How to Fight, and Win, Your War on Waste
If we follow the wisdom of our grandparents, we have a battling chance at winning the war on waste
Melissa Maddison
7 February 2018
Houzz Australia Contributor. I love hunting for interesting things, finding unusual treasures, then bringing them home and displaying them in a unique way.
Houzz Australia Contributor. I love hunting for interesting things, finding unusual... More
It seems there are so many ways we create rubbish in our materialistic lives. Now, armed with the wisdom of our Depression-era forebears, it’s time to take stock of our own households and act locally.
According to the recent War on Waste documentary that aired on the ABC, Australians generate 52 mega tonnes of rubbish per year, and are ranked fifth highest for generating the most municipal waste in the world. In order to reduce these alarming statistics, and to save ourselves from drowning in our own rubbish, we all need to make changes in our homes, and to how we live.
If you haven’t already started, here are some ways to begin the change on your own doorstep.
If you haven’t already started, here are some ways to begin the change on your own doorstep.
Organise your recycling life
If you’re renovating your kitchen, be sure to include recycling in the makeover. These bins make it easy to always get it right. Failing that, find bins that you like to look at and are practical to operate, because you’ll be using them all the time. And don’t necessarily head straight to the bin section of a department store. Look at what you have already, and see if anything can be repurposed.
Perhaps storage tubs that are no longer in use, or even enclosed washing baskets could be put to better use as recycling bins. Have your recycling bins and your compost bins in convenient spots, not way out in the garage, or around the side of the house where you know spiders lie in wait and you won’t want to venture out in the dark.
How Do I… Organise My Recycling?
If you’re renovating your kitchen, be sure to include recycling in the makeover. These bins make it easy to always get it right. Failing that, find bins that you like to look at and are practical to operate, because you’ll be using them all the time. And don’t necessarily head straight to the bin section of a department store. Look at what you have already, and see if anything can be repurposed.
Perhaps storage tubs that are no longer in use, or even enclosed washing baskets could be put to better use as recycling bins. Have your recycling bins and your compost bins in convenient spots, not way out in the garage, or around the side of the house where you know spiders lie in wait and you won’t want to venture out in the dark.
How Do I… Organise My Recycling?
Use what you have: make do and repair things when you can
My recently widowed father came for dinner and I asked him what he’d like to eat. He insisted that I use what was already in my fridge, and wouldn’t let me buy more food. It was the MasterChef mystery box before its time! The ingredients in my fridge and cupboard yield more than just one mystery meal a week. We can become more creative cooks just by having to do this every once in a while.
Dad also fixes things. Mending and repairing can create such a feeling of satisfaction, it really is worth the time and effort. If you’re not the most handy person, try your local Men’s Shed before you abandon something to the rubbish bin. Perhaps they could put it to good use.
My recently widowed father came for dinner and I asked him what he’d like to eat. He insisted that I use what was already in my fridge, and wouldn’t let me buy more food. It was the MasterChef mystery box before its time! The ingredients in my fridge and cupboard yield more than just one mystery meal a week. We can become more creative cooks just by having to do this every once in a while.
Dad also fixes things. Mending and repairing can create such a feeling of satisfaction, it really is worth the time and effort. If you’re not the most handy person, try your local Men’s Shed before you abandon something to the rubbish bin. Perhaps they could put it to good use.
Don’t shop for the threat of an impending disaster
Do you need all of the things you’re buying for your house or your kitchen? My cupboards are groaning at the moment, which overwhelms me and plays havoc with my anxiety. While buying in bulk has its place, you could probably use up some of the 21 bags of bowtie pasta before you buy more.
Tip: Set yourself small goals. For instance, no shopping for three weeks, or only buying perishables when you can see the back of your kitchen pantry (unless you’d have to go for weeks with no fresh fruit or vegies to achieve this. Nobody wants scurvy after all).
Do you need all of the things you’re buying for your house or your kitchen? My cupboards are groaning at the moment, which overwhelms me and plays havoc with my anxiety. While buying in bulk has its place, you could probably use up some of the 21 bags of bowtie pasta before you buy more.
Tip: Set yourself small goals. For instance, no shopping for three weeks, or only buying perishables when you can see the back of your kitchen pantry (unless you’d have to go for weeks with no fresh fruit or vegies to achieve this. Nobody wants scurvy after all).
Minimise plastic and packaging, and you’ll have fewer things to recycle
Try to shop at places that encourage you to bring your own containers, if you have any near you. This will ensure that you only buy what you need but, of course, means you’ll need to plan better. You know you need to anyway, and you’ll save lots of cash, as well as stopping lots of food going to waste at the end of the week. Try and make trips to traditional supermarkets few and far between.
Tip: Use glass jars to store things in the fridge as well. They make perfect leftover containers, especially if you’re avoiding using plastic. While you’re at it, try using wax wraps to cover food. They are affordable and can even be a do-it-yourself project.
See out how to make wax wraps here
Try to shop at places that encourage you to bring your own containers, if you have any near you. This will ensure that you only buy what you need but, of course, means you’ll need to plan better. You know you need to anyway, and you’ll save lots of cash, as well as stopping lots of food going to waste at the end of the week. Try and make trips to traditional supermarkets few and far between.
Tip: Use glass jars to store things in the fridge as well. They make perfect leftover containers, especially if you’re avoiding using plastic. While you’re at it, try using wax wraps to cover food. They are affordable and can even be a do-it-yourself project.
See out how to make wax wraps here
Change one space at a time
Look around one room, and see how you can reduce its environmental impact. You know you’ll probably need to start in the kitchen, and it will be the room that you’ll put most work into, but imagine your life without excess clutter, plastic and rubbish…
Tip: Sell or give away appliances you no longer use. They take up space that you could put to better use. If you have a cupboard groaning with platters you rarely use, consider giving them away too. Make do with a few lovely ones that you treasure.
Look around one room, and see how you can reduce its environmental impact. You know you’ll probably need to start in the kitchen, and it will be the room that you’ll put most work into, but imagine your life without excess clutter, plastic and rubbish…
Tip: Sell or give away appliances you no longer use. They take up space that you could put to better use. If you have a cupboard groaning with platters you rarely use, consider giving them away too. Make do with a few lovely ones that you treasure.
Other important rooms
The bathroom and laundry are next. Buy your shampoo in bulk, or better still, buy it from grocers that allow you to bring your own containers. Use soap, not shower gel; that’s one less bottle. Laundry powder can also be bought in bulk, and again, use grocers that will let you bring in your own container. As an added bonus, it will probably have fewer harmful ingredients.
The bathroom and laundry are next. Buy your shampoo in bulk, or better still, buy it from grocers that allow you to bring your own containers. Use soap, not shower gel; that’s one less bottle. Laundry powder can also be bought in bulk, and again, use grocers that will let you bring in your own container. As an added bonus, it will probably have fewer harmful ingredients.
Clean up
We all know about keeping our cleaning products simple. Vinegar, bicarb soda and some eucalyptus oil keep things smelling feeling fresh and clean in the bathroom, and bicarb soda in a paste will help remove stains in the laundry.
Your Essential Non-Toxic, Room-Based Cleaning Guide
We all know about keeping our cleaning products simple. Vinegar, bicarb soda and some eucalyptus oil keep things smelling feeling fresh and clean in the bathroom, and bicarb soda in a paste will help remove stains in the laundry.
Your Essential Non-Toxic, Room-Based Cleaning Guide
Find a soft-plastic solution
Check your local council for somewhere to deposit your soft plastic, and be sure to do your research to make sure it is actually being recycled in an ethical manner. Some larger supermarket chains also offer soft-plastic deposit stations.
Tip: Look up Redcycle for places to drop off your soft plastics in Australia and New Zealand.
Check your local council for somewhere to deposit your soft plastic, and be sure to do your research to make sure it is actually being recycled in an ethical manner. Some larger supermarket chains also offer soft-plastic deposit stations.
Tip: Look up Redcycle for places to drop off your soft plastics in Australia and New Zealand.
Out and about
If you haven’t invested in a coffee machine such as this beauty, always take a reusable coffee cup when you buy your morning cup. Try a Keep Cup, or simply take a coffee mug with you. Many cafes will fill a normal coffee mug these days, so try this with your local barista.
Spend some time considering how often you accept packaging when you don’t really need to, and come prepared. Carry a fold-up bag in your handbag, or keep bags in your car. The trick is remembering to take them with you.
Make these few small changes to your habits, and to your house, and you will see a dramatic reduction in how much waste you produce. Our environment will be the better for it.
Tell us
What are some things you are doing at home to fight the war against waste? Tell us in the Comments below, and join the conversation.
More
Read about more ways to live a sustainable, environmentally friendly life
If you haven’t invested in a coffee machine such as this beauty, always take a reusable coffee cup when you buy your morning cup. Try a Keep Cup, or simply take a coffee mug with you. Many cafes will fill a normal coffee mug these days, so try this with your local barista.
Spend some time considering how often you accept packaging when you don’t really need to, and come prepared. Carry a fold-up bag in your handbag, or keep bags in your car. The trick is remembering to take them with you.
Make these few small changes to your habits, and to your house, and you will see a dramatic reduction in how much waste you produce. Our environment will be the better for it.
Tell us
What are some things you are doing at home to fight the war against waste? Tell us in the Comments below, and join the conversation.
More
Read about more ways to live a sustainable, environmentally friendly life
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I have also bought 4 x 500ml soda stream bottles that we will just fill with fresh water. They are firm and easy to hold,
1. I have a Sodastream. It saves a stackload of plastic bottles a year.
2. On my kitchen bench, there is a soup saucepan with glass lid for scraps that go to the compost. A pan with a glass lid is good for a scraps container as you can see if it needs to be emptied, rather than finding out when you open it and the wave of mould/slime smell comes at you. I line it with newspaper which makes it last longer before it smells. I toss whole thing, newspaper and all in the compost bin. Seems to work fine.
3. In my bin cupboard, there's a box for recyclable rubbish with a plastic bag clipped to it for soft plastics (goes to Redcycle bin at Coles when full). Between these and the compost bin, I have my bin rubbish down to about the size of half a supermarket bag a week.
I darned socks this year. New resolution to mend, rather than to turf stuff.
I have a backpack I take to the supermarket. Easy to pack and easy to carry.
6. I have saved glass jars in a range of sizes and use them to store things such as the other half of a can of beans, tuna, salad dressing etc in the fridge until it's time to eat it. With all the different sizes to choose from, I can pick one that fits the food best - food keeps best when there is as little air as possible in the container. Just pick jars with a wide opening at top so they are easy to clean.
I shop at a bulk store where I can take my own containers for re-filling. They have an enormous range of foods, low-toxic cleaning products and alternatives for storage without plastic. I can also buy in small quantities so that I can get the right amount of a new ingredient for a particular meal and don't have leftover of that product which might sit around in the pantry for a long time.
This has become even more important to our family now that the councils' recycling system has recently crashed and all our carefully-sorted recyclables are being picked up by the general waste trucks to go to landfill!!