Reduce...Reuse...Recycle...Remember

We hear so much about the 3 Rs of waste reduction. To recycle is to process used items so that the material can be used to make new products. Reduce refers to lowering the amount of items or resources that are consumed. Reuse means repurposing an item rather than discarding it. Recycling generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage.

At first glance, scrapbooking and recycling may seem mutually exclusive. And to be honest, I've seem some scrappers that are contributing a legacy of wasteful disposal of paper, plastic wrapping and containers, and out-dated equipment. But upon further inspection, I've decided that a conscientious scrapper can also practice the 3 Rs in a harmonious partnership. Paper is the primary material in scrapbooking. With so many recycled options available, it can be a very renewable resource, making it an environmentally friendly medium.

There are so many fun and easy ways to make your scrapbook personal and unique by reusing things from around your own home. The handcrafted items made from common everyday goods add the ultimate personal touch that can't be duplicated in mass production. Here are a few ideas on how you can increase your recycling while you scrapbook:

Recycle

Set up an area near where you scrapbook for items that can be recycled like papers or ribbon scraps, this will encourage you to consume more and throw away less.

Purchase recycled scrapbook paper, there are new lines of patterned scrapbook paper that are made from 30% post consumer content and use vegetable based inks. Companies like K and Company and Jillibean Soup (both featured above), Piggy Tales (see previous post), and DCWV (see previous post) are jumping on the green bandwagon.

Reuse

Use the scraps on several pages in the same album to carry an overall theme.

Donate the papers in your someday pile to charity or your local senior center

Share or trade your idea books with your friends. I actually cleaned out my paper supply about a week ago and donated my extra paper to the Nature Center to be used for art/nature summer camps.
Purchase slightly used items scrapbook garage sales (or host your own).

Find a way to use the packing material often included with scrapbook items (remember you may need to treat these items to make them archival safe). There have been several recent articles in popular scrapbooking magazines that highlight creative ways to use packaging plastic. I've seen it punched, painted, sewn into pockets, and fashioned into shakers.

Don't just buy your buttons collect them from old blouses or shirts in your closet.

Reduce

Purchase durable, long-lasting products.

Use every bit of item that you do purchase.

Don't buy the newest item if you already have a similar item. This is particularly important because we are in an era of "newer is better." It is so tempting to buy the latest gadget or fad when we already own perfectly useable supplies.

With a little thought, we can ensure that we aren't creating a legacy of waste as we work toward telling the stories of family traditions. We can be sure we are preserving the planet as well as the pictures.