Waste is simply ‘stuff’ we no longer need - but when does something useful become waste? It can happen quickly or over time. Interestingly, the verb waste means to use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or without purpose.
When we throw things ‘away,’ it’s worth asking - where is ‘away,’ really? Landfills may be unpleasant, but their biggest issue isn’t the smell; it’s that waste (noun) is a waste (verb) of valuable resources.
To truly address waste, we should focus on the five key actions: reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, and recycle.
Reduce: Avoiding excess can be hard, but it’s not impossible. Before putting in an order for something new, take the five minutes to do an audit of supplies.
Buy things in bulk and unpackaged if possible. Food waste is an astronomical issue in Australia, with more than 30% of purchased food being thrown away, at a cost of around $3000 per household each year. If you need help knowing what to do with those extra carrots you got last week that are starting to look a bit bendy, browse for recipes. If you do end up with food waste, you can at least turn it back into soil (reducing the methane that is released when food ends up in land fill) by composting it- either in your own back yard, or by investigating options in your neighbourhood
Reuse: For example, an envelope maybe used to deliver your mail, but then you reuse it to write a list (maybe a shopping list, so you don’t end up with extra things that will be wasted!). It can then be recycled to recover the fibre to make new copy paper. Old recycled white paper may be used to make cardboard, and the cycle continues!
Refuse: Australian’s throw away 1.9 million tonnes of packaging each year. Sometimes, it's as simple as pausing to think before taking something. Do you really need a plastic coffee lid, or wooden stirrer? If you already have a reusable bag on your shoulder, do you need to put your loaf of bread in an extra paper bag when you buy it? Additional packaging is an easy thing to avoid. Use your pockets, reusable tote bags - and walk around with your arms full.
Repair: Let's admit it- in the short term, it’s often cheaper and less hassle to replace a broken appliance or ripped shirt. But the long-term impact of us forgetting how to fix our stuff can already be seen. If tinkering with electronics isn’t in your skill set, the good news is that there are plenty of people around who want to help. Investigate the repair cafes in your area, and if you’re worried about your ability to master a neat, straight stitch or darn a hole without bumps, embrace visible mending.
Recycle: Once, recycling was seen as the holy grail of the environmental movement. Now, of course, you’ll see it comes last in our list of ways to reduce waste. Recycling items also uses a lot of energy, so while it’s a great option, see if you can follow the other ‘r’s first. Most common rigid packaging materials and paper products have good recycling systems in Australia – and can produce genuine environmental savings from the resources.
Clean flexible plastics and films can be recycled at your supermarket. Office waste such as computers, pens, toner cartridges, mobiles and more can be recycled at Office Works, and you can also use your local government recycling centre for larger electronics and other goods.
When you are in the office, keep an eye out for our new kitchen bins with clear signs helping you decide what goes where - and before you do put whatever you have into it, take a moment to decide if there’s something else you can do with it first - let's try to stop putting stuff in the wrong place!
