How to Cut Down Garbage Production

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The average American produces almost 5 pounds of trash every day. this amounts to 195 million tons a year for the whole country. While some items get recycled, most of what is discarded ends up in landfills. To lessen your impact on the Earth, you should start by cutting down on how garbage you produce each day.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Find a second use for everything. Empty plastic containers can be reused for storage and supermarket bags can double as garbage bags. Old towels or ratty clothes can be turned into cleaning rags.

Step2

Make things last longer. Reupholster a chair rather than buying a new one and learn how to get rid of stains so you don’t need to replace the carpet. Treat things with care rather than as disposables and they will last longer.

Step3

Use the non-disposable version. Almost everything today is available in two versions: permanent and use-and-discard. Examples include napkins, diapers, dishes, razors and towels. Disposable products are more convenient and may save you some time, but their final impact on the Earth is huge.

Step4

Recycle as much as you can. Make sure everything your town can recycle is going into the appropriate bags. If you’re not sure what type of paper, plastic or metal can be recycled, find out as soon as possible. If there is no recycling pick-up system in place in your area, find out if there’s a recycling plant nearby and drive things there on your own.

Step5

Avoid packaging as much as possible. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as shopping for vegetables at farmer’s markets rather than buying bagged lettuce. Or making sure the items you buy contain as few plastic parts and wrapping as possible.

Step6

Buy in bulk. Rather than buying lots of small servings of something, buy a single package and then divide it up into single portions at home. To take small servings of food with you, use plastic containers or zippered bags (remember to wash and reuse).

Step7

Buy less. Before buying more books, clothes or knick-knacks, think whether you’re really need them. If the answer is no but you still want them, make sure you are planning on keeping them for a long time, rather than buying them on impulse and then deciding two days later that you don’t really have a place for them.