JANUARY 2010 GROWING GREEN TOGETHER MONTHLY TIPS

Reduce and Divert Trash

Facts and Stats on Waste:

The average American generates 4.6 pounds of trash a dayAmericanʼs make up 5% of the worldʼs population and generate 40% of the worldʼs waste1/3 of the waste generated in the US is packaging Recycling an aluminum soda can saves 96% of the energy used to make a new can from ore, and

produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution Every year the US fills enough garbage trucks to form a line that would stretch from the Earth halfway to

the moon Every year, nearly 900,000,000 trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and

pulp mills The average American, in one lifetime, uses: 18 tons of paper, 23 tons of wood, 16 tons of metal, and

32 tons of organic chemicals Throwing away one aluminum can wastes as much energy as if that can were 1/2 full of gasoline As of 1992, 14 billion pounds of trash were dumped into ocean annually around the world1,500 aluminum cans are recycled every second in the U.S.

Ways to Reduce Your Waste: (feel free to pick and choose from this list to create a plan that will work for you)

I will: ____ reuse 100% of non-recyclable plastics ____ recycle and select products that are made from recycled material ____ will bring my own reusable mug every time I buy coffee/tea on the go ____ bring my own bags every time I shop ____ refrain from buying bottled water/juices/liquids and instead use a reusable mug or thermos ____ clean out my home of unused appliances, items, clothes and donate them ____ refrain from buying new clothes, appliances, etc. ____ start a compost to reduce the amount of trash my household produces ____ use only natural or organic cleaning products and dispose appropriately (see below) of my chemical collection under the sink ____ buy 90% of foods that are available in bulk from the bulk bins, in order to reduce the packaging that I buy and bring home

Coulee Partners for SustainabilityLiving respectfully, responsibly and reverently with one another and with Earth.

JANUARY 2010 GROWING GREEN TOGETHER MONTHLY TIPS

More ideas to incorporate into your daily habits Buy products that are minimally packaged, or that use packaging that can be reused or recycled Buy in bulk whenever possible- and bring your own recycled bags and containers Buy larger packages when possible- for example, one giant bottle of detergent creates less waste than three small bottles

Buy concentrated products Buy used whenever possible (garage sales, Craigslist, Freecycle, and secondhand stores are all great resources)

Donʼt buy single serving goods or foods Reduce the number of things you bring into your house. Borrow, rent or share things you donʼt use often. For example, share a lawnmower or rent a carpet cleaner if you need one-- this will save money too.

Resist consumerism, weigh purchases carefully, always asking “do I need this?”. Cook at home rather than eating take out, which requires packaging that is generally thrown out. Avoid buying foods that are package intensive, such as microwave meals, frozen dinners, and packaged prepared foods.

Buy milk in glass bottles that can be washed and reused. Buy reusable products (cloth diapers, cloth napkins, reusable water bottles) Buy rechargeable batteries. Choose durability: Buy quality products. Maintain your things; take good care of your clothes and appliances. Repair items that can be repaired instead of replacing them.

Buy used electronics if possible, such as a refurbished laptop or recycled cell phone. Reuse paper and print on both sides. Talk to others about reducing their waste. Maintain your vehicle so that it lasts as long as possible. Dispose of household hazardous waste properly such as paints, cleaners, oils, pesticides and

batteries

Field Trip: Go To the Dump or Landfill It is easy to be unaware of the sheer enormity of waste we produce. We put our trash out in the morning and come afternoon it is magically gone. This system shields us from the process and visual evidence of how much trash is being sent to landfills. By going to a dump you may find inspiration to further cut down your own waste stream- or engage your friends and family in taking action to reduce their trash output.

In Wisconsin, we generate 4.6 million tons of trash and recyclables each year. That's enough to fill a typical city street over 4 feet deep with trash (curb to curb) for 575 miles! If you remove the recyclables, only 357 miles would be filled with trash.

In the United States, we generate enough trash and recyclables each day to fill 72,450 garbage trucks that hold 9 tons of trash each. If you remove the recyclables, only 44,919 garbage trucks would be needed.

JANUARY 2010 GROWING GREEN TOGETHER MONTHLY TIPS

For More Information, Check Out: Read about an NWEI volunteerʼs efforts to reduce his trash last year: http://www.nwei.org/news/earthmatters-newsletter-spring-2009

Guides and information regarding waste: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm

The Secret Life Of T-Shirts http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4695 A list of great blogs and bloggers experimenting and reporting on their attempt to eliminate trash http://www.greenecoservices.com/top-13-trash-blogs Junk the junk mail: catalogchoice.org, greendimes.com and 41pounds.org

Learn to share: neighborrow.com and borrowme.com How to make compost at : compostguide.com

Household Hazardous Materials Collection: www.co.la-crosse.wi.us, select Household Hazardous Materials under General Information or call 785-9999 Go to the Wisconsin DNR at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/wm/ for more information

Last thoughts:2001 recovery rates for glass in other countries: Austria: 83 percent, Sweden: 84 percent, Germany: 87 percent, Belgium and Norway: 88 percent, Finland: 91 percent, and Switzerland: 92 percent.from European Glass Container Federation (FEVE)

February 2003 US glass recovery rate for 2000 was just more than 26 percent.from Environmental Protection Agency, "Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2000 Facts and Figures," 2002

Between 1990 and 2000, Americans wasted 7.1 million tons of cans: enough to manufacture 316,000 Boeing 737 airplanes. from Container Recycling Institute, Jennifer Gitlitz, "Trashed Cans: The Global Environmental Impacts of Aluminum Can Wasting in America," 2002

Americans throw away enough office and writing paper each year to build a wall twelve-feet high stretching from New York City to Los Angeles.  

And for a more in-depth analysis of the value of recycling, click here to read an article (PDF) from Waste Management World.

A special thanks goes to the Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) for allowing us to reproduce most of the material included in this Tip Sheet.