Sorting waste at home is a simple and effective way to reduce the amount of waste you produce. If you live in California, there is a good chance that you live in an area where the municipal waste system is combined or where no home waste sorting service is available and therefore it is important to know how to sort your waste easily. These limitations make it difficult to sort your household waste efficiently.
What is household recycling
Recycling is the process of extracting and reusing materials from waste. The goal of recycling is to transform materials that would otherwise be thrown away as waste into new products.
When we purchase products such as paper, plastics or metals, we purchase the raw materials used to make those products as well as the labor needed to process those materials. When we recycle, we repurchase these raw materials and sell them back to the manufacturer. This saves money, reduces demand for virgin materials and reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during production.
Why should I care about sorting my waste at home
An average inhabitant in California or North America produces around 1000 kg of municipal waste each year. That’s about the weight of two large refrigerators! The amount of waste you produce depends on your lifestyle and where you live. If you want to reduce your waste footprint and improve your carbon footprint, sorting your waste at home is a great way to do this.
When we sort our waste at home, we can decide what happens to each product. Will it be recycled? Will it be composted or landfilled? This can have a significant impact on the resources used and the environment.
How to easily sort your waste at home
It is important to note that to effectively sort your waste at home, you must have an organized waste collection system. This means that all your waste should be separated into different containers based on what it is and what it can be recycled into.
If you don’t have a waste collection system, it can be difficult to know what to do with each piece of waste. This is particularly true for mixed municipal waste, as it is not sorted at the municipal level.
Which items go where
Municipal waste sorting follows the “one trash, one thing” rule. This means that all the waste goes into one bin and the waste collector determines what happens to it next. To effectively sort your waste at home, you need to know which items go in which bin.
Paper: Paper can be sorted into cardboard, newspapers/magazines, office paper/printed matter, etc.
It is important that you make sure to remove all staples, plastic bags, bottles and other non-paper items before putting them in your paper bin.
Cardboard: Cardboard is often collected separately from other paper products. Check your municipality’s waste collection system to see if cardboard is collected separately.
Organic waste: This includes food waste and garden waste. If you have access to a composting bin in your garden, you can separate this waste. Otherwise, you can put them in your municipal trash can. They include food waste and garden waste. If you have access to a home composting bin, you can sort this waste.
Plastic: Most plastic packaging (anything that is not paper) can be recycled. Plastic is recycled into new plastic products or products such as building materials or fibers for clothing.
Metals: Metals can be recycled or used for energy production.
Glass: Glass is recycled and used to make new bottles and containers.
Tips to help you sort your waste at home
If you want to start sorting your waste at home in Marietta or elsewhere in California, start with the easiest and most common waste. This makes it easier to get started and allows you to gain valuable experience in sorting waste. Once you have gained some experience, you can expand your sorting efforts to other waste.
If you want to sort your waste efficiently, you need to know what goes where. There is a wealth of information available on the internet and social media where you can learn more about waste sorting. If you are unsure of what to do with a particular waste, contact your Marietta municipality and they can help you find a solution.
If you want to get serious about sorting waste, why not start a waste challenge with your family or housemates? Encourage your friends, family and neighbors to start sorting their waste and make sure they know how much is It is important to do it correctly.