We’ve all heard the slogan: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Sometimes, however, it’s easier to throw an old newspaper or empty cans in the trash instead of a recycling bin. But remember, just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t recycle and be less wasteful. Take a look at these 10 tips and see how you can live greener in your apartment.
All apartment buildings should have onsite recycling containers (and some even have dedicated recycling rooms on each floor, for maximum tenant convenience). If you’re not sure where the recycling bins in your building are located, check with your building staff.
Avoid disposables. Switch to reusables, like cloth napkins, at home. That cuts down on the amount of garbage created.
Avoid over-packaged products. Packaging accounts for one-third of all our garbage. Not all of it is necessary. Choose products which are not excessively wrapped.
Set Up a Recycling System: Now that you know where all this stuff is going, it’s time to set up your own recycling system. If your apartment accepts all recycling in one bin, then just put a single bin next to your trash can. However, in most cases, you will need two or three recycling bins. If there is limited space, stash reusable shopping bags inside one of the kitchen cabinets – one for plastic, one for glass, one for aluminium cans, etc.
Send old furniture and clothing to a second-hand shop or charity.
Buy durable products that are long-lasting. It’s no bargain to buy a cheap product only to have to replace it and create garbage, after a short time.
Take your shopping bags back to the store when you go shopping. Reuse your plastic shopping bags or better yet, use cloth shopping bags which can be used over and over.
As an alternative, donate your beverage containers to a charity to help with their fundraising. Scouts, Guides, sports clubs and other groups have been holding bottle drives for years. The expanded deposit/refund system now offers them more potential revenue.
Use separate bins: Designate a small plastic bin, garbage can, box, or reusable bag for each of your recyclable items: paper, glass, and metal. Take your bins a step further by labelling each bin to help ensure you and your guest’s separate items appropriately. Once you fill your bin, it’s easy to carry and unload it at a recycling centre or your building’s or apartment complex’s recycling bins. Keep returnable cans and bottles in a separate bin and take them to your supermarket for the refund.
Eliminate Excess Paper: Go paperless on your bills by signing up to receive email notifications instead of paper bills. Unsubscribe from mailing lists, catalogues, coupons, and retail advertisements to avoid receiving mail that you can view online or by email. This conserves paper and helps avoid the clutter of piles of paper.
For more details: Noel Projects
