We live in an amazing little planet known as Earth. Even though many of us wish to someday travel to Mars (including myself), we have to work with what we’ve got. You know that saying, “You can’t love someone until you learn to love yourself”? It applies to many things besides a possible sweetheart. How are we going to step foot on another planet if we can barely take care of our own? In short, I’m going to show you 11 foolproof ways to reduce your waste and help the Earth!
1. Reusable bags.
This may seem like a no-brainer to some people, but not enough people do it. In many stores like Target, Safeway, Giant and many others, you’ll actually save some money by bringing in your own bag.
2. Go paperless.
Many banks already have this option available. If your bank or job does, then take advantage of it and let them send it to your e-mail. Our world is becoming very tech-savvy. We must use these things to our advantage. Also if you’re receiving a lot of junk mail in your mailbox, take some time out of your day and call them to end the subscription.
3. Buy in bulk.
Buying is bulk will minimize the amount of waste that comes from buying tons of smaller bagged items. Many times, majority of the trash comes from things like snack-sized chip bags and candy. Next time you’re in the store, opt for the larger family size bag instead.
4. Drink water.
This one, I must admit, is kind of strange, but hear me out. Drinking water can do more than help your body rid itself of toxins. The more water you drink, the clearer your pee becomes. Meaning that when you pee, it will match the color of the water inside your toilet bowl so there will be no need to flush! This will save tons of gallons of water that are wasted daily on one flush!
5. Carpool, bike, skateboard, etc.
This is another obvious one, but it really helps. Getting one car off the road is better than nothing. If you live in a city or a town where everything is nearby, try biking around. If you’re planning on taking an Uber or Lyft, see if they have a carpooling option near you. If saving the Earth isn’t enough motivation, saving money from that split fee should.
6. Bring your own thermos/reusable water bottles.
Many people already use reusable water bottles and containers. But don’t forget about the thermos. If you’re an avid coffee/tea drinker like I am and find yourself at coffee houses a lot, bring in your own thermos and ask them to use that instead.
7. Stop washing your face with plastic.
Did you know that many exfoliating soaps, toothpaste and face washes contain “microbeads” that are actually made with plastic? Meaning that the beads don’t actually dissolve but simply wash away down your drain. Eventually, they make it down to and pollute our beautiful oceans. So next time you’re in the market for soap, make sure to read the label and ditch those plastics.
8. Ask for the large paper bag when shopping.
If you partake in shopping trips here and there, this tip is for you! If you’re going to be buying a lot of things throughout the day, ask for the larger paper bag at the first store you visit. Then when you purchase something else at other stores, ditch their bag and place the item in your larger bag.
9. Borrow and share with others.
Thrifting clothes is a very simple way to reduce Earth’s waste. But if thrifting isn’t your thing, then try borrowing and sharing other types of material items. For example, books and movies. It’s likely that if you buy a book, you’ll only read it a few times. So try sharing it and trading them with others. Instead of buying the movie, try renting it or borrowing someone else’s. Little changes make huge improvements.
10. Recycle.
You’re probably tired of hearing this, but recycling is so important! Once you get used to recycling, it becomes effortless. You would be amazed at how much of your trash is made up of recyclable material.
11. Share this list.
One of the best and most efficient ways to reduce our waste is by sharing your knowledge with others. It’s surprising how many people don’t know about these tips. The more people know the more conscientious they will become. So help the Earth by spreading the word.
Helping the environment doesn’t have to take a lot of effort. Sometimes it just takes one tiny step to reduce your carbon footprint. Everyone has their differences, but the world we live in is our one similarity. So love the Earth, don’t trash it!
