Living with Little Waste

Imagine it’s trash day. You roll out your large bins—green waste, recyclables and the overflowing black container. But rather than discarding the average 3.5 pounds of garbage a day, your contribution is a mere small sack of trash for the week.

Welcome to the zero waste movement.

Our landfills are struggling to process the amount we dump as we continue to consume at an all-time high. Many states have passed laws to limit plastic straws in restaurants and plastic bags in grocery stores. But there’s so much more we ourselves can do.

Whether you think you “just don’t have the time” or have no idea where to begin, everyone can make strides in reducing their environmental footprint. Following are five easy ways to achieve this in your home.

1. Buy Bulk

We’re not talking big-box stores here, but avoiding these shopping choices and purchasing just what you need is a good idea. Limit the packaging you throw away by buying nuts, flour, sugar and more in the bulk section of your grocery store. It’s a great way to reuse containers, too.

2. Avoid Bottles

The government estimates that 50 million plastic water bottles are discarded every day in the U.S. and less than 20 percent of those purchased are recycled. Whether it’s water or single-serve beverage bottles, the less you toss the better. Instead, consider installing a water filtration system in your kitchen faucet or refrigerator or utilizing a pitcher with filter.

3. Replace disposable with reusable

Why buy items that serve a one-time use? Metal razors rather than plastic, glass food storage rather than plastic containers, fabric bowl covers rather than plastic wrap, and silicon baking mats in place of parchment paper are a great start. There’s even washable bamboo-based “paper” towels, cloth napkins, tissues and sandwich bags, and LooHoo Wool Dryer Balls rather than dryer sheets or fabric softener to add to the mix.

4. Donate First

From clothing and electronics to batteries, books and cell phones, there’s someone out there who could use your old stuff. Before discarding do a quick online search for local needs.

5. Order What You’ll Eat

We’ve all asked, Can I get a to-go box? Time to stop. On your next meal out (and every time after!) order a smaller portion or share your entree. You’ll cut down on these containers that often get lost in your fridge.

Our Favorite Reusable Companies

ECOBAGS

ECOlunchbox

Beeswrap

Stasher

To-Go Ware

Domino Pads

DivaCup

We'd love to hear from you! What's your favorite reusable company? Feel free to share your favorites below.