Welcome

Small Changes, Big Impact: Our Journey Toward Less Waste

Contributed by: Nancy & Bill MacBride

As part of our new Club Environmental Committee, Nancy and I have made a more intentional effort over the past several months to reduce the amount of waste we generate at home. Like many people, we wanted to find practical ways to lessen our environmental impact without dramatically changing our daily lives.

We thought other Club members might enjoy hearing about some of the approaches that have worked for us.

This is not intended to be a scientific study or a definitive guide. As a friend from Republic Recycling once joked during casual conversations, “we’re just talking trash.” Still, we have seen measurable results from the changes we’ve made.

Before implementing these efforts, our household typically filled:

• One 48-gallon trash container every week
• One 95-gallon recycling container every four weeks 

Today, we fill:

• One 48-gallon trash container every six weeks
• One 95-gallon recycling container every six to eight weeks 

Much of the remaining material is now composted or recycled through alternative programs.

Our goals have been simple:

1. Reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill
2. Reduce overall consumption whenever possible 

Below are some of the practices that have helped us. We recommend starting with just a few changes at a time rather than trying to do everything at once.

Managing Household Waste: Food and Organic Waste

After each meal, we separate food scraps and use a drain strainer to keep smaller particles out of the sink. Food waste goes into a small kitchen container, which is later emptied into a larger five-gallon compost bucket stored in the garage.

A local compost company, such as Yes Compost, picks up the material monthly for a fee. Compostable items can include:

• Food scraps
• Small garden waste
• Compostable serving products 

In return, compost soil is periodically provided back to customers. For those willing to invest more time, home composting is another excellent option.

Recycling Beyond the Blue Bin: Standard Recycling

We continue to use Republic Recycling for traditional recyclable materials such as:

• Paper and cardboard
• Aluminum
• Steel
• Plastic containers labeled #1 and #2 

However, many household materials are not accepted through standard curbside recycling.

Glass Recycling: We separate glass containers, remove lids, and take them to Four Corners Recycling on Recycling Way off Jackrabbit Road. The service is free and includes separate collection bins for glass.

Plastic bags and wrappers: Plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, food wrappers, and other difficult-to-recycle plastics are collected separately.

Specialty plastics: Plastic lids, non-#1 or #2 plastic containers, multi-layer packaging (such as candy wrappers) can often be recycled through specialty services like Ridwell.

Clothing and Fabrics: Many people believe donated clothing is reused overseas, but much of it ultimately ends up in landfills. For now, donating usable items to reputable thrift stores remains one of the better solutions.

There are encouraging innovations emerging in textile recycling, including projects in Europe that shred fabric into reusable construction materials.

Sensitive documents: Financial, medical, and legal documents should always be shredded before disposal. Options include:

• Home shredders
• Bank or financial institution shredding services
• Commercial shredding companies 

Unfortunately, some items still have limited disposal alternatives, including: Food-soiled paper, large yard waste, metal jar lids, and hygiene products. Whenever possible, we try to minimize these items, but some waste remains unavoidable.

Reducing Everyday Household Waste

Replace disposable paper products: Using washable cloth napkins instead of paper napkins and towels can significantly reduce waste over time.

Choose lower-waste soap products: Whenever possible, we purchase:

• Dishwasher soap in cardboard boxes
• Bar soap wrapped in paper
• Shampoo and conditioner bars instead of liquids in plastic bottles 

Reuse food storage bags: We wash and reuse resealable plastic bags and sturdy food packaging bags, such as cheese bags.

Avoid single-use cleaning products: Choosing reusable cleaning cloths and refillable containers helps reduce unnecessary plastic waste.

Reducing Waste Before It Starts

Bring reusable shopping bags: Reusable tote bags are one of the simplest ways to reduce waste — remembering to bring them is often the hardest part.

Request paper wrapped meat and fish: Instead of purchasing meat or seafood packaged on plastic-wrapped Styrofoam trays, ask the butcher counter for paper wrapping whenever possible.

Maintain and repair larger purchases: Keeping vehicles, appliances, and other major items longer is often both economical and environmentally beneficial. Repairing and maintaining products reduces demand for new manufacturing and conserves natural resources.

For example, our Volkswagen is now 51 years old.

Buying used items can also help extend the life cycle of consumer goods. And when large metal items finally reach the end of their usefulness, recycling centers such as Pacific Steel & Recycling may be an option.

Every Small Step Matters

Reducing waste does not require perfection. Even small, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference over time. We hope some of these ideas inspire you to try a few new approaches in your own home.