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Here are 10 easy activities for families and kids to reduce, reuse and recycle

Everyone knows the three R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. But what if I told you that there are actually five? That’s right, before you even get to those three, many folks looking to go green are tacking on “refuse” and “rot” first.

That may seem like a lot, with everything else in our daily lives, and it can be confusing on where to start. But it doesn’t take much, and even just one or two small changes can make a big difference on how “trashy” your family is. So here are 10 things that you can do by yourself or with your family. Outside of lugging your recycling bin to the curb — keep doing that.

Turn those food scraps into compost

So you’re already recycling a bunch of your family’s trash, that’s great, but that leaves a lot of smelly food scraps and dirty napkins in your garbage can. Instead, compost it! (That’s the “rot.”) You can start a compost pile in your back yard in just a few steps and then use it to fertilize your plants. If you don’t have a yard, or another use for the material, there also are some subscription services in Indianapolis — Earth Mama Compost and Green with Indy. They provide you with a bin and then collect your scraps and yard waste on a regular schedule.

Organics and compost are piled together as recycling experts, Kelly Weger, the Lead Service Manager for Sustainability at Purdue University, and Julia Spangler, a Sustainable Events Consultant, go through the Indy Star trash to see how much could be recycled instead of tossed in the landfill, on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. The trash audit found that 75 percent of what IndyStar throws away could be recycled or composted. That percentage is typical for the average household, according to the experts.

Participate in clean up

Clean-ups are happening in neighborhoods across Indianapolis. The city partners with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful — called the Great Indy Cleanup — to coordinate with communities, help organize the event and provide resources for the pick-ups. In just the last couple years, nearly four million pounds of litter was cleaned off Indianapolis streets by volunteers. So reach out to find an event in your area, or take charge and plan one of your own. Then get out as a family to take pride in where you live.

Hard to recycle: How Indianapolis officials failed residents

Do a trash audit

If you’re not sure just how many recyclables you're throwing in the garbage can, or think it can’t actually be that much, challenge yourself to do a trash audit. What is a trash audit, you might ask.... It's a method to analyze your waste stream with the goal of discovering the types and quantities of waste produced within a certain time frame (and how much you throw out vs. recycle). So gather round, channel your inner raccoon, and follow this easy guide with step-by-step directions on how to do an audit, with some potential suggestions based on your results.

Styrofoam cups technically can be recycled, but most curbside services won't accept them. Here, recycling experts, Julia Spangler, a Sustainable Events Consultant, left, and Kelly Weger, the Lead Service Manager for Sustainability at Purdue University, right, sort recyclables from the Indy Star trash to see how much could be recycled instead of tossed in the landfill, on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. The trash audit found that 75 percent of what IndyStar throws away could be recycled or composted. That percentage is typical for the average household, according to the experts.

Turn off the tap while brushing teeth

About two gallons of water flow from the tap every minute it runs, so that means you could save as many as five gallons of water a day by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth. It doesn’t stop there — turn off the tap while washing your hands or scrubbing dishes. Just those little steps could save hundreds of gallons of water in your house a month (and some change in your pocket, too).

Set a good example with reusable items

The order of the R’s is no coincidence — there’s a reason to reduce and reuse before you recycle. If you can fold items like reusable bags and refillable water bottles into your daily routine, you won’t have to worry about recycling the plastic bags and bottles. There are tons of cute and cool designs for both bags and bottles out there — or make it a family activity to customize your own — and then just make sure you keep them by the door or in the car, ready to use when you need.

Missed economic opportunity: Learn more about Indiana’s recycling industry

Remember that not all recyclables or programs are created equal

So I’m giving you some homework: learn about your city’s recycling program. Each one is a little different in terms of the items collected and how they are supposed to be disposed of. That goes for everyday items such as carton containers and plastic bags — which usually have to be returned to a grocery store — as well as specialty items such as electronics. So make some calls and check out your city’s online resources so your family can be the experts on the block when it comes to recycling.

Some of the unwanted items that have been stowaways on bales for Perpetual Recycling Solutions, Richmond, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Most of these items were found before causing harm to machinery, but if not caught soon enough, they can force costly production delays.

Opt out of junk mail 

How many of you get so many envelopes in the mail each week that you just end up shredding them, or ripping them up, and throwing them out? It’s a pain for you, but it also is wasting a lot of paper. So to save yourself the hassle, and some trees, opt out of all that mail and set it up so you can do as much of your bills and accounts online. And for those others, like junk mail that you never asked for, take the step to register for the do-not-mail list. This one gets to that very first R, to refuse. 

Take a hike or just get outside

Indianapolis has a bunch of great parks and outdoor areas throughout the city, not to mention the dozens of amazing state parks and reserves. Exploring one of those as a family is a fantastic way to get outside and show your kids just what it is that you are protecting by going green. And if you want to take it one step further, bring a bag and join the plogging craze — that is, picking up litter while jogging.

Recycling is worth it:Here are four reasons to lug it to the curb

Watch a documentary

Why not make Friday night a family movie night, with a twist. Take the opportunity to sit down together and watch a documentary about nature or reducing waste. Some of our favorites are Planet Earth, The Story of Bottled Water, Flow or the No Impact Man. All of them give a glimpse behind the scenes of waste in the world and can help you as a family to appreciate nature and be inspired to do something about it. You may even come away with some ideas!


We’re adding a sixth ‘R’ to the list: relax! The realization of all the waste we generate can be overwhelming, but you don't have to turn zero waste overnight. As Polly Barks, a zero waste blogger in Lafayette, writes, "To expect individual perfection when a perfect system doesn’t exist is silly; zero waste is a catchy term for an eco-movement, not a statement of reality." We live in a system designed to produce waste, so we shouldn't feel too much pressure to be perfect. Pick and choose what’s right for your family, and maybe set a goal of trying a new one each month. Just remember that even small changes can make a big difference.

Sarah Bowman and Emily Hopkins cover the environment for IndyStar.
