4 Ways You Can Keep Celebrating World Cleanup Day

In celebration of World Cleanup Day, we’re digging into ways to make the Earth a better place to live and explore. Countries around the world have partnered up to show what a united world can do for the planet in just one day. To participate in the organized World Cleanup Day program, you can find a local cleanup on the organization’s website, download the app and track your progress in the app. But if you’re looking for some unconventional ways to participate or you’d like to keep contributing after the holiday is over, here are 10 ways you can keep celebrating World Cleanup Day.

Have a Zero-Waste Day

Believe it or not, there is a whole community of people who have decided to live without creating any waste. But whether or not you’re looking to go green full-time, even one day makes a huge difference in the production of waste. As of 2016, the average person generated over four pounds of waste per day. By eliminating single-use items from your daily routine and focusing on reducing waste, you can make an impact on the health of the planet.

Shop in Bulk

How does buying more help create less waste? Items that are in bulk have a smaller product-to-packaging ratio. For example, if you purchase a standard package of 12 rolls of toilet paper at the grocery store every two weeks, you're going through way more packaging than if you bought the 36-pack at Costco every 6 weeks. Not only that, but buying items in bulk also means you're driving to the store less frequently and therefore cutting down on gas emissions — it's double the benefit!

Start Composting at Home

Instead of tossing that wilted leftover salad into the garbage can to be sent to the landfill, place it in an at-home compost to turn into fertilizer. By placing biodegradable items like apple cores or coffee grounds into a compost, you’re helping turn waste into reusable fuel for plants to continue to grow and produce resources. If you live in an apartment or don’t have access to an outdoor area to compost, check out this odor-free kitchen compost.

Resell Your Clothes

Americans discard about 80 pounds of textiles per person per year. Eileen Fisher, founder of the clothing company that bears her name, has admitted that the fashion industry is “the second largest polluter in the world, second only to oil.” A constantly-increasing consumer marketplace means that more and more apparel is thrown out every year simply because it’s no longer trendy. Let your gently-used items find a new home by reselling them or donating them to a local thrift store.

Although World Cleanup Day is only 24 hours, there is plenty you can do in your day-to-day routine that can reduce the amount of waste funneling into the environment. Take a look at how you can start minimizing your global footprint and make a difference today.