Recycling is an important solution to waste management, but contrary to popular belief, it's not the solution. It's a good solution, but not the best one. Yet this tends to be the only part people remember from the ever-important Reduce, Reuse, Recycle eco-mantra.
It's in that order of importance. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—not the other way around.
Reducing consumption is the best option. Then reusing it. Then recycling it. Actually, upcycling is probably a better alternative than recycling but one thing at a time.
Perhaps we need to create some sort of "lefty Lucy/righty tighty" type saying to help people better remember the bigger picture here or at the least the right order.
Maybe we need to rewrite the saying altogether. You know, find a new, culturally relevant way to tell an old forgotten story. Any takers out there?
  
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