Cutting Back On How Much Stuff We Use

April 30th 2008

On Monday I talked about how we can cut back on the amount of food that we waste. The simplest way to do that is to just not have as much on your plate. We often prepare more food than we can actually eat, and it got me thinking about other areas of life where the same situation applies. When I clean my teeth, do I really need to put that much toothpaste on my brush? A pea sized amount has turned out to be quite sufficient. When I wash my hands do I really need to use that much hand wash? I’ve found because it foams up so well it goes a long way.

Below are a few examples you can consider. This isn’t about cutting these things out of your life, it’s about being consciously aware of how you use them so that you can be as efficient as possible. That way you will save on money and waste, important issues in these increasingly hard times. Just packing your shopping in bags a bit better can save on recycling, printing paper on a draft setting can make ink last longer and wearing clothes an extra day saves on washing costs.

Hair gel/wax/spray
Shampoo
Deodorant/perfume
Makeup
Hand wash
Face wash
Mouth wash
Toothpaste
Condiments
Paper
Ink/toner
Electrical items
Phone calls
Water
Washing up liquid
Detergent
Films/music/books
Wearing clothes
Shopping bags
Tissues/napkins
Fuel

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