Besides tossing your plastic drink container in a recycling bin, what else can you be doing to live a greener lifestyle?
Start Recycling at Home
Recycling at home doesn’t have to be a chore — in fact, it’s one of the most simple actions we can take to protect our planet. By sorting out items like plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard boxes for curbside collection or drop-off, we give materials a second life – keeping them out of landfills and reducing overall pollution. Additionally, recycling helps generate jobs within green industries, something our team at Western Elite appreciates!
In addition to inorganic materials that can be recycled, you probably generate a lot of food waste that could be kept out of the trash. Instead of tossing food scraps, egg shells, and coffee grounds in the bin, compost them instead! Whether you create a compost pile in the yard or have a small container under your counter, you can upcycle organic materials to produce nutrient-rich soil for your indoor and outdoor plants.
Implement Recycling at the Office
If you work in an office, you likely generate quite a bit of waste daily. To ensure your organization is responsibly handling this potentially recyclable material, introduce convenient ways for employees to contribute to a recycling program.
Make sure there are designated bins for the different categories and have a designated recycling monitor to oversee sorting and pickup. Your office recycling program may also include incentives for employees to bring reusable containers for their lunch or to carpool or use public transit.
Tips for Recycling Properly
- Sort items: Separate your recyclables into categories, such as plastic, glass, paper, and metal. This makes it easier for the recycling centers to process them.
- Wash items: Before you recycle any item, make sure it is clean and dry so that it can be properly processed by the recycling center.
- Schedule pickup: If you are using curbside pickup, make sure to put the recyclables in a bin or bag and leave it at the curb on your designated collection day. For office spaces, you may need to contract pickup through an agency if your building doesn’t already offer those services as part of your lease.
- Drop-off items: If there is no curbside pickup in your area, look for recycling centers that accept drop-offs.
By taking small steps such as these, you can make sure that you’re doing your part to reduce waste and be more sustainable at home and work.
Tips for Reducing Energy and Water Usage at Home
Living a greener life also includes reducing energy and water consumption, which is especially crucial for Nevadans. Little adjustments like turning off lights when you’re not in the room, unplugging electronics, switching to energy-saving light bulbs, or taking shorter showers can make a big difference.
One of the best tips for reducing water usage is to install low-flow faucets and shower heads in your bathrooms; this simple adjustment decreases water waste substantially. When it comes to your yard, planting water-wise vegetation is the first step towards conserving resources. Make sure you have drought-tolerant plants and teach them to be hardy by watering less frequently for longer periods.
Of course, you can go bigger by purchasing energy-efficient appliances, installing energy-star-rated windows and doors, and insulating your walls and attic with closed-cell spray foam. If you decide to undergo updates to your home to improve energy efficiency, you can rent a dumpster from Wester Elite for convenient waste pickup. As a bonus, we are also committed to going green and do our best to recycle eligible materials in our dumpsters so they don’t end up in a landfill.
Clean With Environmentally Friendly Products
Green cleaners use natural ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, and plant oils that are just as effective at getting rid of dirt and grime as conventional products but don’t contain harsh chemicals that can pollute the environment. Plus, many are relatively inexpensive and easily found both in stores and online.
Not ready to make the switch from your favorite industrial cleaner to something less harsh? You can at least opt to use washable rags and mops vs disposable ones. It’s one small change you can make to be more environmentally conscious when getting your clean on.
