Recycle? Yes. But Reduce First.

For years, I believed recycling was my ‘get out of climate guilt free’ card—just toss in a bottle, give myself a high five, and carry on. 😅

And, sure, recycling matters.
But here’s the fact: recycling alone won’t save us.
I wish it could! But, unfortunately, it’s not the magic solution we’ve been sold.

Here’s why:

Every product we recycle has already consumed tons of energy, raw materials, and water during production. Recycling it? That takes even more energy and resources. And if we only use these products for a few moments — think to takeout containers, single-use packaging, low cost clothes — the cost to the planet is much higher than we realize.

For those already thinking:
“So… what now? Should we stop producing everything, crash the economy, starve to death, and all go live on peace & love?"

Well… living on peace & love doesn’t sound so bad, right? But starving? Yeah, not really my thing — and I’m guessing not yours either.

So here’s the deal: Yes, we keep producing… but way less. That means stepping away from mindless overconsumption and shifting toward creating only what truly matters — with care, consciousness, and deep respect for the resources we use along the way.

The key?
👉 Shift from mindless consumption to mindful choices.

Let’s stop chasing “more” for the sake of appearances, profit, status or for poor emotional management.
Let’s start choosing what truly adds value to our lives.

And the best things about this? They are completely free: a walk in the woods, a swim in the ocean, a good talk with friends, lying in the grass doing absolutely nothing (highly recommended). That’s real wealth.

So here’s my suggestion:

Reduce first. Recycle mindfully. Live simply.

Buy less, choose better, and only what you truly need.

and one more note about recycling: recycling rules aren’t universal. Every city, every town, every municipality has its own guidelines. Then…
👉 Take two minutes to check your local recycling rules (usually on your city’s website).
👉 Do the same when you’re visiting another place.
👉 And please… help out older people. I get it, it’s confusing for them! Be patient, guide them, show them how. It’s a beautiful excuse to connect and share something meaningful.

To resume:

• Reduce.

• Recycle.

• Consume with intention

We don’t need perfection.
We need small, conscious steps.