How to Avoid Sending Things to the Landfill
I get anxious when I walk by the overflowing dumpsters of our apartment building. Like...possibly a level of anxiety other people would consider irrational. Just seeing piles and piles of stuff people throw away that I know will never break down.
Have you ever watched the trash collectors tossing the garbage into their truck? A lot of stuff inevitably falls out into the environment, littering the streets and eventually our waterways. Some of the trash you see on the streets isn’t always from evil people who purposely litter. Sometimes it's from people (including you and me!) who thought they were doing the right thing by throwing it into a garbage can, but it still ended up on the streets.
So, when you throw away trash in a plastic bag for the trash truck to pick up, where does it actually go? Usually it gets sent to the dump or landfill. Where it will sit and not decompose properly because there is no oxygen in a plastic bag. Landfills were built to hold trash, not get rid of it.
Often, most of the things people throw away could have been donated, recycled, or composted instead. Learning how to properly dispose of things can keep things from going to the landfill.
Think Before you Buy - Pay attention to packaging while buying products. Try to avoid packaging that is not recyclable. Always choose cardboard, glass, or aluminum whenever possible. Also, consider how long you will use something and if you view it as disposable. Ask yourself: Is it something you really need? Do you already have something at home that could do the job? Is it something that has a reusable option instead? Intentional buying instead of impulse buying can save a lot of trash being created in the first place.
Donate - So often I see stuff that would have been perfectly fine to donate, ruined because it has been rained on or covered in the garbage of someone else. I have seen clothes, furniture, and books destroyed because someone was too lazy to take it to a thrift store or post on a “buy nothing” group online. A lot of our house plants and furniture have actually come from the dumpster by our house.
Recycle - While recycling is not a perfect solution to trash, if done properly, it does reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill. It takes a little more work than throwing it into your trash can with the rest of your trash, but it is worth it for the environment! You can recycle clean cans, bottles, paper, and cardboard. Keep food and liquids out. What can be recycled varies across the country, unfortunately, due to different funding, so always checkout your local websites to see what is accepted. Wishful recycling (recycling things that you wish could be recycled, but can’t be), can sometimes contaminate a whole batch of recycling.
Avoid Plastic Bags, but if you do get some… - Plastic bags can’t be recycled. Whenever possible, avoid plastic bags, of course. The reality is though, sometimes you will still end up with a couple. They exist and it is inevitable. When you do end up getting a few plastic bags, ask your local thrift store if they need bags, often times they do! You can also check if your local grocery store has a recycling container for them, usually it is by the front door.
E-Cycle - If you have broken or dead electronics, find an e-cycling event near you. If you can’t find one, try posting it online for someone to take for scrap parts. Just because it is unusable to you, doesn’t mean it is trash yet! Some local electronics and game stores will also buy things from you for parts, you just have to ask!
Buy local if you can - When you are able to talk to the business directly, sometimes they will allow you to bring your own container and you can avoid any packaging all together. Some local businesses even have their own glass return program (like how milk used to be). I have local kombucha, kimchi, and hot sauce vendors here in Richmond who allow me to bring back the glass bottles when I am done!
Compost - If you are throwing food scraps into the trash, it will take years for it to break down. Composting those food scraps would have had them decompose in days-weeks instead. And, in return you can give back to the earth with nutrient-rich soil.
