You buy items everyday from food to clothes and furniture to toys. For every item you buy there is great potential that one day it will end up at a landfill site. As consumers we have to learn to be more considerate of what we buy and decide whether or not we truly do need it. As well we have to remember what will happen to the items we discard and how it will add to our carbon footprint.
Some Numbers
55 percent of the world’s garbage will end up in landfill sites, 33 percent is recycled and another 12.5 percent is incinerated. That means for every item you purchase more than half will be tossed into a landfill site.
How to Lessen your Contribution
There are many things you can do to lessen your contribution to the endless pile of garbage we produce everyday:
Only buy what you truly need. You will be amazed how well you still get by and how much money you save.
Consider buying used instead of new. You will stop something from becoming garbage and save money.
Buy items with less packaging. You can help send a message to manufacturers you will not contribute to the pile of garbage by buying their ridiculous packaging. Look for items that are self contained without all the additional boxes, plastics and fluff.
Buy recycled products. More and more companies are looking for ways to use recycled materials in their manufacturing process. Again, when you opt for these items over other products you are not only saving the planet but sending a message to industry you will not contribute to their destruction of the planet.
Stop before you toss. Before you throw anything away reconsider if you can actually still use the item. From clothes to furniture, old curtains to art, try to see things in a new light and get creative. The more you can reuse or repurpose the fewer items will wind up at the landfill site.
Give things away. One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. Consider items you can pass on to family and friends. Ask around if you have an old desk, bed or kids’ clothes. You might be surprised at how easily you can get rid of things you no longer need.
Sell it. Instead of tossing it, sell it. You’ll make some money and if no one bites, give it away to charity.
Call Clearance Solutions! Clearance companies specialize in carting away anything you don’t need. They will find a use for it or sell it themselves. You don’t have to worry about selling it, posting it, lugging it to a charity or throwing it away. It just takes a quick call for a clearance company to take it off your hands.
Recycle yourself. Many people think they are doing a good job at recycling but then really aren’t taking the time to sort things properly and they wind up at the dump.
These few tips will help you reduce the amount of items you discard and help save the planet.
