Reuse

Mugs, Bottles, Bags

Mugs

Using a reusable mug when you get your hot drink is a small action that collectively has a big impact. 

"If only 15 percent of US college students used reusable mugs instead of disposable cups every day, we would eliminate more than a billion cups a year." -The Earth Works Group 

To help spread the shift from the disposable mentality, we at CU Recycling will be giving out FREE coffee on certain mornings throughout the semester... but only if you Lug-Your-Mug!

Carrying a reusable mug not only gives you the chance to score some free coffee from us, but it can also get you discounts at coffee shops on campus and throughout Boulder.

Bottles

"Making bottles to meet America’s demand for bottled water uses more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year. And that’s not even including the oil used for  transportation"- Pacific Institute

Ditching bottled water for a reusable water bottle not only saves energy and resources but will also save you money as bottled water is typically sold for 10,000 times the price of regular tap water. Across campus you will find refill stations throughout resident halls and academic buildings where you can fill up with cool filtered water for free!

Bags

"Every year, Americans reportedly throw away 100 billion plastic grocery bags."- The Worldwatch Institute

"Of the plastic bags used less than 5 percent of plastic grocery bags are recycled in the U.S."- E.P.A

Plastic Bags have a colossal impact on the environment as they are resource intensive, hard to recycle, and can take up to thousands of years to decompose. 

In November 2012, City Council passed an ordinance requiring a 10-cent fee for disposable plastic and paper checkout bags at all grocery stores in Boulder, so make sure to BYOB (bring your own bag) to the grocery store!

Household Items

Quality vs. Quantity

  • Avoid single-use, disposable items.
  • Buy durable. Think about the lifetime of the product before purchasing it.
  • Buy products with less packaging.
  • Life Without Plastic offers 100% plastic-free products packaged and shipped to you in entirely recyclable materials.  

Buy in bulk

  • The "Bulk Section" at most grocery stores is a great way to reduce packaging and save money, as you only buy what you need.                                                                                                     
  • Bring containers to fill. Jars, Tupperware and reusable bags work great in the bulk section and beyond!                                                 
  • You can even buy metal or glass containers that don't use harmful plastics to produce. 
  • Always use reusable bags when shopping to cut down on the amount of plastic and paper bags that are wasted.  
  • If you are eating at the hot bar, try reusable cutlery and straws as alternatives to plastic utensils and replace to-go boxes with reusable Tupperware.

Buy cloth

  • Instead of paper products, use cloth napkins and cloth dish towels. 
  • Think about using cloth diapers for your baby instead of regular diapers. You can save money and help the environment.                                            
  • Buy recycled paper products, like toilet paper, to conserve trees.

Buying Green: Ultimate list of resources

  • Litterless: Find zero-waste grocery stores in Colorado listed by city. Also, explore where to compost in Colorado. Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market, Lucky’s and Alfalfa sell groceries in bulk.
  • Life Without Plastic: Discover plastic-free options such as bamboo toothbrushes, dental floss in refillable glass bottles, steel straws, etc.
  • Beeswax Wraps: Replace plastic wrap and other plastic containers with Beeswax Wraps to keep your perishable foods fresh.
  • Wooden toothbrushes: Use a wooden toothbrush instead of plastic to avoid unnecessary waste from unrecyclable plastics.
  • Reusable Straws: Choose reusable straws instead of plastic straws.
  • Bar Soaps: Use bar soaps instead of body washes, shampoos and conditioners in plastic containers. 
  • Reusable to-go coffee cup rental program: If you forget a reusable mug, you can rent a Vessel coffee cup for free from participating coffee shops and return it within 15 days.
  • Cloth produce bags: Bring cloth produce bags for shopping. 
  • Tampons and pads: Replace tampons or pads with menstrual cups and reusable cloth pads. Both are washable and can last many cycles. There is also period-proof underwear that is thin, effective and surprisingly stylish.
  • Car Share on CU: Rent a car through the campus portal.
  • Cora Ball: A laundry tool to deter microfibers and microplastics from entering sewage water.