How Many Bags of Trash Do You Produce Each Week? Can You Reduce It?

As Americans, we live in a consumer-based society

. However, this consumption comes at a non-monetary cost. EnviroCitizen.org is not suggestions that you do not consume anything all, simply that we should make adjustments to consume more wisely. One of the biggest issues with excessive consumption is the amount of waste that is generated.

Many of you have probably seen the movie Wall-E. Humans, after consuming so much that Earth became overwhelmed with trash, fled to cruise throughout space while robots cleaned up the waste left behind. Though Wall-E is a children's film, it certainly has some powerful messages for all age groups. Humans are consuming so much stuff that there is a lot of waste to deal with. Most of this waste ends up in landfills. There are some exceptions, such as cities that help manage their trash with incineration plants (burning trash is an entirely different environmental concern).

Landfills are illusive because most of us don't see them. Many people do not stop to ponder what happens once their trash bags are taken away. The fact is, most of those garbage trucks head to landfills. If you've never been to a landfill, it might be a worthwhile family trip to take. By seeing the end result, you'll be inspired to actively do something to less your contribution to this growing issue.

Begin by thinking about what you're putting into your trash. Do you put empty plastic food containers in there? Do you put a soda can in there? How about bills or receipts? Do you throw banana peels in your trash? All of these things have something in common: they don't need to go into your trash! Most packaging, whether it's a milk jug, a plastic container that held your lunch or the package that held your child's new toy, can be recycled. Biodegradable food waste like banana peels can be put into a compost pile. Composting is a great way to manage your food waste (no feces or meat) that yields nutrient-rich fertilizer which can be incorporated into your soil.

To track what you put into your trash, consider taking on a one-week challenge by writing everything down. EnviroCitizen.org suggests that you ask your family to participate! Then, at the end of the week take a look at the list. Was there anything that you put into your trash that could have gone elsewhere? Could you have reused some of the trash (like a piece of paper that only had print on one side or an empty food container)? Was anything in the trash recyclable? Could you have composted some of that trash?

Another suggestion EnviroCitizen.org has to help you reduce the amount of trash that you and your family generates, is to be conscious consumers. When planning to buy products, choose products with less packaging. Opt for products that have recyclable packaging, too. Consider purchasing in bulk for staple items. By purchasing items in bulk, you reduce the amount of packaging and the amount of waste that you generate. EnviroCitizen.org challenges you to be conscious of the consumer decisions that you make and the trash decisions that you makeit'll make a difference!

How Many Bags of Trash Do You Produce Each Week? Can You Reduce It?

By: EnviroCitizen

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