As a busy college student, the last thought on my mind is what I’m buying and throwing away. ‘Fast and easy’ is the motto when it comes to buying food or anything in general. By not paying attention to what you buy, you are potentially harming the environment. I am here to provide you with four easy strategies you can use to reduce your waste, therefore reducing the harmful impact on the world around you.
1. Use Reusable Bags
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Reusable bags will cost you between ninety-nine cents and six dollars at local markets. When you go to the market, the first section you walk through is the ‘fresh produce’ section. As you pick out your greens and fruits, you are often met with a plastic bag disposer: avoid using these bags at all costs!
Instead of using the environmentally damaging plastic bag to contain your produce, you can use your reusable bags instead. I have one bag specifically for fresh produce and a few others for additional items I may buy throughout the market.
2. Utilize the Containers You Purchase
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Before you purchase anything, give it a second thought as to if you can reuse it. For instance, I will occasionally buy jelly and once I am finished with it I will clean the container it came in and reuse it for grains or pasta in the future. Mason jars are a wise investment because you can use them to hold food, jewelry, potted plants or you can even make a DIY project to decorate your room!
3. Thrift
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This idea may not be for everyone but if you are interested in it, please try to thrift! Not only can you buy clothes that have barely been touched and for more than half off their original price, you can also donate your own, giving someone else the opportunity to reuse your clothing. Many big thrift stores will give you a percentage off a thrifting trip if you donate some of your own things. Not only can you thrift clothing, but you can also thrift things like plates, mason jars and books! Thrifting allows you to reduce the amount of materials and waste products that come from making new items. When you reuse, you’re not only saving money but you are also helping the earth!
4. Use Biodegradable and Reusable Products
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Similar to strategy number two, you can reuse the things you buy. I like purchasing foods that are held in a glass jar. At many markets you can even use mason jars to dispense bulk foods such as almonds and coffee beans. Bamboo dental products are great because they are biodegradable! Hundreds of thousands of plastic toothbrushes lay in our landfills and scatter our oceans. Other bamboo products to purchase are bamboo kitchen necessities such as soup spoons or cutting boards.