Trash Production

Okay, so its obvious that careless waste management can be detrimental to not only our wallets, but our environment. But discussing waste management really makes me wonder…. How much do I waste?

So for this blog I’m going to track, for a two day period, how much waste I create, and how some research on waste management can reduce my waste production. So, here it goes!

For my two-day period I trashed:

·      3 burrito wrappers from a Mexican food joint.

·      2 taco wrappers

·      3 sauce packages

·      16oz energy drink can

·      Soda can

·      Small plastic water cup

·      Cardboard box

·      Small plastic wrap

·      Fishing line

·      1 Parking pass

The second day:

·      Gatorade container

·      12oz aluminum can

·      Fishing line

·      Cereal box

·      12oz glass can

·      Energy drink

·      Meat packaging and zip lock bag

·      4 Produce bags

·      2 parking passes

Looking back at the list, I realized that I do waste more than I thought, but, to ease both of our minds, keep in mind that I do recycle glass and aluminum (though there is obvious room for improvement).

So, here is a list of waste-reduction strategies that I researched- all of which follow the principle of reduce, reuse, and recycle.

1.     Selective Shopping

▪   Reduce the amount of packaging you buy, reuse what you can, and recycle the rest. ▪   Look for products without packaging. ▪   Avoid individually wrapped portions (cheese slices, juice, etc.). ▪   Favor products with a high recycled content, even if they cost a little more. ▪   Choose concentrated products in reusable containers, and largest size containers. ▪   Buy in bulk. ▪   When purchasing just one or two items, tell the clerk, "I don't need a bag, thanks." ▪   Avoid disposable razors, pens, pencils and lighters. ▪   Buy recycled paper bathroom tissue, napkins and kitchen towels. ▪   Avoid pump toothpaste - it is over-packaged and includes excess plastic. ▪   Use your own reusable canvas or string bags when shopping. ▪   If you do opt for paper or plastic grocery bags, take them back to the store to be recycled. ▪   Buy quality products and keep them for a lifetime. 2.     In the Home ▪   Use resealable, reusable containers for lunch and leftovers. ▪   Use old toothbrushes and other brushes to clean bathroom tile, shoes, etc. ▪   Use ceramic mugs, cloth napkins & towels, china plates and silverware. ▪   Use baking soda to clean sinks, toilet bowls and showers. ▪   Reuse glass jars to store nails, screws, craft supplies and other small items. ▪   When spring cleaning or moving, have a yard sale or donate items to charities instead of throwing them away.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

While recycling is part of the solution for preserving landfill space and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the best option is to prevent or reduce the amount of waste that is generated in the first place.Reuse also plays an important role in keeping material out of landfills by ensuring that a product has been used to its fullest extent before disposal or recycling. And it creates new markets for materials, new jobs, and opportunities for vocational training. But even the best waste reducers and reusers will be left with items that have reached the end of their usable life.

Here's how you can do your best to reduce, reuse, and recycle those items that are not usually recyclable in your home or business recycling bins.

Unwanted phone books

Unwanted mail

Plastic bags

Reusable product alternatives

Cloth Diapers

Donate, exchange, or sell

Styrofoam

Athletic Shoes

Baby Gear

Wine corks

Buy products made from recycled material

Reduce packaging

Redemption centers

Recycled Greeting Card Program

3.     Recycle:

·      Unwanted phone books

·      Unwanted Mail

·      Plastic Bags

4.     Reuse

▪   Use washable cloths instead of throwaway wipes

▪   Buy rechargeable batteries

▪   Buy cloth napkins that you can wash instead of paper you throw away

▪   Buy washable plates and cups for picnics instead of disposables

▪   Buy razors with replaceable blades

▪   Use reusable containers with lids instead of aluminum foil and plastic bags or wrap

▪   Rinse plastic bags and reuse them

▪   Buy a refillable water bottle instead of single use plastic bottles

5.     Donate, Exchange, or Sell

Give new life to your old things by donating, exchanging, or selling them.

•    Visit bargainlink.com or check the yellow pages to find thrift stores or charities that will take your donated items.

•    Donate or purchase local used building materials:

Architectural Salvage (Specializes in vintage and eclectic one-of-a-kind items)
2401 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 696-1313



•    Buy used books, CDs, DVDs, and video games or trade them at an online exchange such as swaptree.com or swapadvd.com.

•    Sell your used items by advertising in the local paper or online at craigslist.com.

•    Give away or get free stuff using freecycle.org.

6.     Reduce Packaging

•    Large box of cereal vs. individually wrapped snack pack of mini boxes of cereal

•    Pudding mixes in recyclable boxes vs. pre-made pudding packs with individual servings that are stored in non-recyclable plastic cups

•    Fresh vegetables bought by the pound vs. vegetables in shrink-wrap or in clamshell containers

•    1-gallon water jugs vs. 6-pack of individual 12-ounce plastic bottles

Okay, so maybe I got a little out of hand with the waste reduction tips, but, here’s one last one that I found of high interest to myself- due to the fact that on many of my experiment days I wasted fishing line. So, if you’re like me and love to fish, check this out!

7.     Recycle  Fishing Line

Recently, fishing line recycling programs have sprouted up all over the world. Many U.S. states have initiated monofilament-recycling programs and installed fishing line collection bins at popular fishing destinations. These bins are typically made from white or black PVC pipe. Look for these bins at your favorite fishing spot, or ask your local department of fish and wildlife about monofilament recycling programs in your state.

Additionally, most sporting goods and tackle stores have collection bins for your old monofilament fishing line. Save your old fishing line for recycling when you are changing line. When you're out in the field, store all the clippings and snippets of fishing line that you can. Next time you're in the sporting goods store, drop off your old fishing line.

If you are in a location where fishing line recycling is not accessible, you can mail your old fishing line to Berkley Fishing for recycling.

So, now you may be wondering, after applying some of the available options to my life, how much did I waste in the next two days?

·      2-16 oz recycled cans

·      2- recycled burrito wrappers

·      Small amount of fishing line- of which I still have in my tackle box

·      15 oz soup container- recycled

·      4 egg shells

·      Small scraps found at the Riverside Community Garden

·      Recycled Gatorade container

Wow, It’s crazy how much some simple tips can reduce so much trash waste. As can be seen from the list above, there was much more waste in my first two-day cycle, but still, recycled material made most of my waste production. All in all, the most useful tool for me was to recycle, recycle everything from cans to fishing line. With that stated, it was most difficult for me to stop using aluminum cans containing food and beverages, as I know prevention is much better than recycling, but still, I was able to recycle (and I still plan to continue recycling all of my harmful goods). So, in conclusion, while recycling is part of the solution for preserving landfill space, the best option available is to prevent or reduce the amount of waste that is generated in the first place. Obvious, right? Maybe not so much…

Reusing also plays an important role in keeping material out of landfills by ensuring that a product has been used to its fullest extent before disposal or recycling. Also, it creates new markets for materials, new jobs, and opportunities for vocational training. But even the best waste reducers and reusers will be left with items that have reached the end of their usable life.

But if you follow the tips above, you too can reduce, reuse, and recycle those items that are not usually recyclable in your home or business recycling bins.