So, if this list was made in order of importance (which I believe it was), why is it that as a nation, we talk most about recycling? Maybe because it's the easiest and most like our established paradigm of tossing something away and not thinking beyond that. Plus, the messages we receive are to buy, to consume, to keep up with the Joneses, to get the newest techno-gadget... It's pretty easy to lose the message to reduce and reuse and in all that consumption noise.
Plus, I'd never really thought about it. I thought the whole recycling thing was peachy keen, a totally awesome system. Maybe there were some problems with it, like maybe it was totally efficient or something... But again, I didn't REALLY think about it.
Until I saw footage of the recycling plants and the people working in them...and living near them. And let's not forget the plastic waste crisis in our oceans.
Elizabeth Royte wrote a whole book about U.S. waste and what's happening with it. I admit I haven't read it, but here's an excerpt from an interview with her:
Remember: the three Rs are a hierarchy, and recycling comes after we've reduced our consumption and reused (or refurbished or repurposed) materials. Recycling reduces the extraction and transformation of virgin materials. Making new goods from old goods reduces air and water pollution, cuts energy use and saves room in landfills. So it is important. But recycling depends on strong markets, and many products can't be easily (or endlessly) recycled. I also think that recycling can provide a false sense that everything's okay, consumption-wise--"No problem buying another bottle of water--I'm recycling this one!"
Recycling is an end-of-pipe solution, something individuals do (and municipalities currently pay for). But it's also important to work collectively to get governments to adopt policies that address fundamental problems of consumption and waste.
I've been looking differently at my own consumption and waste. I mean, that's where it starts, right? I'm not interested in pointing fingers, in figuring out who's to blame, or so on and so forth. I just want to start with the footprint of my own life and home.
One post can't cover all of what there is to do, but I can address some easy to implement ways to reduce individual and household plastic use and waste.
Avoiding single-use plastics.
Lots of us have switched to reusable water bottles, but the use of single-use plastic water bottles or soda bottles endures (for now). It took some time, but my kids and I remember to take a reusable water bottle with us nearly anytime we're going anywhere.
- Tip: Empty the water bottle when you get home (into your plants!) and then wash and dry it like you would other dishes. You wash your water glass before you put it away, right?
Using cloth, oilcloth, or other reusable bags at the store is getting to be commonplace. I've got a very large collection of totes, and I enjoy using different bags depending on what I'll be doing or buying (or wearing that day). Those bags are way more fun to carry than most of the corporate-branded reusable bags available for purchase at stores, and they're generally stronger and easier to wash. Win-win-win.
- Tip: Keep some bags in your vehicle for unanticipated stops, or if you're biking or bussing, make having an empty sack on you a habit. Keeping an empty bag or two near the door, by your keys, makes it easier to remember as you develop the habit.
We've stopped using plastic cling-wrap. It was easy. I still have a roll in case there are times I can't think of a better way (it's part of the learning curve to wean myself off of products I've grown up with). But now the cling-wrap is tucked away in an inconvenient spot, and I've rearranged the cupboards so that the food storage containers are well organized - easy to pull out, easy to put away. Come on, how many do we really need anyway? We also routinely wash the plastic bags we do still bring home (mostly bread bags) and use those for foods such as cheese that do best wrapped in plastic.
- Tip: When we're full and need to put food on our dinner plate into the fridge, instead of using plastic wrap or aluminum foil on top, we just put another dish on top of the plate (think same type of plate flipped upside down, or a small salad plate nested on top of a bowl). Easy, effective, free, zero-waste.
I avoid foods packaged in plastic. That sort of plastic generally doesn't get recycled, so instead of even bringing it home to go straight into the trash, I buy foods packed in paper or glass (or nothing!) when possible. I've even stopped buying some kinds of foods that aren't offered in non-plastic containers. One of my first steps was to change my milk-buying habits; I went from buying plastic bottles, to buying lined cardboard half-gallons with a plastic spout, to buying half-gallons with no plastic (think school lunch only bigger), to buying milk in glass containers. A small deposit (usually $2-$5 a bottle) is required initially, but if you're careful not to break the bottle, that one deposit goes fairly indefinitely. Bonus: the cream line milk sold in glass bottles is crazy delicious, usually comes from small farms with happy cows, and keeps your dollars boosting a local business. Another bonus: those bottles are beautiful! I've been buying from the same dairy for quite some time now. I wondered the other day how many times I've had the same bottle in my kitchen. Pretty neat!
- Tip: You already know buying bulk foods is cheaper, and often healthier since those foods are less processed. When you buy them, use a paper bag to bring them home. Then switch them to a reusable container when you get home. Reuse old food jars, or if you like a more decorative option, store your food in vintage containers from the thrift store. There's a reason those glass containers and tins have stood the test of time! This route costs less than shopping for new, stackable hard-plastic food storage containers, too. I label the foods I don't use as often to ensure I know its age, identity, and how to cook it.
When it is time to recycle something, making sure to do it properly is very important to ensure it actually gets recycled. Reading the information from your recycling pick-up company is key - it tells you what types of materials they accept and in what condition they want it to be in. Generally, the containers should be rinsed before they go in the recycling container. This is a bit less important for a soda bottle than it is for a jar with peanut butter residue on it.
- Tip: It's mostly unnecessary to use clean, potable water for rinsing recyclables. They don't need to be clean enough to eat off of just to go to a waste facility! See what works for you and your family, but we generally use the gray water left after washing dishes to soak the recyclables in, and just use a dishrag to get anything really stubborn. When we had a dog, he loved licking the peanut butter out of the jar before I recycled it.
This list is far from comprehensive. What are you doing in your home, school, or work place? What important thing have I omitted you think should be here?
By the way, reducing waste saves us money. We have the smallest garbage bin available in our city for garbage pick-up (and it's still generally less than half full when the truck comes weekly). That container is the least expensive option on our billing statement, as well as a reminder to keep our waste down.
No comments:
Post a Comment