Tips to Living a Zero Waste Lifestyle

Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company
Aug 2, 2010 4:08 PM ET

Taiga Company Blog

Were you aware that the average American throws out 550 pounds of paper, 318 pounds of food, and 90 pounds of glass per year?   About 80 percent of that garbage ends up in landfills.  Inspired to do better, those living a sustainable lifestyle are striving to live a zero waste lifestyle as well. 

Within our eco friendly training we share the intention behind a zero waste lifestyle is to  maximize recycling, minimizes waste, reduces consumption and ensures that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back into nature or the marketplace.   A quick start to set you on your personal sustainability plan on waste reduction will not only reduce waste, but save you money as well.  But what does reducing waste mean?  When you avoid making garbage in the first place, you eliminate the disposing of waste or recycling it later.  It's the first component of the sustainability concept of the three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle.    Ready to get started?  Check out your garbage!  Your garbage gives you clues as to how to reduce waste, save money, and live a more sustainable lifestyle.    Clue #1: This is an easy one.  If you look in your garbage and notice paper, plastic, aluminum, kitchen waste and more all combined together, then your first step towards building a personal sustainability program is to embrace the sustainability concept of recycle.  Separate the paper, plastics, glass, and aluminum into bins and begin a recycling program.    Clue #2: Inspect the paper and plastic in your garbage.  Are the paper products you are using made from recycled content?  Do you receive a lot of junk mail? Are you using reusable containers?  What kind of garbage bags do you use?  Take eco action and make a difference.  Address each area and explore ways to reduce your waste as well as make more environmentally friendly choices.    Following are some suggestions from our eco friendly training classes: click here to continue reading.  

Home to one third of the earth's trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company's vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the "oxygen for your business".

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