The 6R’s of Sustainability

- And their practical applications

1. Rethink:
 Thinking twice when we buy clothes, as we often don’t actually need
any more, and are merely impulsively bought;
 Being more rational when on-line shopping, as it can very easily lead us
to buy totally unnecessary things, without thinking much about it.

2. Refuse:
 Refusing the plastic bags/the paper-printed receipts on supermarkets, using
instead a tote bag or any kind of reusable bag and asking for a digital receipt to
your e-mail address;
 Refusing the straws that come with drinks or soda in restaurants.

3. Reduce:
 Saving some water by taking quicker showers;
 Opting for a bicycle or public transportation rather than always moving to
places with our cars, that way reducing the amount of gas we use.

4. Reuse:
 Donating old clothes to charities rather than putting them in the trash;
 Reusing the water that is wasted warming up our bath, by collecting it with a
bucket and using it to water the plants or to wash our car.

5. Repair:
 Replacing our phone’s battery rather than buying a brand-new one;
 Sewing/patching up a hole in our pants/clothes rather than buying new ones
once they’re pierced.

6. Recycle:
 Having a garbage separation system at home so you can easily put each
category of garbage in their appropriate container;
 Recycling old batteries, bottle lids, cork stoppers and used oil, as there are
specific containers for most of them, although most people don’t know them.