I work/volunteer (sometimes they pay me, sometimes I just show up and help) for a company called Zero Waste Event Productions. They work festivals and outdoor events and their goal is to divert as much waste from the landfill as possible. We sort through every bit of garbage by hand, dumping out the bags on conveyor belts and dividing it into recyclables, compostables, and landfill. Items that can be rescued and used are also pulled from the waste stream (people leave behind an obscene amount of camping equipment at these things). Up to 92% of waste can usually be diverted from the landfills at these events.
I've always been aware of not being wasteful but working with them, literally digging through garbage for hours on end, has a way of putting it all into perspective. One person's garbage might not seem like a lot, but when you multiply that by 15,000 festival attendees, and then see how much waste can actually be diverted from the landfill with just a little effort, you can really see how bad things are.
Large corporations are definitely a huge problem when it comes to disposing waste, but that doesn't mean what you do doesn't matter. We should all be making an effort to cut down on the amount of waste we produce, especially plastic waste. Every little bit actually does make a big difference when everyone makes an effort.
1. Use reusable bags when shopping. Try to use cotton bags over ones made of plastic or synthetic materials--they do eventually wear out and have to be tossed and cotton bags are much more biodegradable. Some grocery stores (I know Kroger is one of them), also have bag recycling stations for standard grocery bags, so you can recycle instead of toss when you do end up with some.
2. Avoid disposable household products, and when you do need to use them, get something biodegradable over plastic or styrofoam. I use dishtowels/rags over paper towels whenever possible--a roll of paper towels lasts about 6 months in my house. I also tend not to put bags in my garbage cans and just empty them straight into the dumpster. (I wash them out with rainwater when they get grody.) Choose food and household items with less plastic in their packaging, or concentrated items that can be stretched out longer.
3. Drink more water/tea/coffee. Soda bottles and cans lead to an insane amount of waste. Get re-usable bottles and cups for when you're on the go: tap water and a filter pitcher will save you a ton in both waste and money. Cutting down on the soda is good for you too!
4. Buy used first. When you need an item hit up your local thrift store or local buy/sell/trade facebook group before resorting to Walmart or Amazon. Buying a used item prevents it, and the new item you didn't buy, from entering the waste stream. Millions of pounds of perfectly good items get thrown out by thrift stores every year, so don't feel like you need to "leave it for someone less fortunate." There's enough used stuff to go around!
5. Start a compost pile/bin. This can even be done in a small yard or patio situation. Turn your food scraps into food for your garden!
Once you get into the habit it's easy to do all of these things. It's impossible to live a modern life without making a mess, but we can and should be finding solutions to make that mess smaller.
***
I reuse boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper & poly bags whenever possible in my shop, so if you ever receive an item in "ugly" packaging from me this is why! Check out my shops here: https://www.rosieleacurio.com/p/my-stores.html
Read the blog? Get 10% off at the Oddity Boutique or my craft supply shop with the coupon code "BLOGVISIT" (minimum $5 order).
No comments:
Post a Comment