Explain the difference between re-use and recycling?

Answer 1

Good question. These terms get bandied about a lot, but are seldom explained. Re-use is when you take something that someone else has discarded or has sold or given to you and either use it for its original purpose again or use it for a different purpose. The key is that the object is not really changed in a significant way. For example, when you take an empty glass pop or beer bottle, wash it thoroughly and then fill it back up with a new drink and seal a new cap on it, it has been re-used. That same bottle could be re-used as a flower vase, painted or somehow otherwise turned into an art object etc.

Now if you were to take that bottle and crush it into tiny pieces of glass, you could recycle it into all sorts of things. You could simply use the crushed glass as decorative mulch, or filler in a different vase or something like that. Or, you could melt the glass pieces down and blow it into a new bottle of any shape, add it to melted glass from other objects and use it to make a new window, or fiberglass insulation, or fiber optic cable etc. That would be recycling.

Both are great ways to keep something out of a landfill or litter and both are good for the environment. In fact, some argue that re-use is somewhat better for the environment as it usually requires less expenditure of energy, transportation, other materials etc. than actual recycling does.

Answer 2

Compostable paper is paper or cardboard that can be used as one component of compost, mixed with other vegetal or animal waste, or as mulch that will biodegrade on the spot. If used as compost, it must be clean enough, for instance without lead-based ink or glossy paper such as magazines that are not safe to compost.

Recyclable paper is paper that will be made into more paper. Depending on the quality of the original paper, it can be made into either print paper, or lower quality paper for newspapers or toilet rolls.

Answer 3

well when the the thingy goes to the thingy then the thingy is a recycle if the thingy stays as the thingy then is is sustainability

Answer 4

Renewable is when nature makes it and you can use it as much as possible, such as water, and recycled is when you just use something over again, such as a plastic bottle or glass jar.