“Zero Waste” may sound like a far-fetched fantasy at first, but the global movement towards more sustainable living is creating actionable goals to make towns and cities near you waste-free.
International Zero Waste Day is an opportunity to reevaluate how you view what you’re buying and tossing out. Zero Waste practices aim for a circular economy by slowing down production, maximizing resources, and keeping materials out of landfills for as long as possible.
Both homeowners and business owners can benefit from learning about sustainable production and consumption habits. By taking baby steps away from our society’s current “throw-away” culture, we can each have an enormous impact together.
Whether you have an estate to clear out in Henderson or a family needing junk removed from a garage in Longview, East Texas Junk Removal has tips and tricks to help you grade your current habits!
What is International Zero Waste Day?
In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 30th as. This globally recognized holiday was created to help the world understand the importance of Zero Waste practices and how imperative it is that we clean up our act. Landfills are quickly overflowing, and we simply need better practices — a focus on reduction first, junk removal second.
Ideally, everything we use could be taken apart and recycled or composted, instead of burnt or buried. Local families love the Piney Woods and want to keep East Texas lakes and rivers pristine for generations to come. Zero Waste is a tightly focused goal that can help more than almost any other efforts.
Zero Waste doesn’t mean you won’t produce any trash tomorrow. It means you’re taking steps toward doing so! Maybe that looks like buying items with less packaging — or repairing what you currently have, rather than replacing it. It might mean calling a junk removal company near you that cares about diverting as much as possible from the landfill.
Why Should I Care About Zero Waste?
Our planet has limited resources, and it’s time we start acting like it. Burying our trash in a landfill causes dangerous contamination to soil and groundwater when done incorrectly. Landfills also create methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, when organic material decomposes without oxygen. Diverting as much waste as possible reduces the risk of these environmental hazards.
Not only can Zero Waste improve your environmental footprint — it can also save you money!
Junk removal companies that practice waste diversion spend more time sorting through the debris, which results in discounts on your overall price. Businesses are often surprised to learn how much they were paying for junk they didn’t need, and as a homeowner, practicing Zero Waste will leave you with less clutter in your home. Less stuff means less hassle!
How Does Zero Waste Help the Environment?
Think globally, act locally! When you recycle one aluminum can, you not only keep that can out of Lake Palestine but also save energy that can be used to create another can from scratch.
Here’s how reducing your waste helps the environment:
Trees: Less Paper Trash = More Trees Standing Tall
Mining: Less Metal Junk = Fewer Exploited Lands
Energy: Less Manufacturing of New Products = Lower CO2 Emissions
When your junk company sorts through your rubbish, they’re looking for any chance to keep resources out of the ground. Furniture, clothing, and electronics can all often be given a second life with local charities rather than being crushed in the back of a truck.
Grade Your Waste Habits
Ask yourself these questions. If you answered no to 3 or more, there’s always room for improvement!
Do you bring your own bags to the store?
Did you swap out your plastic water bottles for a reusable one?
Do you compost your food waste and lawn clippings?
Do you research how to fix something before throwing it away?
Do you use a junk removal company near me that recycles?
If you answered “no” to 2 or more of these questions, consider incorporating one of these new habits into your routine soon!
How Can You Celebrate Zero Waste Day?
There are small ways to take part in International Zero Waste Day and large ways to overhaul your contribution to your town’s trash heap. One of the best places to start is by understanding what you are currently throwing away.
Clothing & Textiles
The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world. Host a clothing swap with friends or neighbors in Marshall and trade lightly used garments instead of shopping for new ones. When buying new, focus on high-quality, second-hand clothing. If those jeans are too worn to wear, find a local textile recycling center instead of tossing them in the trash!
Food Scraps & Yard Waste
Food waste and yard waste make up a large percentage of residential trash. Start a compost bin in your backyard and give that food trash a new life as garden fertilizer for your East Texas yard. Not a fan of composting? Check into bokashi containers for small organic deposits or find a local community compost drop box.
Shopping & Retail
When shopping locally, look for items with less or no plastic packaging. Ask your favorite boutique if they have bulk purchasing options or recycling stations for soap, detergent, or dry goods. Remember, when you “vote with your wallet,” you encourage more stores to follow.
When Your Junk Outgrows Your Kitchen Trash
Move-in/move-out cleanouts, remodeling, and estate sales can result in excess materials that need to be removed quickly. Sometimes it’s inevitable that you’ll need to hire a professional junk removal company to help you lighten the load. But how do you know which junk removal company near me actually cares about Texas trash regulations?
The best junk removal companies won’t simply dump everything into the nearest landfill. A reputable company will take time to sort through the junk you’re throwing away to pull out scrap metal, unpainted wood, and certain types of plastics that can be recycled. By sorting at the source, you give your junk more opportunities to be diverted from the landfill!
Commercial & Industrial Waste
Restaurant, retail, and industrial property owners face unique challenges when it comes to junk removal. Whether you’re doing a make-ready for your next tenant or cleaning out decades of commercial debris, there’s likely some “special waste” in your facility. Partnering with a junk removal service that knows how to sort hazardous waste and provide you with documentation that your waste was disposed of properly means one less thing for you to worry about.
When looking for junk removal companies near me, look for local companies that pride themselves on their transparency. You should know where everything you’re tossing goes. Professional junk removal companies are the backbone of keeping big cities nice and functional. They understand that we shouldn’t view things as trash — we should view things as resources.
Call your East Texas Junk Removal Experts | East Texas Junk Removal
We know how much work can go into junk removal and hauling; it’s more than just picking up heavy items off the floor. We are here for our neighbors during some of the happiest times of your life, and the hardest. And don’t worry — we do everything we can to recycle, donate, and repurpose whatever we can from your junk!
When you work with a junk removal company that cares about your community as much as you do, you can rest easy. Whether you need residential junk removal service in Longview or commercial support in Tyler, our service will always be timely, respectful, and green.
East Texas Junk Removal follows all Texas-specific waste codes to ensure your load isn’t costing the planet any more than it needs to. When you hire a junk removal company near me that loves East Texas as much as you do, you’re investing back into the heart of our community.