22 Tips for Minimizing Trash

Reader Comments
Back to blog

People in city don't have access to a clothes line. I have lines of clothes line in my utility room. As I take out of washing machine, hang to dry, clothes are sort of stiff, even with fabric softener.

lynne of LA 1:30PM May 30, 2011

hang your clothes outside don't use a dryer.vegetables put in a compost pile recyles your weeds and leaves put in a compost area.

mabel of ME 12:17PM May 30, 2011

Hello So i was noticiing your desire to keep things out of landfills and this being a very close subject to my heart would like to suggest http://www.ecofreek.com. It posts all free items online in yours and many other areas for your taking. I thought it might be of some interest so thanks.
~Siobain

Siobain of CA 5:24PM February 21, 2011

a couple of swipes down the leg of an old pair of jeans will sharpen the blade of disposable razors and lengthen their useable life. If you don't let it rust and sharpen it occasionally they can last for months.

ivy of TX 11:32AM June 29, 2010

i clean out my disposable razors after every use.keep them dry also..this keeps the razor from rusting prematurley.just because its disposable doesnt mean use once throw it away.i use 1 razor will last about 2 months..so a bag of 10..almost 2 yrs..and there generic.

Brian Smedley of AR 5:20AM May 08, 2010

We started using a washcloth or sponge instead of toliet paper. You just wash it out in the sink after you are done. We save at least $5 a month! But we keep getting e-coli infections and the antibiotics cost too much. We may have to think about this again.

Mr. Green of TX 3:44PM May 07, 2010

As the cartons holding eggs, green baskets holding berries, and woven plastic bags holding fruit are emptied, I rinse them out and store them in our market bag for our next trip back. The vendors are happy to get them and they eliminate trash. I also carry a large piece of plastic and an empty flat for trips to the nursery.

Sharon Lytle of CA 5:10PM May 06, 2010

I like most of your items and actually do them except the hankie thing. I think they are old news and should not be used anymore infact if I knew my dads were going in the load of laundry when i was a kid I would not put my clothes in there and still have a thing against them even more since we have been finding the bug problem to be more then it was years ago. Toss that stuff,, yuk.
One I have been doing for a long time is I have a container in my bathrooms where we toss the empty toilet paper rolls into and now and then I put 5 or 6 into one and toss them into the cardboard recycle. Because I was doing this a while I decided to save them up a while and see what I was recycling, Wow lots of cardboard there getting reused and there are only three of us here, what would happen in a family of 5 or 6?
I also use the paper towels that rip in half and yes it does go a long way compared to the original sheet paper towels when you only need a small sheet.
My old work place used to take old forms and have them made into note pads that could be written on the back side. They tossed them in the lunch rooms and near phones around the building so people would have something to write on.

Sally 2:57AM October 22, 2009