We hear constantly from environmental advocates about the amount of waste produced by modern society, and about the negative effects that waste has on the environment. Most people want to make a difference, but it is easy to feel as though that is impossible. With modern conveniences like plastic food packaging and bottled water, we often create waste without even thinking about it.
There is so much waste produced by common aspects of modern life that it is almost harder to avoid participating. However, it is definitely possible to figure out ways to reduce the waste created by you and your family. It takes extra thought and often extra time, but you will find that it gets easier as you get used to it. Also, you may find that you save some money in the process.
Here are a few suggestions that can help you consume less plastic and re-use what you do consume. Re-using things helps to create less trash in the long run.
Use your containers more than once. If you order food to be delivered or purchase anything from a deli, you will inevitably be given plastic containers. The only way to completely avoid them would be to not buy prepared foods at all. Even if you can't avoid them altogether, however, you can make sure that you use them more than once instead of throwing them away immediately. They can be used to store food, so you don't have to buy the nags, foil, and Tupperware you might otherwise use for that purpose.
Re-use plastic bags. This goes for both grocery bags and storage/ sandwich bags, like Ziplocs. The grocery bags can be used as trash bags for smaller garbage cans. Surprisingly, they also make great shower caps! Storage bags can be washed out and re-used for their original purpose. Unless they were used for raw meat or something else that could be dangerous, there is not need to throw them away after one use.
Avoid buying "individually wrapped" items. These things not only create extra waste, they also cost more. Instead, buy things like tissues, nuts, snack foods, and candy in bulk, and separate them into individual packages yourself, using the storage and sandwich bags you have saved from previous uses.
Another good thing to avoid is purchasing a lot of individually sized sodas and bottled water. This is one of the hardest habits to break. One way to reduce this waste a little bit is to save the bottles you have. Next time you leave the house, take water or soda or tea with you in a bottle you are re-using. Then you will be less likely to purchase a new one.
Recycle. No matter how much you attempt to re-use your containers, there will be some that you cannot save. And eventually, you will have to get rid of all of them. When this time comes, recycle as many items as you possibly can. It is much better to send plastic to a recycling center than to send it to a landfill.
It is true that the problem of waste in our society is too big for any one person or family to solve. If more and more people make changes, however, those changes will begin to add up. Reducing waste is definitely worthwhile!
There is so much waste produced by common aspects of modern life that it is almost harder to avoid participating. However, it is definitely possible to figure out ways to reduce the waste created by you and your family. It takes extra thought and often extra time, but you will find that it gets easier as you get used to it. Also, you may find that you save some money in the process.
Here are a few suggestions that can help you consume less plastic and re-use what you do consume. Re-using things helps to create less trash in the long run.
Use your containers more than once. If you order food to be delivered or purchase anything from a deli, you will inevitably be given plastic containers. The only way to completely avoid them would be to not buy prepared foods at all. Even if you can't avoid them altogether, however, you can make sure that you use them more than once instead of throwing them away immediately. They can be used to store food, so you don't have to buy the nags, foil, and Tupperware you might otherwise use for that purpose.
Re-use plastic bags. This goes for both grocery bags and storage/ sandwich bags, like Ziplocs. The grocery bags can be used as trash bags for smaller garbage cans. Surprisingly, they also make great shower caps! Storage bags can be washed out and re-used for their original purpose. Unless they were used for raw meat or something else that could be dangerous, there is not need to throw them away after one use.
Avoid buying "individually wrapped" items. These things not only create extra waste, they also cost more. Instead, buy things like tissues, nuts, snack foods, and candy in bulk, and separate them into individual packages yourself, using the storage and sandwich bags you have saved from previous uses.
Another good thing to avoid is purchasing a lot of individually sized sodas and bottled water. This is one of the hardest habits to break. One way to reduce this waste a little bit is to save the bottles you have. Next time you leave the house, take water or soda or tea with you in a bottle you are re-using. Then you will be less likely to purchase a new one.
Recycle. No matter how much you attempt to re-use your containers, there will be some that you cannot save. And eventually, you will have to get rid of all of them. When this time comes, recycle as many items as you possibly can. It is much better to send plastic to a recycling center than to send it to a landfill.
It is true that the problem of waste in our society is too big for any one person or family to solve. If more and more people make changes, however, those changes will begin to add up. Reducing waste is definitely worthwhile!
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