Five Garbage Samples Found in Parks (And How Long They Take to Decompose)

Litter Can Lead to Severe Repercussions 

As discussed in a previous GreenLiving blog post, littering is an opponent of a green lifestyle.  Litter can harm or injure plants and animals and destroy animal habitats.  But how long does litter last when improperly disposed at the beach or in the local park?  

Below are five examples of common pieces litter found outdoors and the amount of time it takes these items to fully decompose:

1) Aluminum cans: Aluminum cans take up to 200 years to fully decompose when left outside.  Cans, and other aluminum products, are often recyclable materials and can be re-purposed and reused.  

2) Batteries: Batteries take up to 100 years to decompose if improperly disposed.  Though some batteries cannot be recycled, others can- remember to always do research to learn how to best dispose of batteries.

Recap: Managing Waste

The Damaging Effects of Waste

Last year, our blog presented some facts and figures about waste.  When you discard garbage or recycling improperly, such as littering outside or simply tossing a plastic bottle into a trash can, do you consider what happens to the remains of that product?

Waste that is not discarded properly will eventually seep into the environment.  This is the time of year for holiday parties and family gatherings. When cleaning up, it might seem easier to just discard all the trash and not sort out the recyclables or potentially harmful garbage.  However, when committing to a green lifestyle, it is important to take every opportunity you can to promote sustainability. Recycling whenever possible, not just when convenient, and prompting others to do the same can protect natural resources.

What Can You Do About Plastic Pollution?

Plastic pollution hurts plant and animal life.

Taking Action

Last week, we blogged several facts about plastic pollution.  Plastic pollution is just as common as any other type of pollution; causing horrible problems for the environment.

Ways to combat plastic pollution are:

• Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags. Cloth bags are available at almost every retail store at low prices.
• Reduce everyday plastics such as sandwich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag or box.

Plastic Pollution: The Dangers of Not Recycling

Have you ever thrown even a bottle cap in the garbage?
The effects may surprise you.

Did You Know...

That there is such a thing as plastic pollution?  You might have heard of air or water pollution- but plastic pollution actually causes devastating effects to the environment.

We are surrounded by plastic throughout the day.  Plastic drink-ware and utensils, products for work, decorations in our homes, etc.  If you throw out even one of these products, instead of choosing to recycle, think about these consequences:

• Americans throw away approximately 35 billion plastic water bottles every year (source: Brita).
• It takes at least 500, and up to 1,000, years for plastic to degrade.
• In the Los Angeles, California area alone, 10 metric tons of plastic fragments (including straws, bottle caps, etc.) are carried into the Pacific Ocean every day.

Going Green for Valentine's Day

Loving the Planet This V-Day

If you are planning a Valentine's Day celebration for your loved one- you might want to consider a few green ideas!  Share your love with the planet and environment as well.

Trying to Plan the Best Outing?

Some green date ideas are:

Registering for a cooking class

Cooking is not only fun, but a skill that can help reduce food waste! 

Hiking through a park

If you don't mind the cold, visit a state park and take a nice hike through the various trails.  Some parks even offer winter sports and seasonal activities.  Find the nearest state park by using America's Sate Parks' website.

Putting Our Waste Into Perspective

Waste By The Numbers

We all know that recycling is good for the environment and an easy way to live a green life.

This is the time of year for holiday and New Years Eve parties. When cleaning up, it might seem easier to just discard of all the trash.  Sorting through recyclables doesn't matter all the time, right? It's fine to take just a few days off?

When committing to a green lifestyle, it is important to take every opportunity you can to promote sustainability. Taking one day off of recycling might seem like not a big deal, but in the long-run, the effects can be devastating to our natural resources.

Consider these figures:

It's More Than Recycling!

Last week, our blog post was about the importance of recycling!  While it is important to recycle, living a green life isn't just about recycling and sorting out re-usable supplies; there are a lot of other ways to live green!

From cleaning your home to getting to work, read these tips for simple ideas to go green!

Cleaning

1. Use non-toxic, environmentally safe, biodegradable cleaning products, including laundry products, which you can find at any natural grocery and even many mainstream stores. Just read the labels carefully. 
2. Don't pollute your indoor air or mask odors that could alert you to a problem. Choose fragrance-free products.