Be More Committed to Recycling
Many people find recycling inconvenient but the time has come to be more committed as a family to take the time to recycle in your home.
28/04/2019
Here in South Africa, there are many municipalities, some in rural areas and many others in city suburbs, that still haven't put recycling facilities into place. While these municipalities consider it too costly to implement recycling, homeowners themselves should be more aware of the ways and methods to embark on a zero-waste lifestyle.
Convenient recycling centres
South Africa has established recycling centres around the country and you can easily pop onto the Internet to find your nearest recycling centre.
Easy steps to reduce your carbon footprint
There are plenty of ways and means to reduce your carbon footprint, whether at home or in the office. In this article we look at pertinent reasons why you should recycle and how you can make a difference:
- Be recycling conscious
When shopping for groceries it is in your best interests to buy items that offer the most sustainable or eco-friendly packaging. You ideally want to purchase items that is packed in containers that can be re-purposed, re-used, or recycled. Many South African manufacturers are taking the initiative to pack their goods using already recycled or biodegradable materials. A good example of this is the latest product launch by Sunlight celebrating its new 100% recycled and recyclable bottle.
More manufacturers should be taking this route to cut down on plastic waste. especially in view of the fact that 90% of an estimated 59 million tonnes of general waste manufactured in South Africa ended up in trash heaps.
Unilever, one of South Africa's largest consumables manufacturers, has already implemented a process of using recycled plastic to product bottles. When companies go to this length towards earth-friendly manufacturing, more people should support the effort and encourage other manufacturers to do the same.
- Cut down on household waste
South Africans need to cut down on household waste. As the population of the world increases, so does our household waste. If everyone tried to reduce the amount we use or consume, it would have a huge impact on waste management. Rather than throw out waste, first give some thought to whether or not it can be re-used.
The next step would be to establish your own recycling system whereby you set-up a routine for all your waste and that becomes a daily routine for the whole family to get involved in.
A simple yet effective recycling system will involve setting up a recycling station that can cater for:
The above waste items should be sorted into their own waste bins. If you only have a small space to donate to your recycling centre you can combine metal and glass waste, since both these items are 100% recyclable. Paper and food waste can both be added to your organic compost heap, which only really leaves plastic waste. Due to the fact that there are so many different types of plastic packaging, and not all of which can be recycled, you should make it a priority to either cut down on non-recyclable plastic (such as polystyrene) and look at how you can re-use these rather than throwing them out.
Using the above methods will cut your household waste dramatically and help towards reducing your carbon footprint. You can also click here to download the Treevolution beginner's guide to recycling.