Waste costs us money in terms of hauling and added carbon dioxide that makes the atmosphere hotter, bringing more storms, flood, damaging wind and extreme heat. Below are ways to reduce waste as an individual, just by changing your behavior:
- Plan sit down meals - take out can increase packaging waste by as much as 500 grams per meal
- When dining in, don't use take out cups and utensils, ask for reusables.
- Bring your own ecobag when you shop. Some wet markets in the Philippines have as much as 600 plastic bags exiting their doors per hour!
- If you have good quality packaging or plastic utensils, clean them and re-use them.
- Stop using bottled water - bring your own bottle. If you have the influence, set up dispenser systems in public spaces so that you can build a culture of refilling.
- Purchase second hand at thrift shops.
- Buy in bulk vs small sachets whenever possible.
- Don't waste your food if you cannot finish it - pack it and reheat for the next meal. Food waste generates methane which is 27x the intensity of carbon.
- For take out, bring your own reusable tupperware.
- Request for compostable or zero packaging whenever possible during your purchases. Your request can make a world of difference.
A combination of the steps above can help an individual reduce 1 kilo of waste per month! Additionally, here are companies that can help you reduce your waste:
- Eco Uling - they turn coconut waste into charcoal for BBQ, reducing the need to cut trees https://www.instagram.com/ecoulingph/
- Bambuhay - Bamboo toothbrushes are compostable and can help reduce plastic waste! Bamboo also grows 3-5x faster than wood so its a very renewable resource! Keep your teeth and the environment clean. https://www.instagram.com/bambuhayph/
- Magwai - Reef safe sunblock is critical as standard creams poison corals that produce our food! Additionally they have shampoo bars that eliminate the need for plastic tubes of shampoo! https://www.instagram.com/magwaiph/
- Econest - disposable and compostable packaging is now convenient! Check out their sando bags made of cassava! https://www.instagram.com/econestph/
- Ecoshift - soap, shampoo, and other personal care items that are refillable or don't have plastic packaging. Their online store makes shopping very convenient! https://www.instagram.com/theecoshiftph/
There are other ways to reduce waste - we just need to think about the situation and find the solution. Join thousands of Filipinos on their journey towards waste reduction and recycling!
If you want to organize your own Level Up Clean Up, please message us at info@madearth.org so that we can assist you in putting things together!
Thank you to our partners who helped us innovate the way we clean up!
Updated as of Jan 9, 2025
