Tip of the Day - 1 - Around the House

Throughout Waste Reduction Week we will be emailing all registered participants a daily tip to help you find new ways to reduce the waste you encounter in different aspects of your life. If you want any more information about these topics contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline at 604-732-9253, 1-800-667-4321 or by email at hotline@rcbc.bc.ca. Good luck with your waste reduction efforts!

• Line-dry your clothes. Dryers don't even come with an "Energy Star" rating - that's how bad they are in terms of energy consumption. Line or rack drying your clothes saves a ton of energy and thus CO2 from going into the environment and your clothes will last longer.

• Wash your clothes only in cold water. When available, choose the concentrated option of soaps and detergents. It's less packaging to manufacture and to recycle and because of its lower weight it is less greenhouse gas generated to transport it from factory to store to your home.

• Insulate your hot water heater and your water pipes. This can help keep the heat in your house down (in the summer) and help your heater to work less to heat your water. Also, be sure you have a low-flow shower head. Today there are great ones available that actually provide a great amount of pressure but use significantly less water.

• Replace the weather-stripping on your doors and windows. Stop the cold air from getting in and the heat from escaping during the upcoming winter. If you have single-pane windows, put up a plastic coating to help better insulate your home.

• Spend some money on houseplants. A lot of plants inside your house both clean the air and provide fresh oxygen. If you don't have a green thumb, buy a plant that is low maintenance or set up a terrarium which requires little to no maintenance.

• Buy recycled toilet paper.  By using recycled paper you will save tons of chlorine pollution from the bleaching process and conserve millions of trees and gallons of water. Remember to look for post-consumer recycled content! You can also save a lot of waste by using cloth towels instead of paper towels.

• Reducing the chemicals you use around your home is an easy way to improve your environment. Some chemicals are obviously toxic, like paint thinner, oven cleaner and metal polishes, but think about the products you use everyday - dish soap, laundry detergent, air fresheners, shampoo, moisturizers. Most of the chemicals used in these products have never been tested for their effects on human health and some of their ingredients are known carcinogens. By switching to biodegradable and natural products you are keeping these chemicals out of the environment and away from your family.
  

Resources:

Grist - household cleaners - www.grist.org/article/possessions-cleaning
EarthEasy - www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
Metro Vancouver's Better Solutions Guide - www.metrovancouver.org/services/solidwaste/hazardous/Pages/default.aspx

Recycling Council of British Columbia

Recycling Questions? Call the Recycling Hotline!
In the Lower Mainland call 604-RECYCLE (732-9253) Other areas of the province call 1-800-667-4321
Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm

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