Blog written by Better Life.
Did you know that a slight change in how you perceive and treat waste could help save our planet? Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and it is largely contributed by the way we manage waste. Although we are quick to blame large corporations for degrading our environment, it is our collective pollution that harms the planet.
Simple adjustments like learning how to reduce waste, using natural cleaners, and shifting to electric cars will help save our environment. But how does reducing waste help the planet? To avoid complications, consider simple waste like the paper towel you used today. While you might have disposed it of correctly, you still contribute to clearing of forests, as more paper will be needed to make the next pack of napkins.
Shifting to reusable fabric towels could cut down on the number of trees that have to be cut to sustain the demand for paper serviettes. Surprisingly, reducing waste helps you save the planet and at the same time lower the cost of household consumables. All you need is to get yourself an all-purpose cleaner, and most of what you consider as waste will get a new lease of life.
Here are 10 ways to reduce waste in 2022 and how it can help the planet.
The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Waste in 2022
1. Avoid Single-Use Grocery Bags
Most grocery bags are made from a plastic known as polyethylene. Polyethylene is a carbon product that does not decompose. That means it remains in the environment for years. Given their ease of use and cost, most shoppers prefer polyethylene bags without realizing they are slowly harming the environment. The plastic bags eventually find their way into water bodies and harm aquatic animals. This dolphin shows the unfortunate results of poor management of plastic bags.
However, you can reduce waste and help the planet by shifting to reusable grocery bags. The reusable grocery bags reduce waste since they can be used more than once. Compared to single-use plastic bags that are easily discarded, a good grocery bag is a valued item. You only require a natural laundry detergent to clean it and have it ready for the next shopping trip.
2. Invest in Reusable Coffee Cups
It is normal to have coffee on the go. However, disposable coffee cups cause solid waste pollution when disposed of inappropriately. You can imagine the kind of waste produced in a day when thousands of coffee enthusiasts buy coffee in disposable cups. It would get to tones of waste within no time.
However, you can help reduce this type of waste by investing in a reusable coffee cup or thermos. Although you may need a larger bag, and a dishwasher gel to clean it, you will enjoy your coffee and help in saving the planet. If you influence your friends and family into avoiding disposable coffee cups, you will greatly help in reducing waste for a better planet.
3. Get a Glass Water Bottle
About one million marine animals are killed each year by disposable water bottles that find their way into the ocean. That means you can save at least one marine life when you invest in a glass bottle to carry water.
The manufacture of disposable water bottles also accelerates air pollution from industries. Shifting to glass water bottles helps to purify the air you breathe, since fewer bottles will be manufactured.
Besides the benefits to the environment, a glass water bottle is good for your health. Carrying water in a glass bottle reduces the risk of ingesting chemicals used in the manufacture of plastic bottles. Another advantage of glass bottles is that they do not affect the taste of water, especially when you use a safe dishwasher gel.
4. Purchase in Bulk
If you are still working on how to reduce waste, you can consider bulk purchases. Purchasing in bulk could attract a quantity discount and reduce transport costs. However, other than the discount and cutting down on transport costs, purchasing in bulk helps in waste management.
Buying groceries in bulk helps to reduce the amount of packaging material. You can also reuse packaging materials such as fruit boxes and reduce the cost of your foodstuff.
5. Reduce Reliance on Paper
Although we are in a digital era, we still rely on unnecessary paper documentation. Consider receipts, for instance. While you can still get a digital receipt that is easier and safer to store, you still insist on a paper receipt.
In addition, you still receive your local dailies and magazines in hard copies, yet you can get cheaper digital formats. The paper used to make the receipts and magazines comes from trees. You can save the trees and help in preserving the ecosystem if you shift to digital receipts and magazines.
6. Preserve the Quality of Your Clothes
Other than spending too much on restocking your wardrobe, you can invest in a detergent that preserves the quality of your clothes. Discarding your favorite jeans because of a stubborn stain is a poor waste management method that can be solved by getting the right detergent. Maintaining the quality of your favorite jeans means you will use them for a longer period.
You can also reduce waste by repairing your clothes. A small hole in your skirt or shirt might not be reason enough to increase fabric waste. If you do not know how to repair clothes, you can get tips from DIY videos on the internet.
7. Go for Refills
Refills are a perfect way for those who are still wondering how reducing waste helps the planet. Going for refills helps you to save your hard-earned cash as well as protect the environment. Refills are cheaper and do not litter the environment. If you have bought a gallon of detergent, check out whether you can refill it the next time you need it.
8. Compost The Waste
About 25% of household waste can be decomposed. The decomposed waste can be used to improve soil fertility in your garden. If you have a kitchen garden or an orchard, decomposing household waste provides you with an option of producing organic products.
However, decomposing the waste calls for patience and love for the planet, since it can take between three and twelve months to decompose the waste.
9. Use the First In, First Out Method for Food Items
Sometimes, food items are wasted because they have reached their expiry date. You, therefore, have no option but to discard the items. However, you can avoid such wastage by arranging your refrigerator in a way that allows you to start with older items.
10. Lead by Example
If you had questions like how does reducing waste help the planet, you now have the answer. You can expand waste reduction by convincing your friends and family to follow the tips given in this article. We need a sense of collective responsibility to reduce waste and help clean our environment. In addition, remind them to use natural cleaning products when washing reusable bags, water bottles, and coffee cups.
Save the Environment by Using Natural Household Cleaning Products
Waste reduction goes hand in hand with the right natural cleaning products. As you put the tips into practice, you will require detergents to clean shopping bags and reusable water bottles. To reduce waste, contact us today for the best deals on natural household cleaning products.