When you avoid creating trash in the first place, you don’t have to worry about disposing of waste or recycling it later. Changing your habits is the key — think about ways you can reduce your waste when you shop, work and play. There are a lot of ways for you to reduce waste, save yourself some time and money, and be good to the Earth at the same time.
You can substantially reduce solid waste by following these basic principles:
REDUCE the amount of trash discarded.
REUSE containers and products.
RECYCLE use recycled materials, and compost.
RESPOND to the solid waste dilemma by reconsidering waste-producing activities and by expressing preferences for less waste.
Is unwanted mail a problem in the United States?
Let’s do the math.
Shipped: 5.56 million tons
Recycled: 1.23 million tons (22%)
Trash: 4.33 million tons
Nearly 32 pounds of paper and plastic going into the garbage for every woman, man and child in America?! That’s a pretty sizeable “junked mail” problem! (reduce.org)
- Disposable razors
- Disposable cleaning products, such as wipes
- Disposable cameras
- Disposable flashlights
- Disposable cell phones
- Cloth shopping bags
- Washable dishes, cups, flatware—no paper or plastic
- Cloth towels and napkins
- Consider long-lasting appliances and electronic equipment with good warranties. Check reports for products with a record of high consumer satisfaction and low breakdown rates. Also, look for those products that are easily repaired.
- Keep appliances in good working order. Follow manufacturers’ suggestions for proper operation and maintenance.
- High-quality, long-lasting tires for cars, bicycles, and other vehicles are available. Using them reduces the rate at which tires are replaced and the disposal of them. Also, to extend tire life, check tire pressure once a month, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for upkeep, and rotate tires routinely. In addition, retread and remanufactured tires can reduce tire waste.
- Mend clothes instead of throwing them away. Where possible, repair worn shoes, boots, handbags, and briefcases.
- Whenever intended for use over a long period of time, choose furniture, luggage, sporting goods, toys, and tools that will stand up to vigorous use.
- Consider using low-energy fluorescent light bulbs rather than incandescent ones. They’ll last longer, which means fewer bulbs are thrown out, and cost less to replace over time.
You probably don’t go to the store saying, “I think I’ll buy some garbage today.” But depending on which products you choose, that is at least partly what you’re doing. By purchasing stuff that’s over-packaged, disposable or of poor quality, your cash can soon end up as trash.
- Why shop ’til you drop? Buy only what you need and buy products in bulk containers and concentrates with less packaging. Shop in the bulk aisle at the grocery store for things that you seem to be buying often and have long shelf-lives such as detergents, dog food, pasta, cereal, cleaners and paper products. Buying in bulk will decrease waste and the total cost. Be alert – some “bulk packages” are just individually wrapped items that are packaged yet again and sold as a bulk item. You will be getting a lot more packaging than you were counting on.
- Next time you go to the store, make a list of what you need. Then look for opportunities to buy in bulk or buy products that have less packaging. Look at a product and think about how much of what you are paying for will end up in the trash.
- Not only are you saving money, but you won’t have to go to the store as often. When you shop smart by buying things in bulk or in concentrate you can reduce the amount of packaging headed to the trash.
- Purchase reusable and refillable containers to use in your home instead of disposable items. Think about ways to reuse items in your home. Look for ways to reduce the amount of trash you throw away by making good purchasing decisions and looking for ways to reduce.
- Avoid buying single-use items like paper or plastic plates, cups and disposable silverware. You will spend more money buying these types of items and throwing them away than you would if you used reusable tableware.
- Reusable items eliminate or reduce the number of disposable items thrown away and the costs of disposing of them.
For additional information, visit www.reduce.org.