Introduction
With the rising population of the planet and an unprecedented rate of resource consumption, waste management is more important than ever. According to Mark Roemer Oakland, apart from holding governments and corporations accountable for waste management, everyone should also do their part as an individual and it starts at home. Here are a few ways to manage your domestic waste at home:
The Management
- Limit the use of plastics – Since plastic waste isn’t recyclable without industrial facilities, it is quite difficult to manage at home. Hence you should avoid or at least limit the use of plastics as much as possible. Buy a few reusable shopping bags made from organic materials that can be easily folded and stored inside your wallet or purse. Avoid plastic containers as well and replace them with glass. It’s also a good idea to carry a portable water bottle and avoid the use of plastic water bottles. It isn’t just better for the environment, but healthier for your family as well.
- Feed kitchen waste to the plants – All organic waste is nutrition that can grow beautiful plants or veggies in your garden. Invest in a decent composting bin so that you can use your kitchen waste to make rich black compost to enrich the soil in your garden. This helps you to reduce your dependency on chemical fertilizers for your garden and also reduces waste.
- Buy things with minimal packaging – When you visit the supermarket go to the bulk buy section instead of buying small packs of food. At the bulk-buy section, you can get pulses, rice, and other grains without the plastic packaging. When food comes in numerous layers of packaging, it adds to the waste in your home and ends up in landfill or gets burned to the atmosphere. Apart from food, you can also reduce waste from other products by buying those with minimal packaging.
- Make detergents and soaps in your home – Detergents, shower gels, and cleaning liquids come in plastic packaging that can’t be recycled. The solution is simple and can help you save money. You can make detergents, bathroom cleaners, and washing soaps on your own with the help of the numerous details guides on the internet. It doesn’t just help with waste reduction but also reduces chemicals from most of your daily cleaning products.
- Opt for electronic transactions instead of using paper – When you buy products online or offline you can ask for a soft copy of your bill instead of a hard copy mailed to your address. You can also ask merchants to not print and label a copy of your POS transaction while you shop at malls, restaurants, and retail shops. This helps you cut down on the amount of paper waste in your home. While the paper is recyclable, it takes a lot of effort. Hence, avoiding it when possible is the best solution.
Conclusion
Mark Roemer Oakland suggests that you try these easy ways of managing domestic waste to do your part for the environment and make the earth a bit greener.