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Water Cooler: Tips and resources for environmentally friendly living

As the comingled recycling flies by on a conveyor belt, a worker at the first sorting station snatches a plastic grocery bag that could damage the sorting and conveying machinery further down the line at the Spokane Materials and Recycling Technology Center on South Geiger Boulevard on Oct. 30. Workers are focused on removing “wrappables” such as plastic bags, fabrics, wires, rope and carpet which can jam machinery and stop operations. They also remove bulky and heavy objects, like cast iron, golf balls and auto parts. (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review)
By Rachel Baker rachelb@spokesman.com(509) 459-5583

Starting a journey toward being more environmentally friendly can be daunting. The extra work and thought that goes into reducing environmental impact can be frustrating, especially when it seems your efforts hardly make a dent. If you’re interested in making lifestyle changes for the better of the planet, here are a few tips for small changes you can make at your own pace and some products and resources that can make things a bit simpler.

Don’t be a wishful recycler.

With the switch to single-stream recycling, the process has become easier for consumers but also easier to contaminate. It can seem like it’s best to toss an item in the recycling bin just in case it can be recycled, but this “wishful recycling” does more harm than good. Recycling can easily be contaminated by nonrecyclable items or unclean items, making it more costly or even impossible to recycle certain batches of waste.

Local recycling services have had to remind consumers to check what type of recycling is accepted as nonrecyclable items like plastic bags or coffee cup lids that can easily hinder the recycling process. Nothing is more frustrating than finding out your recycling efforts have been made in vain, so check with your waste management service to see what exactly can be recycled.

Opt for less, and environmentally friendly, packaging.

A 2017 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances reported that “as of 2015, approximately 6,300 metric tons of plastic waste had been generated, around 9% of which had been recycled, 12% was incinerated, and 79% was accumulated in landfills or the natural environment.” Until recycling becomes a more effective waste solution, it is more beneficial to reduce waste altogether.

Try to opt for items that use biodegradable and minimal packaging. There’s a large market for low-waste household products now, and you can find them on online shops like earthhero.com, onyalife.com, ecoroots.us, packagefreeshop.com, lifewithoutplastic.com and eartheasy.com. You can also find a lot of sustainable products sold at local natural grocery stores like Huckleberry’s, Main Market Co-op, Natural Grocers and My Fresh Basket.

Dry goods like soap, shampoo and conditioner bars are packaged in paper or cardboard, whereas liquid goods are typically packaged in plastic bottles. Many companies offer tablet or powdered versions of common household products like dish soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste and dishwasher detergent.

Most people are familiar with reusable grocery bags, but there also are a few other ways to reduce grocery shopping waste. Use lightweight mesh bags to replace plastic produce bags. Bring small bags and containers to shop the bulk section for spices, grains, seeds, nuts, pasta and even soaps and cleaning products. This can be intimidating at first, but start small by switching to bulk for only a few items at a time and shop at slow times of the day so you can take your time and ask for help if needed.

Don’t forget about reusable items once you get home.

Single-use items like paper towels and plastic bags offer great convenience, but sometimes we use them more than necessary. A lot of messes can be cleaned up with dish towels instead of paper towels. Try buying a pack of inexpensive dishcloths all of one color. This way you can use several a day, toss them in the laundry and wash them all in one load at the end of the week. Try to use reusable containers for leftovers and lunches rather than single-use plastic bags.

Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself. Switching so many lifelong practices at once can lead you to burn out and give up, so take your time and appreciate the small changes you have made so far.