• Avoid Heavy Packaging – When you are purchasing products, don't buy the ones that are covered in layers of unnecessary packaging.  These materials often just end up in a landfill.
• Buy in Bulk – Purchasing large amounts of a product at once means that less packaging will be required.  It will probably save you money as well.
• Compost – Create a compost pile of your yard waste.  Eventually, it will turn into mulch and fertilizer that you can use for free.
• Contact Businesses – Write to companies whose products you buy and tell them that reducing waste matters to you.  Recommend that they make their products as recyclable as possible and minimize the amount of waste produced.
• Locate Recycling Facilities – Find out where you can recycle in your community and tell others what you find out from your search.
• Participate in Community Decisions – Attend town meetings to encourage local officials to build recycling facilities and minimize the amount of waste produced in the community.
• Recycle – Always recycle when you have the chance.  Even if you are away from home, there are probably recycling opportunities in the area you are in.
• Separate Recyclables – Instead of throwing everything away in the garbage, sort out your recyclable materials and set them aside for recycling.

This project was created by Caroline, David, Michael, Mindy, Neil, and Vikas for the ThinkQuest Internet contest in 1999.  Please read our copyright information or contact us (link disabled) if you have questions about this site.