25 Wasteful Things You Can Live Without : Planet Green

You don't need to use disposable and unnecessarily packaged products.

We produce a lot of waste. In 2008 alone, Americans generated 250 million tons of trash, and though about a third of that was recycled, a lot went into landfills or was incinerated. Our culture is centered around disposability, and only we have the power to change that.

Take stock of the disposable, overly-packaged, and single-use products that you use, and then look for reusable alternatives. Not sure where to start? Here are more than two dozen items that many people use . . . and can easily live without.

25 Wasteful Things You Can Live Without:

1. Plastic wrap -- Instead, use a container with a lid.
2. Tin foil -- Use an oven-safe pot or dish with a lid.
3. Disposable cleaning cloths, dusters, etc. -- Use a microfiber cloth that can be washed.
4. Paper towels -- Use a tea towel, instead.
5. Disposable pens -- Buy a good pen that only needs the ink well changed.
6. Paper plates -- Washing dishes may be an effort, but it's worth it.
7. Plastic cutlery -- Use the metal stuff.
8. Disposable razors -- Invest in a razor that only needs the blades changed.
9. Packaged fruits and vegetables -- Produce does not need to be packaged.
10. Individually wrapped snacks -- Snacks travel better anyway in a hard container.
11. Juice boxes -- Put juice in a reusable container (not plastic).
12. Electric pencil sharpeners -- Use the hand-crank version of days gone by.
13. Disposable diapers -- Cloth diapers aren't that much more difficult to use.
14. Disposable cloths -- Fabric cloths can be washed regularly to avoid bacterial or viral build-up.
15. Paper or plastic single-use grocery bags -- Get a few reusable bags.
16. Bottled water -- Install a water filter on your tap or pick up a water jug with a filter.
17. Non-rechargeable batteries -- Make the investment for rechargeable batteries and you'll save money in the long run.
18. Electric can openers -- Use a little muscle.
19. Single-serving pudding or yogurt cups -- Buy a large container of yogurt or make your own pudding, and send it in a reusable container.
20. Plastic cups -- Stick to reusable cups.
21. Disposable table cloths -- Spills are a reality of life; just clean them up as they happen.
22. Antibacterial wipes -- If you must, use a gel hand sanitizer.
23. Facial tissues -- Unless you have a bad cold, a handkerchief will work just fine.
24. Paper billing -- Switch to e-billing for your bank statement, credit card bill, utility bill, etc.
25. Plasticized sticky notes -- Use the original paper sticky notes; they can be recycled when you're done with them.

More on waste:
How to Go Green: Recycling
How to Pack Your Bag for a Zero Waste Day
Wa$ted New Zealand Episode: Co-Eds