In our current society, we create waste all the time, often without realizing what we are doing. Most of use use plastic food packaging every single day. Theoretically, everyone knows that producing excess trash, especially trash that does not naturally biodegrade, is harmful to the environment. However, despite warnings from environmental advocates and despite having a desire to make a change, many people are at a loss as to how to put that desire into practice.
There is so much waste produced by common aspects of modern life that it is almost harder to avoid participating. However, it is definitely possible to figure out ways to reduce the waste created by you and your family. It takes extra thought and often extra time, but you will find that it gets easier as you get used to it. Also, you may find that you save some money in the process.
Here are a few tips for re-using things and reducing the amount of plastic you consume. This will, in turn, reduce the amount of trash that you produce.
Keep plastic containers and use them again. If you order food to be delivered or carried out, or buy prepared foods at a deli, you are going to wind up with plastic containers. Most of them are strong and sturdy enough for multiple uses. Hold on to them, and use them as tupperware. You can store vegetables after you have chopped them, or store individual servings of leftovers.
Save and reuse your plastic bags. Whether they are sandwich bags, storage bags, or grocery bags, plastic bags can be reused for many purposes. You can save the storage and sandwich bags for the same purpose for which you originally used them. As long as there wasn't raw meat inside, it should be fine to just wash them out. As for grocery bags, you can put them in small trash cans in place of regular trash bags, and you can also put them over your hair in place of shower caps!
Many things, from tissues to snack foods, are sold in small, individually wrapped packages. These things are not only wasteful as far as packaging goes, they also cost more for less product. Instead of buying them, make your own, by buying a regular sized package and then placing individual portions in the sandwich bags you've saved!
Another good thing to avoid is purchasing a lot of individually sized sodas and bottled water. This is one of the hardest habits to break. One way to reduce this waste a little bit is to save the bottles you have. Next time you leave the house, take water or soda or tea with you in a bottle you are re-using. Then you will be less likely to purchase a new one.
Recycle. No matter how much you attempt to re-use your containers, there will be some that you cannot save. And eventually, you will have to get rid of all of them. When this time comes, recycle as many items as you possibly can. It is much better to send plastic to a recycling center than to send it to a landfill.
No one person or one family can completely end the problem of excess trash we as a society produce. However, the more people who commit to making a change, the more likely it is that the change will have results. At the very least, you will save a few dollars and feel better about your own habits.
There is so much waste produced by common aspects of modern life that it is almost harder to avoid participating. However, it is definitely possible to figure out ways to reduce the waste created by you and your family. It takes extra thought and often extra time, but you will find that it gets easier as you get used to it. Also, you may find that you save some money in the process.
Here are a few tips for re-using things and reducing the amount of plastic you consume. This will, in turn, reduce the amount of trash that you produce.
Keep plastic containers and use them again. If you order food to be delivered or carried out, or buy prepared foods at a deli, you are going to wind up with plastic containers. Most of them are strong and sturdy enough for multiple uses. Hold on to them, and use them as tupperware. You can store vegetables after you have chopped them, or store individual servings of leftovers.
Save and reuse your plastic bags. Whether they are sandwich bags, storage bags, or grocery bags, plastic bags can be reused for many purposes. You can save the storage and sandwich bags for the same purpose for which you originally used them. As long as there wasn't raw meat inside, it should be fine to just wash them out. As for grocery bags, you can put them in small trash cans in place of regular trash bags, and you can also put them over your hair in place of shower caps!
Many things, from tissues to snack foods, are sold in small, individually wrapped packages. These things are not only wasteful as far as packaging goes, they also cost more for less product. Instead of buying them, make your own, by buying a regular sized package and then placing individual portions in the sandwich bags you've saved!
Another good thing to avoid is purchasing a lot of individually sized sodas and bottled water. This is one of the hardest habits to break. One way to reduce this waste a little bit is to save the bottles you have. Next time you leave the house, take water or soda or tea with you in a bottle you are re-using. Then you will be less likely to purchase a new one.
Recycle. No matter how much you attempt to re-use your containers, there will be some that you cannot save. And eventually, you will have to get rid of all of them. When this time comes, recycle as many items as you possibly can. It is much better to send plastic to a recycling center than to send it to a landfill.
No one person or one family can completely end the problem of excess trash we as a society produce. However, the more people who commit to making a change, the more likely it is that the change will have results. At the very least, you will save a few dollars and feel better about your own habits.
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