| The average American throws away about four | | | | * Cancel subscriptions to magazines or |
| and a half pounds of trash each day. Plastic | | | | newspapers you don't actually read, especially if |
| packaging alone makes up 64 million tons by | | | | you can read them at the local library. Give old |
| weight or 33% of all our garbage. Newspapers | | | | issues to friends, coworkers, nursing homes, |
| add another 14% and paper products in general, | | | | laundromats or an appropriate business office. |
| up to 40% of our landfill. Each person also | | | | * Don't throw away usable clothing or household |
| discards about 2 to 3 pounds of food waste in a | | | | items. Hold an annual yard sale, hold a swap meet |
| given week. That is over 900 million pounds of | | | | with friends for baby clothes and such or donate |
| food waste on a weekly basis or over 46 billion | | | | the items to charitable organizations. |
| pounds of food waste every year. The family | | | | At the Store |
| that reduces what gets thrown in their trash, | | | | * Always carry multiple canvas or other reusable |
| helps reduce what goes in our landfills and | | | | tote bags in your car so you have them |
| protects the environment. Waste reduction is as | | | | whenever you shop. Encourage friends and family |
| important as recycling in saving natural resources, | | | | to use totes instead of paper or plastic. |
| energy, disposal space and costs, and in reducing | | | | * Buy durable (long-lasting, multiple-use) items |
| pollution. | | | | instead of disposable or cheaply made. |
| At Home | | | | * Avoid excess packaging when choosing product |
| * Food waste can be composted by digging a | | | | brands. For frequently used items, buy in bulk. |
| hole in your yard where you toss non-meat food | | | | Otherwise, buy just the amount you need. Larger |
| scraps. If you have leaf and grass clippings to | | | | sizes reduce the amount of packaging, but smaller |
| dispose of as well, a simple enclosed pile can be | | | | sizes may reduce leftover waste. Or consider |
| made for composting. Even the city dweller can | | | | dividing the extra product with a friend. |
| compost in a trash bin where you put in equal | | | | * Reduce toxic waste by purchasing paints, |
| amounts of food scraps and a manure rich soil | | | | pesticides and other hazardous materials only in |
| amendment. When full, put aside for a few | | | | the quantities needed, sharing leftovers and |
| months for plenty of free potting soil for a patio | | | | disposing of responsibly. Or seek alternatives. |
| garden of vegetables and flowers. | | | | * Buy concentrated products to reduce |
| * Reduce use of paper towels and napkins by | | | | packaging, such as concentrated laundry |
| having dish towels, cloth napkins and easily | | | | detergent. |
| accessed rag bag for spills and general cleaning | | | | At the Office |
| use. Old torn up towels work well for this. | | | | * Set up recycle bins for aluminum cans, paper |
| * Reuse plastic containers to save left over food, | | | | and plastic waste.busy-person |
| to freeze foods or pack lunches. | | | | * Bring a waste-free lunch by packing it in |
| * Have a bag for plastic grocery bags that can be | | | | reusable containers. |
| reused, or when full, taken to be recycled. | | | | * Use both sides of a sheet of paper before |
| * Repair/restore used items before replacing | | | | recycling it. |
| them with new ones. If you must replace | | | | * Use scrap paper for telephone messages or |
| something, consider it's durability and energy | | | | sketching out rough drafts. |
| efficiency or consider buying second hand. | | | | * Use a water filter rather than buying water in |
| * Take newspapers and cardboard to recycle bins | | | | plastic bottles or having water delivered. |
| locally. | | | | * Purchase products in bulk sizes to reduce |
| * Reduce items that rely on batteries or buy | | | | packaging waste. |
| rechargeable ones. | | | | * Purchase products made from recycled |
| * Too much junk mail? Contact the Mail | | | | materials, ie. Paper and packaging materials. |
| Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, | | | | * Use washable mugs instead of styro foam cups |
| 11 W. 42nd St., PO Box 3861, New York, NY | | | | for coffee. |
| 10163-3861. Have them remove your name from | | | | * Use re-usable coffee filters instead of paper |
| commercial lists, non-profit lists, or both. | | | | filters. |
| * Reuse paper bags, wrapping paper, or newsprint | | | | * Recycle toner cartridges and other Ewaste. |
| for book covers. | | | | |