With the average Aussie generating a staggering 540kgs of waste a year, it’s time to get savvy with sustainability around the home. Waste Sorted is fighting the battle against mindless landfill teaching West Aussies how to be a GREAT Sort and do better than the bin. From simple tips on your weekly shop and morning coffee, small changes can lead to massive planet-preserving wins.
Here are five easy ways to become more sustainable at home.
Gift High Quality Items To Charity, Swap Or Sell
A favourite Sunday arvo ritual, there’s something so cathartic about a wardrobe clean out, especially when you know you’ll get a cheeky thrifting trip at the end. Spent a fortune on that dress you can never wear again because it’s plastered all over your socials? Don’t let it fester at the back of your closet—give it a second life and drop it to your local op shop or pop it up on Marketplace or Depop for a little extra pocket money. Remember, it’s not just clothing you can give—from furniture, bedding, books and everything in between, your charitable donations can make a big difference to those in need within your community.
Recycling
When it comes to recycling, repeat after us: paper, cardboard, cans, plastic bottles and glass. That’s it. To make life easy, keep the recycling tub next to the kitchen bin avoiding those heated housemate or partner debates about that accidental olive oil jar in the trash. Once separated and processed, these precious gems are repurposed into all sorts of infrastructure, insulation, furniture and incredibly useful items that would otherwise require manufacturing.
Earth-Cycling Food Waste
A whopping 50% of household general waste is made up of organic materials such as food scraps and garden waste that produce harmful methane gas when sent to landfill. If you're lucky enough to live in one of the councils that supply households with FOGO bins, these can hold fruit, veg, bread, meat, bones and leftovers, as well as grass clippings, herbs and leaves. No FOGO? No problem. Home composting is way easier than you think.
Avoid Excess Packaging And Food Waste
Need that morning caffeine hit? Don’t forget to BYO that coffee cup. Pantry looking a little sparse? Keep a couple of reusable shopping bags in the car. Fruit and veggies definitely do not taste any better wrapped in excessive plastic, so ditch all that unnecessary packaging and head to your local fresh fruit and veg stores to avoid all those nasties. Shopping lists and meal kit delivery can save over-purchasing and help avoid unnecessary food waste with those extra snacks that’ll end up mouldy at the back of your fridge too. And don't forget to use up those leftovers in your fridge by chucking them into a stir-fry or soup, or perhaps organise a 'use it up' container in your fridge so the whole fam knows what to grab first.
Take To Your Drop-Off Points
Every home has certain flammable, toxic, explosive and corrosive materials lying around that must be carefully disposed of delicately. For e-waste and batteries—head to Officeworks, BatteryWorld, IKEA or your local major supermarket. For aerosol cans of everything from deodorant to whipped cream, check out your local HHW facility for safe disposal. Soft ‘scrunchable’ plastic recycling collections are sadly unavailable across the country right now, so keep making that conscious effort to avoid unnecessary plastics when you’re picking up dinner instead.
Head to Waste Sorted to check out extra simple hints and remember to make landfill your last resort.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Waste Sorted and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Image credit: Renée Ardon-Coppinger