There used to be a time when it was common to “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
In our modern society, however, many have developed a different mentality. Neil LaBute, a former BYU student who later became a screenwriter and film director, said, “We live in a disposable society. It's easier to throw things out than to fix them.”
But this mind-set is costing us in a variety of ways, the first of which is one that can't be easily ignored.
In 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that the United States produced more than 243 million tons of garbage. This is equivalent to burying more than 82,000 football fields 6 feet deep in compacted garbage. Between 1960 and 2009 the amount of waste each person created has increased from 2.7 pounds to 4.3 pounds per day.
Something else to consider, especially with the continuing economic downturn, is that disposing of something that hasn't outlived its usefulness is equivalent to throwing away the hard-earned cash used to purchase the item.
So with all that in mind, it might pay to reconsider not just how consumers spend, but how they make use of what we've bought.
There are many steps consumers can take to get the most out of the items they buy and use and many sources for some great information. Besides information provided by the EPA, try visiting websites like Beingfrugal.com, Allthingsfrugal.com and ecomii.com. In the meantime, here are five basic steps to get started.
Step 1: Use reusable items such as rechargeable batteries, cloth napkins and towels, stainless steel water bottles, and refillable pens and pencils. Even something as simple as not using disposable plates, cups and utensils at an outdoor BBQ, instead opting for a lightweight reusable picnic set, will go a long way. When it comes to single-use items, use them sparingly and take only what's needed.
Step 2: Taking a bit of extra effort to clean, repair or maintain items to keep them reusable goes a long way in helping the environment and is friendly on the pocketbook as well. Do a little consumer research beforehand when buying large items like appliances in order to know which products are less likely to break down.
When something does break down, there are many websites dedicated to home repairs such as Howtofixyourstuff.com, or visit the manufacturer’s website to troubleshoot certain problems. And when tempted to replace items like cellphones and computers with the latest gadget, make sure that older items are either given a new life through a local charity or disposed of properly.
Step 3: Donating or selling unwanted items is even better than recycling because it eliminates the energy costs involved in processing recycled items. Do this through a classified ad, garage sale, swap meet, local charity or even family and friends. There are many online sites where you can buy and sell items secondhand as well. One of the largest is Ebay.com.
Step 4: Besides saving natural resources, energy and landfill space, frequent reuse of items can save you a lot of money because reusing costs you nothing. Print on both sides of the paper or use as scrap paper. Reuse plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap and packaging "peanuts." Save and reuse wrapping paper and ribbon or think of alternative uses for items.
Things like egg cartons and empty containers can be used for storage and crafts. Plastic bottles can be used to store water for emergency purposes. There are hundreds of possibilities; all it takes is a little creativity and thinking "outside the box."
Step 5: Instead of spending money on books, movie rentals or CDs, use your local library and take advantage of its shared resources. There are many online "swap" sites where you can trade items like books and movies as well.
In the end, reducing waste does require a bit of extra effort and an added awareness about what we throw away and what we keep.
Consumers can all agree with the EPA, “Less waste means less of a waste problem.”
Kim has written for magazines like LDSLiving, the Washington Family, Back Home, Parents & Kids, and Natural Life. She has two novels with Covenant Communications. Visit her at www.kcgrant.com.