Download The average American throws out 550 pounds of paper, 318 pounds

The average American throws out 550 pounds of paper, 318 pounds of food, and 90
pounds of glass per year? About 80 percent of that garbage ends up in landfills.
Inspired to do better, those living a sustainable lifestyle are striving to live a zero
waste lifestyle as well.
Zero waste is a concept aimed at eliminating waste and redefining the way in which
we manage and use our resources. zero waste looks at developing and creating
products that would use fewer materials and could be easily reused and recycled
back into nature or the market place.
Impacts of Waste
Disposing of waste has huge environmental impacts and can cause serious problems.
Some waste will eventually rot, but not all, and in the process it may smell or
generate methane gas, which is explosive and contributes to the greenhouse effect.
Leachate produced as waste decomposes may cause pollution. Badly-managed
landfill sites may attract vermin or cause litter.
Incinerating waste also causes problems, because plastics tend to produce toxic
substances, such as dioxins, when they are burnt. Gases from incineration may
cause air pollution and contribute to acid rain, while the ash from incinerators may
contain heavy metals and other toxins.
Tips for Zero Waste Living

Don’t buy things you don’t need.

Avoid disposable products, designed to be thrown away.

Don’t buy over packaged goods.

Buy things that are well made and will last.

Buy things in returnable containers – and return the containers once empty.

Concentrated products give you more active ingredient but make sure you do not
use too much – follow the instructions.

Buying in bulk, if you have the money and storage space and need the goods,
reduces the amount of packaging.

Taking your own shopping bag means you don’t need to use plastic carrier bags.

For some products refill packs can be bought, which use less packaging.

Jam-jars and bottles can be used for storing all manner of things – but make sure
they are properly labeled.

Plastic carrier bags can be reused several times as shopping bags, can be used to
take items to be reused/recycled, and can be used as bin liners.

Old clothes, books, toys, unwanted gifts and household goods are easy to reuse:
give them to a charity shop.

Envelopes can be reused with a reuse label (plain or printed) or can be used as
scrap paper.
Local Household and Commercial Recycling Programs
South Tahoe Refuse