Earth Day may be celebrated on one special day every April, but why limit it to just that day? There are changes we can all make in our daily lives to help restore our planet. This year I want to encourage you all to consider how you can reduce household waste in your home and elsewhere, and to help you do so I have compiled a list of tips and some of my favorite products. Some of these may be a bit of investment up front, but it will save you money in the long run and be so much better for our environment!
A Few Tips To Reduce Household Waste
There are so many ways to go about reducing household waste, but in general try to remember the following::
- Buy anything you can in bulk.
- Always look for reusable options.
- Look for items that are packaged in a compostable or recycled container.
- Make your own products.
- Use a water filter to drink water from your tap.
- Shop local or farmers’ markets.
Ways to Use Reusable Options
Probably the easiest way to get started with reducing household waste is thinking of everyday items you use that you can convert into reusable options, such as bringing your own shopping bags with you to the grocery store or bringing your own tupperware to restaurants for leftovers. Here are some of my other favorites.
Drink Tumbler::
Kids’ Water Bottles::
Food Storage Bags::
Mesh Produce Bags::
Cleaning Cloths::
Baking Mat::
Ways to Reduce Food Waste
One of my favorite ways to reduce food waste is to turn your leftover food scraps into compost, which will then be returned to your garden or landscape to enrich your soil. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can sign up with Happy Earth Compost and they will take care of it for you. What a great idea!
If you are open to doing your own composting, you can learn about the process here. Don’t be intimidated! It is actually very easy once you get the hang of what all goes into it. And don’t worry; if you do it right, it won’t smell! Here are two products I love to get you started composting.
Kitchen Compost Bin::
Backyard Compost Tumbler:
Another way to reduce food waste is to grow your own food! You don’t have to be a master gardener or have a ton of space. You can grow a pot of herbs or lettuce inside under a grow light. You can plant a tomato in a pot and put it out in your backyard under the sun. Or you can really go for it and build some raised beds to start your own vegetable garden. However you want to do it, growing your own food is so satisfying and helps reduce waste in your home by cutting out the middle man. Gotta love #gardentotable!
Indoor Grow Light::
Raised Garden Bed::
I have a video on preparing raised beds for your garden.
Make Your Own Products
One last thing to consider when reducing household waste is to make your own cleaning or household products and use reusable bottles. In doing this you aren’t buying more and more plastic bottles that end up in the garbage. You can even learn to make your own soap. Here is an article on making your own products and my favorite spray bottle is below. I wash all my windows with a vinegar/water solution and it works perfectly!
Spray Bottle::
Was there a tip or product I missed that is a favorite of yours to reduce household waste? Comment below so others can check it out!
