Seven Sustainability Tips and Tricks to Reduce Your Waste

Want to learn more ways to reduce your environmental impact and reduce your waste? Here is my list of seven sustainability tips and tricks to reduce your waste.

The best way you can live more sustainably is by reducing your waste. That’s why I’ve written another list of sustainability tips and tricks for you. (Scroll down to skip over my blather and get straight to the tips.)

While so many people try and focus on things like driving hybrid cars, reducing their water usage, turning off the lights when they’re not in the room, and recycling, those are just pieces of the puzzle. Doing some or all of those things is great. My motto is “progress, not perfection”.

But we need to do more. Driving a hybrid car doesn’t do much if you’re still going out buying loads of stuff that was produced overseas and shipped here via container ship (which are huge causes of pollution). Recycling is great, but if you only ever eat off of paper plates you throw away, you’re still contributing a lot to the landfill problem.

Let’s all do better, and let’s start today. There’s no time like the present. I’m writing these sustainability posts for you because I am passionate about protecting our environment, and I want you to be too. Even if you aren’t, you can still do your part. The best thing about trying to reduce your waste is that in the long run, it saves you money.

Whether you are new to trying to live in a more sustainable way or you’ve been doing it for years, you may find these tips helpful. Here are seven tips and tricks to help you reduce your waste and live more sustainably.

Seven Sustainability Tips and Tricks

1. Use wasted paper ends to make your own shopping lists

I like to have my grocery list visible through the week on my refrigerator door, so I prefer a paper list to a memo on my phone. I make my grocery lists out of used paper that would otherwise go in the recycling.

Whenever I print something off, such as a return form or package slip or shipping label, I save the part I don’t need. Then I cut the ends of the paper into the size I want. I staple them together, stick ’em on the fridge, and now I have a free shopping list.

Now I don’t have to purchase a pad of paper specifically for my grocery list.

2. Use paper mailing tape

Most of the common packing tape we buy is made out of plastic. In case you’ve forgotten, I’ll remind you that plastic is terrible for the environment. Plastic packing tape just ends up in the landfill.

Instead, when taping up boxes, use paper mailing tape. Paper is biodegradable, whereas plastic is not. Paper mailing tape is also cheaper than plastic packing tape.

I use this paper mailing tape. It works very well, is heavy duty, and there’s basically a lifetime supply. To use this I cut the amount of tape I need off the roll, wet the adhesive side with a sponge, and then adhere it to the box.

3. Use reusable shopping bags and produce bags

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard that you should use your own bags at the store. But do you actually do that?

I have a large stash of reusable bags – a lot of them were even freebies. I keep them in the trunk of my car so I always have bags on hand. Whenever I’ve brought bags into the house, I leave them by the door so I remember to take them back out with me.

I also use reusable produce bags. These are good for holding any fruit or vegetables I purchase at the store. They are far superior to the flimsy plastic ones the store supplies you with and don’t fill up the landfills! After a shopping trip, I throw the produce bags in the wash.

I use these reusable produce bags. They are durable, easy to wash, and the different sizes are good for different amounts and sizes of produce.

Even better: you can do without a bag altogether. If you wash your produce or peel it anyway, then it’s fine to sit in the cart unwrapped.

4. Unsubscribe from unwanted catalogs and junk mail

Junk mail annoys you, right? Why not just get rid of it forever? Write on those envelopes return to sender and remove me from your mailing list, and put it back in your mailbox.

I’m pretty sure this actually works because I’ve managed to get rid of a lot of junk mail this way.

Did your favorite brand sell out your mailing info to ten other brands who now send you their catalogs? Go to catalogchoice.org and unsubscribe!

Congrats, now you have less junk mail AND less paper waste!

5. Purchase clothing second hand

If you knew the working conditions of the people who make the cheap fast fashion clothes you buy, as well as the amount of chemicals that go into cheap cotton production – not to mention the disgusting waste created by turning plastic and other raw goods into fabric – you would be absolutely horrified.

Don’t worry, I won’t get into it here. I will instead convince you with your wallet: you can save a ton of money by purchasing your clothing, and your children’s clothing, second hand.

This doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time trolling through thrift stores (although you can if you like to). This is 2019! There are currently more clothes in this world than anyone can possibly need, and getting good stuff second hand is easier than ever.

If, like me, shopping in person with your little mini-me’s following you around is an absolute nightmare, I have great news for you. There is online consignment!

Places online such as Ebay, Poshmark, and ThredUp make it easier than ever to buy and sell clothing online. You can search by size, color, favorite brand, whatever and probably get a whole new wardrobe at the fraction of the cost while simultaneously keeping garments out of the landfill. (Two other sites I know of are Mercari and TheRealReal, but I have not personally bought from either of them.)

Now that is a win.

6. Refuse straws

Maybe you’ve heard about places that have started banning plastic bags and straws. This is a great thing, because a lot of the time some of the plastic waste from these one-time use things ends up in the ocean.

(Don’t even get me started on disposable plastic straws that come wrapped in plastic film. *shudder*)

When you’re at a restaurant, tell the server, “No straw, please,” when you order your drink. If they still give you a straw, hand it back. If you absolutely need a straw, get a reusable one! There are lots of different kinds of reusable straws available, and some are relatively inexpensive.

I have this pack of reusable straws, and it even comes with a brush to clean them. There are many other options out there.

7. Use a Reusable Water Bottle

…and take it everywhere with you. I have a really great Contigo bottle I like, but you can find a good reusable bottle literally anywhere these days. You can find them in metal, glass, or plastic. I’ve even seen cute ones in the Target dollar section.

I bet you already have one lurking in the back of your kitchen cabinet. Wash it out, fill that sucker up, and take it out to the car with you when you leave. Then you won’t be tempted to purchase a water bottle while you’re out.

You can do the same thing with your coffee (or other hot drinks). Get a mug with a lid (I see them regularly in the dollar section) or a thermos type bottle that will keep your drink hot. Instead of purchasing coffee while you’re out, make it and put it in your bottle before you leave to save $$$. Alternatively, plan your Starbucks trip in advance and bring your reusable covered mug with you for them to put your coffee in instead of a wasteful disposable cup.

I use this Contigo insulated vacuum seal bottle for both hot and cold drinks, and it is fantastic. I’d recommend it if you’re in the market for a new bottle – especially one not made of plastic.

What sustainability tips and tricks do you use regularly? Do you have any unorthodox tips? I’d love to know. Leave a comment below!

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Products mentioned:

These are affiliate links. That means that if you purchase a product directly from a link on this post, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Cozy Tasty Home!

Paper Mailing Tape: Duck Reinforced Water-Activated Paper Tape

Reusable Produce Bags: Organic Cotton Mesh Produce Bags

Reusable Straws: Reusable Striped Straws + Cleaning Brush

Hot/Cold Bottle: Contigo Autoseal Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle