#Collaborative post
2050 may seem like a long way away, but the government’s plans for a cleaner, emissions-free future are already in full swing. Everything from how we drive to how we process energy is all set to change. And getting rid of your rubbish is no different.
The best way to start? By stopping waste in our everyday lives. But how do you do that realistically?
Here we take a look at some simple ways to promote better sustainable living in your everyday:
Life is what you make it
“Stop waste. Stop waste of any kind. Stop wasting energy, stop wasting food, stop wasting plastic and stop wasting time. This is a precious world , and each of us can use our actions and our voice to save our planet.” - David Attenborough.
Sustainable living is a lifestyle choice. It is making a decision each day to go against the norm and make better choices. It’s about avoiding plastic bags at the supermarket and buying loose fruit and veg. Or instead, buying from your local greengrocer or even attempting to grow your own at home!
Beyond that, it’s finding ways to reduce your carbon footprint and choosing more environmentally friendly travel methods.
So turn off the lights when you’re not using them—Chuck on an extra blanket in the colder evenings. And get out and about on foot as much as possible.
But how does this all impact how you get rid of your rubbish? Let’s find out:
Understand your waste
Before you can even think about reducing your daily waste, you must first understand how much you are emitting.
Think about how much you throw out from food to paper each day. Could you consider a food compost or reuse the paper or cardboard you throw out?
By making a few simple switches to how you consume different everyday items, you’ll quickly reduce your carbon footprint. You might even save yourself some money!
Stop wasting food
When you really stop and think about it, food waste is a massive problem. Everyone from households to restaurants will always have a surplus that ends up being thrown away – equating to one-third of all food produced for human consumption.
But what can you do to curb this problem?
- Freeze leftovers: Anything that is still fresh but won’t be eaten can be frozen until you fancy it
- Try to buy loose: That way, you only buy the exact amount you need
- Get creative: Roast, blitz, soup, grow – if you can reuse it, do it! You might make your best sauce yet, or grow a fantastic carrot patch!
The less food you waste, the less damage is done to precious wildlife and natural habitats.
Consider composting your food waste
Composting your food waste is an excellent way of getting rid of your leftovers – converting it from waste to fuel for your garden.
Even if you’re not naturally green-fingered, using compost on your garden is a great way to nurture your soil and your plants. And with your food waste as the catalyst for amazing compost, it’s minimal effort on your part!
Try and split your food waste into two small containers:
- one with high nitrogen materials: green and soft vegetables
- the other with those high in carbon: dry and brown woody materials
Aim to keep your carbon-rich materials at the bottom of a larger container once you have got to grips with composting so that they can aerate the rest of your compost as you layer it on top.
Continue to add your food waste accordingly to fill up your container. After a couple of weeks, it will have gone through a heat and cool cycle. Once complete, you should start mixing it all together and use a pitchfork to shred down larger chunks. The smaller the pieces, the shorter the decomposition time!
If you don’t own a garden, have a look at local neighbourhood schemes. Everything from local parks to town-kept gardens might gratefully accept compost donations.
Having a throwout?
We all get those moments where enough is enough, and you blitz your house from top to bottom. You might fill numerous charity shop and bin bags and have loads of leftover items you simply don’t know how to get rid of.
The solution? Hire a professional rubbish removal company.
They are well connected with your local area and will have good relationships with local charities and recycling centres to boot. What’s more, you won’t be left sitting in idle traffic waiting for your turn at the tip. Instead, the experts will be in and out in a flash and know the correct procedures to get rid of all sorts of waste in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
If you have set a stash of clothes or household goods to the side that are too good to throw away, think about how to reuse them:
- Consider selling your reusables on an online marketplace
- Giving to someone you know in need
- Setting up a “free to a good home” box outside your home
- Donating to your local homeless shelter
Effective recycling
Currently, around 75% of all waste is recyclable. However, the uptake is much lower as most people have no idea how to recycle correctly!
Start off by getting the right containers for every type of waste you intend to recycle: paper and cardboard, glass, metal, plastic, electronics, compost, metal, glass, batteries etc.
Most local councils will provide a basic recycling bin or bag, but if you want to take it to the next level, you might want to invest in your own system.
If time is no issue, build a regular ‘tip run’ into your schedule or wait until each box is full enough to justify the journey to help you stay on top of your waste.
Sustainable living is possible with a few simple tweaks to your everyday. Before you know it, you’ve reduced the amount of waste you produce and your carbon footprint together. What small changes can you make?