Before November ends, take a moment to think about the items you surround yourself with. Are they good for the planet? Will you be using them in the future, or are they just for today? Once you’ve made it through these reflections, you’re ready to think about waste. Keep reading to learn how.
1. Educate yourself on the issues
It’s always important to stay informed. You’re welcome to do your own research, but here are some waste basics:
Fact #1: The average person in the United States uses 10.2 global acres (or 10.2 earths) every year. This means we’re using more than our fair share of resources (Footprint Network).
Fact #2: Almost 20 billion plastic bottles end up in the trash every year (NRDC).
Fact #3: Our carbon dioxide emissions are the highest they’ve been in Earth’s history due to the extraction of fossil fuels. Check out this video from NOAA.
Fact #4: Many plastics are made from petroleum — a fossil fuel (EPA).
Fact #5: One-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted annually AND North American and Oceania has the largest per capita contribution (World Economic Forum).
2. Calculate your ecological footprint
What is Earth Overshoot Day? It marks the day of the year in which we’ve used more resources than the Earth can regenerate in a year. In 2019, it was July 29th. That means we’re currently borrowing. The goal is to push the date further back so that we live sustainably with the available resources, rather than taking from future generations. Take this quiz to find out how many Earths you use in a year.
3. Download a No Waste November Pledge Card
No Waste November was started by a team of youth leaders who were inspired by Jane Goodall to start a youth movement that would change our relationship with waste. The basic premise is to reduce your waste for the whole month of November, and by the end feel confident that you can continue to eliminate overconsumption from your lifestyle. It’s a great idea because the actions of today really are the habits of tomorrow. Fill out the pledge with the smallest or biggest steps you’d like to take to become part of the solution.
4. Take action to reduce your waste
This one is serious. If you care about the planet then you need to keep your commitments. We won’t save the oceans from trash islands or stop our reliance on fossil fuels if we don’t give it 100 percent. That means everyone needs to take responsibility and do what is right, not what is convenient.
5. Invest in reusables (and use them!)
Good options include grocery totes, metal straws and utensils, coffee tumblers and water bottles, tupperware and beeswax food wrappers, and even period products! Be the one that says no to the plastic straw at Starbucks and the styrofoam takeout containers. If you step up, people will notice and our consumer culture will change. And, if you own a Hydro Flask then why would you want anyone to catch you with a passé plastic water bottle? Plus, VSCO girl points.
Related: 5 Sustainable Period Products to Give a Little More Love to the Planet
6. Join an environmental group
If you’re a college student like me, there are more than opportunities for joining in on environmental activism. George Mason University has Green Patriots, Mason Environmental Justice Alliance, and GMU Organic Gardening Association, all of which can help you get involved with sustainability, volunteer work, and environmental activism. If you’re off-campus or at a different point in your life, find a local group or get involved with parks and recs or a community association.
7. Participate in a climate rally
2019 has been the year of climate activism. We’ve seen the likes of Greta Thunberg’s Fridays For Future and Jane Fonda’s Fire Drill Fridays shoot off. We had some of the largest climate strikes in history in September of this year to tell members of the United Nations to step up on climate change. There’s also Zero Hour and the annual March for Science events. Even Amazon employees striked for climate this year. What does it all mean? It means you can get involved, too. Just look up events for your location and turn out. Also, bring a sign.
8. Give back to nature
See 6. If you can’t find a community near you or aren’t able to physically volunteer, there’s still a lot of ways to help out. Consider donating to NGOs or funds that help fight environmental degradation, environmental injustice, or biodiversity loss. Download Ecosia so you can plant trees with your searches. If you own a home with a lawn, plant natives or start beekeeping. Buy organic, local, and Fair Trade Certified. Eat less meat. Avoid buying wrapping paper if you’ve already begun holiday shopping and opt for brown paper bags instead. Think quality, not quantity this holiday season. The list goes on. Start somewhere.
Related: 9 Holiday Gifts for the Environmentalist in Your Life
9. Inspire others to do the same
A movement needs to be shared to gain power. If you can cut down your waste this November, it means you have the tools you need to be an advocate for the environment. It means you can go further in changing the world around you, altering our economy into a more circular one, and demanding our power structures embrace equity.
The biggest key to No Waste November, and environmental activism in general is that we can’t ask others to do what we won’t ask of ourselves. That includes our elected representatives, our university, friends, and family. It can be difficult to fall out of step with a consumer society and be able to separate our needs and wants. It hasn’t been the popular opinion in a while. I challenge you to be a leader, to empower yourself, and to do better so that you can ask for better. Make it a No Waste November.