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Answer the following questions for each chapter section and then answer the Central Question.

While many environmental issues can seem only indirectly related to your everyday life, the problem of waste is definitely not. We all make decisions that affect the waste stream in our local community and beyond, and can therefore make choices that reduce the amount of material entering the waste stream.

□Stay informed.

There is a wealth of information available from local, state, and federal environmental agencies to help individuals reduce, recycle, and compost waste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, provides detailed information on how to make constructive contributions to solving waste management issues, along with reasons for making such contributions.

□Use less.

Use the products you own (e.g., appliances, clothing, vehicles) for as long as they continue to function properly. Purchase reusable, rather than disposable, products like reusable shopping bags and glass food storage containers. Consider buying used products in good condition. Experiment for a week by carrying with you all the trash you create in one day—try to decrease your trash each successive day.

□Recycle.

Consider donating to charity any functional household appliances, electronics, books, or clothing that you no longer need or cannot use instead of disposing of them. Contribute to recycling in your community by saving and recycling glass, paper, cardboard, and recyclable plastics. Most communities have recycling centers or, in many larger communities, programs for collecting recyclable materials at residences. Purchase products made from recycled materials, which helps sustain recycling by making it profitable. Collect hard-to-recycle items like water filters and print cartridges from friends and family and check earth911.com to make a mass dropoff at a nearby organization that will accept those items.

□Safely dispose of hazardous wastes.

Take particular care to recycle certain items like electronic equipment and batteries to avoid adding to the hazardous waste stream. Because they contain valuable materials like copper, silver, and gold, many manufacturers and retail business will accept electronic devices for recycling.