Being sustainable means understanding what we consume and how our habits trap us into unhealthy lifestyles. The eight Rs of sustainability comprise different methods we can use to change our consumption habits, from lowering our usage of expendable, throwaway goods to eating fewer unhealthy, addictive foods. Most importantly, when we take these practical steps towards bettering our ourselves, we make purposeful actions, which can develop into cohesive habits, shift our perspectives on the environment, and help us achieve more fulfilling lives.
What are the eight Rs? Think of each one as a step in the lifetime of a product, from the moment you might want to buy it, to how you use it, and finally how to dispose of it. In this process, we rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, repurpose, regift, and finally recycle the product. Thus, you:
- Rethink whether you really need it.
- Refuse to buy it if you don't need it.
- Reduce your usage: buy less of it, use less of it.
- Reuse it instead of throwing it away.
- Repair it if you can still use it.
- Repurpose it, finding a new use for it, giving it new life.
- Regift it by giving it to someone who might need it.
- Recycle it after all uses for it have been exhaused.
Between planned obsolescence and social pressure to keep up with trends, it can be hard to commit to each step. And some habits (such as recycling in Indonesia) might be harder than others. Nevertheless, see how far you can go and how much of your lifestyle changes in tow.
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Example attribution: "The Eight Rs of Sustainability Laboratory" by the Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation, Universitas Gadjah Mada, https://labekologi.id/content/eight-rs-of-sustainability.html, CC BY-SA.
Credits: Made by Joaquim Baeta. Dog drawing by freepik; https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/realistic-hand-drawn-dog-breeds_837075.htm; Freepik license. Gardening photo by photoAC; https://pixabay.com/photos/gardening-agriculture-grass-plant-2518377; Pixabay license.
