functional living

Taking steps to fight the war on waste

More than 51 million pieces of litter line America’s roadways each year, litter organization Keep America Beautiful says. Of this, tobacco products make up most of it, followed by paper and plastic.

Litter fouls the environment and lowers property values. Clean up costs the U.S. more than $11 billion per year. Here’s how you can help.

keep it in the car

This part’s easy: Don’t litter. Keep a trash can in your car or, if it’s an emergency, pull over and dispose of any waste in the proper disposal unit, whether it be a trash can or recycling bin. Remember, even biodegradable items like apple cores and banana peels count as litter.

lend a hand

Look for volunteer clean-up groups in your area and offer to help pick up litter on the side of the road or along waterways. If you’re in a civic organization, look into having your group adopt a highway or intersection to clean up. Even if you’re not part of a group, bring a bag on a walk around your neighborhood and pick up trash as you see it.

reuse to reduce, or recycle

An easy way to reduce the amount of trash in cities or landfills is to produce less of it. Buy reusable rather than using disposable, single-use plastic or styrofoam, and repair items that would otherwise be thrown out. At home, choose reusable dinnerware, silverware and straws and bring commonly used items like silverware or mugs to work. Make an impact by avoiding plastic grocery and shopping bags, and opt for reusable bags. A change to reusable over disposable is a great and affordable step.

When an item cannot be reused or repaired, consider recycling or donating. The City of Albuquerque recyling program is rather extensive, and there are also outside resources for recycling waste like plastic bags or glass.

smart recycling

It's also important to stress recycling correctly. Contamination is a key factor when recycling, because one non-recyclable item can ruin an entire run of other items. These items include, but are limited to plastic bags, glass, garden hoses, scrap metal, etc. Please visit www.cabq.gov/solidwaste/recycling/ recycling-contamination or Waste

Management's recycleoftenrecycleright.com for tips on smart recycling. The biggest tip? Don't place recyclables in clear plastic bags. Simply place them in your blue bin or drop off station.

smart recycling

In the end, the most crucial factor in cleaning up is to ensure all waste is ending up in the proper waste management system. Whether it's your local trash or recycling program, or the compost bin in your backyard, if the waste has a place then it won't end up in cities, on roadways or in the Rio Grande.