From Linear to Circular: Everyday Hacks to Reduce Packaging Waste

If you think about it, “saving the planet” can be a daunting task to pursue. But, don’t underestimate your own power no matter how small you may feel like in contributing to this bigger goal. Starting in your own household can go a long way especially if you can inspire others to do so!

One way that you can begin your eco-saving journey is by being mindful of the waste that you accumulate at home. And, if you take a moment to look around, perhaps all that packaging you have lying around (or thrown out) make up a huge percentage of your trash, right? We blame our online shopping obsession for this!

But, really, you don’t have to cut out your shopping habits entirely. If you’re not ready to do that, then giving new life to the packaging that you’re supposed to discard can be a huge help already.

Whether you’re recycling, reusing, or being more conscious of which packaging is eco-friendly, here are a few things to keep in mind to lessen your own environmental impact.

1. Sort your trash.

Did you know that your trash is more likely to be recycled when they’re clean and segmented? Make it easier for your neighborhood garbage collectors by washing bottles and containers, segmenting plastic and paper, and taking them out to be collected in separate bags or bins.

You may also take your discarded packaging to nearby recycling facilities or dedicated bins set up by eco-friendly companies or organizations. Conveniently, brands like Garnier even set up sachet collection drop boxes in drugstores, where you can drop any sachets you have, and they collaborate with organizations to recycle and transform them into emergency houses!

2. Reuse what you can.

From bottles to bags, there’s a lot of packaging that you can still use at home without having to throw them away. Eco bags are particularly reusable and encouraged in grocery stores. You may also start using eco bags when you shop for other things, so you don’t have to keep accumulating paper bags that you’ll eventually just discard in the trash. Some stores will actually give you a discount if you bring your own bag!

3. Put a creative spin into recycling.

It’s always fun to recycle when you’re making something cool that you can actually use! Being creative with recycling can make you enjoy the process and, thus, can motivate you to keep doing it.

If you have a surplus of containers that you don’t know what to do with, perhaps that clutter on your desk can use some organizing? If you’re becoming plant obsessed at the moment, those tin cans be used as cute little pots. Plastic bottles can be transformed into dispensers, while glass jars can be reused to hold your personal care items. Just whip out some colorful paint and decorative materials to spruce up your recycled pieces!

4. Mind what you buy.

It’s only a matter of time until recycling and reusing can do so much. Case in point: you may start to simply hoard packaging instead of actually reusing them! So, before you buy something, put an effort to research if these products or packaging are already eco-friendly to begin with.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before purchasing something according to its material or packaging:

•Is this product made of sustainable materials?

•Has this packaging been recycled?

•Can I find a way to reuse this packaging?

•Is there another store that I can purchase from that doesn’t use plastic?

•Are there other brands that I can support that advocate sustainability?

And, speaking of brands to support, look no further than Garnier! With their Green Beauty initiative, they’re starting to lessen their environmental impact by taking steps to replace plastic in their e-commerce parcels with sustainable alternatives such as kraft honeycomb and cassava bags.

Going 100% plastic-less is not an easy feat, and we still have a long way to go. But, with the help of bigger organizations like Garnier who are taking one mindful step at a time, the track to sustainability in packaging is even more possible to take!

5. Tell a friend about it.

All these efforts don’t have to end with you. If you think that some of your hacks are working, then you should share it with your friends and family so they can join in the movement, too! Yes, saving the planet can be a tall order. But, it’s more doable (and much more fun!) if we all do it together.

Together with Garnier, let’s all kick-start our journey to saving the planet! The work begins now.