REDUCE unnecessary deliveries: Whether it’s a food or Amazon order, try to place your online orders once a week, bi-weekly or even once a month to reduce deliveries and packaging; often you will realize you don't really need the item when the time comes, or you’ve already picked it up while doing local shopping.

REDUCE single-use items and excess packaging: Whenever you can replace single-use items needed on a regular basis with reusable equivalents, you’re doing the planet a favor and saving yourself an online order or trip to the store.  You’ll save money too!

REDUCE daily living waste:

• Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins, paper towels with kitchen towels, and paper plates with lightweight dishware, like Corelle. The extra clean-up is minimal and for some gatherings it’s appropriate to recruit your family or guests to make cleaning up a fun part of your time together.

• Switch to a rechargeable lighter. It’s a reusable, one-time purchase that’s always ready, plus it’s flameless and windproof! 

• Simple adaptations in your kitchen can cut waste: reuse Ziploc bags, replace cling wrap with storage containers with lids or reusable beeswax wraps. A plate over a dish or bowl is often all the storage you need.

• Avoid fast fashion! We all know the story here – let’s try to buck what has become the norm and stick with choosing basic, well-made items that best serve our needs (more to come in our next article).

REDUCE entertaining waste:

• Set up a water beverage station with water dispensers instead of individual water bottles or drink cans.

• Use reusable plastic cups or acrylic glasses.

• If using disposable serveware, choose paper instead of plastic!

REDUCE food shopping waste:

• We all know to bring reusable shopping bags to stores, but let’s also bring reusable produce bags. They are sturdier, often with drawstrings, making it easier to use than those thin plastic bags provided by the store. They can also be easily washed as needed.

• Choose plastic-free packaging as often as you can – for example, put a lettuce head in your reusable produce bag instead of grabbing that big plastic clamshell of lettuce. Chances are the lettuce will last longer plus each purchase will add up to a big reduction in your plastic.

REDUCE cleaning products waste:

• Laundry Detergent: we mentioned this in our last article, but it’s worth mentioning again! Skip the big plastic bottles and pods (which produce microplastic in our waterways). Instead, try laundry sheets or concentrated tablets or old-school powder that comes in cardboard boxes.

• Try cleaning product solutions that provide “forever” bottles with easy-to-reorder cleaning tablets that come in plastic free wrapping. Just add the dry tablet and water, and you’re set! Blueland is one of our favorite companies that offer these options.

REDUCE personal care waste:

• Switch from plastic bottles of liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioner to bar versions for another big impact.

• Almost all personal care items have a non-plastic, reusable alternative – from toothpaste tablets to washable cotton pads. Take a look at the next item you pick up and do a quick online search for how to replace it.

REDUCE on the go waste:

• Make a Sustainable Go-Bag to leave in your car! The bag should include the following reusable items, so you can avoid taking single-use items on the go: shopping/produce bags, water bottle, coffee cup, utensil set, and to-go food container.

REDUCE food waste: You’ve heard the shocking statistic: in the U.S. we waste 40% of the food we raise, a huge loss of resources. You can tackle food waste by:

• Cleaning out your fridge weekly to make sure food is getting used

• Creating a “use first” bin in the fridge

• Freezing food that you can’t use right away

• Buying food at a farmers’ market or joining a CSA offered by a local farm supports local agriculture while reducing costs associated with trucking food long distances.

REDUCE new toy purchases: Does your child or grandchild really need another plastic toy?  Instead, why not send some of their toys on “vacation” and return them when the child will be newly excited about them. A trip to the library, rather than purchasing a new book, might become a treasured memory.