11 Ways you can (easily!) reduce your waste production

You don't have do something as drastic as we are to make a difference! Small changes in everyday habits add up. Here are some simple ways to reduce personal waste:

1.Carry a reusable water bottle with you. Plastic water bottles are a classic representation of our single-use society. There is no reason for Americans to use 100 million water bottles per day (of which only 23% are recycled). It’s insanely expensive to keep up this wasteful habit. These bottles are also generally not BPA free and can leach toxins into your water. Buy a water bottle, refill it, and it will pay for itself within a couple of weeks. 

2. Stop using single-use coffee pods. Same principle as above. It’s terribly wasteful, expensive and K-cups are not even recyclable. If you have a Keurig and like the convenience of making a single cup of coffee, you can buy a refillable K-cup that you pour grounds into here. A French press is also a great option that is environmentally friendly and produces fresh tasting coffee. 

3. Look for products that come in sustainable packaging. While no packaging (bulk buying) is best, many people don’t have access to grocery stores that offer bulk options. When you’re looking at pasta, buy the pasta that comes in a paper box rather than a plastic bag. Buy the loose lettuce instead of the bagged (it’s so much cheaper, too). Buy eggs in the paper carton rather than Styrofoam. Look for the easy switches. You may not be able to avoid all packaging, but you can buy packaging that is compostable or recyclable.  

4. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. This one is so easy, and there really is no excuse to still be using plastic grocery bags. If you make an unanticipated trip to the store and don’t have your bags, say “no thanks” to the plastic bag and carry your groceries to your car in a basket/cart, then take it back. Or ask for a paper bag.

5. Take an empty container with you when you go out to eat for your leftovers. I felt silly the first time I did this, but it’s so simple. If you don't have your own container and the restaurant uses Styrofoam containers to package leftovers, consider declining. It’s not worth it.

6. Stop junk mail. The average American receives 30 pounds of junk mail per year, which is not just unnecessary, but annoying. Opt out at dmachoice.org

7.  Borrow rather than buy. Ask friends and family if they have a tool or product that you need to use, and welcome them to do the same with you. Everyone doesn’t need one of everything – we are humans on a journey together and we can share like we learned in preschool. This is called “community.”

8.  Compost what you can. Most of us think of food as biodegradeable, so it’s fine to toss it, right? Nope! When food waste goes to a landfill, it is quickly buried and does not receive oxygen, so as it undergoes anaerobic decomposition, it produces methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 72% more powerful than carbon dioxide.  Start a compost pile/bin in your yard, or find a community compost. Columbia people – you are welcome to share my compost bin, anytime!

9.  Reduce/eliminate food waste by eating the food you have. Plan your meals around eating what you have before it expires. The FAO estimates that 40% of food in America is wasted, which is a tragedy in itself as that amount of food could end world hunger here and now. It’s also a huge waste of your money. If you see something nearing expiration in your fridge, eat it now or freeze it until you’re ready.

10. Use what you have. You may not need the thing that you think you need. If you’re uncertain, think about it for a week before you take the plunge, and even then, check out secondhand options first (craigslist, goodwill, for sale/wanted/free sites).

11. Go outside and look at the trees, the birds, the creeks, the skies. Think about your favorite places on earth, the most beautiful landscapes and the sweetest smells of fall and spring. Remember that we are stewards – caretakers – of this beautiful planet and all the life it sustains. The earth was here before concrete, steel, and plastic. It was here before us. It has given us so much. What are we giving back?