First step: Reduce (source: Minnesota Office of Environmental Assitance)

Source reduction prevents waste from being created. It reduces the amount or toxicity of waste at the source. Because source reduction actually prevents the generation of waste in the first place, it is the most preferable method of waste management.

Source reduction includes purchasing durable, long-lasting goods and making them last longer by repairing them when necessary, reusing products and packaging, and reducing the amount of packaging that is discarded. It is also seeking products and packaging that are as free of toxics as possible.

Source reduction can be as simple as reaching for a cloth napkin instead of a paper one. It can be as complex as redesigning a product to use less raw material in production, have a longer life or be used again after its original use is completed.

There are many ways to avoid single-use products and to reduce waste generated at home, school and work.

Reduce at School

• Buy recycled paper made with post-consumer content. Use both sides, and then recycle it so it can be used again.


• Start or join an environmental club at school. Get informed, and think of things you can do to make a difference.


• Ask your school to use items such as reusable cafeteria trays and silverware. Milk cartons produce a lot of waste. Two alternatives to suggest to your school are plastic milk pouches, which result in a much smaller volume and lower weight of waste than paper cartons; or better yet, reusable eight-ounce plastic bottles, which produce almost no waste (only the cap is discarded).

Reduce at Work

• Examine your production and procedures to see where waste can be reduced. Significant savings in supplies and disposal costs can result.


• Establish and support a collection program for recyclables. This decreases the amount of garbage that has to be picked up by a standard hauler.


• Encourage employees to bring their own washable mugs to work or consider providing mugs as a gift.


• Next time your company buys a copier, get one that makes two-sided copies.


• Use electronic mail to send memos, or route memos to staff members rather than making a paper copy for each person.


• Use direct deposit for your paycheck.


• Air dryers or reusable cloth towels in the bathroom can reduce paper towel waste by 100 percent.


• Ask suppliers to deliver materials in returnable/reusable containers.


• Solicit ideas for reduction from fellow employees.

A No-Waste Lunch for Work or School

Reduce at Home

• Use sturdy washable utensils and dishes for picnics, outdoor parties and potlucks.


• Use cloth napkins. Reach for a sponge or dishcloth instead of a paper towel to clean up.


• If you need to buy more of a chemical than is needed for a project, careful storage must be available. Store household chemicals away from children and pets. A high shelf in your basement, away from sparks and flames, is a good storage location. With careful storage, most chemicals will stay usable for years and can be used for future projects.


• Use direct withdrawal for paying bills. A statement verifying the charges is sent for review before the money is withdrawn from your account.


• Encourage companies that bill monthly to use two-way mailing envelopes.


• Use up existing home chemicals, like paint, paint stripper, paint thinner and other chemicals, before buying more. You'll save money by not having to buy new products for each project.


• When you have to use a battery-powered appliance or toy, choose rechargeable batteries* or use an AC adaptor whenever possible. Keep in mind that after rechargeable batteries will no longer accept a charge, they may not be put in the garbage but must be collected separately.

*Battery manufacturers caution that rechargeables should not be used in smoke detectors and in other items where use is infrequent.

"Junk Mail"

Direct mail - catalogs, flyers, credit card offers, memberships to clubs and organizations of all kinds - makes for a lot of paper and plastic waste in the typical household. For many consumers, these offerings are an interesting addition to the mail pile. But there are those who consider much of the pile to be junk mail - unwanted and unwelcome.

Reduce your unwanted advertising mail at home

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) offers consumers and households a way to ask mail order companies to remove their names from mail lists. The DMA's Mail Preference Service is a database of consumer names that do not want to receive unsolicited mail, such as catalogs or coupons.
Send a letter to this address, asking to be placed in their "name removal file." Be sure to provide all the various spellings and address versions that you want removed from mail lists. Your name will remain on file for five years, but you can renew at any time.

This simple step won't prevent all forms of unwanted mail, but it's an easy first step. You can do other things to make a big impact on the kinds of mail you get:

• If you do business by phone, mail or the Internet, ask to be placed on a list for in-house use only. Request that your name not be sold or traded to other marketers or organizations.


• Let organizations know that it's good customer service to protect clients' privacy.

Handling unwanted mail at work

Unwanted mail at work can account for a lot of waste. It fills up recycling bins, and needs to be delivered, sorted, routed (and sometimes opened and actually read.)

Reducing unwanted mail at your company or office is more complicated.
The Mail Preference Service will not help businesses or organizations.

Though there are no groups to help organizations and their employees reduce their waste from unwanted mail, there are some waste reduction actions that can be taken in the workplace:

• Ask for cooperation. Business-to-business mail is intended to generate income and solicit new business. When you get catalogs, advertising flyers, or offers from companies that you will not do business with, ask them to remove you from their list. Be courteous and professional, but make it clear that you do not wish to receive further mailings from them.


• Control your exposure. Data for mail lists is collected from many sources - purchases, conference registrations, websites, business cards. If it's information about you, it's likely to be used, traded or sold. Make it clear that you want to control this sharing of your information; make it an element of good customer service. Include a statement about preventing waste and protecting privacy on items like purchase orders, registrations for classes and conferences, and subscriptions.


• Practice good mail list etiquette. If your organization maintains databases or mail lists, be protective of your clients. Be very selective about how you use data, and offer listed parties the option of not being distributed.


• Keep your mail lists up-to-date. You waste money and time mailing materials to addresses that are no longer valid. Reduce waste...and conserve resources, too.


• If employees have personal items delivered to the office, make it clear that the catalogs and mailings that might follow are not acceptable.

Buy concentrates, returnables, economy-sized containers or products in bulk

When spoilage is not a factor, try the following suggestions to reduce the amount of waste you bring home from the store:

• Buy products such as milk, water and beer in returnable containers. Products sold in these containers often cost less than those sold in other types of containers because the containers don't need to be replaced after each use. Reusable containers are carefully sanitized by the distributor, refilled and returned to the store shelf.


• Buy the largest-size food packages that you can use without spoilage.


• Buy fresh produce without packaging whenever spoilage won't be a problem. Avoid using plastic bags for purchases such as a couple of cucumbers, bulbs of garlic or lemons.


• Buy economy-size packages of household products you use regularly such as laundry soap, shampoo, baking soda, pet foods, kitty litter, etc.


• For household chemicals, economy sizes aren't a bargain when you add in the cost and inconvenience of disposal. When buying paint, pesticides and other home chemicals, buy the smallest amount that you can for your project.


• Buy grains, beans, cereal, pasta and other items in bulk whenever possible. They can be kept on the shelf for a long time without spoiling. Reuse plastic or paper bags or buy a container once, then refill it from a bulk container.


• Buy products such as fruit juices and drinks, detergents, and automobile windshield washer fluid in concentrate form to eliminate the need to pay for and carry a big package. Try boullion cubes instead of canned soup stock.


• If storage space is a concern, try sharing bulk purchases with friends and neighbors. You also can extend the "buying-in-bulk" concept to mail-order purchases. Place an order with a group of people to save more on shipping costs and reduce packaging waste.


• If you currently buy food in single servings, try buying the next largest size and storing the leftovers in sturdy reusable containers.

Select products with the least wasteful packaging

The total amount of packaging in the national waste stream has more than doubled in the past 30 years. New products introduced in "convenience" packages are increasing yearly. The cost of this packaging is often passed on to the consumer. This means that buying less-packaged products can save you money.

• Avoid buying goods with unnecessary packaging, such as "blister-packs" that wrap items in plastic seals with cardboard backing, or "double-packaging," such as a bottle inside a box.


• Avoid packaging made with mixed materials, such as paper laminated with plastic or foil. Given two equivalent products, choose the one packaged more simply, with no packaging or with a single, reusable or recyclable material.

Comparing waste and cost

In 1992, the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance completed first-of-its-kind research quantifying waste and cost associated with different types of packaging. Identical products of the same brand that were packaged differently were chosen from various departments of a typical grocery store. The results of this research show that we often do pay for the extra packaging associated with convenience products. Prices for many of these items were up to 50 percent higher, or even more, than their less-packaged counterparts. The research also shows that in some cases, buying SMART (Saving Money and Reducing Trash) can result in as much as 99 percent less packaging trash.

Buy, maintain and repair durable products

Avoiding disposables goes hand-in-hand with buying durable and repairable products. Long-lasting clothing, tires, appliances and other items may cost more at first, but they usually save money in the long run. They need fewer repairs and will not have to be replaced as frequently.

• Select energy-efficient appliances and electronic equipment with good warranties and service contracts. Check consumer publications for articles on products with a record of high consumer satisfaction, good value and good repair records.


• Keep appliances in good working order. Follow manufacturers' suggestions for proper operation and maintenance. Manufacturers' service departments may have toll-free numbers; phone toll-free directory assistance at 800-555-1212 to find out.


• Before throwing a product away, check into repair and warranty options. This is often less expensive and more energy efficient than buying a new replacement.


• Buy digital thermometers, digital thermostats and standard light switches (rather than silent switches) for your home. These don't contain mercury.


• Buy long-lasting tires and maintain them. To extend tire life, check tire pressure once a month; follow the manufacturer's recommendations for upkeep and routine tire rotation; call auto repair shops to inquire about purchasing retreaded or remanufactured tires instead of new ones.


• When possible, mend clothes and repair worn shoes, boots, handbags and briefcases. Shoe repair is often offered at stores where shoes are sold.


• Purchase durable furniture, luggage, sporting goods and tools.


• Buy energy-efficient fluorescent lights rather than incandescent ones. They last longer, reduce your electric bill, reduce the amount and toxicity of solid waste and reduce the need to generate electricity. Although they must be disposed of separately, the use of fluorescents instead of incandescent bulbs reduces the total amount of mercury released into the environment because they require significantly less energy to produce the same amount of light.

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