Let's Learn to PRECYCLE PREvent ! PREcycle!   Earthman's recipe for precycle: The main ingredient is an ounce of prevention.   Exactly what is precycling? "Pre" means "before" and "precycling" means we can "preventing recycling" by taking a little action before. How do you do that? It's easy. Here are some simple examples: 1. If you bring your own bags to the store with you, you not only prevent having to recycle additional bags, you recycle an existing bag. 2. If you buy less disposable items or none at all (cloth napkins, towels and diapers instead of paper ones), you prevent more things from ending up in a landfill, and you don't use any packaging. 3. If you buy "long life" products (such as batteries and light bulbs) or "concentrated" products, (such as juices or detergents) you not only prevent buying unnecessary packaging, but you prevent more products from ending up in a landfill! Moonbeam says eliminate excess packaging. Sunnyray says use long lifers, you use less. Breezy says read labels...watch for hazards.   Here is  top ten list of ways to PRECYCLE 1. Bring reusable bags to the store with you. Cloth or paper will do! 2. Buy Large Quantities. If you buy products in bulk or in large sizes and quantities, you can put them in smaller containers as you need them and this uses less containers.   3. Buy products with the least amount of packaging or none at all. Items packed in multiple containers may look nice, but they are a waste!   4. Buy products packed in recycled packaging. If you have to use a container, it might as well be green. Additionally, you help support green corporations. (Important: make sure you look for the recycled symbol)   5. Don't buy disposable items (plates cups, pens, diapers, batteries, etc.) They only fill the landfill more.   6. Buy less paper towels and napkins or none at all. Use cloth ones!   7. Buy long life and concentrated items (batteries, bulks , etc.) This saves on packaging as well as product.   8. Don't purchase styrofoam. It contains polystyrene, which is the most difficult material to break down in our landfill and is considered a hazardous waste.   9. Buy items in cardboard. aluminum, steel, glass, and plastic containers marked 1 and 2 ( They are stamped on the bottom 1 and 2). These containers can be recycled more easily. 10. Read labels for ingredients. Stay away from chemicals that harm our plant and animal life and poison our land.   Obviously, there are times when disposable items or buying in bulk are not as practical, such as traveling or picnics. The trick to all this, is to limit. We can take responsibility by changing our daily habits. Precycling may take a little more work in some cases...but an ounce of prevention is the main ingredient here! Precycle, and teach your friends and family how to PRECYCLE, too!     Special events to honor and care for EARTH! Everywhere around the world there are days, weeks, and celebrations set aside just to help us with our concern for the world around us! If you know of any special events, please inform us, so that we may share them with our visitors!   This year marks the 5th annual "America Recycles Day" here in the USA: on November 15, 2002.   This year is the 32nd annual Earthday, April 15 2002