Are you looking to reduce your carbon footprint but unsure where to start? Why not begin with your home! Reducing household waste is a surprisingly simple way to reduce individual carbon footprint. Moreover, with environmentally conscious design being increasingly integrated into the design and architecture of new developments, there has never been a better time to start reducing waste in your daily life.
Meal prep
Preparing your weekly meals once or twice a week is an excellent way to save time and reduce waste. Prepare all your lunches for the week on a Sunday night and put them in the fridge or freezer until the day you want to eat them. If you’re going into work, this will help you avoid all the excess packaging and waste that comes with takeaway food. If you’re at home, preparing your meals in bulk means you’ll use up all your food instead of letting it go off throughout the week.
To take an extra step, consider shopping locally or buying your groceries at a farmers market. This way, you only buy what you need; reducing the possibility of any food going to waste. You can also reuse takeaway containers to store your prepared meals for the week.
Invest in quality items
We often hear how it’s beneficial to buy quality products over quality, and it’s definitely applicable to reducing household waste. For example, instead of buying cheap furniture that will deteriorate in a year or two, think about investing in something that is perhaps more expensive but will last for a number of years, or even decades to come.
Mirvac’s recent collaboration with the UNSW Centre of Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT), is an example of how waste can even be recycled to create innovative and stylish household furniture. Pavilions at Sydney Olympic Park features flooring, wall tiles, lighting features, kitchens, furniture and even artworks made from waste glass and textiles.
SMaRT is led by Professor Veena Sahajwalla, a global pioneer in waste technology. This partnership demonstrates quality, commercially viable, sustainable alternatives for interior design. This sustainable initiative considers the entire life cycle of all building materials.
Say no to junk mail
Saying no to junk mail is a simple but impactful way to reduce your waste. Not only can this dramatically decrease the amount of paper your household discards every year, but it can also help send an important message to companies. The more people who refuse junk mail in their letterbox, the more likely that junk mail will stop being sent out altogether.
Use e-waste recycling services
Like many of us, you may have a number of miscellaneous cords, old computer monitors and random electrical equipment lying around that isn’t suitable for your typical recycling bin. Many local council areas around Australia offer e-waste services, where they will often collect old electronics from your house and responsibly dispose of e-waste.
If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, reducing your household waste is an excellent first step.
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