In 2018, the US produced 292.4 million tons of waste or 4.9 pounds of waste per person per day (EPA.gov). Paper and cardboard comprised the majority of the generated waste production in 2018, accounting for 23.1% or 67.4 million tons of generated waste, with food closely following, generating 63.1 million tons of waste, and plastics and yard trimmings, each generating 35 million tons of waste. Nearly 94 million tons of disposed waste were either recycled or composted, meaning 32% of discarded waste material did not end up in landfills. That’s not bad, but we can do better!

Generating little to no waste is the optimal solution to minimizing waste production. You can actively play a part in diminishing waste generation by partaking in weekly home waste audits. Waste audits are a helpful tool to practice mindful sustainability habits through weekly tracking of your waste and consumption patterns. To learn more about waste audits and how they can benefit your home, check out “The 411 on Conducting a Waste Audit,” linked below.