With the nation creating more waste than ever, it is now more important than ever to do our part for the environment by decreasing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill. A simple yet effective way to make a difference is to reduce our common household waste. Despite these being only small changes, these tips can make a large difference in the long run in reducing the total waste produced by your household.
Next time you’re at the supermarket, take note of the amount of unnecessary packaging on each product you buy. Decrease the amount of plastic and cardboard waste being produced by opting for products with little or no packaging. Instead of using the supermarket-provided single use plastic bags for fresh fruit and vegetable, bring your own washable cloth bag. When making regular purchases such as cleaning products, cereals etc, buy larger where you can, instead of repeatedly buying smaller versions of the same product.
Along with the reusable cloth bags mentioned above, invest in a substantial amount of multi-use reusable containers, to reduce the excess use of soft plastic cling wrap and zip-lock bags being used for single use food storage. Prioritising the use of reusable items is also equally important for non-food related products. Using reusable batteries, for instance, will minimise the amount of toxic chemical wastes being discarded incorrectly. This will also end up being more cost effective for you since there is no need to spend extra on more batteries – simply charge them again, ready for reuse. In addition, not needing to buy excess batteries will ensure that there is no excess plastic and carboard packaging being produced and disposed of unnecessarily.
Food waste that doesn’t easily break down, when buried in landfill, will release methane gas – a potent greenhouse gas – into the atmosphere. Being more than 26 times more potent than carbon dioxide, methane is a large contributor to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This is why it’s important for us to do our part to better protect our environment, by decreasing the amount of food waste that ends up in landfill. It is estimated that approximately half of our household food waste can be redirected from landfill by simply composting it. Composting is a process that reduces the methane emissions during the breakdown of organic matter. When exposed to ample oxygen and water, microbes break down the organic waste, leaving behind moist, healthy compost – perfect for any agricultural and gardening use! Compost also helps to supress weeds, which also means there is less need to use pesticides to do the same job. This will make sure that there is no runoff of harmful chemicals that can be found in these products that ultimately end up in our environment.
For more information regarding recycling and other waste disposal solutions, call Solo Resource Recovery at 1300 46 76 56 or contact us via our website. Our team members are always happy to help you in finding solutions that fit your requirements and budget, while ensuring that they are safe and reliable for your home or business.
Published: August 15, 2024
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