Reduce Trash Going to the Landfill

Does your small town struggle with recycling? Mine does. The rising cost of gas is making recycling difficult. It is expensive to take recycling to a recycle center, if there is one available. In my area, glass is not regularly recycled. Only one business takes it, and it is sixty miles away. At the same time, our landfill is filling up at an alarming rate; and our community is struggling with keeping the environment clean. It is becoming up to individuals to make a difference in the amount of trash produced. What are some real ideas for reducing trash?

Recycle Your stuff
Electronics and plastic bags can be collected by the school for fund raisers. Residents can combining shopping trips and dropping off recycling to their nearest recycling center. One man's solution to the glass problem in our area is crushing the glass and selling it to be reused in other products. Magazine exchanges can be set up at a local grocery store or community center to ensure that they are reused. The community can start a shoes and coat exchange to help the needy. If local thrift stores exist, donate to them. They help needy people and reuse items. Plant waste can be composted and it can be added to the garden to increase nutrients in the soil. Use less disposables for cleaning. Old unusable T-shirts can be cut up into cleaning rags to use instead of paper towels. Use multipurpose products in bulk containers.

Improve the Environment Around You
Not every group that picks up the roadside trash takes the time to recycle. When you go out walking, take a trash bag with you. Combining walking for exercise and picking up aluminum cans off the roadside can help clean up the area. The aluminum cans can be turned in for deposits or the recycle value.

Choose your Purchases Wisely
First decide if you actually need a new item. Decreasing unnecessary purchases can help decrease the amount of stuff that eventually gets thrown out. Ask around to see if you can borrow items that you need or consider a rental. If you need an item for a limited time, rentals can be both thrifty and green.

Look for Ways to Reduce Packaging
Next time your in the store, try to do without a bag for one or two items. Let local stores know that you appreciate green efforts. Ask them to provide recycled bags or reusable bags. Ask them to carry products with less packaging. Buying bulk laundry soap and other products can reduce a lot of packaging. Use gift bags that can be reused. Shred used colored or glossy paper for a filler in giftbags.

For each family, some ideas will work and others won't. Be flexible and try new ideas. If everyone tries to reduce and reuse and reduces their waste load, maybe we will see a smaller amount of garbage going to the landfill.