I sat down to write this with the holidays in mind. They were really only just last month. But now that I think about it, none of the trash we receive is asked for. The term “zero-waste” was put on consumers as if it is our responsibility to not produce it. But we have such little say in the packaging of things we need to thrive. Aside from this, we do not always have a lot of say in what we get as gifts. Of course, when we can ask for specific things, we ought to. However, it isn’t always as simple as asking for something. For example, people will often immediately turn to Amazon (and Amazon is somewhat doing their part but they have much more they CAN do), rather than looking into small businesses near you. When you are given waste, including Amazon packages, plastic bags, and bottles, or you are simply receiving your math homework back, what should you do with it? Today I am going to answer those questions. This video was requested by a subscriber of mine. If you would like me to make a video answering any of your questions, comment on a video and make sure you are subscribed to my channel. Now let's talk.
The first tip I have for you is to reduce. Reducing any waste when possible is the best thing anyone can do for the planet. Sometimes it just requires you to think outside the box. For example, as a student, I have been really taking advantage of remote learning and sending in things electronically. To reduce paper waste, I have been completing a lot of assignments on a whiteboard and scanning my work. Or just reduce the size of the paper you need and be conscious of your consumption. You can also take a paper out of the recycling bin and write on that. I always write on both sides before recycling. One thing that is difficult however is the way some teachers go about note-taking. For example, my math teacher has “fill in notes” which are not easy to complete on a computer. It frustrates me so much that remote learning has given us such a big opportunity to use just about zero paper… but at the same time, my geometry teacher has been asking us to print out notes that are nearly 50 pages long. I have not been doing this because I care more about the planet than the square root of 72, but this way of learning is not only difficult for students but also horrible for the planet.
For things like Amazon boxes or plastic bags, I think it is very important to reuse. (It is also important to minimize the amount you buy from big companies run by white billionaires.) Almost always, trash can be reused more than once. Even if you typically would just throw something into a bin labeled “trash” see if it really needs to go into the trash. You can use boxes for storage. Also, redefine what you “have to have”. You often don’t need anything. I have a blog post about eco-minimalism that can help you figure out what you really need. For most things you need, you can find a more environmentally friendly, reusable option (but before buying any “zero-waste” products, fully use what you already have). These are just things to consider. Whenever possible, look into items with low, zero, or compostable packaging.
Lastly, when absolutely necessary, recycle. When you have to get rid of something that can be recycled do so. However, only recycle what is allowed and make sure you sort your trash properly. Just doing that can save the planet in very impactful ways. It is important to not put recycling up on a pedestal much higher than trash because they often both end up in landfills. That is a straight-up, honest, sad fact. I’ve mentioned this before but, only 9% of plastic waste actually gets recycled. However, when recycling happens properly, it can save a LOT of energy and resources.
My tips above were about the three r’s- reduce, reuse, recycle. One more tip… There are actually eight Rs: rethink, repair, reuse, reduce, refuse, recycle/rot (i.e. compost), recover, and regift. More on this another time!
I hope this blog was helpful. As always, if you have any further questions, feel free to let me know. I try to respond to all of the comments I receive. Also, if you would like me to answer your questions, make sure to let me know and I will often make a video and blog post on them just like this one. See you next week. For now, peace.