The following contribution is from another author.
As people become increasingly aware of the harm that plastic pollution and carbon emissions are causing to our planet, more and more families are trying to find ways to reduce their waste in order to play their own part to help protect the earth for our children. Of course, the easiest place to get started on your war against waste is at home. Here are some easy to implement changes that are small ways to get started in reducing waste, but will have a big combined effect.
Reuse
Reusable items may cost a little more to start with, but over time they will have not only a positive effect on the earth but also your bank balance too. Carrying reusable shopping bags, drink bottles, and takeaway coffee cups while you are out and about is the ideal way to start making some small changes to help the environment.
There are lots of items around the home that can be repurposed to prevent them from being sent out with the garbage. Attractive glass drinks bottles can make some really effective flower vases, those boots that look a little worse for wear can make a quirky planter for the garden – getting creative is all part of the fun, providing of course that it is safe to repurpose the item.
If you have kids, you will know that they seem to grow what seems like a foot taller every week, which means that they get through a lot of clothes, often before they have received any real wear and tear. If this is the case, be sure to store them for your younger children if you have any, as you’ll be glad that you did when you realize that you can dodge an expensive clothes shopping trip in the future. If you don’t have younger children of your own to pass them onto, how about friends or relatives with young children, selling them on to make some extra cash (that you can spend on a number of eco-friendly bamboo accessories at Ecoy), or donating them to the charity store. However, you decide to pass them on; it’s great to know that items will be getting more use out of them and not ending up in landfill.
Repair
When things break, our instant reaction can often be to rush out and buy a replacement, often because that’s a much easier option. However, taking the time to get items mended rather than replacing things can significantly reduce the amount of waste that you generate. Kitchen goods such as ovens and fridges are a prime example of this and are particularly bulky to try to dispose of. Often you can assume that an item cannot be repaired and so may decide to go out and buy a new one right away, but this is not always the case. Contacting an appliance repair engineer before heading to the store to buy a replacement may help you to save lots of money, as well as the hassle of trying to dispose of your old appliance in an environmentally friendly way.
Repairing clothes rather than discarding them is a great way to cut down on your waste, and is satisfying to do. If you feel that your sewing skills won’t be up to the job, then why not see if a friend or relative can help, or take them to a professional to get repaired – but be sure to ask for a quote first, to make sure that it is worth the spend.
Grow Your Own
Growing your own fruit, herbs, and veggies is not only loads of fun, but also means that you cut down on the plastic waste that comes with store-bought produce.
If you have kids, they will absolutely love getting involved and putting their green thumb to use. Children will enjoy being out in the fresh air learning more about where the food that they eat comes from, and it’s also a great way to get them more active. You could also try giving them a little area of their own for growing some fruit or vegetables so that they can take responsibility for caring for it, and enjoy a healthy new hobby.
Growing your own means that you will be reducing your carbon footprint by reducing your food miles, and also means that your produce can be picked precisely when you need it – it doesn’t get fresher than that!
Buy What You Need
Reducing waste is all about buying just what you need and taking care of what you have by reusing it wherever you can.
If you have kids, they will absolutely love getting involved and putting their green thumb to use. Children will enjoy being out in the fresh air learning more about where the food that they eat comes from, and it’s also a great way to get them more active. You could also try giving them a little area of their own for growing some fruit or vegetables so that they can take responsibility for caring for it, and enjoy a healthy new hobby.