How to Be More Climate Conscious – 10+ Everyday Tips for Waste Reduction
Stuff. We all have it.
The dramatic increase of the global population and economy over the past century means there’s more waste than ever before. And it shows. Waste created by humans is a major environmental concern, and it’s a problem that needs to be addressed urgently. Let’s explore why.
The Effect of Waste on Climate Change
The waste humans create, and by extension waste management, is responsible for producing 20% of global methane emissions and roughly 3% of all greenhouse gas emissions. While the latter may not seem like a huge number, it’s important to remember all the additional greenhouse gases created in order to produce and transport each item before it ends up as waste. (Together, manufacturing and transportation account for roughly 48% of greenhouse gas emissions.) By dumping waste into landfills or treating it through common processes like incineration, the waste we create can be incredibly harmful to our planet.
The detrimental effects of the waste we create is what prompted the creation of waste management practices in the 19th and 20th centuries. Diseases brought on by refuse in urban areas (cholera, typhoid, and dysentery among others) spurred the implementation of centralized (modern) sewage systems. We knew then that harm could come from our waste, so we moved it elsewhere. Now that decision is catching back up with us. Simply relocating our waste is no longer working, and it certainly doesn’t make it less harmful to our environment and ourselves. So, what do we do?
Scientists, economists, and conservationists agree: move to a circular economy.
You may have heard this term used before; experts have been discussing the benefits of a circular economy for years. Unlike our current linear system that works in one direction only with no consideration to what we do after waste is produced, a circular economy makes use of all stages of a product, reusing and recycling what can be used again, and in turn, producing significantly less waste in the process.
For some helpful visuals, check out this infographic from the North Carolina Division of Environment Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS).
Unfortunately, this is not something we can achieve at the individual level; it’s going to need the significant lift of governments and large corporations to instigate this transformation. But, in the meantime, that doesn’t mean we can’t do our best to individually reduce our waste and, as a result, our environmental impact.
10 Tips to Reduce Waste in Your Daily Life
Let’s start with some of the simpler, more obvious options to reduce waste. You’ve likely heard these suggestions before, but the reason we couldn’t leave them off the list is because they’re that important. The following tips have the potential for great impact if and when you implement them consistently. Keep in mind, how applicable they are to you may depend on what products are readily available in your country and how waste management processes are conducted.
The Obvious
- Switch to reusables and avoid single-use products. (Travel mugs, utensils, straws, take-out containers, dishware, coffee pods, napkins—you name it, there’s a reusable option for it.)
- Bonus suggestions: replace single-use cleaning wipes with sponges and environmentally friendly cleaning solutions like those from Blueland or Grove Collaborative. And skip the “paper bag” lunch and send your kiddo with lunchbox-size reusables.
- Recycle. Not sure how? Don’t know what options are available to you where you live? Educating yourself on how to properly recycle is an important part of the process you should not skip.
- Go digital. Skip printing and send what you need to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Grab yourself a digital pen, and you can write on documents like you would on paper. (And please, everyone, no more paper maps!)
- Take regular stock of your home inventory. When it comes to groceries, cleaning supplies, and general home goods, make sure you’re not buying more than you need or duplicating what you already have.
The Less Obvious
- Compost. If you thought composting was only for people with big yards, you’re not alone—it’s a common misconception. But the truth is, you can compost in any size home (even apartments!) Understanding how it works is the first step toward less food and biological waste in our landfills.
- Buy responsibly. Before you purchase, seek out low-waste sellers and manufacturers who are transparent about where they source their materials and how their product is made. This will help you decide if their work is sustainable for the planet.
- Purchase locally. The closer something is made to you, the smaller its carbon footprint to get to your door. For produce, check out local farmers markets, and nearby small businesses.
- Find local buy and sell groups or shop on platforms like Facebook Marketplace to swap goods in your area instead of buying everything new
Utilize hand-me-downs at home (this is especially useful for growing kids who are likely to wear a new size every month or two!)
- Buy in bulk. The more you buy in a single package, the less packaging waste there is. Of course, there should always be a balance between what you need and how often you buy in order to make sure you’re not creating unnecessary waste by having too much of any one item.
- Unsubscribe from mailing lists. Tired of junk mail? The environment is too. Unsubscribe from mailing lists (you should be able to do this via your national mail provider) and embrace the relief you feel the next time you open your mailbox.
Avoiding Waste at Work
You may find that not all the above tips are applicable to both at home and at the office. How can you be more waste conscious when you’re at work? Here are some more work-specific recommendations:
- Print double-sided whenever possible
- Use paperclips or binder clips instead of staples
- Despite steel being one of the most recyclable materials in the world, it can’t be recycled in amounts as small as a staple or when mixed with paper. Most recycling providers won’t take the time to separate combined materials—e.g., stapled papers, a plastic bag filled with recyclable materials, etc.—so this should be avoided whenever possible
- Reuse envelopes, file folders, and binders by placing a new label over the old
- Purchase paper and other office supplies made from recycled materials
- Use reusable dishes, silverware, and drinkware in all shared kitchen/meal areas
- Put recycling bins everywhere and be clear about what can go in them—the more convenient recycling is, the more likely people are to take advantage of it
- Centralize waste bins going to the landfill and consider throwing out your garbage in the shared areas (vs. at your desk) to reduce the use of plastic bags
- Turn off lights and unplug appliances when a room is not in use
- Reuse or recycle electronics whenever possible
These tips can make a HUGE difference, but in order to make the most of them, you’ll want to be sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to recycling guidelines, cleaning schedules (who is responsible for what, and when), and general office expectations. The good news is, being more aware of the waste you create every day isn’t hard; it just may take a bit of practice to become habit.
Don’t wait—get started now!
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