One of the best ways to preserve our natural resources and reduce the amount of waste we generate is through conservation. The benefits of conservation are numerous, including cost savings, pollution prevention and job creation. EPA seeks to conserve our environmental resources through two methods: re-use and reduction. The re-use, or recycling of resources, lowers the demands for new resources and reduces waste. Reduction serves the same purposes through the more efficient use of resources. Through grants and other initiatives, EPA encourages the development and implementation of new technologies such as low-flush toilets and hybrid vehicle engines that contribute to the conservation of our natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• Cleaner Water Through Conservation
  This document explains the relationship between the quantity of water and its quality.
• Resource Conservation Challenge
  The Resource Conservation Challenge is a major national effort to find flexible ways to conserve our valuable natural resources through waste reduction and energy recovery.
• National Estuary Program: Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans
  Provides links to comprehensive conservation management plans.