Apologies for falling off the radar screen last week. I was having vertigo episodes all week and a doctor’s visit on Friday indicated that I had an inner-ear viral infection. I am all better now and am glad to continue with Hip Mountain Mama’s One Small Change Challenge.

So, we made it through 20 days of discussion about the paper and plastic packaging we throw away each day. Virtually everything we consume is contained in some kind of packaging. Packaging is usually something we don’t need. So we toss it out with the trash, recycling, or the compost. It’s extra.

How much extra do we consumers throw away each year? A lot.

In 2008, containers and packaging made up 30.8 percent of the waste (by weight) generated in the United States. That would be 153.2 billion pounds per year. 86.4 billion pounds ended up in landfills or the incinerator, though 67 billion pounds were recovered.[i]

Although these numbers are seemingly huge, I’d say they are a touch deceiving. Since these waste calculations are by weight, and plastics are light, petro-packaging didn’t really get the spotlight in the landfill battle they deserve.

In 2008, Americans tossed out 61.1 billion pounds of plastic disposables, containers, packaging materials, and durables. Only 4.2 billion pounds, or about 7.1 percent, was recycled. That means a huge 55.86 billion pounds of plastics ended up in our landfills and incinerators.

Plastics are pretty light weight but their volume is rather large. According to the International Bottled Water Association, an average plastic water bottle weighed 13.83 grams in 2007.[ii] Think 33 water bottles together weight 1 pound. And although recycling rates regarding plastic water bottles are increasing, in 2008, it was like 1.84 trillion plastic water bottles found their way to our landfills. [iii] I can’t even fathom how big that is.

So how do we toss out less? How do we consume less? And how do we waste less?

Here are my 7 think tips to help you make your next purchase:

1. Think critically about the decision to buy and don’t be overly influenced by mass media and advertisements.  Is the item disposable, does it contain excessive packaging, is there an eco-friendly alternative?

2. Think about lifestyle. Will this purchase help promote a greener, healthier lifestyle? Or are there lifestyle considerations like a limited budget or time restrictions that mean the less eco-friendly product is simply the best choice?

3. Can I make an investment today to preserve my health and the planet tomorrow? Quality and sustainability are pricey, but longevity means consuming less.

4. Are there eco-friendly substitutes that work well with my lifestyle, and promote my eco-aware values? Will making the item from scratch at home prevent excessive packaging from being tossed in the trash?

5. Will home crafted, or purchased, reusable packaging decrease the packaging that I purchase? Mesh produce bags cut down the number of plastic bags in landfills.

6. Is this product vitally necessary? Can we do without? What does this mean for the environment?

7. Technology can help sometimes. Is there a technological tool that can help preserve the environment?

I hope these thoughts are helpful to you as you make your next purchase. I believe all it takes is a bit of awareness. Not every supremely eco-friendly product is going to jive with your lifestyle or your budget. But consuming intelligently and keenly will help prevent unnecessary paper and plastic packaging from a long afterlife in the land fill.

Since beginning this 20 day discussion about packaging our family has:

• severely cut the amount of single-serving size packaging we purchase
• invested in reusable produce bags and saved 25 plastic bags from going to the landfill in just 3 weeks
  
• switched to purchasing milk in glass containers
• baked cookies at home instead of purchasing the packaged kind from the store
• started making body lotions, hair conditioners, and body oils at home instead of buying them in plastic containers
• placed a bulk order for grass-fed beef and pork from a local farmer (no Styrofoam packaging here)
• purchased and talked with family about gifting sustainable heirloom quality toys for the kids and limiting the disposable play things that enter our home
• invested in the glass container, or recycled paper carton packaged product and then used less of it
  

The last item was the “ah ha” moment for me. Organic is more expensive. Green is more costly. Wow, preserving our earth is pricey! My solution, we use less. We eat more veggies and less meat because the latter is expensive and more packaging intensive. Organic sugar is twice as expensive as conventional. So we eat less refined sugar. Biodegradable laundry detergent is costly. So we wear clothing a second time if it isn’t dirty and we do less laundry. Do we really need to consume that much? Do we really need that many…especially when there are some who have none? Perhaps responsible consumption is the best way to preserve our environment.

It is my hope that I might be able to open one mind out there to the impact their purchases have on our precious earth; both in preserving and diminishing the health of our planet.

“Here is to you Little Miss and Mini Mister. It is my hope you grow old with a clean earth and in a future filled with the gifts of nature intended for everyone.”

[ii] International Bottled Water Association. “Bottled Water Containers Now the Single Most Recycled Item in Curbside Programs.” press release February 19, 2009. http://www.bottledwater.org/content/bottled-water-containers-now-single-most-recycled-item-curbside-programs

[iii] Ibid.