One third of our garbage is made up of packaging, much of it thrown out immediately after purchase. Precycling is considering what will ultimately happen to a product's container or packaging before purchasing it, then buying those products that are minimally packaged and/or can be recycled. Buying items in bulk and purchasing reusable, rechargeable or long-life products are others ways to reduce waste in the long run.

When choosing between two different brands, consider the one whose packaging can be recycled. Products like infant formula and some powdered drink mixes come in metal or cardboard canisters. The metal one can be recycled; the cardboard one cannot. The glass peanut butter jar is recyclable; a plastic jar is not. A plastic milk bottle is recyclable; a wax coated paper milk carton is not.

You may have to weigh convenience against recyclability. If your child can live without drink boxes, then choose a reusable plastic drink bottle and buy juice in large glass bottles (very recyclable and cheaper, too.) Similarly, lunchbox servings of apple sauce or pudding and the microwavable mini-meals are usually in non-recyclable packages. Buy a small reusable plastic container instead and fill with food from a larger recyclable container or food you make yourself.

Choose products that use less wrapping or come in bulk. A paperboard box may be recyclable with mixed paper; a plastic wrapper goes out in the trash. What are you keeping, what are you throwing out, what can you recycle and what are you really paying for -- these are the major precycling questions.

The truly dedicated tend to choose paper, glass or metal containers over any made out of plastic since the former three are usually recycled back into something like their original form. This is called closed loop recycling, since a soda can becomes another soda can. Plastic containers are not yet recycled into their previous forms and are usually downgraded from food use. They are used in insulation, carpet backing, plastic lumber, recycling and trash bins, and other nonfood products.

In addition to precycling, buying products with a recycled content also supports recycling industries. Many businesses in the area now carry paper, glass, plastic and metal merchandise where some or all of the content has been recycled.