Waste Less

Waste is anything you get rid of. Too much waste is harmful to the environment. Here are three ways to create less of it.
Reduce

Buy less. Make sure to buy only what you need. Choose items with less packaging
packaging
FRYTKA—GETTY IMAGES
the materials in which goods are sold
(noun)
We needed scissors to open the toy's packaging.
. This grocery store uses very little packaging.
Reuse

Buy things that can be used more than once. This water bottle is metal. It can be used over and over. Donate
donate
AJ_WATT—GETTY IMAGES
to give for a good cause
(verb)
She donated canned food for people in need.
things you do not use anymore. Other people can use them.
Recycle

Recycling takes used materials. It turns them into something new. This way, they are not wasted. Glass and paper can be recycled. Some plastics can be too. Look for products
product
FAJRUL ISLAM—GETTY IMAGES
something that has been made to be sold
(noun)
The commerial showed how the product could be used.
made from recycled materials.
How Many?

There are thousands of landfills in the United States. Landfills are places where garbage is buried. Most of what you throw away ends up there.