Every year, we create a huge amount of waste that we throw out without a thought. The problem is that the excess waste that we create ends up in landfills and causes extensive damage to our ecosystem and our personal health.
The good news is that you can be a part of the solution. By properly planning what you buy and use around the home, you can limit the amount of waste you create and make the world a better place. Let’s talk about the dangers we face and how you can do your part to help.
Why We Need To Reduce Waste
If you can’t yet comprehend that you may be a part of the problem when it comes to creating and discarding excess waste, then take a look at your garbage and determine what you could do differently.
The problem is that all that trash gets picked up by the garbage truck and thrown into a local landfill. As it sits there, it starts to leak into the soil underneath it, which affects the food supply. This is bad for our health and the wildlife around us.
When waste is being transported from place to place, it can also fall into the ocean and hurt sea life. Waste can also make its way into our groundwater, which hurts our water supply.
There is a lot of damage that occurs by creating excess waste, and when you realize that we dump over two billion tons of waste on the planet every year, you can see how dire the situation has become. Those facts should scare you, but the good news is that you can make a difference in your own life by eliminating unnecessary waste.
Eliminate Waste at Home
To begin making a difference, start looking around your house at ways that you can eliminate waste and reduce your home’s carbon footprint.
As a start, instead of throwing away all of your uneaten food, shredded newspaper, and coffee grounds, you can take them outside and start your own compost bin. This is a great way to repurpose that garbage and add it to the soil of your garden and your house plants to help them thrive. If you do this regularly, then you could drastically reduce the waste you put out on garbage day.
You also cannot downplay the importance of recycling. Every year, two trillion pieces of plastic are thrown into the Pacific Ocean, and it is a terrible waste that prevents us from living sustainable lives. Remember that in addition to recycling bottles and cans, you can also recycle metal, foam cups, soiled food items, and glass jars.
Another easy way to reduce your waste is to go completely paperless. If you have a printer, turn it off and instead send everything via email or view it on your computer screen. If you have to print, then consider using both sides of the paper. You can also reduce the number of receipts you’ll get by choosing “no receipt” or having it emailed to you at the supermarket.
Eliminate Waste When You Shop
You can also make a big difference by thinking about how you shop every week. When you go to the grocery store, instead of buying a large package of 20 bottles of water, buy a reusable plastic container that you can drink from and refill time and time again.
When you buy food, take the steps necessary to make it last as long as possible. You can do that by putting leftovers into glass jars that will provide a tight-fitting lid. Also, consider buying frozen fruits and vegetables. They are just as nutritious, and they never spoil.
You can also be smart about the other items you buy, including your clothing. Try to avoid fast fashion or brand-new clothes purchases. Fast-fashion garments, in particular, are often made quickly to meet demand, which means that they often fall apart and end up in landfills. Instead, you can buy clothing at the thrift store that is typically higher quality and for a fraction of the cost.
So there you have it. Many ways that you can reduce waste and save money all at once. Consider these tips and you will do your part to help the planet thrive.
Image Source: Unsplash.
