For today's Three for Thursday post, I thought I would share with you some tips for reducing waste in your home. If you are already recycling... yay you! But we can still improve. While recycling is awesome, it still uses energy, and costs money. So here are my three tips for further reducing waste in order to help our planet.
1.
Bag it up:
While
there are some recycling plans available for plastic shopping bags, most people
don't go through the effort to recycle their plastic bags properly. Contrary to
popular belief, simply throwing your plastic bags in your recycling bin is not
the way to recycle them. They must be taken back to a store and placed in a
labeled recycling receptacle there. Even better than recycling your bags? Don't
get them in the first place! Purchase a few reusable shopping bags and take
them with you when you go shopping. Reusable shopping bags are sold in tons of
stores, from grocery stores to craft stores, and in a number of colors and
patterns. You can also purchase insulated ones for all of your cold items. One
reason why I love my reusable bags is that they hold a lot more than the
same amount of grocery bags. Plus, they are sturdier, so you don't have to
worry about double bagging (which uses even more bags). I keep all of my bags
in my car so that when I go to the store, I remember to take them with me.
2.
Pack it up:
Rather
than spending extra money (and collecting waste) use reusable plastic containers
(like Tupperware) to package your food rather than using plastic baggies. To
save even more money, buy larger packages of food and put them in individual
containers. Buying individual prepackaged foods is more expensive and the wrappers
of individual items add more waste. I like to cut up fruits and veggies to take
in small containers to work. You can find a number of reusable products for
containing your snacks (like reusable sandwich bags) that are handmade on sites
like Etsy. I have a Rubbermaid Premier set which I love because the containers
nest together and the lids snap together so nothing gets lost. The containers
are microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe. Not to mention the decorative
design looks pretty in my fridge or in my cabinets.
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| I use the Rubbermaid Premier set. |
3.
Drink it up:
Invest
in a good reusable water bottle. Let's face it; most plastic water bottles
don't make it into the recycling bin. Not to mention, there are many
misconceptions about plastic water bottles. First of all, why are you spending
money on something that you can get for free?! I carry my water bottle wherever
I go. Any time I run out of water at work, I head to the water fountain and
fill it up. Second, all of those special waters you are paying more for because
they have "added vitamins and minerals..." if you are eating healthy,
you don't need those anyways. Plus, think about where all those bottles had to
go between the factory and your fridge. When they sit in the sun, the bottles
heat up and leach nasty chemicals into your water. You may be thinking,
"But I live in the city! My water tastes gross!" No problem. Invest
in a Brita (or similar type) pitcher that has a filter. Fill it up and cool it
in your fridge. When you are at home, fill your water bottle up with that.
Think about how much money you will save! Even better, think of how much waste
you are keeping out of our landfills! I recommend Tervis Tumbler water bottles.
They are made in the USA and have a lifetime guarantee. They are insulated too,
so your water will stay cold longer. I have an adorable sea turtle one that I
was given for my birthday. I have used it every day since! I take mine
everywhere so I can always have water. It has measurements on the back so you
can keep track of how much water you are drinking. I find that it helps me
drink more water every day.
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| My Tervis Tumbler water bottle |
Those are my tips for this week! How do you reduce waste in your home? If you try any of these, let me know how they work out for you!
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