Reduce Your Waste Guide:
Adapted from Real Simple Magazine, September 2019 issue
Balloons and Sky Lanterns- Never release a balloon or sky lantern into the air; they can be dangerous and harmful to birds and other animals. Opt for more earth-friendly decor such as paper lanterns.
Contacts- Don't use dailies, use monthlies. When you dispose of them, throw them in the trash, not the sink or toilet. We don't want any more plastics to be put into our water. You can always opt to wear glasses instead!
Dental Floss- Use brands that are PFAS-free and use biodegradable silk floss rather than nylon.
Energy- This is the most important resource to reduce and there's many ways to do so. Make sure your house is well insulated, turn your lights off when you don't need them, and take shorter, cooler showers. You can install a Smart Thermostat which allows you to control your thermostat from your phone, or learns your habits to automatically adjust the temperature of your home. They can also provide you with analytics, which will help you reduce your energy use.
Foam Egg Cartons- Buy your eggs in cardboard cartons rather than foam. Cardboard can be recycled or composted whereas foam will live on forever.
Gift Wrap- Use biodegradable gift wraps, if possible, or try to unwrap gifts carefully so you can reuse the wrapping paper or bag. Consider making the wrap part of the present such as a blanket, towel, or bandana.
Home renovation supplies· Refinish and repair when possible. That old rocking chair you have that is a little beat up, refinish it rather than getting a new one or give it away to a reuse organization or charity.
Junk Mail· Everybody gets junk mail, that one promo at the mall you signed up for three years ago keeps sending you mail every month. Most people just ignore it but it can add up to a lot of paper waste. There are apps now that can help you combat junk mail and get off lists.
Keys- Keys can't be recycled at the curbside but you can scrap them with other metal. Bring them to a local recycling center and put them with the scrap metal.
Laundry Detergent- Try plastic free pods or sheets instead of huge plastic jugs to reduce plastic waste.
Newspapers and Magazines- Use newspaper for streak free window cleaning and place a sheet in the bottom of your compost bin for easier clean up. Soggy Newspaper is good for composting.
Oatmeal Canister - Remove any plastic parts and recycle or save for storage or crafts. Schools and daycare centers are sometimes looking for containers or paper towel/toilet tissue rolls for projects.
Paper Towels - Save stained or damaged clothes to cut up and use as washable rags instead of paper towels. Switch to cloth napkins and hang on to paper napkins for when you really need them. You can compost paper towels (unless they were used on chemicals.)
Personal Care Products- Consider a using brand that offers refillable containers or shop at a location that allows you to bring your own container. Local options include Clean Collective, Little Salmon, and True North Refillery. Check Teracycle’s free programs and ask your retailer if they take empty containers. Certain retailers may give you rewards for bringing back empty containers.
Phones/Phone cases -New phones come out every year and they all have different cases. Try to live with your phone as long as you can. Taking care of it and avoiding questionable websites can increase the lifespan of your phone, however if you really want the new iPhone 11, get a compostable case like from Pela and make sure you recycle your old phone!
Q-Tip- It actually is not necessary to clean your ears at all. Your ears are self-cleaning, meaning earwax will ball up and fall out. In fact, you can actually damage your ears by sticking Q-tips in them. You can entirely eliminate Q-tips from your life! Cotton swaps are often used for makeup but you can try to substitute them with a clean pinkie or washable cotton swabs.
Razor- Most razors are plastic heavy and have a short life span. A pricey option is laser hair removal. A less-expensive option is to find a razor that has replaceable blades. These should be available at your local pharmacy or online.
Sponge- Try plastic-free sponges that you can compost or switch to dishcloths.
To-go cups- This one is easy. Just bring your own reusable cup. Keep one at work or in your car so you are always prepared.
Utensils- Again, you can bring portable and reusable utensil kits with you. Most are very compact and easy to clean. Keep a set at work and use it for lunch.
Various Packaging Supplies- Recycle cardboard boxes and save bubble wrap for shipping, moving, or storing of fragile items. Air cushions can be deflated and recycled with other plastic film at stores. You should also consider your local options; maybe you don't have to order something from online.
Water- Conserving water is a smart choice even if you aren't in a drought prone area. You can do this in many ways. Take short showers, shut the water off when brushing your teeth, run the dishwasher only when its full and refrain from washing each dish by hand, and consider unexpected sources of water such as an unfinished glass of water or pasta water and use it to water your plants.
Yogurt Cups - You can make your own yogurt! It is very simple to do or buy larger tubs of it and divide it up yourself into reusable containers.
Zipper bags- Reuse baggies or buy a set of reusable freezer and dishwasher safe food storage bags.
Reuse
Freecycling is a great alternative to selling or junking your old items! As the saying goes "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Luckily, there are a couple of options in WNY that allow you to give away unused items, keeping them out of the landfill! Some of these options are linked below:
There are a variety of local Buy-Nothing groups on social media as well. You can also consider buying used on social media or at thrift or consignment shops to save money, reduce waste, and find unique pieces!
There are also some local options that look more specifically for building supplies. Check out the links below to see what is accepted: