sure that the parts are recycled, meaning that any useful resources are able to be used again. All sorts of household items can be recycled nowadays as well as much of the packaging that our food and other products come in. By choosing to recycle, waste can be kept from land fill and useful resources can be given a new lease of life.

For further information on Sustainable Living, have a look at our lesson plans

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