A GUIDE TO CREATING LESS WASTE AT SCHOOL AND IN THE WORKPLACE

BY: EMMA MCEVOY

We live in a busy world that demands many hours of labor from those that wish to succeed. This expectation cause many people to spend many hours at work or in school. As you spend time at these place you might not notice the waste you produce because society has made it so easy to make you feel as if your trash simply disappears down a black hole.

There are always many ways we can learn to change up our routine just a little bit for a big impact. I wanted to introduce to you guys some of my favorite eco friendly tips for being your best self in and out of the workplace.

​1. Bring your own container.
Whether it is a coffee mug or a water bottle, it is in your best interest to take a drink container along with you to prevent the use or purchase of plastic bottle or disposable coffee cups. Having a water bottle by your side will also help you to drink more water throughout the day.

2. Pack your own food.
As we invest more into pleasure many companies begin to make more of an effort to provide convenient food. While this may sound great in theory, This strategy creates a lot of waste that is avoidable simply by avoiding it. Bring your own meals in snacks in reusable containers will not only save you money, but potentially save the planet or at least the lives of many innocent animal and their habits.

3. Sort your trash.
Many facilities are beginning to make an effort to keep waste out of landfill and out of our ecosystems by providing recycling and compost bins. If your workplace or school offers container such as these make sure to take advantage of them if you end up finding yourself with waste. If you facilitate does not have any systems like this in place it might even be in your best interest to discuss possible plans with management or your principal.

4. Invest in eco-friendly pencils or refillable fountain pens.
Many people may not realize that although you use a writing utensil constantly once it runs out of ink or lead it is typically game over. Luckily many companies have found a loop hole in this pattern by providing various options such as pencils that can be planted or even mechanical pencils which can be used for years to to their refillable prosperities.

5. Take advantage of your resources.
When it comes to getting textbooks it is often much cheaper to purchase them from past students as opposed to buying new ones. Many people tend to do this because the books are also typically annotated making it that much easier to understand the information you are learning.
Even taking the bus to school or taking advantage of public transportation will allow you to not only reduce your carbon footprint but use that time to relax or study. If you live close enough to your school or workplace investing in a bike might be a smart move because you can  not only clear your head on the way to work but help clear the air around you as well.
If you love reading books or magazines consider looking in to utilizing your school or public library. Often times public libraries within a stat are interconnected, so if your local library does no have an item you can request that book or media item to be delivered to your local library from another one within the state free of charge. (This does vary within each state so be sure to check out your library's website)