10 Ways To Reduce Waste ♻️
We are always looking for easy ways to start living a more environmentally-friendly life now. This week, we're taking a look at 10 important ways to reduce waste and help the environment.
1. Compost food scraps.
If possible, compost your food scraps. If organised composting programs aren’t available, you can still compost some items at home by creating a home compost pile or bin to compost your garden waste, and fallen leaves. If you compost at home, you can then use this compost in your garden to create healthy soil for flowers, trees, and plants for food!
Did you know?
When sent to landfills, food scraps and organic material will only partially decompose off gassing methane, a harmful greenhouse gas 23x more potent than carbon dioxide.
2. Use reusable shoppers.
Unlike plastic bags, reusable bags are unlikely to have their handle tear off or to develop a hole if the corner of a box or other sharp products press into them. Reusable bags are easier to use for both loading and unloading groceries, leaks are less likely to be a problem with reusable bags, and your purchases are more likely to survive the trip to and from the store.
Did you know?
If you have a Tesco 'Bag for Life' and it gets worn out, they will replace it for free in any store.
3. Travel with reusable cups and cutlery.
For coffee on the go, invest in a travel mug. It's just as convenient, and will actually save you some money too! You could even try a double-insulated bottle to carry both your hot and cold drinks.
Did you know?
Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to break down!
4. Write out a shopping list.
In order to reduce personal food waste, it is crucial for everyone as individuals to be mindful of the food products that they are buying. A simple way to begin implementing mindfulness is to write shopping lists whilst browsing your kitchen – this enables you to avoid buying products that you already have/products that you are leaving uneaten. You could also try out the app Too Good To Go to help rescue your favourite foods from cafes and restaurants!
Top tip:
Don't do your food shopping hungry! Hunger can lead to overbuying or impulse buys.
5. Try meal prepping.
Meal planning is an effective way of reducing personal food waste as it encourages you to consider the exact types and amounts of food you will need, and for people who may prefer a little guidance there are a number of companies that let you order weekly “meal kits” to your house, a popular example being Hello Fresh.
6. Freeze unfinished food.
Do future you a favour and look forward to an evening of leftovers and relaxing for the days when you just can't be bothered!
7. Separate waste to be recycled.
Separate paper and cardboard from your glass and plastics in order to avoid contamination.
Did you know?
Food containers must actually be cleaned before you can recycle them. Any item with leftover food inside – even just a small amount – will be sent to landfill after it has been rejected by a recycling plant.
8. Shop small/local.
Supporting your local grocery shops, butchers and bakeries reduces the amount of waste in terms of transportation and therefore is a more ethical alternative to shopping at supermarkets. However, if a supermarket is the only option available to you, aim to buy produce that is sourced locally and is in season.
Did you know?
Globally, we consume over 80 billion pieces of clothing every year!
9. Mend clothes and appliances before replacing.
Before venturing out to buy new appliances or tools, check to see if your broken unit can be repaired. Many appliances can be easily fixed yourself or repaired at a low cost by a handyman. Gently used furniture, appliances, and other durable items can be donated rather than disposed of. Donating used items extends the useful life of working items and clothes, reduces waste, and gives people alternatives to buying new.
10. Shop second hand.
Check out your local high street and discover new charity shops and independent second-hand shops that you may not have even realised were there. You might even find some top-branded items hiding there!
So there you have it - 10 easy ways to reduce waste. Let us know in the comments below what you do to live a more environmentally-friendly life.