REDUCE

Waste Reduction Tips For:

Paper

ü Reduce unsolicited (junk) mail & faxes:

The following are various resources to help reduce junk mail and faxes:

City of San Bernardino Municipal Code

SBMC 8.15.070 - Throwing or distributing handbills in public places.
SBMC 8.15.080 - Placing commercial and noncommercial handbills on vehicles.
SBMC 8.15.100 - Prohibiting distribution of handbills where properly posted.
SBMC 8.15.110 - Distributing commercial and noncommercial handbills at inhabited private premises.
ü Use email for sending messages, invitations, letters, etc.
ü  Use online resources for reading the news, paying bills, etc.

Packaging

ü  Bring your own bags for shopping or reuse bags.

Ask your local grocery store if they credit your purchase for reused bags. At least one company gives up to 5 cents back for every paper grocery bag returned and reused, or if you bring your own bag. If you're at the mall, keep filling the same bag with each purchase instead of going home with many. Or better yet, if you're just running out to pick up a snack or that toothpaste you forgot, who needs a bag? Just keep the receipt until you get home!

ü Buy in bulk & reusable, too!

Ever open a package to find that you've bought more package than product? Obviously some packaging is necessary to protect the contents and our safety, but you can help reduce waste by buying in bulk or concentrated forms whenever possible, or by selecting similar products that have reusable containers or use less wrapping. Use a gift bag instead of wrapping paper - bags that keeps on giving. All that fancy packaging costs more to make, which gets passed on in the price you pay and on into your waste bin.

Green Waste

Grasscycling reduces the amount of yard waste disposed in landfills. Research has shown that lawns can generate approximately 300 pounds of grass clippings per 1000 square feet annually. This can be as much as 6 1/2 tons per acre each year! Grass clippings are too valuable to throw away, and grasscycling allows this green material to be reused in our urban landscapes.

Grasscycling saves time, money, and protects the environment. Mowing time is reduced since the bagging and disposal of clippings is eliminated. Grass clippings add beneficial organic matter to the soil, which provides free fertilizer and produces healthy, green lawns. Grasscycling reduces turf grass fertilizer and water requirements, which can minimize toxic runoff entering storm drains and polluting lakes, creeks, and rivers.

For more information, visit the Grasscycling section of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery website.