4 Simple Habits to Reduce Waste at Home
It is always good to be reminded that you, yes you, can actually make a difference in the world. Daily acts of kindness, caring for those around you, casting a vote in an election, donating to charity – activities like these have a ripple effect and we all benefit when people care. The same can be said for each and every conscious choice we make to create less waste. These choices have a cumulative effect, one that is opposite to the accumulation of rubbish in landfills or chemical waste in our lakes and oceans.
I thought I could list a number of little things you can switch out at home to make a difference, like using cloth snack bags to avoid single use baggies. Or buying rice in bulk to lessen the amount of food packaging in your grocery cart. These types of changes are important, and I encourage you to always look for one more way to reduce the number of items that end up in your garbage or even the recycling bin. But today, I decided to take the angle of lifestyle or habits you can adopt to make all the impactful daily choices easier to incorporate.
Review the ideas below and consider how you can make one or two adjustments - try these at home or with your family. See what works and once it becomes your new normal, layer on another habit that allows you to further lessen your overall impact on waste accumulation.
1. Take a moment to organize your space.
Set yourself up for success by making it simpler for you to make the less-waste choice. The first R, as I learned it, is Reduce (then Reuse, and Recycle)
If you want to be that person who makes it to the grocery store with reusable shopping bags and maybe even cloth produce bags, then keep a hook by the front door so you can grab and go as you head out. If you are really inspired, there could be a couple of extra jars in there for things you might find in bulk. You have probably designated a place where you keep your wallet and your keys, maybe even your face masks - now do the same with your bags. Add a hook to the wall or make space on the shelf by your door and be ready to dash out of the house, ready to tackle your errands for the day.
If you want to be the person who reuses jars or paper (even plastic) bags that your food or household items may have come in – then make space in a drawer or clear a portion of the cupboard where these things will go, until they are put back to good use. Be careful that this doesn’t turn into a hoarding situation… but if the saved items to be reused are in a logical place in your home, then they might actually get repurposed as you hoped. The designated storage spot will also help you nip that potential hoarding in the bud. I learned the hard way that I was collecting too many jars with good intentions when I had to move last year. I had collections in various locations around the house and packing it all up was a bit of a mess. I now have a space in a hall closet that can only hold so many containers.
2. Wear your outfit again tomorrow.
… or at least again later this week. If you didn’t actually spill spaghetti sauce on your pants or get your sleeves muddy while working in the garden, set your outfit aside and wear it again before it gets tossed into the laundry hamper. If you spend much time with me, I may seem a little like I’m wearing a uniform at times. I tend to just wear the same outfit a few days in a row until something is noticeably soiled or maybe my clothing smells a little too much… like me. I change into house clothes to cook dinner so that my outfits don’t ALL smell like garlic. But from day to day, I fold up my day’s outfit to place on top of the dresser or hang from the hook on the door, and save myself from time spent picking out an outfit the next day. You can rotate in a couple outfits that work with the weather in the moment or the activity on your schedule, but consider letting go of idea that, once worn, a garment is now in need of a wash. Household laundry contributes waste water that contains lint, often microplastics, dyes, and detergents that may or may not be gentle on our water systems. Add to that the energy waste or consumption to operate washing machines and dryers – something as simple as doing one less load of laundry a week can really make a difference.
3. Swap & Shop.
This was the name of the radio segment that would air a couple times a day in my hometown of Kenora Ontario. It’s the original Craigslist. People would offer up free old tires, sell furniture or broadcast an “in search of” request for a lawn mower. Let’s remember that we can often find what we need in new or gently used condition in forums such as this – Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, the classifieds… one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. You will be keeping something from a landfill and saving money. Or from the other side, if you take time to offer a previously enjoyed item from your own home then you could earn a few dollars and/or save something from ending up in the rubbish. When was the last time you checked your version of swap and shop before heading to the store or shopping online.
And with selling or buying used items in mind – when you do choose new, choose well. Resist the urge to go for the quick and affordable option. Consider the life cycle of what you buy. If you find yourself saying: “well it’s only X dollars, so if it doesn’t do the job, I can just get a new one later”, please, PLEASE pause and think again. This way of thinking is very much a symptom of a waste culture that has been fostered an encouraged. I realize that there are times when the sticker price will be the deciding factor for our choices, I understand and do not judge. I’m asking only that when the option is available to you - to get better, lasting quality items to fill a need in your home, - please make that choice.
4. Plan your meals.
Ya I know, you’ve heard this before. And your friendly neighbourhood nutritionist is here to remind you that meal planning can be a game changer. Whether it’s from the perspective of making healthy dietary changes or just to save some time and stress by having some meals planned or even prepped – that is reason enough to do some meal planning. But when you add to that, the opportunity to minimize food waste – now you are not just helping yourself, you are helping your planet too. You are limiting the amount of spoiled, uneaten or forgotten food that will end up in the over-flowing compost. You are reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing organic wastes. Thank you for taking the time to do something so thoughtful as meal planning – you are a rock star.
When planning your meals, you get to purchase the right amount of ingredients and avoid having produce left unused in the crisper drawer. Pick a miscellaneous ingredient in your fridge that is not going to last much longer, google that food and many recipes will be available to inspire another meal. With planning, you can anticipate leftovers for one meal that get incorporated into the next dinner. Leftover rice from curry one night can form the base of a fried rice the next. Roasted veggies that were a side dish with one dinner can be part of the toppings in a lentil-based Buddha bowl.
It helps to have a few simple recipes that make use of those random foods you find skulking around in the back of the fridge. When those carrots are getting a little sad or that kale is beginning to look a bit suspect, it’s time for soup! I have a few favourite food-rescue recipes that help us avoid food waste in the tastiest way. I’m happy to share my favourites here (Food-Rescue) and I’m always happy to talk more about how meal planning can be put into action in your home, feel free to ask your questions by reaching out here (Can I help?)
Start today.
Don’t overthink it and certainly don’t over-complicate it. Keep looking for ways to choose the low-waste option – things that make sense in your life and your routines. You don’t have to set up Pinterest-worthy pantries or keep an immaculate fridge. Not all of your shopping has to wait for the next farmer’s market (though do try to make it there when you can). Just do what you can and have faith that every better choice you make actually does matter. Because it does. Thank you for your efforts and your caring.
Hemp hearts and ((hugs)),
Christina