It cannot be denied that there is a lot of waste in our world today. Here are a few simple ways to reduce waste in your life.

RECYCLE YOUR BATTERIES

Most people looking for ways to reduce waste already recycle. While it’s easy to recycle your bottles, cans, and newspapers, batteries can be a little trickier. Many recycling places don’t take them. Rechargeable batteries are a little easier as. Due to the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act, stores such as Staples and Lowes will now take rechargeable batteries to recycle. However it does not apply to single use batteries.

For those you can start by punching in your zip code at Earth911’s recycling locator to find a facility near you. If you’re like me and not fortunate enough to have a battery recycling facility near you, another solution is mail-in recycling. Think Green and several other places will send you a battery box (for a fee) which you slowly fill with your spent batteries. When the box is full, you apply the pre-paid label and stick it in the mailbox.

REUSABLE BAGS

This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing how many people simply don’t want to take the time to use reusable bags. This is, however, one of the easiest ways to reduce waste. According to Inspiration Green, Americans throw away 100 billion plastic grocery bags every year. Reusable bags are a very easy way to cut down that number. They even have practical benefits over plastic bags…you never have to worry about the strong cloth reusable bags breaking apart on you as you carry your groceries back to the car.

BUY SECOND-HAND

Shopping second hand is another of the easy ways to reduce waste. 15-20% of the material that goes into making new clothing is simply discarded. By buying second hand, you reduce the amount of new clothing being made, thereby keeping that 15-20% out of the landfills. You also save those second-hand clothes from ending up in the landfills.

Contrary to popular belief, second hand clothing is not comprised simply of throw-away items riddled with stains and holes. I do almost all my clothing shopping at second hand stores and have always been able to find items in excellent condition. And you needn’t limit yourself to just clothes. Second hand shops are a great place to find books, movies, music, art, and furniture as well.

CARPOOL OR RIDE A BIKE

If you’re lucky enough to live close to work, consider riding your bike to the office on nice days. It not only cuts down on the amount of gas you spend, but it’s also good exercise for the body. If biking to work isn’t an option, trying finding someone you can carpool with. You’ll waste less gas and it will cut your gas bill in half as you’ll be splitting it with another person.

LOSE THE PAPER TOWELS

Paper towels create a lot of unnecessary waste. Cutting down on your paper towel use, will decrease the amount of trees being cut down to produce them. There are very simple alternatives. Instead of drying your hands on paper towels after washing them, just keep a hand towel nearby. You can dry your hands off on that throughout the day, and throw it in with the laundry later to save quite a few paper towels in a day.

The same goes for kitchen messes. Instead of reaching for the paper towels, use a reusable dish towel to wipe off your counters, then throw it in the wash. It’ll save you money as well, as you won’t have to buy paper towels all the time. Losing the paper towels is one of the very effective ways to reduce waste.

UNPLUG YOUR COMPUTER WHEN YOU’RE NOT USING IT

Electronic devices such as computers, TV’s and gaming systems are often on “standby” mode. It means that they’re never actually turned off. Instead they’re just sitting there sucking power while they wait for you to turn them on. (Read my post about these electronic “vampires” here if if you missed it). Unplugging these devices when they’re not in use saves a ton of electricity over time, and lowers your electric bill as well.

EAT LOCAL

And finally, one of the best ways to reduce waste is to eat local whenever possible. By eating local you reduce the amount of transportation those food items need. This saves a lot of gas and electric from the transportation and preservation times that are required for non-local foods.

By Amber Reifsteck, The Woodland Elf

The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only. If you choose to rely on the information on this website, you do so at your own risk and you assume responsibility for the results. (Full disclaimer here)

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