Be Green: Simple Guide To Reduce Waste In Your Home

Posted on: 4 March 2015

Taking care of the planet is a job that everyone should do for the sake of future generations. This following guide will help you reduce your waste production.

Reconsider Your Paper Usage

The following ideas can help reduce your paper usage:

  • Try to reduce the amount of mail you get by going paperless
  • Purchase cloth towels instead of using paper towels
  • Although unconventional, you should consider swapping your toilet paper for cloth wipes (usually called family cloths). You can purchase these online or in your local health food store.
  • You can also stop using paper napkins, and replace them with cloth napkins

As you can see, there are different ways to reduce your paper waste production. 

Composting Some Of Your Waste

Some of your waste could be turned into fertilizer, and you can do this in your home. Or, you can talk to your waste management company to see if they have a program to pick up waste for composting. The following are some of the things that you can compost:

  • Tea bags
  • Vegetables and fruits
  • Old flowers or plants
  • Coffee grounds or coffee filters
  • Eggshells
  • Crushed cardboard paper (like cereal boxes or toilet roll tubes)
  • Straw or hay
  • Ash or charcoal
  • Natural fibers like cotton or wool
  • Feathers
  • Paper

To compost, just follow the steps below:

  1. You will need a compost bin to put your composting materials in.
  2. Follow your composting bins instruction for proper composting. This usually means keeping the composting bin under direct sunlight. 
  3. This process can take 9 to 12 months.
  4. The finished product will have an earthy smell. The material will feel crumbly and somewhat moist. 
  5. You can use this to enrich your own garden soil or help other people enrich their gardens (yes, there are some people who will purchase your compost).

Sure, composting does take patience, but the amount of waste you are reusing is worth the trouble.

Unconventional Change For Women

This is a very unorthodox concept for women but is something that can both reduce waste production and save you money. Consider using reusable female pads instead of the conventional pads. The pads are usually made of organic cotton and are very absorbent. They have a clip that will secure them in place. These pads can be purchased online or in your local health food store.

You can talk to a waste management specialist, such as Progressive Waste Solutions of FL Inc., for other ideas to reduce the amount of waste you contribute to this earth. 

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