Inside my family’s house there is at least one trash can in every single room. Every week, we haul our 32 lb. garbage can on the side of the road so it can be picked up by the garbage truck. Last week, when I looked down my street, I saw that each home had their own 32 lb. garbage can lined up on the road – some houses even had two or three garbage cans. And then I realized: if this is the amount of trash my street accumulates, how much trash does Marblehead accumulate? Or Massachusetts? Or the whole United States?
The average American produces three pounds of landfill garbage each day ⎯ each day! After hearing that statistic, I saw trash everywhere: at school, on the road, and, of course, my own home. Let’s be clear. I am going to be living on this planet for a long time, and to whoever is reading this article – you are too!! This isn’t just about my health, but this is about your health, your neighbor’s health, the community’s health, and the entire world’s health.
Here are three tips to help get you started:
1. Shop with reusable containers
Before shopping, make a grocery list and put on the top “BRING REUSABLE BAGS.” Buy loose fruits and vegetables to avoid their plastic bags. Shop in the bulk aisle and use glass Mason jars to fill and store your food. If you can’t buy from bulk bins, and need, for instance, flour, buy large amounts of it to reduce packaging. You can use that flour to bake homemade bread: it’s cheaper, tastier, and doesn’t require plastic.
2. Buy less things
When you pick something out at the store, actually ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” It will cut you back on a lot of things that are not necessary. Moreover, opt for higher quality products. That Patagonia jacket may cost you about $100, but it will save you from buying a new jacket year after year.
3. Ditch disposables
There’s no need for paper towels, plastic baggies, or aluminum foil. Use cloth towels, glass food containers, and reusable baking mats instead. Shop at “LifeWithoutPlastic.com” for more ideas.
Going zero-waste means different things to different people. For some it could mean moving from two garbage cans to just one or only filling up a small bag for a month’s (or year’s) time. To some people, like me, it means sending nothing to a landfill at all. By the end of 2018, I plan to be completely zero-waste. It is a process to get there, and everyone will have their ups and downs. But remember, the goal is about reducing waste. With these three things listed above, everyone can effectively create a zero-waste lifestyle. By doing this, we are making our world a more simple, healthy, and beautiful place.