5 Ways You Can Be Less Wasteful This Year

Be Less Wasteful

If you’ve been watching the news or even just scrolling on your phone anytime in the past year, you’ve likely seen the massive surge in people wanting to be less wasteful. There’s a reason for this, too. In the last decade, ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, and the weather is crazy and unpredictable. The previous five years were the hottest ever recorded on this planet. But, there are things we can all do to help. Little by little, we can bring our planet back to life. Being less wasteful is just one that can be super beneficial. 

There are so many ways you can produce less waste throughout the year. We all know of the typical ones we grew up hearing, such as recycling, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, and limiting one-time plastic usage. Now, there are so many innovative and excellent products that can help you be less wasteful – and we’ve put a few of them together for you below.

Stop Using Plastic Bags/Baggies

Did you know they have reusable alternatives to plastic baggies (Ziplocs)? The initial cost may be a little more, but you also don’t have to re-buy them after each use.

One alternative is reusable food wraps made from Beeswax. These last for a year and you simply wrap your food in them, it sticks together and saves whatever you put in it.

If you’re looking for something that lasts a bit longer, there are also silicone bags. These bags are microwave and dishwasher safe too.

Say Goodbye to Single-Use Water Bottles 

Say goodbye to single-use water bottles once and for all! There’s no reason you should still be using these on a daily basis when there are so many great options for reusable water bottles.

If you’re like me and love ice-cold water, there are plenty of thermos-type bottles, such as S’well, that keep your water cold for days – literally! Of course, there are plenty of other options, too, and you can find some of the best reusable water bottles here.

Go Paperless

This can actually benefit you in more than one way! Some companies will give you a small discount or incentive just for setting your bills to “paperless” and only getting them via email. It’s super quick, simple, and an easy way to reduce your waste. Plus, by going paperless, you will avoid that inevitable stack of pointless mail wasting counter space.

Don’t Throw Away Your Scraps

You probably never thought throwing away your old scraps of food is terrible for the environment, but it actually can be.

There are plenty of compost bins you can order online for the countertop, a drawer, or even ones you can mount. If you don’t quite understand composting and need some step-by-step instructions, head here.  

Recycle and Reuse Clothes

Did you know that you actually are being wasteful just from buying new clothes and throwing away old clothes? There are so many cute consignments and vintage stores where you can buy used clothes – and it’s cheap! If that’s just not your thing, though, you can always give away your old clothes to those stores, to shelters, or sell them through apps.

Of course, these are just a few different ways you can be less wasteful and slowly shrink your carbon footprint. Have other tips on how we can create less waste? Share them with us in the comments below! Together, we can all do better to produce less waste and help save our Earth!

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Alyson Pittman is a contributing writer for WBD and a JR marketing associate for Excite Creative Studios, an Atlanta-based creative agency.

Alyson graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration and a concentration in Marketing. She was in multiple organizations at KSU where she held leadership positions. As a part of the Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, Alyson held the Social Coordinator position and planned/promoted large events.

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