Source reduction is the most efficient and effective way to handle waste.
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Waste Prevention
The First 'R' - Reduce Waste!
Waste reduction begins with source reduction! Waste prevention is not recycling. Recycling is an effective way to manage waste materials once they have been generated. Waste prevention actually reduces the amount of material used and therefore the amount discarded. Source reduction can conserve resources, reduce pollution, and help cut waste disposal and handling costs (it avoids the costs of recycling, composting and landfilling). Reducing the amount of solid waste we each generate is the first step. We can all look at the things we do every day that make garbage and see which ones are necessary and which ones are not. For example, necessary garbage is created when we buy products like medicine or foods wrapped in packaging that protects our safety and health. Other things can easily be changed, like using a sponge instead of a paper towel. If we shop carefully and consume prudently, we can go a long way towards reducing the waste generated. See below for more examples:
- Avoid one-time use products such as paper cups, plates, napkins, towels, tissues, diapers; razors and lighters. For every disposable there is a reusable item that does not end up in the ground. (If you must buy disposable items, buy paper products rather than plastics and Styrofoam. The manufacture of Styrofoam depletes the Earth's ozone layer.)
- Buy durable high quality goods for a longer life outside the landfill. Although durable goods may cost a little more at first, they will save you money and help save the environment in the long run.
- Keep appliances in good working order. Replace filters as necessary on air conditioners and dehumidifiers. Clean the dust and lint off the coils on the fridge, freezer, AC, and dehumidifier. Doing so will reduce energy use and maintenance costs and will increase appliance life.
- Don't forget outdoor appliances. Lawn movers will run better and cleaner with a new filter, a new spark plug and clean oil. (Please dispose of used oil properly!)
- Keep your car in shape too! Keep it clean to expose any dents or scratches that need attention prior to rusting. Have your engine timing, spark plugs, tire pressure, etc. checked for peak performance.
- Plant shade trees as a way to make the yard prettier, help absorb greenhouse gases, and reduce the need for expensive air conditioning. Trees can keep your home cool by reducing the amount of direct sunlight that hits the siding or windows.
- Consider ground cover rather than grass in high-shade areas. It's easier to maintain, needs less watering and doesn't require cutting or fertilizing.
- Bring your own reusable mug to work, meetings or conferences.
- Use low-energy fluorescent light bulbs when appropriate. They'll last longer than incandescent ones, so less bulbs will be thrown out and it will cost less to replace them over time. (Please be sure to properly dispose of them at Wake County's Household Hazardous Waste Facility!)
- Perform a water audit on all hoses, couplings and timers. Leaky faucets and such can waste hundreds of gallons of water or more. Make sure that timers turn the water on only during low-sun periods (early morning and evening), and that the water is only turned on as long as is necessary to get the job done.
- Consider the environmental impact of each product before you buy it.
- Don't buy food or household products in plastic or Styrofoam containers if there's an alternative. These materials can't be recycled and they don't breakdown in the environment (examples include egg cartons, vegetable oils, butter tubs, etc.).
- Don't bother with bug zappers. Studies have shown them to be both energy-wasteful and ineffective. In many cases, they attract more bugs to the area than would have shown up without them!
- Purchase products with the least amount of toxicity.
- Make a list of what you need before you go shopping; this will reduce impulse buying.
- Avoid miniaturized "single-serving" items (like individually wrapped cheese slices).
- Look for items that are available in refillable containers.
- Buy in bulk; it is cheaper and eliminates small containers and excess packaging, which accounts for 50% of our domestic trash.
- Buy concentrated products, there's less packaging.
- Consider renting or borrowing seldom used items.
- At fast food places, take only what you need, one napkin, ketchup, salt, etc.
- Buy produce loose rather than putting it in plastic bags.
- Buy locally grown food and locally made products when possible. This saves transportation fuel and reduces packaging needed in transporting.
- Buy natural fiber clothing, organic when possible. Wool, silk, linen, hemp and cotton are renewable resources. They wear longer and are generally more comfortable too. Avoid clothing which requires dry cleaning or seek out nontoxic dry cleaners.
- Buy flyswatters instead of spray cans of insecticide.
- Use cedar chips instead of mothballs when storing clothes.
- Buy products in packaging that can be recycled in the Raleigh Recycling Program, such as aluminum or steel cans, glass jars or bottles, and plastic bottles.
- Buy paper you can recycle. Avoid deeply colored papers, such as neon colors, which use dyes that are hard to remove. (Pastel colors are not a problem.)
- Patronize businesses that have recycling and waste reduction programs (and tell the managers of stores that do not that you would like to see them start!).
- Install software for paperless faxing via your modem on your computer.
When making purchases, ask yourself a few simple questions:
*** There are plenty of ways to avoid waste in the office too! Opt for glasses, china cups, mechanical pencils, refillable pens and sending email rather than inter-office hard copy documents. By cutting down on the main source of trash produced each day your company can save money too. ***
For More Information Contact:
Linda A. Leighton
Waste Reduction Specialist
Solid Waste Services Department
400 West Peace Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-831-6890
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