2017-01-30

Produce less waste : tips and tricks

By Coline


Every year, 20 billion tonnes of rubbish are released into oceans. A Belgian citizen produces about 500 kilos of rubbish yearly. Those numbers are constantly rising, it is urgent and vital to adopt a responsible attitude. The Made & More team is committed to being eco-responsible. Little actions can have a massive impact on Earth.



Five years ago, Béa Johnson, a French woman who lives in the USA, became aware of that massive ecological problem. She cares about ecology and decluterring. She felt very uncomfortable with hyper-consumption. All in one, it led her to a radical change in her life. Her goal : going zero waste. An inspirational woman ! 

5 rules and benefits

Refuse what we do not need 
Single-use plasticware, free gifts, printed advertising, unsustainable practices (like business cards)...Minimum needs is the key. Instead of taking the flyers on the street (which you will throw a few meters away), simply refuse it. preprocess

Reduce 

Prefer quality over quantity.

Reuse
Reuse what you consume and what you can not refuse and reduce... If you use a trash bag to carry your muddy boots, do not throw the bag after it but reuse it as a trash bag.

Recycle
What you can not refuse, reduce and reuse. Bottle banks, sorting centres, make sure to recycle your waste.

Compost
Try to compost your organic materials. It will reduce your collected biodegradable waste weight. 


Simple everyday actions…


Reduce the us of packaging 

-Carry boxes during your shopping. Privilege bulk purchasing for meat, fruits, vegetables or cheeses.

- Prefer a big yoghurt cup instead of 6 small ones.

- Use a totebag, or a reusable bag to carry your purchases.

Trust alternative products preprocess

- Baking soda, black soap, vinegar... Many products can be used as detergent to clean naturally your house.

- Do your own washing powder with this simple and effective recipe.

- Ladies, you can replace your classic cotton padsby reusable coton pads : it is ecological, economical and usefull. ONE reusable coton pad corresponds to 300 classic cotton pads ! 



Print less

- Ask for electronic invoices instead of paper invoices.

- Scan instead of photocopying.

- Do your personal tax return on Internet.

- Use papers you do not need anymore as scrap papers. 

Increase the objects lifetime. 

- Flea markets, junk markets, second-hand shops... Objects you do not like anymore may please someone else !

- Groups like BEP carry out collections (old bikes, toys, books...).In that way, objects are repared or reused and do not become waste. 

Your wallet will thank you for all of that ! 




How to save money in changing some of your habits?



So, where will you travel in 10 years with this amount of money?

Would you prefer « white sandy beaches in Philippines » or « backpacking in Argentina » ?

Simple actions have a massive impact to preserve our Earth. This list represents only a very small portion of the actions you can take to decrease the waste generation.

Need Inspiration ? Bea Johnson's book : « Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste » and Amy Korst's book : « The Zero-Waste Lifestyle: Live Well by Throwing Away Less ».





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