Although more and more people are recycling, many homeowners want to create a zero-waste home. Minimising the amount of waste they are producing wherever possible and this goes further than just recycling. Create a zero waste home (or as close to zero as possible) means that your home is as environmentally friendly as possible.
Here, we discuss some of the things homeowners can put into practice to make their homes as close to zero waste as possible.
What is a zero-waste home?
What we mean my zero waste is a set of principles and a philosophy that individuals follow to try and prevent waste as much as possible. Some waste is inevitable, however, there are some practical things you can do to help this prevention and stop as much of your rubbish from ending up at landfills, being incinerated or thrown in the ocean as possible.
To begin, you will need to evaluate your current wastefulness and identify the key areas you should focus on.
How to create a zero-waste home
Eat fresh food
Where possible try and buy fresh fruit and vegetables. This is a great way to reduce the packaging which often is not easily recyclable. It also helps provide you and your family with nutritious meals if they are homemade. If you can, try and buy items in bulk if you have the space to store it. Doing this not only reducing the amount of packaging again, but it also can be a cost-effective way of buying food.
Be considerate when buying cleaning supplies
Before stocking up on your cleaning supplies, try and use products that are not harmful to the environment and full of dangerous chemicals. There are also more brands that are providing eco refills of their products. Keep the original cleaning bottles and buy the refills. These refills also tend to fit more of the product in, saving packaging. Once you buy the refill just use the original bottle.
There are many cleaners that you use around your home that you could find a more environmentally friendly alternative. For example, you can use a mixture of household items such as vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, and lemons. These are items you tend to already have in the house and saves you having to buy other cleaners.
Stop Junk Mail
Whenever you receive junk mail, check to see if there is an option to unsubscribe with the sender. Over time, you should hopefully see the amount of junk mail you receive in the post diminish
Donate
Declutter your home and wherever possible, donate your items to local charities, or sell them online. You will be left with only items that you believe are of use whilst letting other people enjoy the items you no longer want.
Head to the shops with a plan
Before going to shops, try and have a list with you and stick to it. If you go to the shops without a plan, you will be more likely to buy more than you actually need. This, in turn, will leave you with more packaging and waste to deal with.
Avoid disposable items
When you have a disposable item, see if there is a reusable option instead. Although these will tend to be more expensive, they will be better value for money over the long run as you get more uses from the same item. From bottles to shopping bags, makeup cotton pads, razors, and more, there are plenty of options.
Compost
Buying a compost bin can really help reduce your waste. It is the perfect location for you to place shredded paper, lawn clipping, and vegetable peelings to name a few. It can be surprising how much waste you can place in your composter instead, over time providing you with rich, fertile compost for your garden. Invest in as large a composter as you can. The larger it is, the more likely you are to use it freely.
Get rid of your waste in a clever way
It is impossible to have no waste at all in your home. However, there are ways you can get rid of your waste in the best way possible. Using a skip hire, for example, can help you with your waste. Check with the company you are using first to check what their services are. Most skip companies will sort out your waste for you to ensure as much of it as possible will be recycled. This is in an attempt to reduce the amount of waste that will end up at a landfill. Having a skip company do this takes some of the pressure off you at sorting out your rubbish and disposing of it correctly which can sometimes be extremely time-consuming.
How to create a zero- waste home
14 Things you probably didn’t know you could recycle
Over recent years, as a society, we have become more aware of sustainability and as a result, our recycling rates have increased. People know the usual items that can be recycled such as plastic, paper, plastic bottles etc however, there is a range of surprising things you probably didn’t know you could recycle. Here, we discuss some of these lesser-known recycled products.
Inhalers
Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of inhalers are casually thrown away once they are finished with. Many pharmacies will in fact accept these and get them recycled. Check with your local pharmacy first to see if they will take them from you.
Bottle Corks
Recycled corks can be used for a range of items including flooring, sports equipment or insulation among others.
Crayons
Crayons can easily be recycled and reused in the comfort of your own home. When you have small pieces of crayon left, melt them down into moulds to reincarnate them into brand new crayons. You can mix the colours up for a fun, multi-coloured crayon that the kids will love using.
Tights
This is one you may not realise but tights can be recycled and repurposed into a range of other products.
VHS Tapes
If you have any of these relics lying around your home (probably hidden in a corner of the attic) you can actually recycle them. They can be dismantled and the pieces reused.
Batteries
Until recently batteries were an item that could not be recycled. However, ways have now be discovered to responsible recycle batteries due to the severe adverse impact they can have on the environment. There are many places that now accept batteries and will take them to be recycled such as supermarkets.
Glasses
If you need a new prescription you may not know what to do with your old pair of glasses. If you return them to your opticians, many have a program in place where they send them to developing countries that are in dire need of them. This can also apply to sunglasses.
Carpet
When it comes to replacing an old carpet in your home, don’t automatically throw it away. There are some companies that accept carpet and take it away for recycling to reduce the amount that ends up in the landfill.
CDs and DVDs
Don’t throw your CDs and DVDs away once you have no need for them or if they are damaged. They can be recycled and repurposed into a myriad of other items.
Mobile phones
Old mobile phones can quickly start to build up at the back of drawers when you get an upgrade. Many people keep their old mobiles because they don’t know what else they can do with them. However, they can be recycled. Check your local recycling centre to see if they accept them.
Toothbrushes
Toothbrushes are one of the most common household items but consider recycling them rather than merely throwing them away. The plastic handle and the bristles can both be reused in a variety of ways
Fluorescent Light Bulbs
It may be surprising that fluorescent light bulbs can be recycled but it's true. Some stores such as IKEA actively collect these bulbs for recycling so bear that in mind when you replace your bulbs in the future.
Sports Shoes
Sports shoes are made of a range of materials from plastic, cotton, nylon, metal and more. All sports shoes can be recycled so once you have no more need for them
Christmas Lights
Christmas Lights often end up in landfill once they start to lose their sparkle and no longer work. Rather than chucking them away in the rubbish, check your local recycling centre or online as some companies will accept your non-working lights and have them processed so that as much of the lights as possible can be recycled.
Although these items are recyclable, they may not be able to just be placed in your regular household bins. Once you realise what can be recycled, check what the best way to recycle the item is as they vary from product to product.
Recycling is an important part that we can all play to help protect the environment. So, next time you have a clear out of your house or taking the rubbish out to the bin, ensure you take a moment to ensure you are not missing out a chance to recycle and reduce your household waste.
To find out more about how we can help you with your waste disposal and recycling needs, please contact us on 0800 083 7807 or visit our website for further information.
