First off, we all do the best we can as we try to address the dramatic dynamic of climate disruption. I figure there’s the big, global aspects that can seem beyond reach for many of us, and then there’s the low hanging fruit, as it were, which could be in our backyard – – literally.
If you’re overwhelmed at times by the size of this serious dilemma, but at least want to feel like you’re more a part of the solution than the problem (of, say, overloading the earth’s waste capacity), why not adjust your disposal habits a bit to reduce your landfill contributions? It’s easier than you might think, although there are some moving targets, so it requires a bit of attention and commitment.
I can help. In each of these blog entries I will offer some PERSPECTIVE, then a basic PRACTICAL suggestion (or reminder), followed by a FINER POINT if you want to go further into waste diversion, which is a good way to frame the challenge before us: we are called to divert more of our waste. Each of us creates it; each of us can make a difference in how we discard it
PERSPECTIVE
This mundane material matters because of the sheer number of consumers that purchase and dispose of an immense amount of trash every day – – increasingly so! Much of that waste ends up polluting stressed-out landfills or swirling in pockets of our stressed-out planet, such as the huge swaths of garbage (mostly plastic*) found in the oceans on both sides of North America. Uggh. (Begin your web search HERE to see for yourself.)
PRACTICAL
Attitude is everything, as they say, so even before making any changes in the flow of waste out of your home, realize that the number one “best practice” is to limit and decrease the single-use items and packaging that come into your home. Especially plastic!*
The Toward Zero Waste movement recommends a handy approach using “R” words, such as:
- Refocus: be more waste conscious; watch what you do
- Refuse: just say “no, thanks” to unnecessary items and packaging
- Reuse: think creatively about repurposing things
- Rot: as in compost, to reinvest all food waste (and lots more) in the earth
Regularly shopping with your own bags and buying in bulk with your own containers are two of the most impactful actions you can cultivate. The amount of packaging you will avoid makes a huge difference and sends an important signal to retailers and manufacturers.
FINER POINT
*Plastics are the worst, and only rigid pieces of it can be recycled curbside. But clean and dry soft plastics (also called “film”) can be brought to many local grocery stores and recycled there. (Look around just inside the store or ask an employee.) It’s a best practice worth incorporating into your lifestyle. Avoid plastic packaging as much as possible, but at least keep it out of the landfill. (Soft plastics have to be clean and dry to be recycled because the large, compacted cubes of it sit for a long time in transit, and moisture/residues will create mold that contaminates the entire batch.)
Stay tuned for more – – and many thanks for your good efforts!