Written by Kara Permisohn, EBP

Kara has worked in business development for Minkoff Company, Inc. since 2004. She is a past president of the Chesapeake Region Chapter of CAI (CRC- CAI), has served on both WMCCAI and CRCCAI Boards of Directors, and is active on committees in both chapters.

As we begin the new year it’s the perfect time to get a fresh start with spring cleaning in January! Most people are familiar with the three R’s for improving our carbon footprint — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle but how much do you and your community practice these?

It seems commonplace to put our recycled items in the “little blue bin” that our local municipalities provide but did you know that only about 11% of those recycled mate- rials get processed as such. How is this possible when that’s the whole purpose of these programs? Throughout the year there are many ways to help reduce daily waste which will save time and money, while also making the Earth a more sustainable place! All it takes is a little ingenuity and patience.

Due to lack of knowledge by consumers when recycling, compliance with best practices is generally not followed so items become ineligible for recycling and still end up in the garbage and our landfills. Many items are placed in the paper bin that really qualify for the comingled items. For example, paper food containers like a carton of milk with any type of coating to keep from leaking qualify for comingled items. They can be recycled just not with regular paper products. Plastic containers with any food remanence are not able to be melted down because they contaminate the materials for reuse. How often do you have supplies that you don’t know what to do with, so they end in a landfill? Consider some alternatives to how you think about everyday materials and creative ways to repurpose or pass them on. Remember, one person trash is often another’s treasure.

Education is something that your community can provide to homeowners and residents. Be sure to post visible signage in recycle areas and on bins for what is acceptable. Host seminars on best practices in conjunction with regularly scheduled Board meetings. Many contracted providers will offer free information or demonstrations. Additionally, several local governments, such as Montgomery County, offer education and incentive programs encouraging recycling. All you need to do is ask!

FIRST REDUCE

According to Keep America Beautiful the average person generates roughly 4.3 pounds of waste every day. This translates into over 55% of 220 million tons of waste generated in the U.S. which go straight to landfills. The best way to limit the impact is to start by REDUCING waste. Here are ten suggestions for ways to make a huge difference!

1. Reusable bags and containers. Take them with you when you shop, travel or pack food. There are many products on the market to help eliminate the waste of bags in stores. Many are made from recycled materials and are even waterproof such as silicone, BPA free food bags and dishwasher safe containers.
2. Instead of buying bottled water consider carrying a reusable bottle, coffee mug, or even plates. Filtration systems are widely available to install in your home and office.
3. Skip using individually wrapped items like snack packs or single-serving portioned foods. In fact, food is one of the largest ways to make a positive difference. Under the Bill Emmerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, donors are protected from liability for their good faith donations. ‘This includes seconds from grocery stores and farms, or leftovers from restaurants and caterers, even wholesalers can donate unwanted items to shelters and other organizations. Members of your community can volunteer to help with gleaning. This is the process of hand picking and delivering leftover produce to nonprofits and shelters that are no longer economical to harvest.
4. Composting is another way to reduce overall waste in our landfills. Consider having a community designated compost area and encourage others to compost in their kitchens. Food scraps and yard debris are composted into nutrient rich fertilizer which also helps the soil. A bonus might be to use the composted soil in a community garden!
5. Unsubscribe from receiving mailings to paying your bills online. Going paperless can help eliminate an average of 30 pounds of junk mail that Americans receive every year. That’s the weight of a young child and this helps save trees!
6. Forget using paper towels and swap them out for sponges, wash cloths or reusable napkins
7. Consider methods to eliminate excess use of paper in general. Start by printing on both sides of a page. If something doesn’t print properly use the backside as a notepad or to reprint new information. Other items that make for great note pads are old envelopes.
8. Buying in bulk helps reduce excess packaging waste and you’ll likely save money.
9. Repurpose old things such as tee shirts for cleaning rags or containers for storage of items like office supplies.
10. Donate items you no longer need or want. Someone thrifty or less fortunate can always use gently worn clothing, furniture, household supplies, tools, toys, and so much more!

 

SECOND REUSE

One of the best ways to keep trash out of landfills and save tons of money is to REUSE or share items. Boston House Condominium in Washington, DC has an area in their garage where residents can leave unwanted items and then other residents often take them. Whatever is left is removed by the trash company on a weekly basis.

Programs like Market Place in BuildingLink is often used to sell and give away items among residents. Here are several other free apps which offer swapping or selling. NextDoor is based on your zip code, Facebook Marketplace offers listings to buy or sell items, Listia has options to swap unused items, Peerby is useful for sharing stuff like tools, ThredUp helps buy and sell gently, like-new clothing and accessories, Craiglist Pro is excellent for swapping, selling, or giving away virtually anything, and TrashNothing brings FreeCycling to your phone. It is also for sharing or giving away things you no longer need.

Consignment, thrift, or second-hand stores are another terrific way to make use of perfectly good materials that other people give away. You can often find clothing items with the original tags that were donated because people can’t keep track of their own closets! In the Washington Metro regions stores like Good Will, PlanetAid and Habitat for Humanity ReStores are widely available. Habitat ReStores even carries home improvement items that can be used on the homes they build. By shopping at these places, you contribute to helping provide decent shelter for people in the United States and globally. They’re always searching for volunteers to help collect and sort donations. Your community can come together and provide the helping hands. By doing so you save valuable dollars on staffing which are turned around to put back into new projects. If you’re considering a renovation there are often programs who can benefit from appliances, electronics, furniture, office supplies and more.

Consider items that you haven’t used in quite some time that are collecting dust in storage. Ask yourself, do I need this or is there someone else who might benefit more from my donation? It’s much easier to let go knowing that your junk is going to a useful place! Schools and scout troops are often looking for craft and art supplies. Does your neighborhood senior center have people who enjoy knitting?

 

Give them those extra skeins of yarn. Pet shelters can always use lightly used blankets, toys, leashes, bowls, treats and food. You might even be able to donate leftover pet medications through your veterinary practice if they do pro bono work.

FINALLY RECYCLE

The benefits of RECYCLING are innumerable. First the amount of waste that goes to landfills or incinerators is reduced. It helps conserve natural resources such as water, timber, and minerals. By tapping into domestic sources of materials you increase economic security and provide jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries. People don’t realize how recycling helps prevent pollution and reduces the need to collect new raw materials. Not to mention that energy is saved in the process, and you support American manufacturing.

Basic blue bins for collecting recyclables are commonplace today. What you might not realize is how many items are made from recycled materials that help improve sustainability. Curbside collections are probably the easiest place to start. Check online to see what services are available in your local jurisdiction. The more products we use from recycled stuff strengthens the demand for building recycling commodities and increase incentives for correct and adequate recycling globally. Did you know that in some areas you can recycle plastic or glass bottles and aluminum cans for money? With a little research you might find a facility near you.

Your community can make a difference by offering programs such as a neighborhood shredding day. Let’s face it. We as humans can be generally lazy about things so the easier you make a process to follow the more likely they will participate. If you provide community wide opportunities, it’s more likely that your efforts will make a real difference.

Many government entities and private businesses offer guides as references to locations that will accept hard to recycle items. Household hazardous waste (HHW) includes items such as batteries, ink cartridges, and electronics. Try your local BestBuy store for accepting these recyclable items. You can also bring old printers, computers, and cords to their customer service department for repurposing parts. Your state and county trash facilities generally accept paint and cleaning chemicals if prepared to specific guidelines. Pharmacies often have medically safe envelopes to collect old pills that are mailed for proper disposal to prevent contamination of natural water sources.

The more we can reduce our carbon footprints in our living spaces the more the state of our futures will continue to improve. Imagine what a positive impact an entire community, neighborhood, town, city, or state might make if we work together to be the change that is needed to save our beautiful planet!

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