The World Population Clock is a counter that calculates and tracks the world’s current population. At the time of this article the count is around 7.7 Billion people with an average population growth of around 205K people per day. Where people live – living conditions, livelihood, social bonds and leisure-time activities that secure and support their lives – is what is called the environmental impact of humanity.
City and rural communities are often influenced by similar environmental factors. Climate change cause by the increasing demand of energy, industrial, agricultural and consumer products as well as increase of mobility adds to the impact. Additional factors, for example, manufacturing, leisure and traffic related noise influence the living environment.
Unfortunately the world’s resources are not infinite and are not growing fast enough to support the environmental impacts of a growing population. So how can we as humans, one of the most intelligent species on the planet, reduce our environmental impacts?
Here are a 5 R’s to help reduce your environmental impacts on a granular individualistic level.
#1 Reduce
An easy way to reduce waste is to break bad habits, like leaving the lights on in an empty room, leaving the water running while brushing teeth, using a plastic straw for drinks. Decluttering your home is another great way to reduce waste. When things are in their proper places, you’ll know what you have and what you need. Organizes items in your home by category – clothes, office supplies, shoes, outdoor equipment, home improvement and repair etc. This makes it easier to know where things are when you need them so you are not buying just because you cannot find something at the time of need.Decluttering your refrigerator and pantry can also reduce waste. Learn to let your fridge go empty before buying more food ensures that everything is used up and nothing is wasted or thrown away because it went bad. This may require an adjustment in how you plan meals. Rather than thinking about what you want to eat and buying food based on that, look at what you currently have and figure out what you can make with it.
#2 Reuse
We often throw away objects that could easily have a second life. A lidless Tupperware container can be a great storage option for kids’ crayons, plastic cutlery can be washed and reused the next time you order takeout. Single-use items are largely unnecessary. There is almost always a reusable alternative. Additionally buying secondhand items is an economical way to avoid contributing to the wasteful production cycle. And don’t forget about repairing things, whether that’s an item of clothing, a coffee mug, or an iPhone. Reusing is great because it has so many different meanings. It is about making things last as long as possible.
#3 Recycle
Recycling is a valuable strategy, but it isn’t a perfect approach to waste reduction. The recycling process requires its own portion of energy and resources, and often some preparation is necessary to ensure items make it to recycling centers. To ensure the right things go to the right places for recycling, keep a recycling bin next to your garbage bin and understand what your local city, state or country’s recycling laws are ahead of time. Some countries are better at recycling than others. If you are traveling and find that you need to get recycle clothes, shoes or other items, look into proper recycling agencies. Resist the temptation to just left the stuff in your hotel room. More often than not, it will just get trashed. Goodwill has a global reach through North America and parts of South East Asia.
#5 Rot
About 30 percent of what we discard will decompose, so composting can cut your waste without a lot of effort. The process sounds intimidating, but it can be easy, whether you live in a house with a yard or an apartment with no outdoor space. Buy an enclosed bin to keep critters out, or build one with chicken wire. Mix wet scraps with about half dry material (leaves, yard waste) and turn it weekly to help materials decompose. Use the compost to fertilize your garden or potted plants. A growing number of cities collect compostable scraps at the curb. You can even use this homemade compost in your backyard herb garden for a complete DIY approach.
The challenge of reducing one’s waste can feel overwhelming, but it really isn’t. Like everything else, just do what you can. The key is to be aware of consumption and usage patterns to make intelligent choices that are not only good for the environment but also great for your wallet. Remember that we can make a difference thanks to a series of small steps.
In what way are you reducing your environmental impact?
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