8 Ways You Can Contribute To Responsible Waste Management
Waste management is how waste is collected, transported, and disposed of. It involves the treatment of liquid and solid wastes, regulating and monitoring how these wastes are managed.
During the treatment procedure, waste is either disposed of entirely or recycled. This is because the primary idea behind waste management is to reuse waste products to reduce the effects of climate change and global warming.
Disposing waste in Sydney or any part of the world can also be done through fermentation, composting, incineration, and source reduction. But as a concerned individual in climate change, here are some ways you can contribute to responsible waste management:
1. Purchase Wisely
Keep in mind that the demand dictates the supply. The manufacturing and sale of products begin with buyers. If companies are making non-sustainable products, it’s because buyers keep demanding such goods. That being the case, the first step to contributing meaningfully to global warming is to limit the demand for products deemed toxic to the environment.
2. Use Less Plastic
Plastic pollution is a serious issue affecting the world. It takes about 1000 years for plastic to decompose. The sea contains several plastic wastes, which is a significant challenge to marine life. Plastics also emit harmful greenhouse gases when they’re disposed of in landfills.
Looking at the grim effects of plastic, it’s essential to look for alternatives. For instance, instead of using plastic cups and plastic bags, you can use paper cups and paper bags as an alternative. It’s also a great idea to recycle old clothes to be used as grocery bags, an eco-friendly option and trendy too.
3. Separate Wastes
Use different bins for wastes — one for glass, another for paper, and another for metal. The separation allows you to know what to do with each garbage. For instance, wet wastes can be used for composting, reducing the garbage burden on landfills.
Besides, when you separate wastes, you can decide which are biodegradable and non-biodegradable. This process, as simple as it is, makes it easier when sorting garbage for recycling and reuse.
4. Use to Reuse
An excellent way to reduce waste is to reuse your household waste. For example, plastic debris can be reused as DIY showpieces or plastic decorations. Old woods and pallets can also be reused to construct compost bins.
Toiletries like shampoo bottles can be reused as cell charging stations, and old brushes can function as cleaning tools. Be creative with your products, and you won’t need to buy household items when you can easily improvise.
5. Convert Waste to Energy
Waste disposal is not enough, so you need to recycle them and convert them to a required form of energy. Paper, plastic, and cardboard have more value when used as fuel. In contrast, people might argue that converting waste to energy leads to increased carbon dioxide emissions. Still, by keeping your garbage in landfills, all the energy is lost to the environment, unlike when they’re converted to power some beneficial needs to save in purchasing more energy.
6. Join, Buy and Sell in Groups
There’s someone always interested in the old items you have at your place. So, becoming part of a group of people who put old items up for sale will open you to buyers. Instead of keeping the things at home where they take up space, you can make money off them. Your useless items are helpful to other people. By selling, you prevent the items from going to landfills where they become wastes.
7. Buy in Bulk
Instead of buying one by one, buy the things you need at once. This will save you time and money. Besides, instead of getting different packaging at every buying time, you only get one when you buy in bulk. This reduces waste and protects the environment. While buying in bulk, you can also use reusable containers for goods to enable a shopping experience with zero waste.
8. Use All The Produce
Some food items should be consumed whole without leaving a thing to waste. Items, such as fruits and vegetables, are comprehensively consumable and beneficial. While you can consume the inner parts, the outer parts can be used as pasture. Besides, the skin of some fruits and veggies has nutritious fibers and can be used for making salad, smoothies, and tea.
Conclusion
Waste management is a crucial topic today if the world is to reduce the effects of climate change and global warming. It has been practiced from industries running greener businesses to individuals taking responsible actions towards effective waste management. Keeping the environment safe and healthy requires you to find ways to reduce the amount of waste you generate from everyday activities and recycle products where necessary.
Salman Zafar is an ecopreneur, consultant, advisor, speaker and journalist with expertise in waste management, waste-to-energy, renewable energy, environment protection, conservation and sustainable development. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Salman is the Founder of EcoMENA, a popular voluntary organization based in Qatar. He is also the Founder and CEO of BioEnergy Consult, a reputed consulting firm active in biomass, waste-to-energy and waste management segments.
Salman is a professional environmental writer with more than 350 popular articles to his credit. He is proactively engaged in creating mass environmental awareness in different parts of the world.
Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org or salman@bioenergyconsult.com
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