Extensive use of new or unnecessary products is the main reason for the rapidly increasing waste in our environment, this can also bring about unchecked waste formation. The rapid population growth makes it imperative to use secondhand products or judiciously use the existing ones because if not, toxic waste will pose serious risk and health implications as a result of numerous toxic waste generation.
A conscious decision should be made at the personal and professional level to judiciously curb the menacing growth of wastes. Putting a bit more taught into the way we manage waste and waste disposal in our homes and commercial centers can help us get more organized, with careful planning, we will be able to save more money and have less of an impact in our environment. Here are some of the ways we can effectively manage waste and dispose waste:
1. The use cloth bags instead of plastic.
This small measure will greatly reduce the amount of waste you bring into your house. No matter where you’re shopping, you can bring your own reusable cloth bags instead of accepting plastic bags from the store. Plan ahead by purchasing several reusable bags and storing them where you won’t forget to bring them along next time you go shopping, like in your kitchen or in the trunk of your car. see samples of multipurpose cloth bags here.
2. Recycling
The most obvious way is recycling. However, you need to get the right containers for every type of waste that you will be recycling: plastic, paper, glass, metal, batteries and light bulbs, electronics, compost, etc.
Around 75% of all the waste is recyclable, however, the uptake is very low. This is because people usually have no idea about which materials can be recycled and how to properly recycle those materials.
In general, the following household waste can be recycled:
- Plastic containers.
- Paper products like computer paper, egg cartons, newspaper, and cardboard.
- Glass containers.
- Aluminum cans, aluminum foil etc.
3. Composting
Composting turns your food waste into fuel for your garden and it can suit gardens of any kind. Even if you are not good at gardening you should know that composting is always good for plants and gardens. And if you don’t have a garden or a plant somewhere nearby, you can donate that compost to a public garden. This will help the garden and limit your carbon footprint.
Composting is not expensive. You would want to fill one small container with materials that are high in nitrogen and materials that are high in carbon. Food scraps and yard cuttings don’t need to be thrown out. Instead, you can compost them and turn them into rich, nutritious soil that can be used to nourish your garden.
Keep adding those materials until you fill your container. It will heat up and you should give it a week or two to cool down. After that, you should mix it using a pitchfork and shred as much as you can. The smaller the pieces are, the smaller the scraps the shorter decomposition time you get.
To start a basic compost pile, save these items:
- Green items, which break down quickly, like raw vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, tea bags, grass cuttings, leaves
- Brown items, which break down slowly, like sticks and branches, paper, cardboard, eggshells, sawdust.
There are many resources to help you get started with composting, but i’ll recommend Composting for Beginners: The Best Gardener’s Techniques and Secrets to Compost Everything at Home by Bradley Gray. you can also get a composter here
4. Reusing
You can avoid getting new bags for shopping, buy one cloth bag and use it for life if you want. Similarly, you can reuse fizzy drink bottles for water on some hot days rather than throwing them away. You can do the same thing with wood, metal and glass. If you have old clothing, electronics, or other items you don’t want or use again but are still in good, you can donate them instead of disposing them out in the trash. You can donate old clothes and other fabrics, old electronic devices, furniture and even vehicles.
Durable containers present in our homes can be reused a couple of times before they need to go out with the garbage or recycling. Bottles, boxes and bags can all serve a second purpose if you know how to use them
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