Homes all over the world are some of the greatest generators of waste.Even more concerning is the fact that most domestic waste ends up in space-hungry landfills, from plastics and cans to kitchen waste and electronic devices.
Altogether, people generate over two billion tons of waste every year. At this rate, the world may become one big dumping ground in the future.Thus, proper waste management is crucial. Although this isn’t a new concept, not too many people practice proper waste management in their daily lives.
That said, it’s important to be reminded of the following waste reduction tips to practice at home so it can develop into a habit.
1. Hire Professional Garbage Removal Services
Sometimes, no matter how much youtry to keep your household waste volume down, you simply can’t have everything under control. For instance,you can’t repurpose and donate everything after a kitchen revamp or a living room renovation.
Some things are best left to professionals. In instances where the volume of waste is just too much for you to handle, hire junk removal services to help take care of your waste management.
2. Avoid Single-Use Plastics
Plastics made in the past few years were primarily made from synthetic materials that will take hundreds of years before decomposing.Sadly, most of them end up in landfills or in bodies of water—accounting for the harm and death of marine life.
For these reasons and more, avoid buying items packaged in plastic. Staying away from single-use plastics can lower your household waste volume significantly.
3. Handle Hazardous Wastes With Care
To get rid of pests, householdsoften use chemicals that are also hazardous to human and animal health. These chemicals may be toxic, chemically reactive, flammable, or corrosive. Thus, it should be kept away from household members, including pets.
Hazardous wastes not only cover pesticides and other chemically-laden items. It also includes broken glass, paint thinners, acids, and lead-based paint.
If you don’t know how to get rid of dangerous wastes properly, check out the waste infographic here and ask for professional assistance.
4. Choose Reusable Containers
To reduce the volume of household waste, consider the packaging of your favorite essentials before buying them. Stay away from products that don’t come in sustainable packaging.
Instead of plastics, there are several options that manufacturers can choose from. For instance, paper, cardboard, and even biodegradable plastics. Buying products with eco-friendly packaging means there will be less trash going to the garbage bin.
5. Practice Composting
Food and kitchen wastes account for roughly a third of domestic waste. Thus,
creating compost with these items will cut down the waste your household generates. But having a compost pit or pile can do more than reduce household refuse, as it can beused as a soil fertilizer. With your own compost, you can enhance the growth of the plants in your garden without the use of chemical fertilizers—allowing you to tick off hazardous waste from your household.
6. Donate Items Whenever Possible
These days, it’s become easier than ever to purchase items online. With a few clicks, you can already get to wear the latest fashions trends or use the most advanced electronic gadgets. However, ideally, you should keep your purchases to a minimum.
If you’re prone to making impulse purchases, try to at least reduce your wastes by donating any item that you can to your friends, neighbors, or charity organizations that accept second-hand item donations.
7. Consider Making Do-It-Yourself Household Items
Instead of being too reliant on chemically laced commercial cleaning products, make your own household items. For most uses, you only need to mix water with lemon and baking soda to create a mixture that can make your kitchen spick and span in no time.
You can also make your own detergents and soaps using organic materials. This eco-friendly practice not only helps you contribute to sustainability efforts by reducing chemical wastes, but it can likewise save you costs in buying household products.
8. Choose To Make Transactions Electronically
Trees play an invaluable role in the ecosystem, and care should be exercised to preserve them at all costs. Minimizethe use of paper by opting for online transactions and switching to paperless billing. Have your monthly bills sent via your email address instead of receiving them in your mailbox.
For instance, construction materials like metal and steelcan berecycled and made into other products. Outdated clothes can be re-sewn and redesigned rather than thrown away. Food containers that come in cans may be reused as flower pots, and so on.
9. Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle
This may be one of the most used catchphrases in the past few decades. But it helps remind individuals to reduce waste, reuse plastics and other items, and recycle anything that can be repurposed.
Final Thoughts
Put these waste management tips into practice on a daily basis so you can establish an effective waste management system at home as soon as possible.
Additionally, resist the urge to throw away items that can be repurposed or repaired. Video sharing platforms offer how-to videos that show tips and advice to get your items in top shape once again.
It doesn’t take much effort to reduce household waste, as long as you’re conscious of how each action impacts the environment.