7 ways to lessen household waste and help save the world

Let this message be a hopeful one, because we have made progress.

Let this message be a hopeful one, because we have made progress. Although we are generating more solid waste per household today than we were 30 years ago, we have also increased recycling by more than 25 percent and started dealing with our trash in more efficient ways. Local and national green-waste and recycling programs are slowly helping to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by diverting these materials from landfills. According to opala.org, H-POWER, Oahu’s waste recovery plant, produces up to 10 percent of Oahu’s electricity and reduces the volume of refuse going to Waimanalo Gulch Landfill by 90 percent.

Putting cans in the blue bin, branches in the green bin, shopping at consignment shops, and composting egg shells and papaya skins are working. No matter the size of the problem, small steps every day help make a difference. Start your own green revolution at home using these simple, planet-protecting solutions: