A lot of cities are adopting zero-waste goals. This means that they are striving to make sure nothing is wasted. Everything that can be recycled will be.

Even trash should be converted to energy. When government agencies adopt zero waste policies, they encourage businesses to do the same. You can also strive to become a zero-waste home.

You might already be recycling plastic, paper, and glass as part of a weekly pickup. You also recycle e-waste knowing that it doesn’t belong in the trash.

But there is a lot more you can do to get your home closer to zero-waste:

Cook More at Home

The more you cook at home, the less you will be buying take-out which comes in plastic and Styrofoam containers. Passing on those isn’t going to stop production any time soon but remember, zero-waste is all about focusing on your home. Can you become zero Styrofoam? Cooking more at home also means you’re buying fresh and that will always be a healthier choice. If you do want to have someone else do the cooking, then consider going out to the restaurant to avoid the take-out containers!

Swap Out Big Offenders

Just because you recycle trash doesn’t mean you can’t cut back on those recyclables. For instance, how many water bottles are you tossing out in a single day?

A reusable water bottle that can be filled from a water cooler or filtered faucet will cut back on that number. The same can be said for coffee cups. Those can be lined with plastic. Bring your own coffee container to your favorite java joint and ask for a “fill up.” Plastic shopping bags can be replaced with reusable bags.

Most of those reusable bags can also carry more groceries. You should also try cutting off the junk mail. You can contact the company who sends the mail and ask them to take you off their mailing list. There are also online sights that you can sign up for to block the mail from coming to your home.

Compost

If you have a garden, then that garden can benefit from compost. That would be the natural fertilizer that is created by your food scraps. A compost bin can be set up in the backyard where you would put all your organic kitchen scraps. This is a good habit the whole family can get into.

Use Washable Rags

Instead of the dozens of sheets of paper towels that you use every day, consider switching to washable washcloths. They get the job down without wasting paper. They can also be tossed in with any laundry load to keep them clean.

Achieving zero-waste at your home will take a little more focused effort but you’ll soon make it second nature.