Going green doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Read on for easy to implement tips for how to reduce household waste.
If you’re anything like I used to be, you want to do everything you can to help our planet, but you don’t necessarily know where to start. The answer is just start somewhere! I started by meal planning and reducing my grocery waste. Reducing household waste is something all us humans share responsibility in. Reduce the waste and you reduce the environmental impact your life has on our planet. You’ll also influence the people around you to do the same and improve our Earth overall.
On that note, here are some simple ways you can cut down on your household waste…
Tips for Reducing Household Waste
1. Don’t throw out all your food. Compost when you can! Compostable foods make up as much as 25% of solid waste. So, instead of throwing away your produce peels, look into learning how to compost them. It’s not hard. I promise. All you have to do is save up your compostable food in a separate container, then throw them into a designated spot in the dirt to compost. It will enrich your soil while reducing waste at the same time!
2. Bring reusable bags and cups with you on the go. When you’re out shopping, bring your own bag so you don’t have to use a plastic bag. If you get your loved ones in on this trick too, your family alone will save over a hundred plastic bags per year.
And when you head out to grab a cup of coffee, make it a point to bring your own cup. Some coffee shops will even give you a discount or a bigger pour if you give them your own cup to fill. In fact, if you’re a fellow Starbucks fanatic who finds herself there daily, that’s 30 cups a month, or 365 cups a year, that you aren’t throwing in a bin.
3. Buy whole foods…Avoid pre-packaged foods when you can. Instead, look for whole foods. Toss the canned peaches and buy fresh ones. That saves can waste right there. Also, avoid things like canned fish, pre-packaged veggies etc. Go for their whole food counterparts!
4. Buy recyclable products and recycle. Check labels to see if the products you’re purchasing are made out of recyclable materials. And make sure you set up your own recycling bin. You’ll need to check to see if your neighborhood recycles and, if they don’t, try to get a recycling program set up!
5. Don’t buy in small quantities. There are a lot of household items that will use less packaging if you buy them in larger quantities. For instance, instead of buying a bunch of smaller sized detergent boxes, buy one big box instead. Try to always select the bigger package (as long as you will eventually use it all) when given the choice. You’ll typically pay less per ounce which is certainly a nice bonus too.
6. Donate or sell your old stuff. Don’t just throw out the unused things that have been collecting dust at your house. Consider donating or selling them instead. You might not be interested in it anymore, but your trash could be someone else’s treasure. Garage sales or ebay are a couple of great ways to get rid of your “junk.” And if you have something that isn’t suitable to sell, donate them to your favorite local charity instead!
As you can see, there are so many ways for how to reduce household waste and help out the environment. And this is just a small sampling. There are certainly plenty more ways to live a greener life. Remember, we’re all in this together. By reducing your household waste, you will play an important role in saving the planet!
In what ways do you reduce household waste?
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I especially like the idea of composting. You might be able to use it in a garden and grow foods yourself, for sure!
I have many shopping bags so even when I take them in the house and don’t remember to put them back in the car I always have some for next time.
I would love to be better at this in our house, so these are some great tips!
These are great ideas. I try and recycle everything I can.
I try to re-use any containers over and over, I save peels, etc., to make soup stock, or orange peels in the freezer to make candied peel. I donate clothing and also buy second hand!
These are all great tips. I reuse and recycle.
I always recycle and buy milk in plastic cartons instead of the paper ones because I can not recycle paper milk cartons. I always use up all of our food. No food waste in my house.
these are some great tips! i need to start doing this! thanks!!
Love all of these ideas and tips. I try to donate as much old items as possible.