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It’s Earth Month. Which, to an eco-lifestyle evangelist like myself, is pretty much akin to the premiere of Game of Thrones. And while many of us want to make a positive impact on the planet, knowing where to start can be tough. Which steps pack the biggest punch? Which habits are the hardest to change? You may already know why reducing our trash is key to lessening the very real climate change crisis. I say “our” because this is our collective problem, and, thankfully, there are things we all can do to right this wrong.
If you’re not familiar with the “why” of these steps, here are some stunning facts: Americans create about 4.3 pounds of trash per person per day (that’s like carrying around a 30-plus-pound weight each week), a 169 percent increase from 1960. We can thank many things for this skyrocketing phenomenon: an increased national focus on convenience, busier lives, and the general accessibility of disposable options. And according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while 75 percent of our waste is recyclable, only 30 percent of it actually gets recycled–and recycling requires loads of energy. Fortunately, a few simple shifts can help us reduce the amount of trash we create while still keeping our lives streamlined, efficient, and chic. Let’s get started.
Skip the straws: This may seem small—straws are kind of small—but it’s an easy place to start. Those cylindrical suckers are everywhere. And while sipping through a straw may keep lipstick pristine, most cannot be recycled and take thousands of years to degrade in a landfill. If you’ve seen this viral video (warning: It’s painful to watch), you’re probably aware that tons of plastic will make its way to waterways.
What to do: When you’re out at dinner, ask for no straw. Heck, it may be a great conversation starter. And if you’re a die-hard straw user, consider packing your own reusable stainless steel version.
Consider composting: We are fortunate to live in a country of relative abundance. We’re so abundant in food, in fact, that Americans throw away 40 percent of our food supply each year (an estimated 1,160 pounds of food and almost $2,275 annually for a family of four)—a sobering fact when you consider that one in six Americans is food insecure and other countries are experiencing severe drought-induced famines. According to the EPA, food waste is the single biggest occupant of our country’s landfills and the largest source of methane emissions (a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change). But help is on its way. Composting is an effective way to divert organic materials from the landfill, save energy, and help a local farmer (or garden, even if it’s your windowsill potted plants).
What to do: Research compost options in your area. Folks with yards may be able to enjoy outdoor composting, while city dwellers may have access to municipally supported composting (the city will give you a bin along with trash and recycling), farmers’ markets that will take your scraps (just keep them in the freezer and bring them over on market day), or subscription services, whereby a person on a bike picks up the compost bucket every two weeks.
Buy secondhand: Fast fashion is one of the most polluting industries on the planet, second only to Big Oil. It’s also one of the largest resource drains, with the production of a single T-shirt requiring a whopping 713 gallons of water (that’s about what one person drinks in 900 days), according to Greenpeace. And once we have these nice new duds, where do they go? Well, 75 percent of garments wind up in landfills, as Americans toss 14 million pounds of just clothing each year. Those stats don’t even touch on the toxic chemicals involved or the countless people and animals who suffer due to the poor working conditions, exploitation, slavery, and other realities of fast fashion. Buying secondhand stops the vicious cycle of fashion waste.
What to do: Check out the resale options in your area. Consignment, thrift, and charity shops are great places for clothes and furnishings, Poshmark and ThredUp are cool for online options, and Craigslist (depending on where you live) is king for home accoutrements.
Rethink periods: Our monthly visitor is also a giant trash producer. It’s estimated that the average woman has 500 menstrual cycles in her lifetime (that’s a lot of tampons and pads) and spends $150 to $300 per year on protection options, the plastic components of which are not readily biodegradable, so they spend 1,000-plus years in the landfill. In fact, we send 20 billion pads, tampons, and applicators to U.S. landfills each year.
What to do: Check out reusable and washable cloth pads, period panties, or the menstrual cup for a less wasteful and pricey period.
Buy in bulk: No, not the kind of bulk that has you renting a Zipcar so you can stock your pantry with 60 cans of chickpeas. I’m talking about those bulk bins at your local health food and grocery stores. When we buy packaged goods, we pay for the materials, processing, and overhead that go into that packaging. So not only does buying in bulk spare the landfill from eventual garbage, but it also gives your wallet a break (to the tune of 13 to 75 percent, depending on the item).
What to do: Get some reusable (and washable) cloth bags and hit the bulk aisle date. Stock up on beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. Learn some new recipes.
Pack your lunch: There was a time when bringing your lunch was considered uncool. Those times, thankfully, are over. Lunchtime is the trashiest time in the American day, and it’s not because many of us are watching Real Housewives on our break. Approximately one third of all food is wasted at the retail and consumer levels, and that means establishments where we dine and take out, which happens most often during lunchtime. Even in relatively small districts, school cafeterias alone create 483,520 pounds of waste per day. Packing your lunch has been shown to cut down on waste, keep people healthier, and save money.
What to do: Start with packing your lunch two or three times per week. Once you get into that healthy-feeling, money-saving, lunch-bringing zone, you’ll want to do it all the time.
Ashlee Piper is a political strategist turned nationally recognized eco-lifestyle expert. She regularly appears on MSNBC, Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC, and her writing can be found in Women’s Health, Refinery29, and Reader's Digest. She holds a B.A. from Brown University and an M.S. from the University of Oxford, U.K. You can learn more at www.ashleepiper.com.
