Basic Principles

The basic principles of going green are to recycle, reduce and reuse what we can in our daily lives so that we can reduce the consumption of virgin material, consume less energy and create less waste while creating new products.

In simple terms, to recycle means to take an existing usually older and less used product and use its materials to create a new product. Reduce means to lessen the amount of resources that are consumed and only use what is absolutely needed. And Reuse is to extend the life of the item or to find different purpose for the item.

If you are just learning about going green, the first step is as simple as using your local recycling program. If you don't have a recycling program in your community, now may be the time speak with your friends and neighbors and approach your city or town council about starting a program.

In the Greater Binghamton area (Broome County, NY) we have had a curb side recycling program in place since 1985. Initially, it started with the collection of newspaper and glass jars. Since those early years, our curb side program has evolved to collect most types of paper product, cardboard, milk and juice cartons, most types of solid plastics, metals and clean foil.

In more recent years, drop off points for hazardous products and materials, computers and other electronics has been established.

The result of the Broome County recycling program has been the elimination of thousands of pounds of waste from going to our county landfill.

Recycling - It's good for you. It's good for our planet.

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