Avoid waste in the first place, and it does not have to be managed later. Source reduction conserves resources, reduces pollution and helps cut waste disposal and handling costs. Reducing the amount of trash produced means less packaging or changing of manufacturing process to use fewer resources. Reusing an item puts it back into service without changing it, as with a canvas bag.
Recycling returns a modified item into service again.
S olutions to Iowa's waste management challenge begin with individual commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. Each of us must consider the options that preserve Iowa's resources - even when those options may not be the cheapest choices. Every local decision has a global impact. Working together we make a difference.