Ten Tips to Minimize Trash

From aluminum foil to sofas, Americans pile almost five pounds of stuff into the trash each day. Not only are we throwing away money by tossing things we've once paid for into the trash, but we are consuming the natural resources used to make them, the clean air that becomes polluted in that very process, and the infinite fields of land that holds these discarded things. While we cannot eliminate the need to discard things completely, we can make some major improvements to the way we handle trash. By doing so, we can help to offer items to people who would appreciate them, make some extra money for ourselves, and more importantly, save a little bit of our Earth in the process. Here are just a few ways we can decrease the size of trash bags:

1. For furniture items, call your local charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Many times they will come to pick these items up for you. If the items are broken, consider repairing them. You can give these items away for free, or try selling them. Whether you donate them to charity or make a couple of extra bucks by selling them, you win.

2. Clothes can be sewn, dyed, and handed down. Many of the clothes that are thrown away each year would be perfectly suitable for people who are in need of decent clothing. Consider dropping them off at a Salvation Army. You may even be able to make some extra money for taking them to a thrift store or a consignment shop.

3. Have a yard sale (or even do an online auction)!! Don't throw away your dusty candle holders, bleach-faded beach towels, or your beloved pet's collars. You'd be surprised at how many people will pay some change or even a couple of dollars for those odds and ends that have been stuffed in storage bins or in your junk drawers for the past ten years.