The way we use and dispose of the Earth’s resources is fundamentally broken. We extract resources at ever-increasing rates to make consumer goods, which soon end up in landfills due to a lack of other solutions.
But our planet’s resources are not infinite, and our trash can be toxic. If we don’t change course, we face resource depletion and growing toxicity in our air, soil, water, and bodies.
1. Plastic Water Bottles: 50 billion plastic water bottles are used each year. Although they are picked up by curbside recycling programs , only around 23 percent of these bottles are actually recycled. In addition plastic is not a sustainable material because it requires the extraction of more resources to make more water bottles.
2. Plastic Utensils: I know these seem like a quick and easy solution for having guests over or for your lunch at work. But in the long run these items end up in landfills and are detrimental to us. For each plastic fork, think about the petroleum oil that has to be extracted and the chemicals that will ooze out of it when it ends up in a landfill.
3. Ziploc Bags: stop wasting your money on these disposable plastic bags. They are hard to recycle and most curbside recycling programs do not accept them.
4. Batteries: disposable batteries are not only a waste of money but are very toxic when they enter landfills. They contain harmful metals like nickel,cadium, cobalt and they also contain mercury. If these chemicals leach into our environment, they are detrimental to our health and wildlife. Buy rechargeable batteries that can last up to 5,000 recharges.
5. Plastic Shopping Bags: Paper or plastic? How about neither! These bags are making their way into the ocean and are ending up in the bodies of our wildlife. Bring your own reusable bag when shopping at grocery stores, retail stores, etc. Find a smartphone app that will remind you to bring your reusable bags every time you are near a store here!
6. Pens and Ink Cartridges: Every school year we all buy new disposable pens and ink cartridges but where do the old ones go? Most likely they end up in landfills. To avoid this, buy refillable pens and ink cartridges.
7. Styrofoam: Resist accepting this packaging for left overs at a restaurant or for hot beverages at Dunkin Donuts. You cannot easily recycle this material and it breaks up into small toxic pieces in landfills. Bring your own containers to take extra food!
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