Waste Minimization
The Waste Pyramid

The Waste Pyramid is a step-by-step guide to reducing waste that goes to a landfill. It is designed to be followed in order, to help minimize waste production.
- Refuse: Just say no and refuse any item you don't need
- Examples include: removing yourself from printed publications you do not read, or requesting no plastic utensils when eating out
- Reduce: Use less and reduce your waste
- Examples include: Buying a larger container instead of two smaller ones, or bringing your own bags when grocery shopping
- Reuse: Give items a second life
- Examples include: Buying your clothes from a thrift store instead of a mall, or cleaning the food residue out of your jars and reusing them for another purpose
- Recycle: Items are changed from their original form to make something new
- Make sure to follow your local municipality's guidelines to reduce contamination
- Recover: Otherwise keep items out of landfills
- Examples include: composting food waste, or cleanly burning waste
- Dispose: The last step - send your waste to the landfill
- Use this step as a last resort when none of the previous steps are an option