How Green is Your Trash?

Trash audits are icky, but actually one of the easiest green home audits you can do. The point of a trash audit is to find out what’s in your trash, and to figure out ways to better dispose of the items you find.

Why do an icky old trash audit:

To be ethical: Tossing stuff into a landfill is completely irresponsible when other choices are available. You’re making a huge mess for future generations, and that’s not cool.

To help the planet: In order to keep the planet healthy, save spaces for parks, and reduce greenhouse gases, we all need to be trash aware. No matter what you hear, recycling is worth it.

To save money: Most trash companies charge by the bag or can – you CAN reduce your trash to under one bag a week – I promise you. You are tossing stuff that could be recycled. Most everyone does, even me and other green advocates. Everyone make slips and could be better. Think of how little you’ll pay for trash service with just one bag. Bonus money savings – team up with a neighbor or two. Everyone split on trash can.

To be more attractive: Your kitchen will look better without a HUGE ugly trash can. Your street would look way better without so many ugly bins. I think trash aesthetics, or their total lack of I should say, are way overlooked

To complete a trash audit:

1) Pick a week for your audit.

2) Tell everyone in the house about the audit. A trash audit really only works if everyone in the house is on board.

3) Choose your method.

Method one – easy: Toss or recycle everything like you normally do. At the end of the week grab some gloves, and sort that trash. Look for anything that got tossed that could have been recycled or composed. See how many items are being trashed, that are not actual garbage.Don’t forget to sort bathroom trash and other places you toss stuff (office, bedroom, etc.)

Method two – more involved: Instead of waiting for the end of the week, sort throughout the week. If your family is not sure what’s recyclable and what’s really trash, make a sign and place it above all the trash cans in your home. Method two is not as good, because most people can’t manage to sort it all out in one week. For a true trash audit, I suggest method one.

As you sort your trash for the audit look for items like:

Eggshells, other food items, cans and other aluminum products, any glass (broken or whole), paper anything, steel, tin, plastics that can be recycled, batteries, toilet paper packaging, other packaging, foil, and anything else that’s recyclable. Make sure you look for items like books, not so broken toys, cell phones, and other household items that may seem like trash but could be used or given to a thrift store.

How to green your trash:

• Get into composting. Even if you live in an apartment, you can compost.
• Recycle – seriously, almost anything can be recycled. There are some things that can’t be recycled but to cut down on those items, just don’t buy them.
• Learn about Recycling Hazardous Household Waste.
• Get some Greener Garbage Bags.

Next up some extra tips for a successful trash audit.

What are you tossing that could be recycled?