Simple Ways For You And Your Family To Reduce Your Household Waste

If you're concerned about the health of the environment, you might feel overwhelmed about what steps you can take to help out. Keep in mind the adage of, "Think globally, act locally" – and start with the waste that you generate in your own household. It can be easy to drastically reduce your household waste if you're conscientious about what you buy. You can even get the entire family on board by having a weekly competition to see who generates the least amount of garbage. Overall, here are some easy ways that you can reduce your household waste.

Shop At Local Farmers' Markets

You can quickly increase your overall household waste when you shop at the grocery store; with a few exceptions, many of the store's products are heavily packaged, resulting in significant additions to your household waste with every meal that you eat. You can dramatically reduce your food-related waste by shopping at your local farmer's markets. When you buy produce, for example, it's rarely wrapped in any form of packaging. Additionally, many markets encourage you to use washable containers from home when you shop – this means that you can fill a plastic tub with your produce for the week and you won't have any packaging to throw out.

Refill Products When Possible

When many consumers finished a bottled product at home, they simply throw it in the garbage and visit a store to buy a replacement product. Over time, this approach generates a sizable amount of waste. You can completely avoid this problem by refilling certain bottles when it's possible. For example, if you visit your local health product retailer, you'll often encounter shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, laundry detergent and other such products sold in large dispensers. All you do is take in your existing bottle or container and fill it up from the bulk supply, thus reducing the need to buy an additional bottle.

Find Ways To Donate Your Goods

Try to get into the habit of thinking about who might possibly be able to use your household goods that you'd otherwise throw out. It's logical to take old clothing to a homeless shelter, but you can often think of other worthwhile causes that can accept a wide range of items. For example, if you have excess craft supplies, take them to your local school or church group; for building supplies such as paint and nails, take them to your nearest house-building charity. Taking this approach, whenever possible, can help you reduce what you put in your garbage each week. Contact a local waste management service, like Newcastle Salvage or a similar location, for more tips and information.

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