How To Reduce Your Garbage Output

Handle any emergency with Howcast's First Aid app - http://howc.st/jkDRTe

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video.

Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from carlo_scialla and more videos in the Waste Reduction and Re-Use category.

You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at http://www.howcast.com/videos/new or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at http://www.howcast.com/filmmakers/apply.

The average American throws away four pounds of garbage a day. But with a little effort, you can whittle your waste way down.

To complete this How-To you will need:

A compost heap
Reusable shopping totes
Recycling bins

Step 1: Avoid packaging

Vote with your wallet: purchase goods with little or no packaging. Avoid buying food with unnecessary wrapping—especially Styrofoam or plastic—such as pre-packaged fruits and vegetables.

Tip: Whenever possible, buy in bulk—you'll save money and the planet.

Step 2: Start a compost

Instead of throwing out coffee grounds, eggshells, tea bags, and produce scraps, save them in a bucket near your garbage can and periodically add them to a backyard compost.

Tip: Some cities offer curbside pickup for compost-friendly food and yard scraps.

Step 3: Save on bags

Ask the cashier not to double-bag. Better yet, bring your own reusable totes.

Step 4: Recycle

Recycle as much glass, paper, and plastic as you can.

Step 5: Limit take out

Limit take-out food, which is very packaging-intensive.
If you do order take-out, find a way to re-use the packaging.
That's it -- 5 easy ways to reduce your garbage output.

Thanks for watching How To Reduce Your Garbage Output! If you enjoyed this video subscribe to the Howcast YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=howcast

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• howcast
• how-to
• environment
• reduce
• garbage

[mentalelley]

i think people at home already have a good idea about recycling, it's the companies out there that don't bother recycling.

[gtq838]

lol, true that... I love the pizza box thing at the end of this video... If I find out that I got a used pizza box with my pizza I'm going to start killing hippies left and right.

also, throwing eggs and coffee in your lawn is very bad for your lawn, your health, and the enviroment.

Hippies never think about the reprecautions, for example what if they actually did reuse the pizza box like that. Somebody that was allergic to a topping on the last pizza could die from the new pizza.

[dedelste88]

@gtq838 Furthermore, about the pizza box, what do they think the pizza guy is going to do with it? Just because YOU don't throw something out doesn't mean that someone else won't too. Another thing about hippies, they're self-centered: all they think about is THEIR reduction of waste and consumption, not the world or population in general.

[gtq838]

@BamBabyBrenda tree huggers, hippies, alternative medicine junkies, and prius driving douchebags are all the same type of sheep.

on the prius thing, since i can smell the hate replies coming...

prius costs more than you will ever save in fuel economy, the repairs are far more expensive, the process in which the battiers are made produces 3x pollution of a normal car during its entire life span. lastly, its a foriegn pos... you want to make a statement buy an america car you jackasses.

[BamBabyBrenda]

@gtq838 It's not always hippies doing this crap I saw a normal person doing it so I yelled "TREE HUGGER!" Thats right tree huggers do this!

[jakkjakk123]

@Routanne The reason it works so well is because you're lying. :) Nobody goes out and puts coffee grounds and egg shells in their ground for fun. And everybody knows that, although store-bought fertilizers have tons of chemicals in them, THOSE are the ones that help the trees grow best.

[sanity93]

I always give the pizza box a little lick before I hand it back.

[MegaCherryCat]

@gtq838 i agree with the pizza thing, but how is compost bad for your yard?

[Joolie9009]

@gtq838 you dont "throw it on your lawn" per say, you put it in a green bin. to let it compost

[Joolie9009]

i love recycling. but no one else seems to :(

[Routanne]

@Routanne Wow! 'lookings'

-puts down the joint

ahem

Looks.

-Keeps smoking.