Becoming sustainable: 5 ways to recycle products at home
Waste can be reduced to a large extent by practising effective recycling at home, which will assist you in living a more sustainable lifestyle. Here are a few simple tips.
According to NITI Aayog, urban India generates roughly 130,000 to 150,000 metric tonnes (MT) of municipal solid waste every day — nearly 330-550 gms per habitant a day.
This adds up to roughly 50 million MT per year, and by 2031, it is poised to jump to nearly 125 million MT a year.
Besides the increasing quantity, the waste composition is also changing — from a high percentage of biodegradable waste to non-biodegradable waste, which determines the strategy for its management.
However, this waste can be reduced to a large extent by practising effective recycling at home by setting up a comprehensive recycling system, which will assist you in living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Here are some simple tips to recycle or repurpose home essentials.
Converting plastic bottles
Plastic water bottles are the worst enemy one can have indoors. People often irresponsibly dispose of plastic bottles after use, thus harming the environment.
Plastic bottles can be put to good use with a little imagination. You can, for example, cut off the bottom halves of the bottles and plant seedlings in them, which makes for a cool plant holder and looks great in your garden.
Reusing plastic bags
Just like plastic bottles, plastic bags can also be reused as trash bin liners, bags for collecting pet poop or soiled cat litter, or wrapping material for shipping items.
Composting
When we buy fruits or vegetables, we often throw away the useless bits without realising they can be put to better use. A countertop composter is an easy way to stash away your compostable food scraps to use later as fertiliser in your garden.
Convert old clothes
There’s no need to purchase dust rags when you have got old pants, t-shirts, sheets, towels, and cotton shirts lying around in the house.
The old clothes can easily be turned into wash rags with a good pair of scissors. You can simply cut them into rectangles and clean them before reuse. Similarly, they can also be used to make cloth bags that can go as an alternative to plastic ones.
Reuse your home delivered newspaper
If you get newspapers delivered regularly, this recycling technique is the best fit for you. Instead of stocking up on old newspapers and later selling them, you can use them as packing material to pack your fragile items, wrap gifts, or as a cleaning aid.
You can also use it for cleaning window stains effortlessly by mixing water and a splash of white vinegar.
Edited by Suman Singh