Category: Reduce Waste

Borrow things, not just books, from the library

1/31/2025

The Delaware County library system has a library of things, with items that you can borrow ranging from kitchen/lawn appliances and tech gadgets to camping gear. Before buying things new, first look for it at the library to see if you can just borrow them for the time that you need it. Borrowing items instead of buying new reduces using precious resources for manufacturing, packaging, and transporting new products. It also saves you money and helps you cut back on your clutter at home. Once you are finished with your task or event, just bring the item back to the library for others to use or until you need it again. You might be surprised by the variety of items on their lending list! It includes: yard games and board games (Jenga, connect four, table tennis, horseshoes, Bocce ball, croquet), electronics (scanners, metal detectors, DVD players, power adaptors, calculator), tools (drill, wrenches), musical instruments (guitar, glockenspiel), camping gear, health needs (blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, walkers and canes), crafts (sewing machine, crochet and knitting kits), and more!

For a complete list, check out the Delco Library System webpage and search for “library of things”. Or click this link.

Remove makeup without disposable wipes

12/13/2024

A pea-sized dollop of coconut oil will remove eye makeup brilliantly. Beware disposable makeup wipes as they are made from plastic fibers which become microplastics.

Warm a pea-sized dollop of coconut oil in your palms and gently massage it in the eye area with your fingertips. Disposable makeup wipes are one of the leading contributors to landfills and generally made with plastic which breaks down into smaller plastic particles that pollute our waterways.

Read more about this issue at thegoodboutique.com and more skin care recipes at Earth911.com.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Decline printed receipts

11/1/2024

Opt for digital receipts whenever you can and don’t recycle printed receipts; most are made of thermal paper coated with the hazardous chemical BPA.

Most receipts today are made of thermal paper that contains free-form bisphenol-A (BPA) or bisphenol-S (BPS) instead of ink to produce the letters and numbers on receipts. These chemicals can transfer to your skin or food in your shopping bag. BPA and BPS have been linked to endocrine disruption which can adversely affect your reproductive health, brain development, and heart and lung health, among other organs and bodily functions.

Read more here at Treehugger .com

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Decline the plastic straws

9/27/2024

At home and when eating out, decline the plastic straws to help reduce plastic waste in the environment.

Plastic disposable straws are not recyclable and contribute to the mounds of plastic waste created by our disposable culture. They become harmful when they are released into the environment where they can be detrimental to wildlife. Marine mammals and birds ingest discarded plastic straws, bags, bottle caps and other trash. When these plastic items become lodged in the gut, ultimately kills these animals. If you need to use a straw, there are better alternatives to disposable plastic. Reusable straws made of metal, bamboo, or glass often come with a brush to clean the inside. There are a variety of sustainably made disposable straws made from paper, pasta, or even seaweed.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Use the proper amount of laundry and dishwasher detergent

9/20/2024

Using too much laundry and dishwasher detergent can harm the environment and costs you extra money.

Adding too much detergent to the washer for the size of the load can be harmful to the washing machine and leaves soap remaining on the clothes. Using more soap than you need costs you extra money by shortening the life of your machine and uses up your detergent faster. Another factor to consider is the resources used by municipal water treatment facilities to remove soap that is added to the water. Any detergent that leaches into the environment is toxic to aquatic organisms and can lead to algal blooms.

For more details, see this article at earth911.com.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Look for less packaging when you buy

8/16/2024

Compare and contrast when you shop—for less packaging!

Many items come in a variety of packaging styles. Consumers are increasingly choosing items with less packaging or none at all--and businesses need to listen.

Read more here at PR Newswire.

Sustainable dental floss

2/2/2024

There are now sustainable options for dental floss: recyclable paperboard containers and compostable silk floss.

Dental floss is typically packaged in a one-time use plastic box which may also be covered in additional plastic packaging. Floss itself is made of synthetic material that is hard to recycle and takes decades to break down.* There are now alternatives on the market that are recyclable, reusable, and compostable. Silk is a compostable alternative to synthetic floss. Recyclable paperboard packaging is used by some brands, and there are also refillable options. This Treehugger article** lists a number of brands that offer compostable silk floss and refillable containers. Locally, Martindale’s in Springfield carries Radius dental floss packaged in a paperboard box.

*according to Colgate website
**Starre Vartan, November 18, 2022, "The 9 Best Biodegradable Dental Flosses," Treehugger.com

Returned clothing bought mail order may be trashed

1/19/2024

Keep in mind when purchasing clothes online that returned clothes often end up trashed rather than being resold.

According to this Treehugger article* by Katherine Martinko, 30-50% of returned clothing from online stores are not restocked but rather end up in a landfill. Keep this in mind when making purchases from online stores, especially if you intend to return some items. For example, the practice of ordering multiple sizes of clothing just to try them out and get the right fit may contribute to more waste than expected.

*Katherine Marinko, October 11, 2018, “The renewal workshop repairs and resells brand-name apparel” Treehugger.com
Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Swarthmore ordinance: restaurants will ask if you want utensils or condiments

1/12/2024

Swarthmore’s single use regulation ordinance goes into effect on January 8th, 2024. Decline the plastic utensils when asked by a restaurant if you want them.

The new ordinance prohibits merchants from providing single-use plastic bags for purchases or Styrofoam packaging for food or beverages. In addition, disposable foodware accessories, such as plastic utensils, plastic straws, and pre-packaged condiments, will be provided only upon request by the customer or offered as a self-serve option. This provision will prevent unwanted and unused disposable items from ending up in the trash without even being used. To take full advantage of this option, decline plastic utensils when asked and use washable items instead.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Choose secondhand items to give as gifts

12/22/2023

An unprecedented number of people will give and receive thrifted presents this year so don’t be afraid to embrace secondhand gifts, once stigmatized but now celebrated.

A profound shift has occurred in the way thrifted gifts are viewed by Americans. Gen Z is leading the charge.

Read more here.

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