Avoiding trash is possible in every area of life: at home, in the office, at school, or on the go. It’s in our own hands. The golden rule: Avoid creating trash rather than dealing with it!
Buy Products with Minimal Packaging: Less is More
The most eco-friendly packaging is no packaging at all. Wrapped and shrink-wrapped goods often create unnecessary waste. Choose products with little to no packaging, and avoid bubble wrap. Many cities now have stores offering food and other goods without packaging.
Avoid Single-Use Packaging: Reusables Take Priority
Beverages and dairy products are mostly available in reusable packaging. A reusable mineral water bottle is refilled an average of 50 times. So, skip single-use packaging on your next shopping trip and choose reusable options.
Use Cloth Bags Instead of Plastic Bags: Retro Chic at the Supermarket
Europeans use about 500 plastic bags per year on average. There are practical, reusable alternatives: cloth bags, shopping baskets, and nets, which are not only eco-friendly but also experiencing a revival as a trendy accessory.
Reduce Paper Use: Become a Paper Saver!
Despite digital files, emails, and the internet, paper consumption has been rising for years. Reduce your paper use and choose recycled paper, which largely consists of repurposed trash paper. Look for paper with the Blue Angel environmental label.
Use Flea Markets, Secondhand Stores, and Online Exchanges
Every city has secondhand bookstores, thrift stores, and flea markets where you can resell things you no longer need for some extra cash—or find items you need without buying new.
Reduce Food waste: Use Your Plate, Not the Trash Can
Berlin households produce 58,000 tons of organic waste annually. With a shopping list and good weekly planning, you can organize your fridge and keep more food out of the bin.
Choose the Right Size: Say NO to XXL Packaging
Especially in cities, many people live in single-person households. Unfortunately, supermarkets often promote large discount packs. Think carefully about the size you really need and don’t be lured by discounts on bulk items—every leftover that goes bad is a waste.
Use Refills Instead of Single-Use Packs
Use refillable packaging. Particularly for toiletries and hygiene products, refill packs are available in stores. These refills reduce trash by, for instance, eliminating pumps.
Repair Instead of Disposing: Be Your Own Handyperson!
“Repairing isn’t worth it!” is something you hear when taking a broken item for repair. Yet online you can find companies that still understand the repair trade. If you want to repair devices or furniture but aren’t sure how, visit a repair café for support.
Avoid Multiple Packaging Layers
Excessive and portioned packaging unnecessarily increases trash. Often, manufacturers use it to make products appear larger. Avoid individually wrapped products if possible.
Borrow, Rent, or Lend: Rediscover Joy in Sharing
Many things are only needed once, making ownership unnecessary. Libraries offer books, CDs, and DVDs for a small fee, and larger items like power tools can be rented from most hardware stores.
Donate, Swap, or Share Items: Do Twice the Good
Not everything you no longer need at home, at work, or at school is trash. Donate to charities that support those in need or sell items to fund their activities. Lending and swapping items also helps reduce trash.
Tap Water Instead of Bottled Water
Drinking tap water and avoiding bottled water is an important step in reducing trash. The best packaging is no packaging!
Avoid Advertising trash: Promote “No Ads” Stickers
A “No Ads” sticker on your mailbox prevents advertisers from delivering flyers, reducing paper use. Most flyers end up in the trash anyway. The hope: the more people join in, the less advertising will be printed.
Turn Organic waste into Compost
Organic waste can be processed into compost at home: the perfect fertilizer for balcony plants and gardens. No garden? Use a worm bin to create compost indoors with the help of little composting buddies.
Lunchbox Instead of Aluminum Foil
Skip wrapping sandwiches in aluminum foil or plastic bags. Lunchboxes are practical and environmentally friendly since they can be reused after rinsing, whether at school, work, or on the road.
Host Green Gatherings - avoiding trash
Next party coming up? Serve food and drinks on real dishes and avoid single-use paper and plastic options. It’s better for the environment, and washing dishes is cheaper than buying disposable ones.
Choose Single-Material Packaging
Avoid packaging made of mixed materials. For example, paper packaging often has plastic windows, and glass deodorant bottles are capped with plastic. Currently, only single-materials are recyclable, while mixed ones go straight to trash incineration.
Sell or Donate Old Cell Phones
New phone models keep rolling out, with an average product lifespan of 1.5 years. But what happens to discarded models? About 72 million old phones are sitting unused in German drawers.
Use Fewer Batteries and Return Used Ones
Only a third of batteries sold each year are returned, with the rest ending up in household trash, where they release toxins like nickel, cadmium, and mercury. Use rechargeable batteries or plug-in devices wherever possible.
Zusammenfassung
Avoiding trash doesn’t have to be complicated; with a few small changes in our daily habits, each of us can contribute to a cleaner environment. From choosing reusable packaging to donating items we no longer need, there are countless ways to reduce trash. These steps not only help conserve natural resources but also pave the way for a more sustainable future. Let’s take responsibility for our choices and make trash reduction a simple, yet impactful part of our lives.
