It's time for a lifestyle change!

The gluttony of our lifestyles has truly gotten out of control. The statistics for the amount of waste we produce and food we throw away is disgusting. In an article by National Geographic it was estimated that the average American throws away over 4 pounds of trash daily. (http://energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2011/11/15/five-ways-to-make-recycling-pay/) Not only is this wasteful but we often forget to think about where our trash is going. Does it go to a landfill or incinerator? What about toxic wastes, are they properly dealt with? All of these questions are important, but I want to back up one step. What if we stop these wastes before they even get to the landfill?

Keep in mind the four R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover. Simple things like limiting the amount of documents you print out, reusing materials by donating and shopping at a thrift store, and recycling as much as possible will make a huge difference. A good friend of mine and her roommate are vegan, and try to live a very earth conscience lifestyle. They use all parts of the produce they buy, from including the carrot leaves in their smoothies to boiling down all vegetable scraps to make broth for soups. They compost any scraps they do not use, and also use this compost on a community garden, where they are starting to harvest vegetables. They recycle as much as possible, and always use reusable bags. Their total trash output for a whole semester? Four small bins of trash! Compared to the frightening four pounds a day of the typical American, I think we should all take a few lessons from these girls!

With the implementation of single stream recycling systems, and the availability of more information on how to dispose of toxic waste, and how to reuse items I think we are well equipped to make a change in our lifestyles that will result in a less wasteful, and healthier world.