the three R's.

THE ISSUES
Did you know that 25 % of all garbage and trash thrown out each year is produced during Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling your waste is a wonderful gift you can give to improve our environment and quality of life.


ACTIONS

Reduce: Be proactive!

Before purchasing items, decide if you really need it. Buying things that will spend more time hanging in the closet or sitting on a shelf might be items you consider unnecessary.

One dollar out of every $11 that Americans spend for food goes towards packaging. Be a smart shopper.  Buy toys, gifts and products which are not in excess packaging. Ask store managers to work with vendors that minimize packaging.

• If possible, buy products made from recycled content, or items from second-hand stores.
• Buy products with packaging that can be recycled in your area.
• Buy items that last longer, even if they might cost a little more.
• Buy in bulk. You’ll usually get your items cheaper, too.

Reuse: Use what you’ve got!

• Reuse gift boxes.
• Reuse food containers after they have been thoroughly cleaned.
• Donate unwanted goods to charity or have a yard sale rather than throwing old items away.
• Before purchasing something, check the items you already have to make sure something you have won’t work just as well. That will save you money and storage room, too!

Recycle: Use your waste for bigger and better things!

In Gwinnett County, all residential waste haulers are required to pick up the following recyclables with your curbside garbage service: newspapers, milk jugs, plastic beverage/juice bottles, detergent bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans and glass bottles. Only about 30 % of all households in Gwinnett County are participating in some type of recycling program. Call your hauler to begin a curbside recyclables pick-up.

You can also take your gift catalogs, magazines and cardboard shipping boxes to the Recycling Bank of Gwinnett from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The Recycling Bank also accepts the following items:

• Aluminum cans
• Plastic soda, water, juice, & milk bottles
• Plastic detergent bottles
• Newspaper
• White computer paper
• Office paper
• Corrugated boxes
• Phonebooks
• Steel cans
• Glass bottles
• Junk mail

Payback!

The Recycling Bank of Gwinnett pays you according to weight for your aluminum cans, newspaper, white computer paper and office paper. The only time you may receive payment for these items is:

Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Recycling Back of Gwinnett's address is 4300 Satellite Blvd, Duluth. For directions or more information, call (770) 242-6433.