On average, a home in the UK creates around one tonne of waste every 12 months. Bringing this figure down to an individual level, according to Statista each person created over 400 kilograms of household waste in 2017.This is a massive amount of waste. It’s also worth mentioning that a lot of this waste ends up in landfill sites where it can release toxic chemicals into the surrounding earth and water supplies. It can take thousands of years for some of this waste to decompose. You do not need to be an environmental activist to be concerned about this.The good news is that there is something that everyone can do to help with the waste situation. Here are some tips which can help reduce the amount of household waste that you create while saving money at the same time.
1. Purchase items that have a limited amount of packaging
If you are purchasing an item, you should pay attention to the amount of packaging that is involved. Items that have more packaging often create more waste. At the same time, you should make sure that you choose items which have packaging that is made from recyclable material as much as possible.Here is some inspiration to help you with this.
- Buy loose fruit and vegetables instead of items placed together in plastic packaging.
- Buy oats and other cereal products that are packaged in paper instead of plastic.
- Choose liquid items that are sold in a glass bottle rather than a plastic one.
The need to pay attention to packaging applies to items purchased in all areas of life, not just food items. You can find items that have environmentally friendly packaging in health food stores and zero waste stores as well as at local farmers markets.
2. Use reusable bags when you shop
More than 40% of plastic is only used once. This is a massive problem when plastic is thrown away and ends up in landfill sites. If you want to make sure that you do not add to the problem, you should ensure that you take reusable bags to the shop with you.This reduces the amount of plastic that you use and also means that you are not throwing plastic away.
3. Compost your household waste
Organic fertiliser is environmentally friendly and good for your garden. One of the best ways to get good quality organic fertiliser is to compost the food scraps from your kitchen, such as eggshells, vegetable peel and the skin of a fruit. It’s easy to set up a composting bin and doing so means that you have an ongoing supply of fertiliser that you can use.
4. Use a septic tank efficiently
Septic tanks can be used to manage household waste in a way that protects the environment. As the experts at Tanks for Everything say;“A septic tank uses natural processes and a basic treatment method that is simple, effective and environmentally friendly.”However, this only happens efficiently if you make sure that the septic tank you use is kept clean so that the bacteria works as it should.
5. Understand how to plan meals
You may not like the idea of planning meals because you feel as though it makes your dining predictable. However, planning what you are going to eat means that you only buy the food that you need, thereby reducing waste. This is good for the environment and for your household budget.When you are planning meals, you should make an effort to choose new recipes regularly. This helps to reduce the feeling of predictability.
6. Choose reusable containers and bottles
It’s easy to become complacent about the packaging and bottles that we use. For instance, many people use cling film to protect food items when they are being stored.It’s far better to use environmentally friendly containers and bottles such as those made from stainless steel and glass. Containers used from these materials can be used to store food and you can use this type of bottle to allow you to carry drinks with you.When it comes to using reusable bottles, this can be especially beneficial to the environment. This is because single-use plastic bottles are thrown away creating huge amounts of damaging waste.
Reducing Household Waste is our responsibility
Reducing household waste is a responsibility that everyone has. The simple changes that are mentioned in this article are easy to implement and they help you to create less waste in your life. This results in you doing what you can to protect the world around you.
Simple lifestyle changes can have a big impact. See what more you can do >
