Having trouble keeping up with the large amount of garbage your family produces? Making some effort about how you manage household waste can help you be more organized. With careful planning, you will be able to save money and have a lower impact on the environment. Read on to learn what to do with trash, food scraps, and recyclables.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part 1: Reduce Trash
Step 1. Use cloth bags instead of plastic ones
This small measure will greatly reduce the amount of waste you introduce into your home. No matter where you shop, you can carry your own recyclable cloth bags instead of accepting the plastic ones from the store. Plan ahead by buying several reusable envelopes and storing them in a visible place so you don't forget to take them with you the next time you go shopping. You could keep them in the kitchen or in the trunk of the car.
- If you forget to bring your cloth bags to the store, you can still cut down on waste! Ask the clerk who puts your shopping in bags not to use double ones. Most stores now sell cloth bags, so you may want to buy one instead of getting plastic or paper, you'll see it will come in handy in the future too.
- Using fabric bags shouldn't be limited to grocery shopping. Also carry them when shopping to buy clothes, tools or any other items you need.
Step 2. Buy foods that have reduced packaging
If you tend to buy products wrapped in bags and boxes, with the units in the box being individually wrapped, you will probably produce more waste than you think. Always make sure to buy minimal packaging foods, especially avoid plastic packaging, and you will see that your daily mountain of garbage will turn into a small hill. Here are some tricks to try:
Buy in large quantities. You can purchase a larger volume of rice, legumes, grains, teas, spices, and other dry foods at the grocery store. Store food in airtight glass or plastic containers when you get home
Step 3. Make the vermicompost; collect eisenia foetida worms in a sealed bag
Now, throw all the rubbish from the house in a bucket. Throw the worms in this garbage and close it for the whole day. The next day, you will see that the container is filled with soil, which you can use for plants, as it is optimal for fertilizing.
- Make dinner instead of buying it ready-made. Takeaway foods and dishes that can be cooked in the microwave are sold in elaborate packaging, and everything will end up in the trash. It sure takes longer to cook, but you could replace some of your instant meals with homemade treats. Your hips will thank you too.
- Buy dairy products in containers that you can return. An increasing number of dairy companies offer a return system whereby you buy a glass jug containing the milk, cream or whey and give it back to the company for money. This is a great way to cut back on the use of plastic.
- Go shopping at the market, where you can find lots of fresh products that have never seen plastic before. Bring cloth bags with you to keep what you buy.
Step 4. Don't buy bottled drinks unless you have to
Bottled water and soft drinks are a huge source of waste in many places. In some cities it is safer to drink bottled water than tap water, but if you don't have this problem in your area, avoid buying it. You can always filter it if you don't like its taste. This is cheaper and is much better for the environment.
- If you really want to take drastic action, you can stop buying other bottled or canned drinks as well. For example, instead of buying a crate of ginger, why not make it yourself? Homemade lemonades and lime-flavored drinks are other great choices.
- If you decide to buy bottled drinks, go for large containers over small ones. Take a 20L container of water with a dispenser instead of a pack of 18 bottles.
Step 5. Reduce your paper usage
If you enjoy using computers, you have very little reason why you still need a lot of paper in your home. Taking steps to decrease the amount of paper you buy and the amount you receive in the mail can save you the headache of piles of paper.
- Stop receiving bills by mail, decide to pay them online instead.
- You could read the news on the internet instead of having the newspaper delivered to your home.
- Take steps to prevent the postbox from becoming full of unnecessary paper.
Step 6. Consider making cleaners and soaps at home
Many of the containers used for detergents are not recyclable, so they end up straight in the bin. If you have the right time and inclination, creating your own formulations and storing products in glass containers will save you a lot of money and significantly reduce waste. You will also create a chemical free environment for your family. Here are some recipes to try:
- Prepare the laundry detergent.
- Prepare the cleaner to clean the windows.
- Prepare the detergent to clean the bathroom.
- Prepare the kitchen detergent.
- Prepare the soaps by hand.
- Prepare the shampoo and conditioner.
Method 2 of 3: Part 2: Reuse and Recycle
Step 1. Donate anything you don't need if possible
In case you have old clothes, electronic gadgets or other items you don't want but are in decent condition, give them away instead of throwing them away. Better if they end up in a classroom or someone's closet than in a landfill.
- Old clothes and scraps of cloth can be donated to a facility that recycles these goods.
- Schools often accept donations of old computers and other electronic devices.
- Contact a local homeless shelter or donation center to find out if you can give away furniture, electronic gadgets, cars or any other items you no longer need.
Step 2. Reuse the containers
Durable containers can be reused multiple times before ending up in the trash or being recycled. Bottles, boxes, and bags can all have a second use if you know how.
- Use paper bags to store things for recycling if you don't have a bucket. You can also use them to protect book covers, a flashback to school days.
- Reuse the paper by printing on both sides or letting your kids draw used papers on the back.
- Use glass containers suitable for food storage (they should never have contained toxic elements) to store dry food and leftovers.
- Plastic containers can be used to store different things, but don't reuse them too many times for food. Although plastic is suitable for this purpose, over time it can break down and begin to cause chemical losses in food.
Step 3. Follow your city's recycling policies
In some places you have to sort out the plastic, glass and paper for recycling and throw them in different bins, while other cities allow you to throw all recyclable materials in the same bin. Some cities provide a collection for recycling, others have a recycling center, where you can leave everything. Check your local website and follow its policy on proper recycling.
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In general, the following household items can be recycled:
- Plastic containers.
- Paper products, such as printer paper, egg boxes, newspapers, and card stock.
- Glass containers.
- Cans and aluminum foil.
Manage Your Home Waste Step 10 Step 4. Get rid of garbage and hazardous waste properly
There are some items that can't just be recycled or reused. They must be thrown away or disposed of by following the relevant rules. Try to reduce your consumption of the following items and, when using them, dispose of them according to the laws of your city:
- Batteries.
- Painting.
- TV, computer and other electronic devices.
- Light bulbs.
Method 3 of 3: Part 3: Making Compost
Manage Your Home Waste Step 11 Step 1. Do not throw away food scraps and grass and branches cut in the garden
These elements should not be thrown away, on the contrary, you can use them to make compost and turn them into rich and nutritious soil, ideal for your garden. Or you can donate them to someone else, who can use them for theirs. There are many ways to compost; some mixes allow for the inclusion of products such as meat and dairy, while others strictly require fruit and vegetable leftovers. To start making a basic pile, set these elements aside:
- Green materials, which degrade quickly, such as raw vegetable peels, ground coffee, tea bags, grass clippings, leaves.
- Brown materials, which slowly degrade, such as sticks and branches, paper, cardboard, egg shells, sawdust.
Manage Your Home Waste Step 12 Step 2. Create a compost site
Select an area in a sunny or partially shaded spot in the garden. In theory, you will compost directly on the earth or grass, but, if you don't have a large area, you can compost on a concrete patio. Here are some different ways you can structure your compost site:
- Make a compost pile. This is the simplest method. All you have to do is form a pile in the garden. It should be located well away from the house, as composting sometimes attracts mice and insects.
- Make a composter. You can build a container of the exact size according to your needs.
- Buy a compost container. They are available in most home and garden stores and come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
Manage Your Home Waste Step 13 Step 3. Decide to make hot or cold compost
Making a cold one takes less effort, but it takes longer before it's ready. Making a hot one involves a little more work, but it will be ready after about six to eight weeks. Here's the difference:
- To make a cold heap, fill the container a few inches with green and brown matter. Keep forming the pile whenever you need to get rid of leftover food or toilet paper rolls. When the container is full, allow the compost to form. It may take a year to get a full one, but you can use the one that forms at the bottom of the container when you need it.
- To make a hot pile, mix the green and brown materials well and fill the entire composter (or pile a large pile). If you want to know if it has warmed up, just touch it; when this happens, turn it to stir it with a pitchfork, and it will cool down. When it warms up again after a few days or weeks, turn it over once more. Keep doing this until it stops heating after you turn it, then let it sit to finish making the compost.
Manage Your Home Waste Step 14 Step 4. Maintain the compost site
If it looks like it spoils too quickly or becomes slimy, add more brown matter to loosen it. If it seems too dry to work, add water or more greens. The more effort you put into maintaining the compost bin, the faster you will have usable compost.
Manage Your Home Waste Step 15 Step 5. Use compost when ready
You'll know it's ready when it takes on a rich brown or black hue and an earthy smell. Compost can be used to fertilize your vegetable garden or garden in case you have planted flowers, or you can just sprinkle it in the garden to give grass and other plants better nutrition.
