Looking at the plastic bottle being tossed in the trash bin, I said to the lady in the household, “It is better to keep this kind of waste separated and hand it over to scrap dealers, so it has a chance to be recycled.”
She replied, “Throwing such waste with rest of the garbage actually creates an earning opportunity for waste pickers, as they search for sellable material in the trash.”
While she might be good in her intention, there are certain problems in this approach. First, there is no guarantee that the item will even be picked by someone. It could just rest in the garbage adding to the pile of pollution. Secondly, even if it is collected, it is likely to be contaminated. Food scraps and diapers waste often mix with recyclable items making them hazardous and difficult to process. That’s why a wiser approach is not to delegate our responsibility to others in an inappropriate manner, but to play our role actively.
In a country lacking in proper waste management and formal recycling system , it is a significant challenge to control the careless disposal of waste at macro level. Nevertheless, the absence of structure does not absolve individuals of their personal responsibility. We all have a part to play.
While I have not tried recycling in its technical sense, I have adopted habits that help reducing waste and facilitate upcycling. For instance, several products in my household are upcycled and reused. Also, I ensure the optimum use of material. Additionally, I am quite careful about the disposal of recyclable material.
I avoid throwing plastic items like bottles, containers, and broken toys in trash bins. Instead I collect them separately and sell them to scrap dealers.
Likewise, I am very cautious about paper products. Instead of disposing of paper packaging from confectionery, grocery or other food items with rest of the garbage, I keep them in a basket separately. It is then sold to scrap dealers.
Before disposing them off for recycling, I prefer to use the empty sides of printed papers for writing material.
For school projects of my sons, we often have to use paper cuttings. Instead of throwing away the left over pieces of papers, I keep them safe for the later use.
I often give new life to paper waste by utilizing it at various places of my home. For instance, instead of plastic-made sheets, I use paper from old calendars to spread on the surface of drawers and cupboard’s shelves.
Similarly, old cartons are used to organize my cupboards, shelves, refrigerator and drawers. They are also used as baskets for toys.
At the end of academic sessions, before scraping away old notebooks, I separate their unused papers and utilize them for further writing tasks. This year, I prepared new note books from such separated piles of papers.
After compiling the required amount of pages, I got them covered with a card sheet and stapled them together. More than half of my son's new session’s notebooks are formed this way. Along with reducing the waste, the approach saved us some money.
Likewise, some other material also goes through a passage of upcycling in my household before becoming a waste. For instance, the fabric bag of rice has been used as plastic bags dispenser in my kitchen. Old cushion covers with functional zips are used to segregate different types of toys. After removing the faded area, old bed sheets were good to go for air-cooler’s covering.
Discarded toothbrushes are of great use for cleaning purposes. Instead of buying new products, I use old toothbrushes for cleaning the corners of furniture and other items. I modify the shape of brushes to cater my needs. For instance, I bended this by heating it to effectively clean the curved corners of my drawers.
The empty jars from jam, jellies and spreads are used from keeping spices and oil in my kitchen.
Instead of using kitchen napkins, I reuse the fabric from old dresses, bed sheets and other fabric for cleaning purposes. I cut the fabric into small pieces and keep them in the kitchen for the use. This way not only the fabric is upcycled but some trees that are used for manufacturing napkins are also saved.
In an attempt to reduce plastic waste, I refuse to take polythene bags when I go for shopping. Instead, I carry a strong fabric bag with me to keep the purchases in it.
At a glance, these contributions may appear insignificant; however, they are the demonstration of responsibility, compassion and respect for the planet we are bestowed with. I believe, every small act individuals do has its impact on their surroundings. After all, a society is s collection of individuals. If each person is willing to make their own contribution, greater changes become possible.
●●●●●●●●●
This post is my participation for Hl-featured contest week 160 edition 2.
Images are taken by me via my mobile camera.