Lower Your Impact – Minding Your EcoPrints

Trying to be sustainable can sometimes be overwhelming. Everywhere you go there is waste, whether it is household waste (food, plastic, unrecyclable materials) or construction debris (concrete, wood). You might think that your actions won’t make an impact but it is important to remember that lowering your footprint requires working with your hands to help bring about change.

Below are some simple tips that can help you reduce your impact.

A large pile of trash at a landfill
Waste that cannot be recycled typically ends up in a landfill. In Pinellas, we have a Waste-To-Energy Plant.

Bags

According to the EPA, Americans use over 380 billion plastic bags each year. Most of those bags are non-recyclable either due to the material or contamination (something on the bag like food waste). By remembering to bring reusable bags to the store, you can help eliminate plastic bag waste. Having a few reusable bags in your car and in your house allows you to have spares in case you forget.

Food

In 2010 the United States threw out $161 billion worth of food. Annually, we throw away about 30-40% of the food we produce. That means a lot of energy, water, and most importantly money is wasted to grow food that gets thrown away. You can save yourself some money and help reduce food waste by making sure you always check what you have before you shop and stick to your list. Try and make recipes that use what you have already purchased instead of buying all new ingredients. Don’t be afraid to freeze food if you do not think you will eat it in time. Most food can be frozen and saved for later.

Girl sitting on a picnic cloth with a red back pack and a clear, reusable water bottle that says "My Bottle" on it.
Having a reusable water bottle can help you reduce your plastic consumption.

Water Bottles

Globally, humans purchase a million plastic water bottles every minute. Using a reusable water bottle can keep you healthy and hydrated as well as help cut back on plastic waste. It will also save you money because you can refill the bottle instead of constantly buying packs of water bottles.

Although these may seem like simple, easy to remember tips, they are often the most overlooked. Each of us can make an impact if we slowly start changing the way we think and live. The little things may not seem like much, but when added together, they can create something great!

For more information:

https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/OR%26R_Plastic_In_the_Ocean_Infographic_FINAL.pdf

https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/innovative-solutions-tackling-plastic-pollution-ocean.html

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Posted: March 1, 2018


Category: Work & Life
Tags: Food, Impact, Lower, Plastic, Rmadhosingh-hector, Waste


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