Howdy! We all know that reducing waste helps to protect and preserve the environment. Not only does waste reduction help reduce the use of natural resources, it also reduces the amount of space needed for (and the related cost of) waste disposal. Not to mention the fact that reducing waste in your home also saves you money and time.

There are countless ways to reduce household waste. One is to buy durable goods that last a long time and to mend or repair them whenever possible, instead of buying new. For example, take proper care of clothing and learn basic sewing skills to mend them when possible, and learn to do simple maintenance of the items that you use around the home. Another way is to buy reusable, rather than disposable, products, such as dishcloths and hand towels rather than paper towels and silverware and dishes rather than plasticware and paper plates, cups, and the like. Another way is to buy items that have minimal (and when possible, recyclable) packaging or that have packaging that can be reused. For example, yogurt, margarine, and sour cream containers can be reused to freeze food or carry lunch. And rather than throwing away good, used clothing or other household items, hold a yard sale, sell them on eBay, or give them to your local thrift store, instead.

Finally, think carefully about what you buy. Everything you purchase has to be kept somewhere in your home- often it must be frequently cleaned or taken out and put away, and then is eventually discarded and added to the landfill. In our consumer society, we are often enticed into buying things impulsively, and then the item sits in our home, seldom or never used, only to eventually be disposed of. Curb impulse buying by creating and sticking to a shopping list. When you see something you want to buy, force yourself to wait a few days and see if the urge to buy it passes. That way, you'll have more money in your wallet and less clutter in your home.

So here's your assignment: Do an analysis of what you and your family dispose of regularly, and determine where most of your waste comes from. Then discuss ways that you can reduce waste in order to help minimize your impact on the environment and put your money and time to better use.