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Rethink Waste

Tools and resources to reduce waste at home or work!

Blog

Advocating to Modernize Oregon’s Recycling System

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Recycling Information

Recycle Right!

Wasted Food and Composting

Learn More on Organics

3 Actions to Rethink Waste:

1.) Milk and ice cream cartons, paper cups go in the trash.

Paper products designed to hold wet stuff have a plastic lining and can’t be recycled in your curbside carts in Deschutes County. Find out more about what is and isn’t recyclable!

Recycle Right!

2.) Save money by wasting less food.

Did you know 25% of the average household’s food ends up in the trash? That’s 1/4 of your food budget: wasted food is wasted money. Sign up for our free Rethink Food Waste Challenge to learn more tips on how to waste less food.

More on the Challenge

3.) Opt-out of single-use extras in your take out.

Yes it’s hard during COVID, especially when you see the ground littered with masks and your trash can full of take out containers. But by asking for no condiments or silverware in your take out, you’re doing your part.

Home Reduce Tips

Schedule a Rethink Waste Presentation

Interested in scheduling a free Rethink Waste presentation about waste prevention including food waste reduction, recycling right, best reduce practices for your workplace, current events, or more? Virtual presentations are available! Please contact for more information.

Contact Us

Rethink Waste Guide

Do you have your copy of the Rethink Waste Guide for Deschutes County? It has the tools and resources you need to help reduce your waste and rethink your relationship with stuff. Learn about composting, using nontoxic alternatives, and buying local. And take steps toward a community-driven goal: reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink.

RW Guide

Bienvenidos a la Guía de Rethink Waste!

“Rethink Waste” traducido al español significa reconsiderar los desechos. La guía Rethink Waste le ayudará a hacerlo. En ella encontrará las herramientas y los recursos que necesita para ayudar a reducir desechos y reconsiderar su relación con las cosas. Aprenda sobre el compostaje, uso de alternativas no tóxicas, hacer compras locales. Tome los pasos que lo dirijan hacia un objetivo comunitario: reducir, reutilizar, reciclar y reconsiderar.

La guía

Waste prevention and reduction education for Deschutes County residents.

The Rethink Waste Project provides the tools and resources you need to help you reduce waste – and rethink the way you think about waste. From learning easy ways to reduce waste at home, such as composting and simple non-toxic alternatives, to paying attention to your purchasing habits and understanding what it means to buy local, we can all take steps towards the same goal: reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink.

In partnership with:

Deschutes County
Republic Services
Cascade Disposal
Wilderness Garbage and Recycling

Advocating to Modernize Oregon’s Recycling System

April 19, 2021

Modernizing Oregon’s Recycling System (SB 582 – 9): Overview Oregon has an outdated recycling system that leads to public confusion about what can and cannot be recycled, and consequently, high rates of contamination. The system also places too large a burden on local communities for the end-of-life costs of materials. This bill would finally apply […]

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Advocating for the Right to Repair

April 19, 2021

Right to Repair (HB 2698): Overview If you can’t repair your own things, do you really own them? In a time of planned obsolescence where stuff is made to be broken, this bill will empower repair rather than disposal by requiring manufacturers to provide us with the tools and manuals we need to fix our […]

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FIND A RECYCLER OR REUSER

GET STARTED

Not sure what to do with items that aren't collected curbside? Think before you throw anything away. Use the search boxes below to find local businesses that reuse and recycle a wide variety of stuff.

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Rethink Waste Events

Mon 19

Celebrate Earth Day with film screening of Microplastic Madness

April 16 @ 7:00 pm - April 25 @ 9:00 pm
Thu 22

RiverFest 2021

April 22 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Thu 29

Let’s Talk Community Food with Orlando Martín López Gómez

April 29 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

View More…


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