When renting an apartment in a shared complex, one of the struggles you as a resident may have to deal with is a shared garbage disposal room, which may or may not allow for efficient disposal.
Here are some tips that may help apartment renters better reduce waste:
Don’t Forget to Recycle Bathroom Waste Too
Many of us tend to recycle items in the kitchen, but when it comes to the bathroom, we typically forget to do the same. In fact, only 50% of bathroom waste is recycled on average. Instead of tossing everything in the garbage, use a separate container or bin under the sink to collect shampoo bottles, hand soap bottles, shower gel bottles, toilet roll tubes and any cardboard boxes from your toothpaste.
Create a Meal Plan
Did you know that the average Canadian household wastes 79 kilograms of food per year? A lot of it comes down to food spoilage. One way to avoid this is to create a meal plan. Spend an evening picking out some of your favourite recipes or new ones to try. Plan one for each day of the week, incorporating any leftovers into breakfast, lunch or snacks for the following day. This will help to dramatically lower your waste and even help you save some money.
Be Strategic with your Fridge Setup
Another way to minimize your waste is by being strategic about how you organize your fridge. Keep a container to put things in that need to be used up first. Pack any leftovers in clear containers so you don’t forget about them. And store fruits and veggies separately to prevent them from spoiling faster.
For a complete schedule of your garbage pick-up times, check the collection calendar here.