• Avoid purchasing disposable goods such as paper towels and disposable razors.
• Buy in bulk when possible and use your own container.
• Buy products made with minimal or recyclable packaging.
• Buy products packaged in materials which are recyclable here on campus or in the City of Davis, such as cardboard cartons versus polystyrene cartons, or glass bottles and not squeezable containers.
• Avoid plastic packaging which cannot be recycled.
• Use concentrated products, such as powdered detergent, rather than liquids in plastic bottles.
• Buy products made with recycled materials.
• Take your own bags to the store.
• Carry a reusable mug.
• Use electronic mail.
• Make double-sided copies.
• Use one-sided paper for scratch paper and note pads.
• Use rechargeable batteries.
• Use long-life fluorescent light bulbs.
• Voice your product packaging preferences to store managers and business owners.
• Rethink, "Do I really need this item?"
• Consider a new product's expected durability and ease of repair in addition to its purchase price when you are shopping.

Selected Issues: Waste Reduction

Paper Versus Plastic Grocery Bags
Another debate has focused on the use of paper grocery bags versus plastic grocery bags. Both types of bags have environmental shortcomings. Most brown paper bags are made of virgin materials. Their advantage is that they are reusable and recyclable. Most plastic bags are made of petrochemical resins and are not biodegradable. A better alternative to both types of bags is a cloth or string bag which can be used over and over. Many of our local grocery stores now carry a variety of reusable bags.

Drink Boxes
Aseptic packages, known better as drink boxes, are used to hold fruit juices and milk. Aseptic processing involves heating liquids quickly to a high temperature to sterilize the liquid. The liquid is then cooled and placed into a sterile container. Juice boxes are made up of three layered materials: paper for stiffness and strength, layered polyethylene plastic to seal the package, and aluminum foil as a barrier against air and light. Advantages of aseptic boxes are that they are lightweight and unbreakable. The disadvantages are that they are not reusable, compostable, or biodegradable, and are difficult to recycle. An environmentally sound alternative to drink boxes are refillable containers.