Welcome to the Environment: It is easy being green, a practical guide to sustainability and sustainable practices. In 2020, we will be exploring a blog series titled, Environment: It is easy being green that will cover information designed to help you save money, reduce your carbon footprint and be a great steward of the planet.

Our second topic for the series is waste. 

As a person regularly working in the community, I always make sure to have a few easy topics to cover. Let’s face it, sustainability as a term is defined so many ways. In this blog series, I share each topic to expand the reach of information.

Waste is one of those topics that is much debated and misunderstood. Reading material can be confusing. What is waste? What can be done to prevent it? As a resident, employee and community member who shops for various things, the struggle is real. From reusable bags to recycled products, how can we be more proactive to reduce what and how we consume?

As an icebreaker, I always talk about the reusable cup I carry. Specifically mentioning how it is a lifesaver when traveling through airports because having it saves a ton of money by not having to purchase water but instead going to a restaurant or water filling station once I’m through security. I then add how I always travel with food as well. Most people do not realize they can take food to the airport but not liquids through security.

By preparing your own sack, you can use locally grown items and reusable containers. Two great ways to reduce your carbon footprint while also reducing waste in our local landfills.

Here are a number of additional recommendations I always share with colleagues, friends, businesses, community groups, etc.:

1. Reduce your carbon footprint and the amount of waste generated. Make items instead of purchasing them. Don’t get sucked in by the sales ad!
   
   
2. Carry reusable bags for groceries and produce. Save the planet by sparing the landfill with content that takes up to 1,000 years to breakdown;
   
   
3. Use Tupperware containers when dining in a restaurant and whenever possible refuse all plastic for takeaway/carryout;
   
   
4. Refuse boxes and packaging when possible;
   
   
5. Use technology instead of paper. When possible, use the cloud to store electronic documents. Send items via email or use a jump drive to avoid printing. This saves trees that provide valuable tree canopy and fresh air for people, plants, pets, and our planet;
   
6. Use reusable flatware and dishes at home, work and in the community. Refuse plastic flatware by carrying your own reusable set.

Visit, https://www.to-goware.com/collections/to-go-ware-utensil-sets to grab a set for yourself. Implementing these simple practices declutters your home, diverts waste from the landfill, helps to reduce the amount of items consumed and discarded, while lowering the demand via retail. Saving money, time and resources to ensure the planet thrives!  The previous topic in the Environment blog series was energy efficiency and conservation.

Stay tuned for our next topic in the Environment blog series.