Ways we are reducing waste:
- not buying a lot of new things. Low consumption leads to lower waste.
- using products as for as long a life as we can: bikes, cars, clothes, phones.
- shop at farmer’s market and for bulk products. Using own packages
- reuse plastic bags (from food, shopping, etc) for lunches, sandwich wraps, food storage)
- purchasing items with the least wasteful/damaging packaging, especially looking for least plastic, metal, glass.
- rarely use paper towels. Use cloth.
- asking butchers to wrap meat in butcher paper without added plastic sheets or bags
- using bar soap rather than liquid shampoo to wash hair so less plastic bottles
- use a few inches less dental floss every time.
- re-use fairly clean butcher paper for lining garbage cans. (We don’t have to buy garbage bags)
- compost all food scraps, soiled paper
- we are making calls and emails to reduce junk mail and catalogs
- reduce number of magazines and papers and learn to use online versions of these
- repairing things rather than dumping: appliances, cars, bikes, clothes, furniture, thingies, etc.
- use simple detergents and soaps for cleaning, so buying very few types of products
- using toilet paper for nose blowing, etc, so don’t need to buy boxes of Kleenex.
- using lightly-used tissue from the garbage for spill or heavy grime clean-up (yuk, but you need to wash up afterward anyway!)
- bring non-disposable plates, cutlery, cups to potlucks, picnics, hikes, school functions.
- save plasticware so we don’t have to buy any – ever
- avoid drinking straws, paper napkins, single-use plastic utensils
Things one can do starting today:
- don’t accept plastic bags from stores, take-out food orders
- don’t buy foods in rigid plastic clamshells
- reduce the number of products you buy in cans, bottles
- if you find yourself throwing away unused food, cleaners, condiments, cosmetics: buy less