Low-waste living should be a standard goal of every household as we should all do our part to protect our planet. You may think that living a low-waste lifestyle is a complicated task, but it doesn’t have to be, even during these unprecedented and uncertain times. Even though our daily routines have been drastically changed, it doesn’t mean we must abandon green living entirely. With some simple changes or more substantial commitments to waste-free living, you can live a low or zero waste life while staying safe and following local health recommendations. There are ways for everyone to start living an eco-friendly lifestyle; with these tips, tricks, and suggestions, you can get started or jump in with both feet.
Energy Waste
Many people think waste only includes physical waste, but that is not the case. Energy waste is one of the most common areas of waste to tackle when looking to go waste-free. You can use less energy or generate more to compensate for the energy you use.
Generators for home or residential use come in a few styles. Propane generators are permanent installations that can power your house for two or three days during a power outage. These generators use propane, which is safe for long term storage and produces fewer emissions than other fuel types. Residential solar generators are typically smaller portable generators that use the same technology like solar panels and usually have the capacity to charge smartphones with larger-capacity generators capable of powering a refrigerator.
If you do not want to add a generator to produce more energy than you consume, you can lower how much energy you consume in your daily life. Taking shorter showers, not leaving the water running while you brush your teeth, and turning off lights you aren’t using are simple habits you can change to use less energy. Turning your AC down or off will also save energy. If you are feeling too hot, turn on a fan instead of the AC. If you are cold, grab a blanket or sweater instead of turning on the heat. Even turning down your HVAC, a few degrees can help despite it feeling like a small change.
However, more significant results require bigger commitments. You can save more energy by air-drying your clothes and not using your dryer at all. The same idea applies to your dishwasher; run your dishwasher with a full load of dishes but turn off the heated dry option. You can also stop energy vampires, or electronic devices, such as TVs and game consoles, that consume energy even while turned off, by pulling the offending devices into a power strip and unplugging the power strip.
Online shopping is a great strategy in order to low energy consumption at home. Instead of driving yourself or walking to the store, you can have your essential items arrive at your doorstep. There are various home delivery services like Instacart or global companies like Amazon Fresh. With the widespread adoption of shipping and tracking APIs, you always know when your order will arrive, so you can plan deliveries as you need them.
Physical Waste
Physical waste is a growing problem, and it might not feel like there is anything a single person can do, but there is. If we all do our part, we can put a dent in the problem and encourage businesses to follow suit. Just like simple changes can affect how much energy you use, simple changes can affect how much physical waste you produce, even during a pandemic.
Reusable products like cloth bags oir glass bottles are ideal. Invest in reusable grocery bags you can bring with you to the store. Look for product packaging that is reusable or biodegradable, so your eco-friendly bags are not undone by the products you bring home. When it comes to one-use products like toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning wipes, look for greener options. Many independent companies have popped up to offer toilet paper and other supplies made out of sustainable materials like bamboo in light of the pandemic. You can have these green supplies delivered to your front door, which also eliminates the need for you to drive to the store and back.
It may be tempting to throw out not eco-friendly items, but this only adds to the waste problem. Identifying inferior products is a good thing, but throwing them out after you have bought them does more harm than good. Instead of throwing out bad items and adding them to a landfill, use them up and replace them with eco-friendly alternatives. There is no sense in throwing out products you can still use and already spent money on, so use what is left and find a greener version for next time.
Living a low or zero-waste life might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. By making small changes in your everyday life, you can lower how much waste you produce. Use can add a home generator to replace the energy you use or use less energy by adjusting your daily routines. Reducing your physical waste comes down to research and preparedness. Go to the store prepared with reusable bags and look for green products with the smallest carbon footprint. Don’t throw out non-eco-friendly items in your home, as that only creates more waste. Use up what you have and then replace those items with greener options for the lowest net waste.
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