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  • LEARN ABOUT ZERO WASTE

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    • Zero Waste and Climate
      • Zero Waste Is a Climate Change Solution
      • Why Zero Waste Is Often Left Out of Climate Action Plans

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  • OUR PROGRAMS

    • Reducing Plastics
      • The Global Plastics Crisis
      • Eliminating Problematic Plastics
        • The Most Problematic and Unnecessary Plastics
      • Better Recycling Starts with Better Product Design
      • Producer Responsibility to Reduce Plastics
      • Campaigns & Policies to Reduce Plastics
      • The Problem with Microplastics

    • Composting and Carbon Farming
      • Building a Circular Compost System
      • What Is Carbon Farming?
      • Carbon Farming in Boulder County
      • Microbe Brew Compost Tea
      • What Is Biochar?
      • State & National Efforts

    • Zero Waste Colorado
      • The State of Recycling & Composting in Colorado
      • Slashing Landfill Methane Emissions in Colorado
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      • The Zero Waste Denver Campaign
      • Implementing the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act
        • Guide to Sustainable Serviceware for Restaurants
        • 2024 PPRA Guide for Municipalities
        • 2024 PPRA Guide for Businesses

    • Creating a Model Zero Waste Community in Boulder County
      • Zero Waste Policies
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  • ECO-LIVING

    • Refuse and Reduce
      • Why Reduce?
      • Reducing Waste Starts at Home
      • How to Stop Junk Mail
      • Reduce Your Plastic Use
      • How to Reduce Food Waste

    • Reuse, Repair, and Share
      • Reusables as a Solution to Single-Use Disposables
      • Repair Resources
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      • Tour de Thrift
      • Zero Waste Holiday Guide

    • Recycling 101
      • Why Recycle?
      • Recycling Myths
      • The Truth About Plastics Recycling
      • Household Hazardous Waste

    • Composting 101
      • Why Compost?
      • How to Compost in Your Backyard
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      • Winter Composting
      • Microbe Brew Compost Tea
  • GUIDES & RESOURCES

    • Guides for Boulder County
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        • FAQs About New Compost Guidelines
        • Clean Compost Campaign Toolkit
      • Reuse Guide
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      • Hazardous Waste Guide

    • Research and Reports
      • State of Recycling and Composting in Colorado 2024 Report
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      • PPRA Toolkit
      • Clean Compost Campaign Toolkit
      • Guide to Sustainable Serviceware for Restaurants
      • State of Recycling and Composting in Colorado Report, 2024

Why Reduce?

All products have a history and future, and they come at a cost to the environment and climate.

Why Reduce?

All products have a history and future, and they come at a cost to the environment and climate.

Why Reduce?

All products have a history and future, and they come at a cost to the environment and climate.

Refuse & Reduce

  • Reducing Waste Starts at Home
  • How to Stop Junk Mail
  • Reduce Your Plastic Use
  • How to Reduce Food Waste
  • Be Straw Free

Why Using and Wasting Less “Stuff” Is a Top Climate Action

“Reduce” ranks first in the waste reduction hierarchy of “reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost” for a reason. Reducing the “stuff” in our lives prevents the need to create a product in the first place and therefore avoids the resulting impact on our environment, climate, and people. It’s also the easiest step we can ALL take, regardless of what recycling or composting services exist in our community. 

Before you recycle . . . before you compost . . . REDUCE, and you can:

Reduce Our Climate Impact

More than 40% of our climate impact in the US comes from our stuff and our food—how we extract it from the planet, make it, transport it, use it, and throw it away. This impact is called our “consumption emissions.” The more we buy and throw away stuff, the more energy it takes to make new stuff, and the faster climate change accelerates. Reducing our consumption of stuff saves energy, natural resources, and landfill space by cutting down the demand to make, transport, and eventually bury these items.

Reduce Our Impact on Earth’s Resources

If everyone in the world used resources the way we do in the US, we’d need five planets to keep up! Reducing unnecessary consumption lets us live within the means of our one planet.

Protect Habitats, Including Rivers and Oceans

Not all disposable waste makes it to the landfill, and instead ends up polluting land, rivers, and oceans where it can cause harm to people and animals.

Reduce Our Dependence on Wasteful Disposables 

In our convenience-oriented society, it’s common to find yourself in possession of unnecessary waste like disposable cups, straws, plastic utensils, bags, etc. These items are used for mere minutes, but producing them consumes energy, water, and natural resources, some of which took the Earth millions of years to create.

Reduce What We Send to the Landfill

Reducing our use of disposable products is a quick way to stop burying resources in landfills, since many disposables are not reusable, recyclable, or compostable.

Related Resources

  • Resources

Eco-Cycle Guide 2024

Video: Zero Waste Video Series – Preventing Food Waste

Fact Sheet: Reducing Plastic Consumption

Eco-Living Guide: Why Reduce?

See All Resources
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  • ABOUT US
    ▼
    • Our Mission
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      • Our Vision & Theory of Change
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      • AMBR
    • Our Work
      ▼
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      • Annual Reports
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      ▼
      • Board of Directors
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      ▼
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  • LEARN ABOUT ZERO WASTE
    ▼
    • Zero Waste 101
      ▼
      • What Is Zero Waste?
      • What Is Producer Responsibility?
      • Resource Library
    • Zero Waste and Climate
      ▼
      • A Climate Change Solution
      • Left Out of Climate Action Plans
    • Zero Waste Benefits People
      ▼
      • Zero Waste & Social Justice
      • Jobs & Economic Benefits
    • Zero Waste Benefits the Planet
      ▼
      • Pollution & Public Health
      • Resource Conservation
  • SERVICES AND FACILITIES
    ▼
    • Eco-Cycle CHaRM Facility
      ▼
      • Microbe Brew
      • CHaRM Fees
      • What We Accept
    • Boulder County Recycling Center
    • Other Zero Waste Facilities
    • Zero Waste Hauling & Consulting
      ▼
      • Zero Waste, Zero Emissions
  • OUR PROGRAMS
    ▼
    • Reducing Plastics
      ▼
      • The Global Plastics Crisis
      • Eliminating Problematic Plastics
        ▼
        • Harmful Plastics
      • Better Product Design
      • Plastics Producer Responsibility
      • Campaigns & Policies
      • The Problem with Microplastics
    • Composting & Carbon Farming
      ▼
      • A Circular Compost System
      • What Is Carbon Farming?
      • Carbon Farming in BoCo
      • Microbe Brew Compost Tea
      • What Is Biochar?
      • State & National Efforts
    • Zero Waste Colorado
      ▼
      • State of Recycling & Composting
      • Slashing Landfill Methane Emissions in Colorado
      • Statewide Campaigns
      • Community Campaigns
      • Zero Waste Denver Campaign
      • Implementing the PPRA
        ▼
        • Sustainable Serviceware
        • 2024 Muni Guide
        • 2024 Business Guide
    • Boulder County Zero Waste Model
      ▼
      • Zero Waste Policies
      • Zero Waste Programs
        ▼
        • Schools Programs Overview
        • Eco-Leader Volunteer Network
        • Event Services
  • ECO-LIVING
    ▼
    • Refuse & Reduce
      ▼
      • Why Reduce?
      • Reducing Waste Starts at Home
      • How to Stop Junk Mail
      • Reduce Your Plastic Use
      • How to Reduce Food Waste
    • Reuse, Repair & Share
      ▼
      • Reusables as a Solution
      • Repair Resources
      • Reuse and Share Portal
      • Tour de Thrift
      • Zero Waste Holiday Guide
    • Recycling 101
      ▼
      • Why Recycle?
      • The Truth About Plastics Recycling
      • Recycling Myths
      • Household Hazardous Waste
    • Composting 101
      ▼
      • Why Compost?
      • Backyard Composting
      • Curbside Composting
      • Composting with Worms
      • Microbe Brew
      • Winter Composting
  • GUIDES & RESOURCES
    ▼
    • Guides for Boulder County
      ▼
      • Recycling Guide
      • Composting Guide
        ▼
        • Changing Compost Guidelines
        • Compost Guidelines FAQs
        • Clean Compost Toolkit
      • Reuse Guide
      • Repair Guide
      • Hazardous Waste Guide
    • Research and Reports
      ▼
      • 2024 SoRC Report
      • Composting in Denver Report
      • Chemical Recycling Report
      • Microplastics in Compost
      • More Reports
    • Resource Library
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      • Guidelines
      • Videos
      • Toolkits
      • Fact Sheets
    • Popular Tools
      ▼
      • Recycling Sorting Game
      • How to Stop Junk Mail
      • ZW Schools Activity Guide
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      • Sustainable Serviceware
      • SORC Report, 2024
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Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 19006
Boulder, CO 80308

Office & CHaRM Address:
6400 Arapahoe Rd.
Boulder, CO 80303

Recycle Hotline:
303.444.6634