Understanding Waste Avoidance And Measures To Optimise It

Waste avoidance is precisely as the name suggests, i.e. avoiding the actual production of waste. It is often used synonymously with other terms like waste reduction, waste minimisation or source reduction. Avoidance as a measure holds precedence in the waste hierarchy.x It starts at the stem of the problem, which alludes to reducing the amount of waste produced across various industries, automatically reducing the need for extensive waste disposal and management.

Further, this is not an overly complicated process and can be optimised by every average individual by bringing about some minuscule changes in their daily life or routine. These changes might seem insignificant on a smaller scale but would culminate towards a bigger picture with a more significant and more sustainable goal accomplishment in the near future.

Waste avoidance is a measure that depicts paving the way towards being the change we believe in. It yearns to show that slight modifications or alterations in specific procedures or procurement practices can improve efficiency quotient towards utilisation of resources more optimally, thus resulting in substantial waste reduction.

Measures To Optimise Waste Avoidance:

1. Get rid of single-use plastics; instead, make use of reusable bags and containers. Ensure that you carry these with you when you go shopping or travelling, even when you pack food. Bags curated off of recyclable material, and glassware for food storage is the most ideal solution in this regard.

2. Ensure that you are reusing coffee mugs, water bottles and plates; skip plastic or paper. Reusable and refillable kitchen equipment is suitable and trendy today.

3. Avoid individually wrapped items, vis-à-vis snack packs or single-serving containers.

4. Start composting pits in your kitchen or yards. Food scraps and yard debris composted with some fertiliser can help the foliage in your yards to grow well too.

5. Pay your bill online, paperless is the norm, plus it would help save trees. Junk mail can waste enormous amounts of paper. Take a few minutes to unsubscribe to the useless correspondence to make your contribution to the environment.

6. You can go paperless in your kitchens too, instead of paper towels, use reusable washcloths or napkins.

7. Ensure that every last page on the notebook before you start using a new one. Print or photocopy on both sides of the paper whenever possible. Use old envelopes or recycled paper to make shopping lists, or better yet, make them on your smartphones.

8. Engage in bulk buying wherever feasible (don't go too extreme in times of emergency); this would reduce the duration of packaging waste and save you money.

9. Repurpose or recycle old things like using old t-shirts as rags or converting food containers to storage ones for other supplies.

10. Donate. It's like doing two good things at once. You're helping someone in need while making a sustainable choice. Anything can be donated, like books, clothes, furniture, appliances, etc.

11. Limit the general usage of everything that you do, such that no wastage occurs—for example, pouring too much cereal onto your bowl knowing that you won't be able to finish, resulting in food wastage.

12. During the meeting, circulate one copy of the memos or use email instead.

The pointers as mentioned above are minimal tasks that anyone can include in their daily life without going through much trouble. This is the least we can do to give back to the society we are using and extend a hand towards suitable waste avoidance as a measure towards sustainable waste management.