On average, each
American produces more than 4 pounds of trash per day. Sounds shocking, right?
With that being said, only 37% of that amount is actually recycled. The rest
goes on to live its days at a landfill. So, what can you do about this? There
are actually many things that consumers can do to not only reduce the amount of
trash they produce, but also to help the environment. Today, we’re outlining
some practical ways to reduce the amount of trash you produce so that you can
do yourself and the environment a favor!
1) Create a Solid Recycling
System in Your Home
If something is right in front of you, it’s easier to not
ignore. Do you have a recycling system set up in your home? Maybe it’s separate
bins for recycled versus trash, or maybe it’s a compost pile (which we’ll cover
later). Either way, get the family or roommates on board and make a recycling
plan. Have you read through our website
for items we can recycle? You may not even know that we can take care of
household items like furniture
and old
electronics. Next time you go to throw something away, take a moment to
think about it. Is this something that you can recycle either on your own or
with our help, or is this something that belongs at the landfill?
2) Improve the
Recycling System in Your Office
While we may make recycling and reduction of waste in our
home a priority, it’s essential to make sure this also transfers into our life
outside of the home. Does your office or place of work have a good recycling
system in place or does everything go in one bin and head to the landfill? If
you’re not sure, talk to your Human Resources contact to get the right
information for whom to talk to about this topic. You might think that just one
person wouldn’t have a large effect, but you can cause a ripple effect amongst
your co-workers!
3) Start Composting
One way to reduce the amount of waste that goes to a
landfill is through starting a compost pile. Things you normally might put in
the trash, such as fruit and vegetable pieces, old plants, and leaves and grass
from your yard, can be made into a new concoction perfect for your soil.
Composting allows you to reduce the amount of trash you produce while helping
your garden. If you don’t personally garden, you can get in touch with someone
who does. Learn more about creating a compost pile here.
4) Invest in Reusable
items
When you think about the amount of things you throw away
each day, how much of it is one-time use plastic? Things like grocery bags are
easily replaced with reusable bags that you can keep in your car and take with
you on your next shopping trip. If you find yourself realizing you and your
family use a lot of plastic bags for food and other small items, try investing
in reusable silicone sandwich and snack bags. Another way to reduce your
consumption is by carrying a reusable water bottle around with you to limit the
amount of disposable water bottles you go through.
If you go out to eat frequently, consider bringing your own
reusable containers with you. For example, if you go out to Starbucks for
coffee every morning, bring your own reusable travel mug rather than going
through a plastic or paper cup a day. If you eat out at restaurants you know you
will have leftovers from, try bringing your own reusable container to take them
home rather than bringing home Styrofoam.
Small changes like buying items in glass jars versus plastic
containers can make a big impact on your consumption as well. If you enjoy
reading the newspaper each day or getting a monthly magazine, try switching to
an online version instead. No matter what your interests are, there are multitudes
of ways to cut down on the trash you produce and help our environment.
5) Always Keep
Learning
New ways of doing things happen all the time. It’s important
to stay up-to-date on the latest in recycling and ways to reduce our
consumption of waste. Follow along with us on Instagram and Facebook for tips, tricks, and
information on being more conscious of what you put out into the world. You can
also read through past blog posts to find more details on certain subjects and
how you can recycle things you may have never thought of.
It’s important that
we all do our part. One small step forward can cause a huge change in your
trash production. Imagine if we all took small steps forward.
Have questions? We’re
here to help in any way we can. We’re passionate about what we do and look
forward to helping you and your family recycle more and contribute less to your
nearest landfill.
