Know Your Waste! Trashploration Journey
I have tracked and analyzed my waste for a week and was able to make a significant improvement by preparing snacks myself and getting a pastry at the local store. I know you likely want to become a zero-waste hero, so let's dig in and find out WHY and HOW to reduce your waste.
Why bother?
A lot of big companies have committed to zero-waste practices. This is inspiring and sends a very important message - zero-waste isn't a buzzword or a dream. It's the ultimate goal of every individual. We should start making a change together as soon as possible.
The action is a very important piece of this idea. A zero-waste lifestyle isn't for everyone, I get it. Simply producing no waste sounds like a fairytale and can be confusing. An easy way to understand zero waste is to consider it a way of living without sending anything to landfills or oceans. It envisages that you reduce waste, compost as much as possible, and recycle whenever possible. It's the mentality we must adopt and foster for a brighter future. Where can you start?
First things first, practices that I already decided to undertake and it was very clear and easy:
- stop using the plastic bags
- take advantage of reusable containers
- cancel all the unnecessary mail
- no plastic water bottles
- no single-use plastics
- build a meal plan to eliminate food waste
- carpool and public transportation
The first rule of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We've all heard these words, which I call triple R. The very first rule that we need to embrace is REDUCE. Reduce the waste and overall impact on the environment.
Instead of plastic bags, bring your own bag (BYOB). Cary utensils to eliminate single-use plastics. Moreover, growing food yourself is a very exciting and fun process, not to mention yummy. After taking all these steps, a part of me still wanted more improvement. I decided to start trash research.
How do we know what to reduce?
Data and further analysis is the way to go. Over the week, I tracked my trash in different categories: organic/compostable, non-recyclable, and recyclable. Every bit of trash is audited and photographed. After a week, I finally got to analyze the captured data.
- 2.94 pounds of all the trash is organic and can be composted.
- Snacks and candy wraps were the biggest part of the trash that went to landfill.
- Milk boxes and paper towels.
It was a pretty sweet week, not usual for me, but now I know the areas that need improvement. Action is the essential outcome of this research:
- find a local composting place
- purchase pastry in a local store
- find out how to buy milk without plastic
Thankfully paper towels, if clean, can be composed. If you live in a suburban apartment or don't have your own composting bin, research composting in your local community and be on the lookout for composting opportunities.
Summary
Know your waste! Research and analyze how much trash you generate over the week to understand where you can improve. You can do it! This will be a tremendous benefit for the environment and nevertheless will improve your lifestyle. A balanced meal plan, exercise, and the improved quality of food will keep you on track to various health benefits. Did I mention it will save you money? Starting from savings on utilities to discounts when you bring your own bottle to a coffee shop. Needless to say, this transformation of your lifestyle will positively affect the environment and secure a stable and safe ecosystem for future generations.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please like it and share it! Leave your comments below and share your tips to reduce waste.
Feel free to get in touch to discuss how you can decrease your environmental footprint and enhance your lifestyle.
Relevant Links
https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/lifestyle/trash-one-person-produces-year/ - statistics on how much trash one person produces over a year
https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials - waste trends between 1960 and 2017