1. Please Pre-CyclePlease Pre-Cycle
By Roxana FeensterBy Roxana Feenster

2. It takes nearly 1.5 million barrelsIt takes nearly 1.5 million barrels
of oil to produce the 30 millionof oil to produce the 30 million
water bottles Americans usewater bottles Americans use
annually.annually.

3. Did you know?Did you know?
 Did you know that Americans throwDid you know that Americans throw
away enough paper each year to build aaway enough paper each year to build a
12-foot wall stretching from New York to12-foot wall stretching from New York to
San Francisco?San Francisco?

4.  A typical family consumes 182 gallons ofA typical family consumes 182 gallons of
soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk,soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk,
and 26 gallons of bottled water a year.and 26 gallons of bottled water a year.
 On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycleOn average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle
trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 totrash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to
$75 to incinerate it.$75 to incinerate it.

5. What is Pre-cycling?What is Pre-cycling?
 The concept of pre-cycling primarily focusesThe concept of pre-cycling primarily focuses
on the first two of the 3 R's –on the first two of the 3 R's – reduce andreduce and
reusereuse..
 The idea is to produce less garbage; thinkThe idea is to produce less garbage; think
ahead when making purchases.ahead when making purchases.
 Carefully consider whether or not you needCarefully consider whether or not you need
the item in the first place, and bear in mind thethe item in the first place, and bear in mind the
use and disposal of the item itself as well asuse and disposal of the item itself as well as
the packaging.the packaging.

6. ““Pre-cycle and you won’tPre-cycle and you won’t
have to recycle.”have to recycle.”
--Loise GilotLoise Gilot

7. Recycling is great, but go even greener by pre-Recycling is great, but go even greener by pre-
cycling as well, and create less waste tocycling as well, and create less waste to
recycle in the first place.recycle in the first place.
Over 6 tons of trash leaves the Portland StateOver 6 tons of trash leaves the Portland State
campus everydaycampus everyday
Short videoShort video
http://www.howcast.com/en/videos/180518-http://www.howcast.com/en/videos/180518-
How-To-PrecycleHow-To-Precycle

8. Make An Effort To Think AheadMake An Effort To Think Ahead
When Making ConsumerWhen Making Consumer
Decisions.Decisions.
 By making a conscious effort to avoidBy making a conscious effort to avoid
unnecessary waste, you are reducing theunnecessary waste, you are reducing the
amount of waste that is being sent to landfillsamount of waste that is being sent to landfills
across the country.across the country.
 Landfill space is becoming increasinglyLandfill space is becoming increasingly
scarce, and every time something is thrownscarce, and every time something is thrown
away, the energy, raw materials, and money itaway, the energy, raw materials, and money it
took to make it are thrown away with it.took to make it are thrown away with it.

9.  The U.S. generated 232 million tons of wasteThe U.S. generated 232 million tons of waste
in 2000, compared to 88.1 million tons inin 2000, compared to 88.1 million tons in
1960.[1] The waste volume is growing faster1960.[1] The waste volume is growing faster
than the U.S. population! Not only is therethan the U.S. population! Not only is there
more waste being produced, but it's alsomore waste being produced, but it's also
becoming more expensive to safely dispose ofbecoming more expensive to safely dispose of
our waste.our waste.

10. What Can You Do?What Can You Do?
Consume Less!Consume Less!
 50 years ago, around the time when our50 years ago, around the time when our
national happiness peaked[2], the average U.S.national happiness peaked[2], the average U.S.
citizen consumed half as much as we do now.citizen consumed half as much as we do now.
[3][3]

11. Tips to Prevent & Pre-cycleTips to Prevent & Pre-cycle
1.1. Bring reusable bags to the store with you.Bring reusable bags to the store with you.
Cloth or paper will do!Cloth or paper will do!
2. Buy Large Quantities2. Buy Large Quantities. If you buy products. If you buy products
in bulk or in large sizes and quantities, you canin bulk or in large sizes and quantities, you can
put them in smaller containers as you needput them in smaller containers as you need
them and this uses less containers.them and this uses less containers.
3. Buy products with the least amount of3. Buy products with the least amount of
packaging or none at all.packaging or none at all. Items packed inItems packed in
multiple containers may look nice, but they aremultiple containers may look nice, but they are
a waste!a waste!

12. Tips to Prevent & Pre-cycle cont.Tips to Prevent & Pre-cycle cont.
4.4. Buy products packed in recycledBuy products packed in recycled
packaging.packaging. If you have to use a container, itIf you have to use a container, it
might as well be green. Additionally, you helpmight as well be green. Additionally, you help
support green corporations.support green corporations. (Important:(Important:
make sure you look for the recycled symbol)make sure you look for the recycled symbol)
5. Don't buy disposable items5. Don't buy disposable items (plates cups,(plates cups,
pens, diapers, batteries, etc.) They only fill thepens, diapers, batteries, etc.) They only fill the
landfill more.landfill more.
6. Buy less paper towels and napkins or6. Buy less paper towels and napkins or
none at all.none at all. Use cloth ones!Use cloth ones!

13. Tips to Prevent & Pre-cycle cont.Tips to Prevent & Pre-cycle cont.
7. Buy long life and concentrated7. Buy long life and concentrated
8.Clean more with less. Vinegar and baking8.Clean more with less. Vinegar and baking
soda come with less packaging and cleans justsoda come with less packaging and cleans just
about anything.about anything.

14. Did you know?Did you know?
 Did you know that for every one garbage canDid you know that for every one garbage can
of waste you put on the curb, 70 cans ofof waste you put on the curb, 70 cans of
garbage were produced upstream to make thegarbage were produced upstream to make the
stuff in that one garbage can you put on thestuff in that one garbage can you put on the
curb?[4] Even if you recycle 40% of what's incurb?[4] Even if you recycle 40% of what's in
the garbage can, that doesn't stop the contentsthe garbage can, that doesn't stop the contents
of those 70 garbage cans upstream fromof those 70 garbage cans upstream from
getting incinerated or tossed into an alreadygetting incinerated or tossed into an already
overflowing landfill.overflowing landfill.

15. Reduce The Amount of MaterialReduce The Amount of Material
That Gets RecycledThat Gets Recycled
 Recycling requires energy and money toRecycling requires energy and money to
transport materials, sort and melt them down,transport materials, sort and melt them down,
and then re-manufacture them.and then re-manufacture them.
 77% of Americans do recycle, of those that77% of Americans do recycle, of those that
don't, 18% feel that recycling costs too much,don't, 18% feel that recycling costs too much,
takes too much effort, or they'retakes too much effort, or they're
just too busy.[5]just too busy.[5]

16.  Think twice about reaching for that disposableThink twice about reaching for that disposable
plastic bottle of water! Sure they're recyclable,plastic bottle of water! Sure they're recyclable,
but think about the hundreds or evenbut think about the hundreds or even
thousands of plastic bottles you will save fromthousands of plastic bottles you will save from
entering the recycling stream by investing inentering the recycling stream by investing in
one reusable water bottle that will last years.one reusable water bottle that will last years.
(Plus, think about all the money you'll save!)(Plus, think about all the money you'll save!)

17.  By making a small effort to reduce your wasteBy making a small effort to reduce your waste
and reuse what you can, you are cutting downand reuse what you can, you are cutting down
on what needs to be recycled and thereforeon what needs to be recycled and therefore
will spend less time preparing and sorting yourwill spend less time preparing and sorting your
recyclables.recyclables.

18. Recycling is not a cure all.Recycling is not a cure all.
 Many items are not recyclable.Many items are not recyclable.
 Recycling is not an energy-neutral activity; itRecycling is not an energy-neutral activity; it
takes energy to transport recyclables and totakes energy to transport recyclables and to
process them for reuse.process them for reuse.
 Please engage in pre-cycling because avoidingPlease engage in pre-cycling because avoiding
unnecessary packaging is easier and moreunnecessary packaging is easier and more
“green” to do.“green” to do.

19. Please Prevent & Pre-cyclePlease Prevent & Pre-cycle

20. The BRESCO waste-to-energy incinerator in South Baltimore, which burnsThe BRESCO waste-to-energy incinerator in South Baltimore, which burns
municipal refuse from Baltimore City and County, has been allowed to operate onmunicipal refuse from Baltimore City and County, has been allowed to operate on
an expired air pollution permit for about two years, Schaeffer said. The statean expired air pollution permit for about two years, Schaeffer said. The state
drafted but has not issued a new permit for the incinerator, operated bydrafted but has not issued a new permit for the incinerator, operated by
Wheelabrator Technologies. Activists say the permit would let the facility emitWheelabrator Technologies. Activists say the permit would let the facility emit
more pollution than the law allows.more pollution than the law allows.

21. Work CitedWork Cited
 [4][4] The Next Efficiency Revolution: CreatingThe Next Efficiency Revolution: Creating
a Sustainable Materials Economya Sustainable Materials Economy, by John, by John
Young and Aaron Sachs, Worldwatch InstituteYoung and Aaron Sachs, Worldwatch Institute
(1994), p. 13(1994), p. 13
 [5]http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/a[5]http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/a
mericans_recycle.phphttp://mericans_recycle.phphttp://
 www.howcast.com/en/videos/180518-How-www.howcast.com/en/videos/180518-How-
To-PrecycleTo-Precycle
 www.planetpals.comwww.planetpals.com

22. Work CitedWork Cited
 1]http://www.texasep.org/html/wst/wst_1msw1]http://www.texasep.org/html/wst/wst_1msw
_ussw.html_ussw.html
 [2] Bill McKibben,[2] Bill McKibben, Deep EconomyDeep Economy (2007), p.(2007), p.
35-36, and Vicky Robin, “Towards a Solution35-36, and Vicky Robin, “Towards a Solution
to Overconsumption”, undated.to Overconsumption”, undated.
 [3] “Why Consumption Matters”, Betsy Taylor[3] “Why Consumption Matters”, Betsy Taylor
and Dave Tilford, inand Dave Tilford, in The Consumer SocietyThe Consumer Society
ReaderReader, Edited by Juliet B Schor and Douglas, Edited by Juliet B Schor and Douglas
Holt (2000), p. 467Holt (2000), p. 467

23. Work CitedWork Cited
 http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStohttp://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiSto
ckNews/articleid/2975494ckNews/articleid/2975494