Recycling 101: Do Individual Choices Matter When It Comes to Waste?

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While we hope a lot of people will sign up to learn more about recycling, Recycling 101 is designed to help organisations educate their staff by sharing educational information - to support education while reinforcing that waste is a serious focus for your business. Learn more about how it can help here.

Overview

Recycling will play a crucial role in establishing circular economies and shifting away from wasteful practices, but it’s far from perfect. To move meaningly forward, there must be changes made across the entire waste management process - from materials and packaging, to design, collection, and recycling.

As individuals, we can’t bring about this transformation alone. Businesses need to take responsibility and lead the way with the help of regulations and policies. Unfortunately, knowing that most of the change will have to come from businesses can be very demotivating.

But in fact, your individual decisions still matter and will still be an essential part of moving us towards a more sustainable future.

You can reduce your impact on the environment and encourage others to do the same by making sustainable choices. Individual actions can influence organisations to embrace change - especially when we are able to act as a community. This article will discuss how consumer demand affects corporate behaviour and provide practical tips for making a difference.

The Environmental Impact of Individual Habits

According to the 2022 National Waste Report, between 2020 - 2021, 14 million tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste (waste from individuals/households) were generated, averaging 0.54 tonnes per person.

That means we’ve got a long way to go when it comes to reducing our waste. While aiming for zero waste or zero plastic is commendable, real change comes from many people making imperfect efforts, inspired by the words of Anne-Marie Bonneau, the Zero Waste Chef.

Developing good waste habits can range from something as small as using a reusable coffee cup to bigger things like setting up a home composting system - it all makes an impact. An excellent example of a small change comes from the Keep Cup Calculator, which shows the surprising positive environmental impact of switching to a reusable cup.

Creating a Ripple Effect

You can positively influence your community by making sustainable choices and taking action, even as a single person. When I worked as a barista, a team from a business in the building we were located in would come into the cafe every day to get coffee and sit down to drink them.

They would use takeaway cups just in case they didn’t finish before they went back to the office. One day, I suggested to just one of the team members that they could bring their own mugs if they were just going up the elevator to reduce waste.

The next day it was just him with a mug, but slowly this became a habit for the entire team - the change was made and the impact amounted to over 50 KG of materials saved over a year. I may have made the suggestion, but he took the step that changed the behaviour of the group.

Sharing your new tips and success stories on social media and with those around you is another way to amplify your impact. The internet allows for ideas to be shared and for others to be inspired.

Plastic Free July is an excellent example of this on a large scale. It began with a small team in local government in Western Australia, and now the programme motivates people around the world to change their behaviours every year and support them in communicating about it.

Leading by example can be a powerful way to drive positive change and inspire others to adopt sustainable habits.

Sharing your new tips and success stories on social media and with those around you is another way to amplify your impact. The internet allows for ideas to be shared and for others to be inspired.

Plastic Free July is an excellent example of this on a large scale. It began with a small team in local government in Western Australia, and now the programme motivates people around the world to change their behaviours every year and support them in communicating about it.

Influencing Companies to Embrace Sustainable Practices

Individual choices can influence corporate behaviour, driving companies to adopt sustainable practices. By expressing a preference for environmentally-friendly products and packaging, consumers can send a clear message to businesses about the importance of sustainability.

This is often referred to as ‘voting with your dollar’; for the most part, organisations exist to make money, and as consumer purchasing increasingly moves towards sustainable products, organisations need to adapt to stay in business.

There are a few famous examples of this; one that springs to mind is the Cadbury boycott due to their use of palm oil despite claims it was being sourced ‘responsibly’. This community-driven campaign ultimately forced Cadbury to remove palm oil from their products in under a month.

Another example involves innovative brands that change a category completely; Ethique, a brand from New Zealand, introduced shampoo and conditioner bars to reduce waste. As a result of high customer demand, other companies have followed Ethique with similar products.

It’s clear that businesses embracing sustainable practices also reap economic advantages, including cost savings, improved brand reputation, and increased customer loyalty. By aligning their values with consumer preferences, companies can position themselves as leaders in their industries and contribute to a more sustainable future for all.

Tips for Individuals to Make a Difference

1. Start small, and find everyday habits that you can change to reduce your waste
2. Find and follow social accounts or newsletters that help to spark ideas for simple changes
3. Embrace a conscious consumer mindset - consider alternatives before buying products
   1. Borrow and share tools within your community
   2. Do a clothes swap with your friends for a wardrobe refresh
   3. Shop second-hand
4. Consider the end-of-life and longevity of a product when you are making a purchasing decision
5. Share your tips and tricks with others around you at home and at work
6. Let companies know you value sustainability by purchasing in line with your values
7. If you’re comfortable, let companies, where you like their products, know that there are ways they can improve to keep you as a customer
8. If you purchase products and services for a business, use the purchasing power to ask for more sustainable improvements

Conclusion

The power of individual habits should not be underestimated in the quest for a sustainable future. By adopting sustainable practices through personal actions and communicating them with others, individual people can drive positive environmental change.

Consumer demand can change corporate behaviour, encouraging companies to sell sustainable products and services. By making small but meaningful changes in our daily lives, we have the power to inspire others and collectively create a better and more sustainable world.

Sustainable change isn't about perfection but about the effort of imperfect individuals. We can make a difference and pave the way for a sustainable future.