Throw Away Our Throwaway Society
Fri 2015-06-19
I asked my sister, Megan, for an idea on what to write about and she suggested the topic of our throwaway society and recommended I utilize the resources from the blog, Trash is for Tossers, for help.
First invest 20 minutes into this video, the Story of Stuff.
Now that you see why waste is so bad, check out Trash is for Tossers -- they have a LOT of tips and guides towards a zero waste life!
Here are their “Two Steps to Zero Waste:”
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Evaluate: the first step is to take a look at your daily life and ask yourself the following questions:
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How much garbage am I currently producing and what types? Ex: food packaging- this can help you determine the places you can start reducing and looking for alternatives.
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Why am I even interested in decreasing my impact? Is it for the environment, is it to decrease toxins in my life, is it to decrease clutter, is it because i’m totally broke and want to save money? Really understand your motivators and use them as a place to start decreasing what you use.
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What do I actually use on a daily basis (what is in my daily routine) and what do I not use/need? This can help you determine the things that you can donate and reduce.
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What products do I use that I can get more sustainable alternatives to? Ex: exchanging plastic tupperware for glass or mason jars.
-The most important one straight from Yoda's lips: How much and what do I really need to be happy? Really assess why you own and hold on to certain things, and determine if you really need that giant foam finger in the back of your closet to be happy.
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Transition: start to downsize and properly dispose of the unnecessary things:
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Bring a reusable bag and water bottle with you everywhere!
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Get rid of the plastic. From tupperware to take away bags plastic is toxic. For items that are lightly used, donate to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. For products that are recyclable, like plastic, do so.
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Replace these products with sustainable, long-lasting alternatives. Such as Organic cotton, stainless steel, wood, and glass. Donate your crappy college plastic kitchenware for some nice glass, stainless steel, or cast iron. It is sexy.
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Be creative. Figure out what you can use in different ways. Organic cotton napkins can also be used as a drying rack, to store leafy greens in the fridge, or to bring lunch to work. Mason jars can be used for coffee, takeout, leftovers, toothbrush holders, lotion dispensers…
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Make your home your sanctuary. For me that means having a few things that are really important to me. Most of mine were either handed down to me or obtained on craigslist. Secondhand!
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Minimize. Ask yourself, what do I not need? What do I wear every day? What did I buy last year that still has tags on it? Whatever it is, it most likely has a value of some sort. Whether it is donating to your local Goodwill or Housing Works, or selling your products at a consignment store or on Ebay, you can always get a return on your items.
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Think Organic, think Local, think Sustainable and BUY IN BULK.
And if you want some examples of where you can make changes, check out their Ultimate List!