Did you know that countries produce millions of tons of waste every year? In particular, Australia generated over 75 million tons of waste, and this only increases every year. The average Australian produces over 500kg of household waste every year. That’s over 10kg for every family member, every week.
This waste is often sent to landfills and incinerators which produce greenhouse gases and hazardous toxins into the environment. In addition, toxic sludge or leachate also becomes more abundant, destroying wildlife habitats, killing plants and animals, and contaminating water supplies, posing a major threat to human health. Also, trash is a waste of natural resources, water, energy, money, and labour used to produce discarded items and materials.
That said, reducing your waste means you can significantly reduce your impact on the environment. But how do you do that? Here are some tips:
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Master Recycling
You’ve always heard that recycling is good for the environment and it will always be. Recycling is the process of collecting and converting waste materials into new repurposed products. Since it intends to repurpose and reuse waste material, it’s one of the easiest ways to reduce household waste.
With proper recycling practices, you can keep material out of the landfill while also benefiting the community in general. Most communities have a recycling program. Just ask what materials and items can be collected with your bin collection.
Aside from your local recycling centre, you can also opt for rubbish removal services like Same Day Rubbish Removal in Melbourne, Australia. Most rubbish removal companies offer recycling services which are particularly beneficial if you want to responsibly dispose of larger items such as fridges or sofas. If you’re interested, take a look at their services.
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Make The Switch To Reusable Bags
Every time you buy an item, the store will place it in a plastic or paper bag for you to easily hold. Over a month, you’ll be surprised at the amount of waste you generated from these plastic or paper bags. To reduce the waste you generate every time you go shopping, make the switch to reusable bags.
You can reuse these bags every time you shop for groceries. However, don’t just limit it to your grocery spree, you can also use reusable bags when shopping for clothes, household goods, books, and just about anything. Just make sure that you have a designated reusable bag for each shopping category, for instance, grocery bag and clothing bag.
If you tend to forget to bring your bags when you’re going shopping, you can just store the bags in your car. You can also find reusable bags that are foldable and easily fits your bag or even your pocket.
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Try Composting
Did you know that 1/3 of all household trash is food waste? And these food wastes can be removed from your waste stream and put to good use via composting. Your vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, spoiled food and more can all be composted.
Although composting will require more effort than other methods of reducing household waste, it can provide you with a significant ROI in terms of effort and time. This is particularly true if you’re into gardening. You can save on fertilizers and grow your own fruit and vegetable garden. As a result, not only do you get a healthier harvest but it also helps further reduce your impact on the environment, when compared to traditional gardening methods.
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Be Mindful Of What You Buy
When you buy a new item, you’re technically increasing your waste generation. However, by being mindful of your buying habits, you can help reduce the waste you produce, even by a small percentage.
For instance, you can choose bigger packages over small ones to reduce thrash from the packaging. A bigger box of cereal produces less household waste than buying several small boxes of cereal which add up to the same amount. Plus, you can potentially get more savings since most manufacturers often offer cheaper prices when opting for larger sizes.
In addition, make sure to look for items with less packaging. Some stores provide excessive packaging–especially online shops–with some items having 2-3 layers of packaging. To help reduce your waste, try looking for an alternative brand that uses less packaging but still ensures enough protection for your items.
Lastly, if you want to reduce your waste when shopping, it’s essential to buy quality and long-lasting items. Buying higher quality items including clothing, pans, dishes, appliances, toys, and most everything else in your home helps reduce your waste since you won’t need to replace them more often.
Takeaway
If you want to make a positive change for Mother Earth, reducing your waste is a good place to start. And with the above-mentioned methods, you can easily start the transition towards an eco-friendlier home. Consistently doing these small changes can make a huge impact over time, allowing you to truly contribute to the healing and recovery of Mother Earth.
