By making better waste management choices, you will help yourself, the planet and you will improve the overall quality of living. Most people believe that just by sorting their trash, they are doing enough, but did you know there are so many things you can easily do that will impact the environment?
The first step towards better living is to understand why you need to do these things. No matter if we are talking about your private residence or your business, these steps can help you out manage the garbage with ease. Once you start doing that, you will notice that these things are simple, easy and they can even save you time and money. In this article, we are going to give you some tips on how you can make better waste management choices and how that will help you.
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Switch to reusable bags
We go grocery shopping at least a few times per week. Depending on the number of items we buy, we can use up to 10 plastic bags. According to dripfina.com, when you calculate the numbers on plastic bags per year, a single household can use between 500 and 1,000 bags per year. Those numbers are scary since most of the bags we decide to throw away will not get recycled and they will pollute the earth and the oceans.
If you want to make your impact and protect the environment, you should switch to reusable bags. They are durable, will not get damaged by use, you can put a lot of items in them, plus they are easy to store. Many people choose them because they are inexpensive and even if they tear, they can be recycled.
Keep a few of them in your vehicle and use them every time you go grocery shopping. In addition to doing your part of waste management, you will even save some money.
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Composting
What do you do with the food leftovers? Do you just throw away the peel of fruits and vegetables? What do you do with the leftover coffee beans? If you have a yard, or even if you just own some plants, you can help them out and reduce the garbage in your home!
When you have some food scraps, then you can put them in a container and wait for them to become compost. You can even just blend them and combine them with the soil you use for your plants. The compost will provide a lot of vitamins and minerals to your plants and they will be healthier than ever. This type of compost is great to keep pests away and the plants will grow faster and stronger.
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Work smart when decluttering your home
It is said that you should thoroughly clean and declutter your home at least once per year. This will open up room for better things, you can donate some of your old items, and you can even recycle the products you own and help the environment.
To make sure that you don’t just throw away items in places where there shouldn’t be thrown away, you can always use a professional service to help you out. Here you can see why renting a dumpster is a good idea when you are doing your decluttering, and the types of dumpsters available.
Don’t throw everything away, sell the things that you can make money out of, donate to people who need them, and work smart when it comes to the garbage.
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Reusable containers
How do you store the leftovers? Do you always use a different container that is for one use only, and do you use plastic wrap to make sure they don’t go bad?
There are so many containers that you can reuse, so you can eliminate the waste that it comes with foil wraps. You can even get some adjustable lids that you can put on the original container, so you can keep the food fresh without adding any foil or plastic wrap. If you need to store your leftovers, it is better to choose an environment-friendly packaging that you can just wash and reuse again.
Once again, this will also save you money, because you won’t have to buy new containers or foil every time you want to keep something in the fridge.
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Eliminate single packaging
When you decide to switch to buying in bulk, you will reduce so much waste. If you’ve noticed, most of the single packaging products are wrapped in too many materials, and they are double in size compared to the item itself.
So, when you need to purchase something that you use daily or weekly, it is better to invest in getting the product in bulk than one thing only. This will not only reduce waste, but it will also save you money. Single packaging products are always more expensive than buying two, three, or ten of the same items.
Try not to use plastic cups, utensils, or plates, even when you are on vacation. These things usually cannot be recycled and they will not degrade for decades. If you have to use them, don’t throw them away, just wash them and use them again. If you are throwing a party, and you have to choose something that can be thrown away after use, it is better to opt for good-quality paper cups. They won’t get damaged by the beverage, and they are not going to pollute the environment. Another great thing about paper cups is that they can be used as a compost afterward.
When buying fruits and vegetables, don’t buy things that are already stored in containers and pre-wrapped. All of these foods have natural protection and they don’t need to be wrapped in foil. When you pay attention to the little things, you can notice how much of a difference you can make.
These are some of the things you can do to manage the waste, and if you have any other ideas or things that you do, you can always share them with your friends and help them out. Once you start doing these things, you will never go back to doing the things that pollute the earth. Pay attention to every product you buy and if you notice that something is not put in a recyclable container, then don’t buy it.
