Waste prevention means making less waste. When you buy less, you throw out less and pay less for disposal.

	•	Cups, dishes, flatware
	•	Napkins, kitchen towels
	•	Food containers, shopping bags, plastic bags

	•	Buy in bulk
	•	Reuse packaging
	•	Use newspaper for package filler

	•	Print double-sided
	•	File electronically
	•	Use the “backside”
	•	Investigate junk mail reduction www.recyclestuff.org/junkmail.asp

Reuse Unwanted Items

	•	Repair rather than throw out damaged goods
	•	Donate or sell useable but unwanted items
	•	Reuse “single-use” items such as:
		• Plastic water bottles   • Paper or plastic grocery bags   • Paper or plastic cups

Resources for Residents

Find comprehensive waste reduction and recycling information at http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/

How and why REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
US Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/reduce.htm

National Recycling Coalition
www.nrc-recycle.org/

Washington State Recycling Association
www.wsra.net/Education/Education.html

What do I do with ….? A list of organizations that recycle or reuse UNWANTED ITEMS
www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wdidw/index.asp
www.grn.com/a/6000.html
www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/exchange/index.asp

Recycle ELECTRONICS through the “Take it Back Network”
dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/takeitback

PURCHASE or SELL fixtures, cabinets, doors, hardware and wood floors and more
www.re-store.org/ballard.htm

PAINT and household CHEMICALS
www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/index.cfm

Sell or donate it
www.craigslist.com
www.freecycle.org

Conscious Consumer
www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/ecoconsumer/index.asp
www.newdream.org/buy/
www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wastefreeholidays/index.asp
www.recyclestuff.org

Calculate Your Waste
Waste calculator - www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/ecoconsumer/calculator.asp
Carbon footprint – www.greentagsusa.org/GreenTags/calculator_intro.cfm

Resources for teachers, teens and school-aged CHILDREN
www.epa.gov/kids/
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/teens.htm
www.earth911.org
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/pdfs/resource.pdf

Waste prevention CLIP ART
ww.ciwmb.ca.gov/gallery/wasteprev/wpclp1.htm
www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/cea/publications/clipart/index.htm