QUICK WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR TRASH
QUICK WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR TRASH
Looking for a quick way to make a difference? Reduce your trash. Sound hard? It's not. You would be amazed how easy it can be. Check out these ten quick ways to reduce the trash you produce - a great way to make every day earth day!
1. Buy more! What? It's true. Choose bigger sizes - they offer more products with less packaging. One of the best ways to do this is to buy in bulk from one of those warehouse stores. You'll often find items that have less packaging and therefore have less trash when you are done using them. It can also save you money! Doubly good!
2. Use re-usable bags. Keeping re-usable bags in your car so they are there when you need them can help you to replace the plastic and paper bags you get whenever you go to a store. Shoppers use over 40 million bags a year. Even better than using a re-usable bag is to not take a bag at all. Why get a bag for a bottle of water and a yogurt? You can carry it and feel good knowing you did your part!
3. Reuse plastic sandwich bags by washing them and drying them on a plastic bag dryer. This reduces not only the amount of trash you produce, but also the amount of money you spend on them. Another option is to use glass containers to store food instead of plastic bags.
4. Borrow. Sometimes the best way to reduce your trash is to borrow or rent something that you are not going to need for very long. If you decide you need to use something only once or twice, ask around. Your friends are usually happy to help, and if not many stores will rent items for short term use, which can also save you money.
5. Give items away. When you are done with items, give them to charity or to friends.. Books, sporting goods, toys, clothing and furniture are always needed by non-profit groups. They will appreciate it. You'll not only help the earth, but the people on it as well.
6. If you have jars or bottles available try to reuse them. Some schools and other organizations can use household trash for projects.
7. Use reusable dinnerware. Reducing the amount of paper and plastic tableware you use can greatly reduce the amount of trash you have in a week. Even better buy reusable dishes that are made from recycled glass.
8. Have a garage sale. One man's trash is another man's treasure. You would be amazed what people are looking for, though we don't suggest you put out the previously mentioned used paper plates. That would just be tacky!
9. Use a Composter to reduce the amount of biodegradable trash, the compost you make can help your lawn and garden look great!
10. No more wire hangers! Return clothes hangers to the cleaners so they can reuse them and you don't have a tone of wire hangers around your house!
11. Quit smoking. The amount of trash that is produced from smoking is a quick way to reduce the trash you produce.
12. When packing a lunch, use reusable mugs, containers and bags.
13. Print on both sides of paper.
14. Recycle. Find out what can be recycled in your area. Be sure to remember to find places to recycle printer cartridges, cell phones, as well as the usual suspects (newspapers, plastics, and cans).
Find one or two of these to do each day, and you will really be making every day Earth Day!
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