Is it possible to have a good life without wasting so much? This is the question Colin Beavan and his family try to answer in the documentary No Impact Man. The average American family creates 1600 lbs of trash per year. Colin's goal is to reduce that to zero. So, during the course of a year, they learn how to live without using electricity, motorized transportation or toxic chemicals and without buying anything other than local food. Colin doesn't mind, but his wife is addicted to caramel lattes, reality TV shows and fashionable footwear, so its a struggle for her.
I'm not as dedicated as Colin, but I try to minimize my contribution to the landfill. I compost kitchen scraps - mainly fruit and vegie peels, coffee grounds and egg shells. Then I use the compost in my vegie garden.
It's fairly easy (at least in Portland) to recycle paper, glass, aluminum cans and plastic containers. Here are some other easy ways to reduce trash output:
* bring reusable bags for shopping
* buy fewer clothes, and buy them at Goodwill or consignment shops
* choose items with less packaging (like bar soap instead of liquid soap in a plastic bottle)
* call companies that send junk mail and ask to be removed from their list
* bring a reusable container when you eat at a food cart or takeout restaurant
* freecycle items you don't need anymore, rather than throwing them away
By making these small changes, I've reduced my contribution to the landfill substantially. Mainly what goes into my trash is dog poops. I know pet waste is hard on the environment, but dogs are such good friends and help reduce our stress levels. They also encourage us to get out and take walks, even when we don't feel like it.
It's fairly easy (at least in Portland) to recycle paper, glass, aluminum cans and plastic containers. Here are some other easy ways to reduce trash output:
* bring reusable bags for shopping
* buy fewer clothes, and buy them at Goodwill or consignment shops
* choose items with less packaging (like bar soap instead of liquid soap in a plastic bottle)
* call companies that send junk mail and ask to be removed from their list
* bring a reusable container when you eat at a food cart or takeout restaurant
* freecycle items you don't need anymore, rather than throwing them away
By making these small changes, I've reduced my contribution to the landfill substantially. Mainly what goes into my trash is dog poops. I know pet waste is hard on the environment, but dogs are such good friends and help reduce our stress levels. They also encourage us to get out and take walks, even when we don't feel like it.
