In our area they don't recycle anymore. It all goes with the regular garbage. Not sure why that is but that's how it is here. We still reuse many things. We still use nylon or cloth bags when we get groceries and there are paper bags as well. The plastic bags we get we do reuse as well.

Think of all those throwaway diapers. We used cloth diapers, rinsed them good, washed them and hung them out or used the dryer. Not a problem as they were used over and over again and I never minded washing, drying and folding them. That's a long time ago now. Couldn't afford the throwaway kind anyway.

We also drink well water with no problem. We do not buy any water. We used to when we traveled so that we had the same kind of water. But that's awhile ago now too.