There are many ways to live a sustainable and environmentally-friendly life. Here are some zero waste tips that focus on preventing the generation of waste. The ultimate goal of zero waste is for no trash to be sent to landfills, incinerators, or littered.

Recycle and compost properly

While on campus and at home, make sure to sort your recyclables and compost correctly. Paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and metal are all recyclable in the blue containers on campus. Food waste and paper and cardboard items that state that they are compostable can be composted in the green containers in the Pryz and Garvey Hall. Visit our recycling page to learn more.

Use reusable bags

The average plastic bag is used for less than 20 minutes before it becomes trash. Bring a reusable bag with you the next time you go shopping to avoid using plastic bags. If you have excess plastic bags, many grocery stores accept them for recycling.

Use reusable water bottles

Switch to a reusable water bottle and visit the water bottle refill stations across campus to fill up. 

Use reusable glassware, utensils, and dishware

Switch to reusable glassware, utensils, and dishware in your room, apartment, or house. When ordering take out, request no utensils and instead rely on your items at home. Investing in reusable products both cuts down on waste and saves you money after a few uses.

Be a conscious consumer

Before buying anything new, consider searching for a pre-owned option from friends or family, from online marketplaces or exchanges, or at thrift or consignment stores. If you need to buy something new, consider purchasing items made of recycled content, items that are recyclable or compostable, or items that are reusable. For example, frequently disposable items in your bathroom, such as toothbrushes and razors, can be swapped out with compostable or reusable alternatives. Also consider purchasing items that have eco-friendly packaging – such as buying bulk items or buying items like bar soap that are packaged in cardboard containers rather than liquid soap packaged in plastic bottles.

Fix, repurpose, and donate

Before getting rid of something, consider if you can fix or repurpose it. Before throwing clothing away, consider mending. Many blogs are available to help you learn the basics of sewing with or without a machine. Not into DIY? Bring your clothes to be altered at your local cleaners. If the item doesn't need fixing, see if you can repurpose it. Freshen up a chest of drawers with fresh paint and new pulls or turn old shirts into reusable masks. If you can't repurpose something, consider donating it. Donate clothes you no longer want to Cardinal Closet on campus in Gibbons B17, to local thrift stores, or host a clothes swap with friends. 

Do a waste audit

Take a look at what is in your trash bin. Can you find ways to avoid producing this waste? For example, do you throw away a lot of mail? Try switching to paperless statements or unsubscribing to magazines you don't read. Is your waste bin full of paper towels? Consider switching to washable towels to dry your hands or rags to wipe up spills.

There are endless opportunities to reduce the amount of waste you produce. Be creative and find a few that fit into your lifestyle!