Waste Reduction
"The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place"
In 2017, the average Long Beach resident generated 3.1 pounds of refuse/per person/per day, making up 73.4% of the city’s annual waste stream. Refuse is what you put in the trash, not the recycle bin, and either ends up incinerated or in a landfill.
New York State’s Beyond Waste report set a disposal rate goal of 0.6 pounds of refuse/per person/per day for New York municipalities by the year 2030. In order to reach this goal, it is important to take to heart the three R’s of waste management: REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE.
In 2017, the average Long Beach resident generated 3.1 pounds of refuse/per person/per day, making up 73.4% of the city’s annual waste stream. Refuse is what you put in the trash, not the recycle bin, and either ends up incinerated or in a landfill.
New York State’s Beyond Waste report set a disposal rate goal of 0.6 pounds of refuse/per person/per day for New York municipalities by the year 2030. In order to reach this goal, it is important to take to heart the three R’s of waste management: REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE.
Waste Reduction Tips
- Bring Your Own Bag - The average lifespan of a single-use plastic grocery bag is 12 minutes of "convenience," after which it will remain in the environment indefinitely.
- Say NO to single-use plastic - Invest in durable, reusable items such as: water bottles, coffee mugs, coffee filters, shopping bags, straws, utensils, plates, razors, etc. When getting takeout or delivery, make sure to tell the clerk upfront that you do not need plastic utensils.
- Buy in Bulk - Buy loose items in bulk and store in reusable airtight jars or containers. Avoid items sold in excessive individualized packaging.
- Food scraps - Turn food waste into a resource by composting them. See our Composting Page for instructions.
- Eggs shells – are high in calcium - sprinkle them on the soil below plants to boost growth.
- Meat bones – Save these in your freezer, and when you have enough, throw them in the crockpot and cover them with water, let cook for 24 hours to make your own healthy “bone broth.” Add herbs, garlic, and/or salt to taste.
- Glass bottles and jars – Reuse these to store odds and ends, pack your lunch, store food or soup in the freezer, store cleaning products like baking soda, or use them as a cleaning spray bottle.
- Paper – Keep packaging paper, old magazines, newspapers, or paper bags to use as wrapping paper for holiday or birthday gifts.
- Mail - Cancel unnecessary mail and/or sign up for paperless billing at your home and office.
- Rags – Use old clothes or rags to wipe down your counter-tops instead of paper towels, then throw it in the washing machine to reuse it.
- Clothes/Textiles - Donate unwanted clothes and other textiles instead of throwing them out.
- Cleaning - Switch to machine-washable/reusable cloth towels and napkins. Choose a mop with a wooden handle and a removable head that can be machine washed. Visit our Sustainable Cleaning Page for more tips.
Resources
For Businesses – consider becoming a Surfrider Ocean Friendly Restaurant
For Businesses - visit the Biodegradable Products Institute to search for biodegradable food service products and packaging
What is a Circular Economy? - Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Reducing Waste: What You Can Do - EPA
100 Steps to a Plastic-Free Life - Myplassticfreelife.com
100 Tips for a Zero Waste Home - Zerowastehome.com
Surfrider's "Rise Above Plastics" Campaign
Plastic Bag Pollution - Citizen's Campaign for the Environment
“Long Island Couple Thriving with ‘Zero Waste’ Lifestyle” – CBS New York July 2018
“Two Years of Living Plastic Free: How I did it and What I’ve Learned” – One Green Planet
Return to the Sanitation and Recycling page