What You Can Actually Do

The most impactful move is not better recycling — it is reducing consumption in the first place. The waste hierarchy puts prevention at the top, then reuse, then recycling, and landfilling last. Buying less packaging, choosing refillable containers, and composting food scraps eliminates waste before it needs sorting.

When you do recycle, learn your local rules — they differ city by city. Rinse containers, keep plastic bags out of the bin and return them to grocery store drop-offs, and never bag recyclables inside trash bags. Clean, loose, and sorted is what keeps a load out of the landfill.