Nate Kozlowski

Apart from having a reusable cup that looks awesome.  I've also been able to notice how many plastic cups I have not contributed to the trash can each day for my coffee runs.  Next on the list is figuring out a way to recycle these K-Cups in an easier manner since they are the only free source of coffee in most workplaces.

The easiest place to reduce waste is in your pantry.  I've realized this over the past few months of being on a plant-based diet.  Purchasing raw veggies from the grocery store using our own reusable  produce bags, along with our own reusable grocery bags for transport back to our humble abode, plastic grocery bags have become scarce in our household.  Its amazing what a little change can add up to be over a few months.  Also using a reusable bag grants you a discount at the register so dang, not to bad if ya ask me.

The plastic packaging is serving the producer. Low cost, more money for them.

It is so easy to turn containers into sweet looking lunch items.  They are off the wall and you save money as well.  Not to mention majority of plastic reusable's are not great for food storage and reheating, but glass lasts for ever and is a lot easier to clean.  Anything with a lid and a glass container can be used for storage and that's were your creativity can come into play.

We are feeding our soil the nutrients it needs.  We are doing the work ourselves and cutting out the middle man.  Majority of crops and produce grown today need to have a fast ground to market time which means enhancers are used to ensure that time is met.  These enhancers are not the best for our body so having your own garden where chemicals are not involved in the growth of our veggies and fruits is a huge plus,

Having a garden with a partner is a great reason to start a compost bin.  No trips to the store to buy products and spend unnecessary money when we have all the nutrients we need right in our back yard.  It also helps to reuse the scraps we don't consume which gives right back to the earth for our fruits and vegetables.

Being a D.I.Y. fanatic, these R's are a lot easier for me to understand and incorporate into my lifestyle.  Reusing items which have already built a story of their own through years of use not only goes to show how long these products can last but also shows the importance of reducing, reusing and repairing. Lets say a glass jar has been in the family for 10 years.  This glass jar was from a store bought Jam that Mom washed out and used for your daily morning oat through grade school.  This one glass jar has done the job of what millions of other glass jars accomplished in one day to only make their way to a landfill.  Now take a step back and picture a different jar in your lunch-bag every day for 10 years. We've just now added over 3,000 jars to that landfill and 2,000 lbs of glass waste.  Numbers add up.  

Less processed foods.  More raw foods incorporated in our diet which means less unnecessary sugars, chemicals.  Straight from the ground and into a stomach.