Consumers are more conscious than ever before about fighting climate change by reducing their household waste. If you want to minimize your environmental impact, here are seven ways to get started.
- Bring your own bag. In Canada, up to 15 billion plastic checkout bags are used annually. Instead of contributing to this number, bring reusable grocery and produce bags with you every time you leave the house.
- Don’t buy single-use plastic. In December 2022 Canada introduced new regulations prohibiting some types of single-use plastics to reduce plastic waste. You can also play a part in reducing plastic waste, such as buying a reusable water bottle instead of single use plastic bottles.
- Buy secondhand clothes. Fast fashion has one of the most detrimental effects on the environment. It promotes over-consumption and depletes natural resources. Therefore, next time you need a new outfit, visit your local thrift shop to see what previously used items you can give a new life.
- Recycle as much as possible. Rules around recycling vary between cities and municipalities. Therefore, before putting anything in your blue disposal bins for your garbage collector to deal with, find out what goes where to ensure you’re doing your part.
- Go paperless. If you still receive bills and statements by mail, consider going digital to reduce your paper waste. You can also sign up for digital subscriptions to your favourite magazine or newspaper.
- Learn how to compost. Composting helps divert waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. If you have a garden, composting your food scraps makes sense. However, if that isn’t an option, look for alternatives. For example, you may be able to bring your food scraps to a nearby community garden.
- Support sustainable companies. It’s nearly impossible to avoid disposable products altogether. Therefore, purchase as many products as you can from eco-conscious companies. For example, local makers often use a lot less plastic packaging.
Municipal Waste Disposal and Management Services
Miller Waste Systems works closely with federal, provincial and municipal authorities to offer waste management and recycling solutions for residential and commercial customers in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We also design, build and operate several Material Recovery and Organic Waste Processing Facilities to ensure all types of waste and recycling are reduced, reused and recycled. Contact our team to learn how we can serve you.