Many of us are conscious that we’re not doing enough to save the planet, whether it’s buying too much plastic or throwing things away unnecessarily. But the good news is that with just a few simple changes to your routine, you could make a valuable contribution to an eco-friendlier lifestyle that’s kinder to the Earth. Here are some tips for how to develop a more efficient waste removal process and do more for Mother Nature.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Over the last few years, the three R’s have become synonymous with living an environmentally-friendly lifestyle. And with good reason. This aphorism should always be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to throwing things away or buying new items. Try to reduce your consumption and ‘reuse’ what you have. Similarly, before abandoning an item and leaving it for your local Junk removal team to deal with, think about whether it can be reused or repurposed in some way. If it can, such as fixing a faulty item instead of just replacing it with a new one, then find some way of making do with what you have and making your belongings last as long as possible. If it must be replaced, then recycle what you can, so that it doesn’t just head into the landfill.
Limit Needless Packaging
From plastic bags at the supermarket to water bottles and coffee cups, there are countless additions to our everyday lives that are wasteful and avoidable. Where possible, assess your routine and replace items like bags and containers with sustainable and reusable alternatives. For example, carry a reusable water bottle with you and remember a keep cup when you head out for your morning coffee each day. These simple changes mean there’s less going to waste.
Educate Yourself on Recycling Rules
Recycling seems like a time-consuming task, but the reality is that it’s easy to do, once you know what can and can’t be recycled. It won’t take you long to get clued up on what you need to throw away and what can be recycled, but the results are long-lasting for the planet. It’s not just food packaging and paper you can recycle either. If you’re a homeowner, you can actually rearrange your plumbing so that your waste water from baths and showers is used to flush your toilet, saving thousands of litres of water each year.
Don’t Throw Your Vegetable Scraps
So much of what heads to rubbish clearance can actually be repurposed and vegetable peelings fall under this category. From fruit and veggies you’d otherwise throw away to lawn mower clippings and weeds from gardening, there are still plenty of nutrients left in these scraps that can benefit the planet. Composting is the easiest way of ensuring you’re not just throwing things away that can be recycled – when they’ve reached the end of their life, they can be left to decompose and returned to the soil. In addition to sending less waste to your bin, your garden plants will thrive for a win-win solution.