During the Season of Creation, a “New Lifestyle” is encouraged by Pope Francis for us to begin to live. This is outlined in Pope Francis’s Chapter 6 of his Encyclical letter, entitled “Laudato Si’- On Care for Our Common Home.” Pope Francis discusses how we must move away from “extreme consumerism” and move toward a change of heart which will result in “changing out relationship with other creatures and to the world around us “ ( Ch 6, Laudato Si’).

A simple diagram (attached) might help us work toward the new lifestyle by expanding the three R’s- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle- to five R’s: beginning with Refuse, then Reduce, Reuse, and adding Repurpose with the last resort being Recycle. This is expansion is mainly proposed because only 5-6% of things put into the recycle bins actually get recycled.

In our area, Zero Waste Capital District (ZWCD) and Honest Weight Food Co-op have joined to overcome two traditional barriers for recycling goods - contamination and transport to a processing facility. Honest Weight helps to make sure the clear glass is clean and metal-free; TOMRA Recycling, Inc in picks up the glass. You can drop off your clear glass to be recycled at Honest Weight Food Co-op (100 Watervliet Avenue, Albany, N.Y. 12206) in one of their outside bins. Please, no green, brown, or other tints, and make sure the bottles are clean and metal-free.

And don't forget the Five R's!

• Refuse to buy products that are wasteful or have unnecessary packaging.
• Advocate for your municipality to adopt laws to reduce waste, such as banning single use plastic bags.
• Reduce the use of wasteful and non-recyclable products and packaging and reduce the amount of stuff you buy.
• Reuse items rather than throwing them away. Intrinsic to this concept is to repair rather than replace.
• Repurpose items for another use, which is also known as upcycling. Be creative and have fun with it!
• Recycle as a last resort and find out what is recyclable in your area and what is not.