Waste is a huge environmental problem today. Humans generate over 2 billion tonnes of garbage per year -- approximately 4.5 trillion pounds -- annually which may reach 3.4 billion tonnes per year by 2050. The world's landfills produce greenhouse gas emissions which fuel climate change. We all need to do our part to make real change and tackle this growing issue. If you want to be a part of the solution, here are our best tips for zero waste living.
Compost
A lot of trash is organic matter, like food scraps. A great zero waste practice that helps the environment is to compost that organic matter. Even if you live in an apartment and can't compost in a green space, you can compost on your own indoors with a home compost bin like this. Cities and towns often run composting programs so citizens can compost without owning their own compost bin. Basically you use a little compost bucket to collect your organic waste (in the same way you collect items to recycle), then the city collects and composts it on your behalf. Composting your food scraps is a great zero waste habit to form because it diverts that waste from landfill and converts into nutrient rich fertilizer for new plant life. When composted, fertilizer used in agriculture actually helps to sequester carbon in the soil -- which is great for the environment.
Ditch single-use plastic for reusable items
Plastic is incredibly detrimental for the planet. The world produces 380 million tonnes of it per year and an estimated 50% of that is for single-use purposes. It takes hundreds of years to decompose and is currently harming the world's wildlife and polluting our waterways and landscapes. Single-use plastic is a problem we all need to resolve -- think things like plastic bags, disposable water bottles, straws and takeout containers. Ditch single-use plastic items and switch to reusable items whenever possible like reusable shopping bags, reusable glass or metal water bottles and canteens, reusable glass or metal straws, and reusable food containers. You can go the extra mile by bringing these items to cafes and restaurants instead of accepting wasteful takeout packaging materials.
Buy in bulk
Packaging, especially plastic packaging, is a huge waste issue. A great way to cut down on packaging is to buy in bulk whenever possible. You can buy many items in bulk like dried foods and even cleaning and beauty products. Visit your local bulk store or health food store and give it a try. Bonus points if you bring your own reusable containers instead of using their bags and containers.
Together we can make a big impact on the environment. We hope you'll use our zero waste tips to form better habits and inspire others to do the same.
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