Reuse is the ultimate form of recycling!  Simply, reuse is the act of finding a second (or third, or eighth, or eleventh) use for a product in order to prolong it’s life.  This also helps by not requiring another product to be manufactured.

There are several items in our daily life that can be used again and again.  Many of us already do this everyday without thinking of it as reuse.

  • Using a coffee mug instead of styrofoam
  • Buy or selling second-hand items to a consignment shop or on the internet
  • Passing the daily paper on to a co-worker to read
  • An old t-shirt used as a rag DVDs and CDs are traded among friends
  • Trading in your car when you buy a new one
  • Using a razor with detachable blades
  • Donation of unwanted items to a charity
  • Using the public library

Some of the more unusual ideas for reuse can be found in green living books, craft books and the internet.