1. Start Composting
I have an old bowl that sits on my countertop that I put all my cooking scraps. Once the bowl fills up (or gets too gross), I take it out back and dump it into my compost piles. I am blessed to have enough space that I can have compost piles. I know not everyone has that, but you can still compost. If you dont have the space or ability to compost at home, you can get a mini countertop composter and use the soil for houseplants and such. You can also take your compostable materials to companies or municipalities that accept your compostable products. Composting keeps goods out if landfills and creates usable, nutrient rich soil that can support gardens or any plant you own.
2. Buy Local
Buying local often allows for much less waste on food products. Often in stores, food is wrapped with lots of packaging that just ends up in a landfill. If you buy local, much of that waste is gone. Buying local has the added benefit of supporting local, small businesses instead of big business.
3. Repair before Replacing
This is a time to learn how to repair clothes or your home. Often when clothes rip or something breaks, our first thought it to replace it and buy something new. I have this thought all the time, especially when there are many things going on in my busy life. However, if we take pause and figure out how to repair before replacing, we not only save time and money, but we’ve learned a new and valuable skill!
4. Recycle
This one is a given. If we can keep more items out of landfills, we’ll help support our planet and environment.
5. Reuse
This one goes along with numbers 3 and 4. If we reuse as much as we can, we keep items out of landfills. We can also find new and innovative uses for items that may not have been for its original creation.
My Urban Homestead by Sarah 