Household waste has been more concerning now more than ever. According to the documentary War on Waste, we produce 52 mega tons of trash! And unfortunately, our loads of trash either go to the seas or are sent to the landfill.
These stats only go to show how selfish our lifestyles are. We buy a ton of materialistic things that we often forget how much our rubbish can affect our one and only planet.
But it’s not yet the end of the world. Or at least we hope. We can still do something about it. We asked the experts from Ecolateral on how we can take part in reducing our household waste to help save the planet eventually.
And here’s what they’ve been preaching others to do:
1. Wake up to waste
Waking up to waste, according to them, is a vital step in awareness. It means that you are more aware of the items that you usually buy, how you are buying it, and how you manage or segregate the trash after.
The more you are aware of your habits, the more steps you can take to change your lifestyle.
2. Organise your recycling system
Your trash and recycling system is your ultimate weapon to minimising your waste impact in the environment. So if you’re planning to clean the kitchen, you might want to include making space or an organizer of your rubbish.
It doesn’t have to be too technical or highly advanced. A simple one will do. What’s important is that it’s organized and systematic. You also don’t have to buy new bins or storage for this. You can use what’s available at home.
These bins can range from old hampers, unused compostable bags, and others. Just make sure to label them properly and put them in the most convenient places in the house.
3. Shop only when needed
We understand if you start to panic after seeing your pantry essentials almost reaching the bottom of their glasses. But chill. Take a breather and don’t go buying impulsively.
If you think you can still live with the remaining amount of food items left in your pantry, then you should probably cancel your errands for now.
You can also set limits to yourself in terms of groceries. For example, no grocery shopping for like, 2 or three weeks. And so on. If you adhere to this kind of lifestyle, you’ll be surprised how much money you’ll save and how much trash you are reducing ( or how much weight you are losing, for a bonus).
4. Minimise the plastic usage in your home
As much as possible, buy lesser items with plastic packaging. It may sound impossible, but it is not. Try to look for shops or groceries where you can bring your own containers. This way you can repurpose your well-kept jars and containers for a better use.
You can do this not only for your stocks of food but also for your other house essentials like toiletries and cleaning materials.
This kind of shopping habit will also allow you to buy and pay only for exactly what you need. So, you’ll save some cash for other much more important things.
These are only some of the steps that we can take to save the planet. It may seem like a tall order, but it’s nothing compared to the negative impact that we bring to nature.
But don’t worry, it’s not the end for us. At least, not yet. We can still do our part in saving our one and only home. And our house is always a good place to start.
