Watching the videos and reading the articles on the impact that our trash has on our environment got me thinking about all the ways that I produce trash and how I can make some simple changes that are actually feasible for me and my lifestyle. Most of the trash that I produce comes from beauty products packagings like shampoo, toothpaste, facial cleansers, makeup products; food packaging like milk cartons, egg cartons, cheese plastic wrap, pasta boxes; and toilet paper and sanitary products.
I already get my drinking water from the tap thanks to help from my Brita filter. I do not drink soda or any other kind of prepackaged sweetened beverages, rather I make my own iced tea, lemonade, and Aguas Frescas. I do however drink Almond milk which requires me to throw out the carton when I finish. When I go to the grocery store I no longer use the thin plastic bags to put my fruits or vegetables in, rather I take my own reusable bags and make sure at checkout that the most fragile produce is at the very top like tomatoes, spinach, and cilantro.
Whenever I go shopping or just leave the apartment I make sure to bring with me a reusable bag incase I purchase something to avoid having to get a plastic or paper bag from clothing stores as well. I also always waive the option to print a receipt.
One thing I noticed when thinking about the trash I produce was that a great portion of my recyclables comes from weekly/daily junk mail like supermarket advertisements and campaign election propaganda. I have a 13-gallon trash bin that I use only for recyclables and I toss out the bag at the end of every month. This is by far my biggest source of trash.
My building has a compost bin in the basement which has really helped me reduce the amount of trash I produce. I make sure to separate all food scraps and put them in the compost bin. So really, aside from all my recyclables, the biggest source of trash in my home comes from toilet paper, tissues, and sanitary products which for the time being, I don't see this as being something I could change.
Hi Syria,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thought. I have also found that video very helpful and shared with my friends and families too. My concern is not about the wastes that come from the food because we can control and adjust our diet within a few days or weeks. But the issue is that, more wastes come from the food or personal products’ packages, that's why people have almost failed to reduce their wastes and if we see the market, sometime we find packages seems to be more costed and bigger than the products.