We all know what recycling is. It is the process of minimizing waste production by recognizing what can be of use from the so-called pile of waste material. Recycling involves three methods or the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Reduce means you try to lower your waste production by Reusing what can still serve some purpose, by adopting a minimalist approach and not buying unnecessarily, and by Recycling most of what goes into the waste produced.

India has always been smart in its waste management at the individual level. We use toothbrushes till the last and reuse them like a paintbrush or better yet a cleaning brush. Most ladies use it as a regular pedicure tool. Then why are there so many piles and piles of toxic waste around us?

The problem is when we are adopting such methods we hardly do it with an intention to protect the environment or Go Green.

The ulterior motive is to not extend our budget to things we need but don't consider worth spending on. It may sound selfish but most of the time it is true. We need to think about the ecosystem first, only then we will come up with innovative ways to actually take a conscious step toward recycling. This is what is important. World Recycle Day is celebrated on March 18, globally so that people understand the benefits of recycling which extend to our future generations as well.

Recycling is necessary because:

• Reduces the cost of production.
• It makes the products cheaper.
• It is an eco-friendly move.
• It increases your "cool" quotient in society (not all superheroes wear capes).

The good thing is you can recycle without extra efforts or any drastic lifestyle changes. It just takes a little bit of consideration. If you already are recycling, notice what and how you are recycling it. Do not use a bag for collecting recycle-able goods as it becomes difficult for the sanitation workers to sort out the material. Also, using a polybag to put in the material will defeat the purpose.

Next, see that you aren't recycling something smaller than an ATM card. When cutting the bag of chips, cookies, etc; don't cut out the entire top portion, leave it attached at one end. Check with local authorities about the things they do recycle, because glass is recycle-able but it depends on the region you live in. If it is recycled, put the glass object intact, broken glass is hazardous. Similarly, electronic equipment must not be thrown away. Meanwhile, soda cans, water bottles can be recycled.

A few years ago, there was active campaigning regarding the separation of dry waste and wet waste. Dry waste usually comprised of waste that isn't organic or cannot bio-degrade in a short duration of time. For example, the paper is bio-degradable but is comes under dry waste. Dry waste usually contains recycle-able items along with non-biodegradable ones, so categorize your waste also.

These are small steps but drop by drop we can fill an ocean. Therefore, recycle and let us know your experience!