Last updated on May 13th, 2023 at 05:03 am
Are you looking wondering how to reduce waste at home it’s actually pretty simple? You can start today!
In our Throw-away Society, it’s hard to imagine that each person in the United States creates 4.9 pounds of trash every day.
If you think about how much waste this generates annually, it is mind-blowing! In fact, the amount of trash we produce each year is enough to fill 65,000 garbage trucks.
Keep in mind that these trucks are 17 tons each!
The United States isn’t the only country that has a problem with all this trash. It is estimated that 1.3 billion tons of waste and much of that is waste at home that’s generated worldwide by 2025, which is double what we make today!
Much of this trash is food scraps, packaging waste, junk mail, paper towels, and everyday items we as humans consume.
This may not seem like a big deal but when you consider how much space this garbage takes up, it’s a HUGE deal.
In fact, this would be enough waste to fill the Empire State building around 27 times!
Our current crisis with waste and recycling is incredibly significant. It shows that we need to make some major lifestyle changes to reduce waste at home as a whole in order for our planet to survive.
Lately, many young people are taking on this challenge. They are known as the Eco-Friendly, Sustainable individuals committed to protecting our planet.
Let’s take a look at how they are working to make a positive change both in their lives and in our beautiful world.
8 Ways to reduce waste at home you produce starting today
- Bring your own bag to the grocery store
- Bring your own water bottle
- Avoid buying products in packaging and plastic containers
- Reduce packaging by buying in bulk from local farmers’ market
- Educate yourself about what can be recycled and composted
- Support companies that are environmentally friendly and use recycled and re-usable products
- Repurpose items you no longer need
- Refuse straws at restaurants/fast food places
- Cut water waste at home by recycling
Bring your own bag to the grocery stores to reduce plastic bags
There are simple steps you can take to reduce waste at home by bringing your own reusable produce bags when shopping.
If everyone in the United States does this, we would reduce our plastic bag usage by 5 billion bags per year! That is mind-blowing.
These small steps save two or three plastic bags per trip. It can be as simple as pulling out your reusable bag and bringing it with you every time you head to the store.
Make sure you keep a few of these in your car so that there’s never an excuse not to bring one!
Bring your own reusable water bottle
It’s much easier than you might think! When going out to buy a drink or food, don’t forget that there are reusable cups and water bottles that can be reused again and again.
Many people also carry their own utensils in their bags so that they can cut down on paper waste.
Cups provided by fast-food generate a lot of paper and plastic waste. It can be very easy to make a change by bringing your own reusable cup every time you go out!
Avoid buying products in packaging,
This is a great way to start reducing your waste immediately. It will make a huge difference in the long run if you start cutting down on unnecessary packaging from the very beginning.
Many stores have their own house brand that doesn’t come in any additional wrapping, and it won’t break the bank! Plus, these products are typically just as good as their wrapped counterparts.
Packaging is often used for marketing purposes, and it’s easy to avoid buying products that come in this kind of packaging. Don’t feel like you need to buy the highly marketed product; there are plenty of other great alternatives out there! Shop around and do a little bit of research before you head of time
Reduce packaging by buying in bulk from local farmers’ markets.
It’s a great way to save money as well as cut down on your trash!
Many local farmers’ markets will have bulk sections, and it’s really simple to just fill up your own bags with whatever you need.
If there isn’t a bulk section, just speak to the farmers and ask if they would be willing to give discounts for buying large quantities of their produce.
They will more than likely say yes, buying local not only save trash but it saves your wallet too.
Take this one step further and buy from local food co-ops, where you can get bulk items even cheaper!
Next time you grocery shop, go to a farmers’ market or food co-op to cut down on packaging.
Then, bring it home in your own reusable bags or containers!
Curb your use of paper: stop bills and magazines.
Did you know that less than 1% of America’s paper supply is made up of post-consumer recycled material?
Don’t be fooled, not all big companies aren’t going green to save the planet. They are doing it because it saves them money!
So what can you do? Cut down on paper use by canceling any bills or magazines that you don’t need to receive.
Even if the company is selling products with recycled materials, you are still adding to their demand for new trees.
Saving the Earth means cutting back on paper
Educate yourself about what can be recycled and composting food waste
Not all items are recyclable or compostable.
Take some time to research what can and cannot be recycled, it will save you money, space, and trash!
You’d be surprised how much organic materials you throw away that could have been put in the recycling or compost bins.
Do your part for the planet by educating yourself about what items are recyclable. Look on the bottom of plastics, it should have a number, and a triangle with chasing arrows, this information will help you determine if the item is recyclable.
Support companies that are environmentally friendly and use recycled and re-usable products
This step might be the hardest because you are dependent on the information that companies provide on their products.
There are many companies that only sell products with recycled materials, but also provide information about the amount of recycled material used.
Companies are starting to come around when it comes to the environment in the impact, their operations are reducing waste.
Consumers can start demanding environmentally friendly practices when it comes to the production of their products.
We can vote with our dollars and buy from companies that take the environment seriously or take our money elsewhere.
Repurpose items you no longer need
I’m sure if we look around her home we will see items that we no longer use or need. Consider repurposing your items into something useful.
Did you know that the average American only uses their items for 11 minutes before getting rid of them?
We can reduce, reuse and repurpose to save space and trash!
Consumers should always consider if they’re purchasing something because they need it or because other people like it person who gives them attention.
Buy second-hand from a second-hand store. Sometimes the items you find in these stores are brand new and it’s a great way to cut down on packaging that winds up in the land fields.
Refuse plastic straws at restaurants and fast food places
Did you know most straws take up to 200 years to decompose?
Why do we need these items that take so long just for one quick drink? When you order your drink at a restaurant, pass on using a plastic straw.
When straws first hit the market most were made from paper and now they’re made from plastic which is not recyclable.
A lot of companies are now selling straws that can be reused or ones that will biodegrade in marine environments because we don’t want them to end up in our oceans and pollute the environment.
There’s no better time to start thinking about your garbage when you take a sip from your favorite beverage.
Slash water waste at home by recycling
Water down the drain represents one of the biggest waste at home. It’s been said, “water is a limited resource, and as the population continues to grow, so does our need for this increasingly valuable resource.
Asbestos was commonly used in building materials for insulation and as a fire retardant. It has since been found to cause cancer and other health issues once the materials start breaking down and fibers are released into the air.
As a result, asbestos use has been banned in many countries. However, asbestos can also contaminate water supplies through the erosion of natural asbestos deposits and deterioration of asbestos cement pipes https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/water-supply/.
The average homeowner wastes 1,400 gallons of water per year.
Take showers instead of baths, turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth or shaving, One-fifth of our water is used in the bathroom.
The average household uses 50 percent more water inside than outside!
Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators will put you on the right path
to cut down water use.
I’ve written an entire article on ways to reuse water at home.
Conclusion
If you’re ready to take the next step in reducing your waste and saving money, then there are several steps that can be taken. We’ve provided a few of them here, but it is important for you to do some research on what will work best with your lifestyle and needs.
An average person creates a lot of garbage waste each day that is not sustainable. Help reduce the amount of garbage waste you produce by taking some simple steps, like supporting companies that use recycled materials and products, refusing plastic straws at restaurants, and buying second-hand.
