We explain what the three R's of responsible consumption are, the meaning of each one and their ecological and economic benefits.
What are the three Rs?
In ecology and environmental protection, it is known as the 3R Rule or Rule of the three Rs to a proposal to modify our consumption habits as a society. It was popularized by the environmental group Greenpeace.
It states that responsible consumption, that is, the application of certain strategies in the management of our waste and material waste can mean positive ecological change which has an impact on the environmental quality of the planet.
To do this, Greenpeace proposes the mnemonic rule of “3R ”: Reduce, Re-use and Recycle three ways to control the amount of solid waste we throw into the environment that has a harmful impact on biodiversity.
This concept has proven extremely popular, especially in industrialized nations. It has been defended politically in important meetings such as the G8 2004, where Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro proposed this initiative as a path towards sustainable development.
See also: Consumer society
Reduce
The first R of ecology has to do with minimization of waste produced daily in our societies, through a less voracious, less dizzying and more responsible form of consumption. This proposal contradicts the spirit of marketing and capitalist consumerism.
Reducing means consuming responsibly and consciously, thus reducing the amount used of:
- Unnecessary energy. Avoiding leaving lights on, turning off appliances that are not in use, and using household appliances (washing machines, dishwashers, dryers) in the correct amount.
- Single use material. As packaging material, plastic bags, cutlery, plastic cups and plates, etc.
- Polluting gases. Using cars responsibly, using public transport, doing car pooletc.
Re-use
The second R of ecology states that The materials used must have the longest possible useful life instead of being used once and thrown away to buy a new one.
Thus, by reusing materials as much as possible, the need to consume new ones and produce environmental waste is postponed. This involves repairing them, giving them a new and creative use, or postponing the purchase of a new one as long as possible.
For example, the other side of printed sheets, plastic bottles, wooden boxes, etc. can also be used.
Recycle
The third R of ecology is, perhaps, the one that requires the greatest efforts, since it consists of recycling waste materials that are still usable to reinsert them into the production chain as raw material.
This process is particularly important for non-biodegradable recyclable materials, such as certain plastics, cardboard, glass, metal and paper, for example, which can serve as input for the manufacture of new marketable elements.
For example, glass can be remelted and used to make new bottles; paper and cardboard can be broken down into pulp and made into recycling paper; aluminum and copper can be melted and used again, etc.
Continue on: Recycle
Benefits of the Three Rs
On the one hand, the benefits of implementing the three Rs of ecology impact the environment and reducing the ecological footprint of our civilization which in itself is urgent and priority enough.
On the other hand, they provide economic benefits such as the reduction of superfluous expenses family savings, the use of recyclable materials as raw materials instead of extracting more from nature, etc.
A sustainable development model, which can last over time without incurring crises and catastrophes in the foreseeable future, must necessarily implement this concept of responsible consumption.
Importance of the Three Rs
The importance of defending the environment through the three Rs is vital, especially in the post-industrial, consumer-oriented world in which we live today, where we want to have everything quickly at hand and we want to immediately forget about waste once the hamburger is eaten.
Awareness of the brutal ecological damage we cause to the planet It is the only way to survival of our own species. The amount of non-biodegradable garbage is such that we are already beginning to perceive it even in what we eat.
For example, microplastics are plastic particles discarded into the sea (garbage bags, especially) whose size is imperceptible but their presence is noticeable, which is why they lodge inside fish and other animals that we feed on. The three Rs of ecology are a way to initiate change before the environment is totally contaminated.
References
- “Rule of the three Rs” on Wikipedia.
- “The three Rs: an option to take care of our planet” at INECOL, Institute of Ecology (Mexico).
- “The 3R rule (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)” (video) on Canal IMTA.
- “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. To improve the world” (video) in Happy Learning Spanish.
