3 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Household Waste
Do you feel like your household is overflowing with stuff? A lot of stuff means a lot of packaging and waste, and in our already super busy lives, finding the brainspace to think about ways to reduce our household waste can feel… overwhelming.
It may sound crazy, but a quick and essential first step to tackling your household stuff and waste problem is to go dumpster diving (and closet digging)! Wait, what? You read that right. A quick peek inside the trashcan and the dark corners of your closets will give you a great understanding of what you’re most commonly throwing away and the aspirational donation and giveaway piles you’re ignoring. Once you know the source of your waste and stuff, you’re off to the races.
What might your trash and closet digging reveal? If you’re anything like me, you may find that you’re consuming a lot of the same products that rely on individual packaging (my family appears to go through the same coffee and cereal brands by the bushel), you may have a shopping addiction (and therefore a lot of plastic bags, bubble wrap, and Styrofoam that can’t be recycled), and your closet may be full of rogue electric cables, dead batteries and light bulbs, and piles of clothes and shoes that you intended to Marie Kondo away years ago.
Armed with a renewed perspective on your household consumption and stuff, here are three simple ways you can take action and reduce your household waste:
1. Buy in bulk with reduced packaging
Become a regular at your local zero waste and bulk stores. From hygiene products, to spices, to coffee beans, bulk stores often carry a majority of your daily essentials without the wasteful plastic product wrap. Go the extra mile and stock up on a few glass mason jars or reusable containers to bring with you to fill up on your necessities. Buying for the household? Large wholesale stores like Costco and Sam’s Club offer some of your favorite brands and items in larger servings with less packaging, and kindly reuse cardboard boxes in lieu of bags. Finally, as the summer draws near be on the lookout for neighborhood farmer’s markets for fresh package-free produce.
2. Think reusable and second-life
Another simple way to reduce your household waste is to invest in reusable and second-life household items. Ditch the plastic and paper bags and arm yourself with reusable bags and totes for everyday grocery and household shopping (pro tip: keep some in the car so you have them handy when you’re out and about). Invest in reusable food and storage containers and save the ziplocs for special occasions. Introduce reusable appliances or tools that support your favorite daily habits or treats–for caffeine addicts, consider skipping the individual coffee pods and tea bags, and treat yourself to a french press or a reusable tea strainer. When it comes to household items like furniture and decorations, consider buying fewer yet more special or second-hand items, refurbishing furniture, and supporting cool community artists who create incredible decorations and functional household items out of reused and recycled materials.
3. Rid responsibly
Ultimately, you’re going to have to get rid of stuff. Recycle what you can (though you may be shocked to discover what CAN’T be recycled in the purple bin), donate and regift when and where you can, and compost if that’s available and for you. For all of the stuff in between–the plastic wrappers and bags flooding your trashcan and the clothes and stuff hiding in your closet corners–you can save your stuff from the landfill and your time and energy making multiple trips to special recycle and donation centers and simply join an awesome service called Ridwell.
Ridwell conveniently stops by your house, every two weeks, to collect items like plastic film (think: Amazon packages, ziploc bags, bubble wrap, and other items that aren’t actually recyclable in your purple bin), light bulbs, batteries, clothes, and styrofoam, plus they feature rotating categories like electronics, prom dresses, and eyeglasses to mention a few. All of those items are collected from your doorstep and delivered to local and sustainable partners, making it easy to responsibly recycle and reuse your stuff… and reduce your household waste!
We’ve got a special deal on Ridwell for Scoop readers! Friends of Central Park Scoop earn a free bonus month when you join as a member today at get.ridwell.com/centralparkscoop!
