There is a lot of garbage out there. Reducing your waste doesn’t mean expanding your budget.  Learn these easy ways to reduce waste every day, save money and free yourself of clutter. 

Easy Ways To Reduce Waste Every Day

We are all on a mission to save money and reduce waste every day. Let’s face it, our world is filled with garbage. Lots and lots of garbage. 

As a family, I can see clutter all around us. We watch TV where commercials are filled with companies trying to sell us more stuff. The question stands; “Do we really need all this stuff?”  The appeal to buying these items is huge. Most of these items promise that they are going to make our lives easier. A lot of times, we purchase excitedly, try and really don’t ever use again.

Reducing waste, one family at a time will make a difference in our world and an even bigger difference in your wallet. You will want to test out your Footprint using this Calculator released by the Earth Day Network. It shows us that we can always do more to consume less.

Less clutter, money saved equals peace of mind.

Let’s go over some realistic ways to reduce waste in and around your home.

Use What You Already Have First

Instead of going out and buying new, see what you already have at home. More than likely you will be able to find an item that will work just as well.

If I have good plastic or glass items that are in great working order, I will continue to use it until it has seen its last legs. 

Here is a mind-blowing truth.  According to TreeHugger.com: “(Reusable Plastic Water Bottles) Made from virgin materials that require resource-intensive manufacturing processes, reusable water bottles aren’t the perfect solution that you may think”. 

There is a lot of room for improvement not only for families but companies as well. In the bigger picture, it is important for us to continue to use what we already have at home before running out and purchasing. This will help to reduce waste every day. 

Borrow Before You Buy

We borrow books from the library and love it. Why not borrow a weed wacker, pressure washer or stand mixer as well?

Before you think this is not possible to the borrow. It is truly within your reach. Some of us may not be close with neighbors or feel comfortable with asking friends, that is where you can open the door to this wonderful opportunity. 

You can join The Nextdoor app; which connects you to your neighbors. You can simply post inquiring if anyone is will to start a borrowing system between neighbors. Believe me, I don’t doubt for one minute you will be the only one interested. 

Chat with friends about the concept. I am sure that you will get a lot of support and willingness from others to want to borrow from you. 

Say “No” and Refuse First

At first, I thought it was just happening to our family, but after talking with friends they were being asked the same thing. Many of us, just hate throwing items out. (RAISING HAND). I rather give it someone who can get more use out of it.

However, there are those that are wanting to give you items those single-use type stuff. For my kids; this includes stickers sheets, rubber bracelets, or posters from an event. We come home, the kids decided that they wanted them at the time, but no longer want them. It all ends up in the trash.

Now we question our kids during an event “Are you really going to use this?” The answer is typically “no”. Those items never make it home.  The key is to say no on the spot to stop it from becoming your trash problem at home. 

Get Started with TerraCycle

TerraCycle is an amazing program that I recently stumbled across.  TerraCycle offers free recycling programs funded by brands, manufacturers, and retailers around the world to help you collect and recycle your hard-to-recycle waste. 

Many items that we normally toss in the garbage such as coffee pods, toothpaste tubes, potato chips bags to applesauce pouches can all be sent into Terracycle for recycling. Super cool, right? They offer opportunities to earn rewards for your school or favorite non-profit!

Try Making It Yourself

Not everyone has the extra time to make homemade food items that we may purchase out of convenience sake. However, if you can and have the time, making items at home such as breads, yogurt, kombucha can help the environment. 

As an example: I personally make my own kombucha. I love the stuff. Instead of purchasing in store, I am saving a lot of money and not coming home with extra glass bottles that will ultimately be placed in the recycle bin.  I reuse my bottles over and over again. 

I get that not everyone can run their own grocery store in their home, but the idea that you can help provide for your family, reduce waste every day and is a big productivity booster. 

Do What Works Best For You – Reduce Waste Every Day

You don’t have to take every step, but taking a step is in the right direction. You will see a nice impact on your life as you reduce waste every day. Including, having less clutter in your life, extra money in your pocket and overall satisfaction of doing something good for Mother Earth.

You might just find life is better with less garbage in it.

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