Americans produced 254 million tons of trash in 2013. That amounts to 4.4 pounds per person per day.
However, it is possible to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills through simple and effective lifestyle changes. Some of these tips I have started to add into my life.
Starting these lifestyle changes will not only help reduce waste, but they will save money in the long run.
The first, and probably the easiest, is using a refillable water bottle. Instead of buying a $4 case of water every few weeks, and sending those empty bottles to the trash can, just refill the empty water bottle and get going with your day.
Plus, it will help remind you to drink your eight cups every day. Just don’t misplace your bottle and panic trying to find it, like me.
The next step involves clothes and makeup. I have more clothes and makeup than I would like to admit.
Lately, I have found most of these products take up space in an already cramped room, which led to a much-needed purge.
Instead of throwing away the items and making a landfill their new home, I passed along gently used items to friends or donated them to Goodwill. The rest were either turned in to cleaning rags or thrown away.
The third step requires little effort, but it helps both the environment and your wallet.
Turn off lights, fans and anything else that requires electricity.
It amazes me how many times I have walked in to a friend’s apartment and find their air conditioning set to 60 degrees with all of their lights on.
Help your wallet; turn the lights off.
Fourthly, instead of buying food you might not eat resulting in them, at some point, ending up in the trash can, go to the grocery store multiple times a week with a meal plan.
Not only will you be able to save money for a fun spring break trip, but it will also keep non-biodegradable products from arriving in landfills.
There are countless ways to help reduce home waste. Small baby steps in the right direction will help prevent tons of waste from going in to landfills.
Reducing waste at home does not require someone to put a year’s worth of trash into a mason jar; it just requires a conscious effort to want to save the only planet we have.
