Taking your own recyclable cloth bag to the mall isn’t going to help you go green the whole way. Sure, it will save the cost, use and disposal of one plastic bag. Once you’ve gone past the easy ways to recycle, what other plans can you make to dispose of those hard to get rid of items?
Thinking sustainably is not just about what you can recycle, it's about reducing waste and finding solutions to dispose of unwanted items correctly.
Learn To Dislike Waste
You need to develop a strong loathing of anything concerning waste. The more you learn to dislike it, the more your family and friends will join the cause. This will change your way of thinking. It won’t be about how you recycle – you’ll focus more on reducing, reusing and refusing to have less to recycle.
Do you have the strength of will to take your containers to the main street to collect your food? If you place your own metal containers in your cloth bag, your local butcher can put the meat directly into your container cutting out any waste material at all. It might only save a couple of sheets of paper, but that’s a tree you’ll save within a short time.
If you’re left with Styrofoam after buying a new hi-fi system or a new toaster, put it to good use. It can be used as packing material if you have anything bulky to mail. As a second choice you can use it in plant pot bases or if you have artistic flair, you could design and paint your foam into wall shapes, giving you talking points when you have guests.
Taking your batteries to safe recycling centers helps cut down the acid appearing in the landfill later in the decade. It’s also easy to return your ink cartridges to the store where you bought them. They will ensure they go back to the manufacturer for refurbishment so they can be used again.
Reducing Your Compost
When you buy locally grown food, you’ll soon see your food waste levels reducing. You won’t have so much available for your compost, but still enough to help your garden.
Whatever methods you use, there will always be some items that are destined for the landfill – or are there? Luckily, manufacturers are listening to the public and making some items that would previously have spent years in the landfill more disposable. Plates, cups and utensils are biodegradable – they’ll go down to nothing over a shorter period of time.
Seek out companies that provide completely biodegradable waste bags. If you are still using your local superstore for your weekly food and goods collection, then ask the store manager which bags are completely biodegradable. If they don’t have any an internet search will show a number of companies that will supply stock to stores near you. You can find suitable waste bags for use with compost, pet waste and kitchen recycling, plus yard and garbage bags. These bags will be penetrated by microbes which will eventually consume them completely, unlike the plastic bags the stores give you by the dozen. Your favorite online book supplier also stocks the right bags to match your needs.
A Change of Bottle
One product worth a plug is the Earth Bottle. It’s an all natural and plant based packaging substance. Even if the bottle isn’t recycled properly, it will break down completely once it hits the landfill. When you compare the Earth Bottle to a standard PET container the Earth Bottle uses a natural anti-oxidant and is safer as there is no trace petroleum in the product. The technical specifications of both are easily comparable so could be used by any company requiring a PET bottle. For the customer who might prove difficult to convince, the Earth Bottle looks and feels natural which makes it suitable for all brand marketing.
The Earth bottle has a larger breakage resistance than a glass bottle and if it does break, isn’t likely to cause humans as much damage as glass. No more glass injuries on those late ski holidays. It’s five times lighter and therefore costs less to freight.
The more products that are made of biodegradable disposable materials, the better the benefits for the planet. Let's put those microbes to work and leave more landfills as countryside for all to enjoy.