Everyone knows that America's environmental footprint is pretty terrible. I mean, we've all seen the pictures of trash in the ocean, we've all seen the landfills, and we all know we've created a huge amount of air pollution. And really, it's incredibly overwhelming. With so much pollution, a lot of times it seems like anything we do, even on a small scale, wouldn't even make a difference.
But it's time to start thinking differently.
Every DAY each American produces an average of 4.4 pounds of trash. Over a year this adds up to 254 million tons of trash, with only a third of that trash being recycled.
We can do better than that just by changing some of our daily habits and encouraging others to do so as well. Here are some things you should be doing every day that will make a huge difference:
Ditch the plastic straws.
Americans use 500 million straws EVERY DAY! How crazy is that! And if you think about it, do you really need that straw in your drink? If the answer is no, it's super easy to ask for your drink without one. And if the answer is yes, there is an alternative! There are lots of places where you can buy reusable straws.
If you don't have to drive, don't.
I know so many people at my school who drive just to get somewhere across campus. While this might not seem like a big deal, your emissions can really add up. Instead of driving everywhere you go, consider leaving a little early and walk or bike to your destination instead.
Ditch the plastic bags.
Every year Americans go through 100 billion plastic bags! Throw some reusable bags in your car for whenever you go out shopping.
Stop bagging your fruits and vegetables.
This goes with the last bullet but it's a total myth that you have to use those little plastic bags for your fruits and vegetables. Bring your own bags for your produce!
Watch how much fast food you eat.
The next time you pick up food to-go, take a look at how much trash you have at the end of the meal. You have your bag the food comes in, the food packaging, napkins, cup, and probably more. There is a lot of waste that comes with every "happy meal." Next time you get a craving, consider eating at home instead. Your body, your wallet, and the earth will thank you later.
Eat more fruits and veggies!
All the processed foods that you'll find in the aisles of the grocery store come with A LOT of packaging. It can seem very overwhelming because it almost seems like there's no way to get around it. But the answer to less waste is right in your produce aisle. Not only will you be eating more healthy foods, but the more you buy fruits and vegetables, the less waste you'll be producing from packaging.
Donate, don't throw away.
As an RA on-campus housing, I was shocked to see all of the perfectly good valuables that were thrown away during move-out simply because people didn't want them anymore. Instead of throwing them out, put your possessions to better use by donating them. You might no longer have a use for them, but someone else might.
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