compromised our commitment
That’s called breaking a promise. A commitment is a promise. Not fulfilling it is breaking it. You fucking broke a promise because you were afraid to deal with the truth, you faithless cowards. Then, when found out, you tried to squirm instead of actually living the open dialogue.
Admit your mistake, openly and without weasel words, then work to fix it and live up to the commitment you gave. Set an example not in the negative, but in the positive: We all fuck up some time. What matters is setting it right.
Reduce
Reuse <- You are here
Recycle
Not using it at all would be better, sure, but if you don’t have that option for whatever reason, reusing it is the next best thing. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.