The First (and Forgotten) ‘R’

Food Waste at Victor’s Dining Center

BY ISA SWAIN

How often have you heard the phrase “Reduce, reuse, recycle”? Since the 70’s, the three Rs have been circulated around the country, bringing attention to our unsustainable habits of overconsumption. Most of the attention is usually focused on the last R, “recycle”. It’s easy to forget about “reduce” and “reuse” when trying to implement sustainable systems of managing trash and food waste, especially within public institutions such as Portland State University. While it is important to place recycling cans and food scrap bins alongside trash cans in public spaces, it’s not enough to end there. The order of the three R’s were meant to guide us when thinking about how to have the biggest effect on the environment; the most important is to reduce, then to reuse, and finally to recycle. If Portland State University wants to work towards a more sustainable future, our community still has a ways to go.