By making a conscious effort to avoid unnecessary waste, you are reducing the amount of waste that is being sent to landfills across the country. Landfill space is becoming increasingly scarce, and every time something is thrown away, the energy, raw materials, and money it took to make it are thrown away with it. The U.S. generated 232 million tons of waste in 2000, compared to 88.1 million tons in 1960.[1] The waste volume is growing faster than the U.S. population! Not only is there more waste being produced, but it's also becoming more expensive to safely dispose of our waste. The most obvious solution? Consume less. 50 years ago, around the time when our national happiness peaked[2], the average U.S. citizen consumed half as much as we do now.[3]

Next time you're at the campus bookstore, ask yourself, “Do I really need more notebooks or can I use the rest of that 3-subject notebook I bought last term? Perhaps, I could even bring my computer to class and take notes in a word document or an email.” It may take a little effort upfront to develop some new habits, but they will quickly become second nature.

Did you know that for every one garbage can of waste you put on the curb, 70 cans of garbage were produced upstream to make the stuff in that one garbage can you put on the curb?[4] Even if you recycle 40% of what's in the garbage can, that doesn't stop the contents of those 70 garbage cans upstream from getting incinerated or tossed into an already overflowing landfill.

Recycling requires energy and money to transport materials, sort and melt them down, and then re-manufacture them. While 77% of Americans do recycle, of those that don't, 18% feel that recycling costs too much, takes too much effort, or they're just too busy.[5] By making a small effort to reduce your waste and reuse what you can, you are cutting down on what needs to be recycled and therefore will spend less time preparing and sorting your recyclables. Think twice about reaching for that disposable plastic bottle of water! Sure they're recyclable, but think about the hundreds or even thousands of plastic bottles you will save from entering the recycling stream by investing in one reusable water bottle that will last years. (Plus, think about all the money you'll save!)

For more information about consumer culture and the journey our stuff goes through, from the environment to our homes to the landfill, check out “The Story Of Stuff” with Annie Leonard.