Recycling is one of those things that we’re always told to do, or do more of, but a lot of people don’t know how, where to start, or even why they should recycle. The population on Earth is growing daily, and every single human being that is added into this world, is another individual that will add to the waste on this planet during their lifetime. The good news is that there are small things that you can do every single day to dramatically decrease the amount of waste that you produce.
Purchasing recycled products
More and more products are being created from recycled waste. One huge way to cut down on waste is by purchasing these products, even if they’re slightly more expensive than the alternative product you would usually buy. These extra costs are generally marginal, and you can feel good about your purchase. In addition, spending your money on recycled products sends a huge message to companies who refuse to use recycled waste in their products, because it decreases their revenue. This will eventually cause them to, hopefully, begin incorporating recycled materials into the production of their products.
Reduce your non-recyclable items
Sometimes, without even realizing it, you create a considerable amount of waste. There are very simple things you can do to stop using so many items that can’t be recycled. One of the easiest, and one of the ones that has the biggest impact on the environment, is to bring reusable grocery bags with you to the grocery store. If you happen to forget your bags, or you didn’t bring quite enough, insist on having them bag your groceries with paper bags, rather than plastic. The paper bags are much easier to recycle, and they decompose, whereas your plastic grocery bags will not.
Have all of your statements and bills emailed to you, rather than mailed via the postal service. Many companies are now pushing to make this transition, and will offer some sort of discount on their services if you agree to receive all of your statements via email instead.
Stop using disposable items like paper plates, plastic cups, and plastic cutlery. Try replacing your paper napkins with cloth napkins.
Buy products that are packaged in cardboard instead of styrofoam, because cardboard can be recycled and reused. You can also purchase a lot of your products in bulk, which requires less packaging, which means less waste.
