As the climate crisis looms ever closer, most of us wish we could come together to help the environment. But as individuals, we often feel paralyzed to rein in the disasters and keep our planet from melting, all while witnessing how corporate polluters only add more fuel to the fire. Thankfully, there is a way to lessen the devastating effects of climate change, and it all starts with our everyday choices.
So let us introduce you to the 'ReduceWasteNow' project. This online purveyor set out on a mission to share advice about simple life adjustments that can help us do our bit to protect the environment. Their 'Old Me vs. New Me' series reminds us that we have a personal responsibility to back away from a wasteful life and mitigate our ecological footprint one meme at a time.
In hopes of a better future, we at Bored Panda have gathered some of their best tips and tricks to spread some environmental enthusiasm. As you scroll down, be sure to upvote the posts you found most useful and share your own eco-friendly solutions everyone must know in the comment section below! After you’re done reading through this piece, check out Part 1 of this feature for even more 'Old Me vs. New Me' goodness.
More info: reducewastenow.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
This post may include affiliate links.
Christmas fabric is 100% reusable. Christmas themed table cloths from the thrift store work great. Even a handkerchief tied with ribbon is better than brown paper.
Graydon Lawson knows that little changes can make a difference. He is the founder of ReduceWasteNow, an impact-focused social enterprise that offers sustainable solutions for people who care for future generations, the well-being of animals, and who want to do their part in the fight against climate change. His mission is to help hundreds of thousands of everyday people make an impact by helping the environment on an individual level. However, he explained that in 2018, he founded his project for the wrong reason.
"I first started ReduceWasteNow solely to build an audience," he wrote on his website. "At the time, I was creating my own reusable coffee mugs with an overseas supplier. The plan was to build an audience on Instagram with my new account 'ReduceWasteNow' by posting content related to environmental issues. Then, I'd advertise the reusable coffee mugs on that account."
But after a few weeks, he began to realize the dire situation of environmental issues affecting our planet and chose to take immediate action. He abandoned his idea to promote reusable coffee cups just three days before the launch. "At that moment, I decided to do everything in my power to help the environment. So I began researching and sharing simple, actionable ways people can help the environment," he noted.
We have cats. Everyone knows we have cats. Yet we keep getting poisonous bouquets of flowers. I know I know I sound ungrateful but it sucks when someone spends what I consider to be too much money for something I can’t keep in the home. My flower loving neighbor is thrilled so it’s always fun to bring them to her. My point….flowers aren’t always a good gesture.
I got a sympathy bouquet after my mother died, and took it to a local retirement home to keep my cat from eating any of it. Many houseplants are also poisonous to cats, so I bought catnip plants, which grow like crazy, but my cat doesn't seem to be attracted to them (the neighbors' cats love them though).
Load More Replies...
Also, giving a houseplant to someone who doesn't really enjoy taking care of them is sort of like giving them another chore to do around the house...
I love houseplants. Unfortunately it's impossible for me to keep them alive. I adore flowers though.
Sounds just like my history with house plants, though if I get one I still try. Poor plants!
Load More Replies...
Disagree. If someone isn't interested in houseplants, don't give them one. It'll only die anyway and they'll feel bad.
I would rather get a bouquet that looks pretty for a few days but is supposed to wilt and die, rather than a houseplant that isn’t supposed to wilt and die, but will wilt and die under my “care.” Also, giving someone something they are supposed to keep for years is presumptuous. If they don’t like the bouquet you give them, they can throw it away in a few days.
I never understood the idea of "I love you so here's a bunch of plants I decapitated! They will absolutely finish dying within a handful of days!"
That's me. I kept my Christmas cactus alive for a few years. Then it didn't matter where I put it, my cats would leave teeth imprints on it, or just straight up knock it down onto the floor. And there are only a couple spots I can put it where it gets sunlight. My husband also bought me a plant for my birthday last year. It did not last long at all. If anything, seeds for a garden are the best option. Especially for something that is drought resistant, Zinnias are absolutely gorgeous and bees love them. So do sphinx hummingbird moths.
Load More Replies...
Oh, hey NEW ME, 'sup?.... Thank you for the gift of the obligation to keep yet another thing alive and thriving when I already have three kids in the age of COVID-19. You rock, this was a very welcome addition and a tremendously thoughtful gift. Please consider a GoFundMe next time, but again--suuuuuper thanks.
I would be most thrilled if I got a potted herb. It's nice and green and I can eat it too!
Every time I get a bouquet, our cat gets a bunch of fresh, green grass. She loves it and leaves my flowers alone. The wilted flowers and grass go on the compost heap.
I had some of the plants I received when my husband died for 21 years. I do love flowers, but plants are just wonderful.
My house is the one that houseplants come to to die. Please dont.. Just bring yerself.
My son's wedding centerpieces will be potted plants from Home Depot.
Please don't bring people houseplants unless you know they're houseplant people. You're giving them extra stuff to do and take care of so it's good to know how they feel about it. No, "easy" plants like succulents aren't better because they're just as easy to forget about.
My sister sends me flowers every year for my B-day and Christmas. There great at first but then their not. A lot of times the stems are in that green foam stuff and I can't tell if they have enough water or not. In the vase is better. I can just dump out the whole thing and start over with fresh water and I can see what I'm doing. I also start amassing to many vases. I give them to The Kidney Foundation when they come buy. Now I can start all over. I don't have the heart to tell her to stop because I know she enjoys it and I don't want to seem ungrateful. It would save her money though.
Almost everybody knows I dislike bouquets, so I only get one or two a year. I always pass them on to whoever will be happy for the bouquet :)
I love plants more than anyone, but i don't want all my friends to give me plants on my birthday, that's so much responsibility and my friends get really upset if I let them die.
Then, the following began to grow. As of this writing, the ReduceWasteNow Instagram account has accumulated over 361K followers who want to start implementing simple alternatives to move towards a greener Earth. "It was clear to me that people wanted to learn how they could live more sustainably, but something was missing. People didn't just need information, they also needed the right tools to take action," Lawson added. So in 2020, ReduceWasteNow launched its online Zero Waste Shop to provide people with the right tools and knowledge they need to reduce their ecological footprint.
Also, use the tape that's strong enough for it's purpose. I received a parcel with nice plastic free paper tape on it. Only the tape had broke on the way, half of the content had gotten lost, postal services had fixed the parcel with plastic tape, and the sender needed to ship another parcel to replace the missing items.
As a woman, I was skeptical of doing this myself, but honestly, I do not regret switching to a safety razor at all! It is so much better than the disposable ones.
The founder of ReduceWasteNow told us in a previous interview that he has been operating his social project alone ever since he started it. "I create all of the social media content, write the weekly blog posts, and manage the store — all while trying to balance school at the University of Victoria," Lawson told Bored Panda. "It's a lot of work, but every second is worth it. People seem to be really grateful to learn simple, actionable ways they can help the environment, and I love helping them do exactly that."
And aloe is such a fast growing plant. Don't be afraid of breaking off pieces to use. They will grow incredibly fast.
Dry the herbs. You're wasting oil. And, apparently, storing herbs poorly in the fridge.
Lawson mentioned that social media is a great tool to educate people about the climate crisis and what small steps can help us fight it. "A lot of people use it every day, and if you want to see how you can be more eco friendly, all you have to do is visit ReduceWasteNow and you have access to hundreds of different ways you can help the environment," he said and added that social media is also a perfect place to talk about your interests with your friends. "So if someone really likes this Instagram post about sustainable products that save you money, they can just tag their friends in it, and maybe that inspires them to try some of the tips and be more eco friendly as well."
As you’re scrolling through the 'Old Me vs. New Me' meme series, you’ll notice they touch upon a host of environmental topics. It addresses responsible consumption, recycling, excessive plastic use, food waste, and many other themes. It also explains how to build healthy and environmentally-friendly habits and move toward a more sustainable lifestyle. And at the very least, it reminds people to consider the impact their choices will have on the environment. Lawson told us he gets most of his ideas from his company's followers and always pays attention to what they comment on across ReduceWasteNow’s social media accounts. That way, he understands the demands of everyday people and knows he's sharing information about what's important to them.
However, the fact that laws, international agreements, and systematic changes to how corporations operate are required to prevent the devastating effects of global warming is nothing new. That's why some people disapprove of individual efforts and believe that changes we implement into our daily lives are meaningless. But Lawson thinks this is far from the truth. "If more and more people vote with their dollars, try their best to live more sustainably, and continue to use their voice as well as their vote, change will come," he expressed his belief in the power of the community.
But vinegar comes in a plastic container... You're not helping anything..
If you have a clothes line why use a dryer at all? Living in an apartment now clothes have to dry on a closed in balcony, I so miss being able to dry them outside.
does anyone know where to buy a good lint roller? I can't find a single good quality, reusable and affordable one.
"Cooper, one of my best friends, made a great point about this as well, and I 100% agree with him. He said, 'Due to the rise in popularity of social media, it has become easier for individuals to voice their opinion, and to have their opinion heard and shared. As a result, corporations are facing the largest amount of social pressure in history, which has the potential to create real change. The power of numbers has never been so great.'"
Lawson added that nowadays individuals can speak louder than ever before and that we can create real change "by using our collective voice to tell the big corporations what we want. All we have to do is step forward, and speak up."
Don't use hot water for blood, just a fair warning it won't come out as easy
What's wrong with compost? Then next year you have good dirt for growing your own greens.
Sorry, no. In our house, those are used for first aid, and I'm not compromising our health to save on a few ounces of garbage. Some things take precedence. It can be made up in other ways.
Note: this post originally had 77 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
This post is a really good example of how environmental responsibility is put on the individual, when it belongs to corporations who are responsible for creating the waste in the first place. Half of these tips are about what to do with plastic packaging, when the question should be; how does the manufacturer change their packaging so that it is made from fully reusable or biodegradable products?
Couldnt agree more , 100 companies are responsible for 71% of the pollution. Consumer level recycling is not making a dent in this and never will.
Load More Replies...
I'm sure this is a wonderful person but I wouldn't want them to serve me a chilled beverage. Ice cube roulette.
Load More Replies... Old me: runs a huge corporation that polluted the environment. New me: shuts down the corporation that pollutes the environment, starts a new one that doesn't pollute. Those are the people who need to be making changes. An individual faffing around with reusable this and that is just being kept busy so that they don't have the mental bandwidth to engage in activism.
I can see the pros and cons of making changes in one's habits. If I understood correctly, it can be a distraction to prevent people from committing to activism to change policies, laws, regulations. It also lets corporations off the hook. The one possible pro is that someone starting with their own life may be more open to activism (organizing campaigns, research etc.). I don't know that shopping carefully to reduce consumption sucks a lot more mental energy than carefully shopping for the latest gadget.
Load More Replies...
Ok agreed... I'm all in when it comes for us simple folks to do our part for the environment.. But. A huge but. I feel that we've come to a point where we feel guilty when we are not mainting this lifestyle 24/7. You know what? We shouldn't be feeling this way when there's about 10 major companies in the worls that are literally ruining the earth as I'm writing this. They've made us believe that is up to us and we're evil if we don't comply. I call big time bs
Wow. Everything old is new again eh? Been doing this stuff for more than 40 years now, myself. But you kids gotta start somewhere. Go for it !
My thought exactly. When I read these posts I'm torn between "this hype detail is going to have 0 impact on the environmental situation" and "of course there are recyclable garbage bags, where do you live? Of course you line dry your clothes whenever possible, is this news?"
Load More Replies... Main thing I've learned is, wow, I had no idea how many people were storing food so poorly. (Second, frugality is finally "cool", so I've been cool my whole life! Who knew? ;-P )
My thought exactly. The main issue with that is that seems to be a hype of the moment, so it is likely to pass...
Load More Replies...
I just picture freezers full of ice cube trays with everything but plain old ice
You just made my day. I laughed so hard and I wasn't supposed to.
Load More Replies...
They aren't claiming there is anything bad about composting. They are suggesting that making a vegetable stock out of those scraps prior to composting them extracts more value from the energy that went into producing them and the cash that went into buying them.
Load More Replies...
total c**p, only going for house owners, that are either too rich (and thus damaging much more than a plastic scrub, or too poor and hard to accuse and doing most of these things already. also, a trade trap for the 'bio' market that is dumbly expensive since the evil makes profit even from good, a feel good mask for those doing the damage (see the dude covering the c**p in the comments section) and unrealistic solutions, like filling your fridge with even more plastic to save half avocado once in few months, arbitrary savings for some resources instead of others, even more important (like water, time and electricity), insignificant effects and overlooking of more important ones, irrational examples (like where to find so many soapnuts? also, instead of composting, shouldn't we also replant them?), food or fuel dilemmas etc. In brief, a way to ease the guilt for those provoking the ecological hell. enjoy the avocado grown in a tree in your own pot on a window in Minnesota!
Um, I did these all my life, and spent a lot of it in apartments, rented. That said, the fetish for putting everything in ice cube trays is really unnerving me.
Load More Replies... Not sure I have the time or mental energy to do many of these, but what I like about nearly entry on this list is that they save money. Buying expensive "energy-saving" gadgets and spending a fortune on "green" products usually doesn't actually do much for the environment; if something "green" costs more, it's probably very un-green "upstream." For instance, those celebrities weren't directly helping the environment by choosing Tesla Roadsters over "gas guzzlers" (although they probably indirectly helped by building up a car company which now produces cars with a lower cost-of-ownership than gas guzzlers). Also, cheap food is often very unhealthy. But if going green means "reduce, reuse, recycle," moving away from conspicuous consumption, or developing a simpler lifestyle, you're probably being truly less harmful to the environment.
I’m never sure if switching to some things that seem better actually are. I suppose reducing any plastic waste is good, and using all your leftovers makes sense, but replacing things with other products might result in more water usage, more air miles or other issues.
What is it that annoys you about the list? Do you feel that the choices that consumers make to reduce consumption are insufficient? Is it that changes should be made at a higher and more widespread level (such as laws against plastic bags)? I'm asking on the off chance that I might learn something.
Load More Replies...
So basically just garbage content meant to push the blame on individuals for climate problems and not big corporations plus private jet owners being the problem
It isn't an opposition to composting. It is an opposition to wasting food.
Load More Replies...
Wasn't this post just a huge list of things this webpage uses to promote their super eco-friendly-extracool products?
We should also try to take the car as little as possible. Also don't leave the engine running when you stop the car even for 5 minutes (it happens a lot here in Greece). Don't blast the AC to freezing conditions in the summer. Don't throw garbage in the recycling bins (also happens a lot in Greece).
Many towns are spending $$ on throwing away what you thought was recyclable. Make sure you know what your town is currently accepting
Thank you Frank, I think we all know there is a problem and instead of the big bully on the playground getting in trouble we all desperately look for ways to avoid him while still having fun. Can we all stop hiding behind the big box tree and all point our fingers at the corporate bully and say "bully bully your a bully" so he is shamed and goes to sit in the corner and think about what they have done wrong?
It's interesting how so many of the ideas have comments that reject the environmental suggestion made. Why not filter positive feedback for each idea to reinforce its value?
Please Take a Look at my Insta Page. There you can See a Lot more Wastelesshero ideas 🥰instagram.com/wasteless_hero
Alot of these seems to be solved if you grow your own herbs and only take what you need.
Old them bought too much. New them still buys too much but instead of composting, repurposes the scraps.
As with anything, take what you can from this to apply to your own life and leave the things that won't work for you. Having said that, some of these tips are nonsenserubbish lol
I gave up on gift wrapping a few years ago. Now I take the not-wrapped gifts out of a big bag and the not-very-censored one-liner out of my mouth. No one's complained yet about the lack of wrapping. If anyone ever did, they'd get a bonus one-liner, "Oh dear, I didn't know you wanted some wrapping paper and a ribbon as a gift."
Some are just too much like take the water from your shower for your plant (which are dead anyways). It only takes 7 seconds to heat up. I would be too slow too. I gave away all the gift wrapping supplies I had because I decided not to gift anymore. I use Mason jars to keep some of my stuff in the fridge to last longer - it does work, contrary to what people think. I buy what's on my list - I made a menu before going shopping - and when I prepare the meals I use up what will spoil first in the fridge instead of waiting at the last minute. I also freeze all my meat in individual containers so my prep is half done since I'm also adding all the spices and the add-ons like the veggies. For ex. if meatloaf is on the menu, I prepare it without cooking, then freeze it. My husband and I have been doing this over 30 years and we get ~1-2 small bags or organic out per month, tons of recycling. We set the garbage out every 2 months (2x 30l bags); they don't smell BTW.
This post is a really good example of how environmental responsibility is put on the individual, when it belongs to corporations who are responsible for creating the waste in the first place. Half of these tips are about what to do with plastic packaging, when the question should be; how does the manufacturer change their packaging so that it is made from fully reusable or biodegradable products?
Couldnt agree more , 100 companies are responsible for 71% of the pollution. Consumer level recycling is not making a dent in this and never will.
Load More Replies... I'm sure this is a wonderful person but I wouldn't want them to serve me a chilled beverage. Ice cube roulette.
Load More Replies... Old me: runs a huge corporation that polluted the environment. New me: shuts down the corporation that pollutes the environment, starts a new one that doesn't pollute. Those are the people who need to be making changes. An individual faffing around with reusable this and that is just being kept busy so that they don't have the mental bandwidth to engage in activism.
I can see the pros and cons of making changes in one's habits. If I understood correctly, it can be a distraction to prevent people from committing to activism to change policies, laws, regulations. It also lets corporations off the hook. The one possible pro is that someone starting with their own life may be more open to activism (organizing campaigns, research etc.). I don't know that shopping carefully to reduce consumption sucks a lot more mental energy than carefully shopping for the latest gadget.
Load More Replies... Ok agreed... I'm all in when it comes for us simple folks to do our part for the environment.. But. A huge but. I feel that we've come to a point where we feel guilty when we are not mainting this lifestyle 24/7. You know what? We shouldn't be feeling this way when there's about 10 major companies in the worls that are literally ruining the earth as I'm writing this. They've made us believe that is up to us and we're evil if we don't comply. I call big time bs
Wow. Everything old is new again eh? Been doing this stuff for more than 40 years now, myself. But you kids gotta start somewhere. Go for it !
My thought exactly. When I read these posts I'm torn between "this hype detail is going to have 0 impact on the environmental situation" and "of course there are recyclable garbage bags, where do you live? Of course you line dry your clothes whenever possible, is this news?"
Load More Replies... Main thing I've learned is, wow, I had no idea how many people were storing food so poorly. (Second, frugality is finally "cool", so I've been cool my whole life! Who knew? ;-P )
My thought exactly. The main issue with that is that seems to be a hype of the moment, so it is likely to pass...
Load More Replies... I just picture freezers full of ice cube trays with everything but plain old ice
You just made my day. I laughed so hard and I wasn't supposed to.
Load More Replies... They aren't claiming there is anything bad about composting. They are suggesting that making a vegetable stock out of those scraps prior to composting them extracts more value from the energy that went into producing them and the cash that went into buying them.
Load More Replies... total c**p, only going for house owners, that are either too rich (and thus damaging much more than a plastic scrub, or too poor and hard to accuse and doing most of these things already. also, a trade trap for the 'bio' market that is dumbly expensive since the evil makes profit even from good, a feel good mask for those doing the damage (see the dude covering the c**p in the comments section) and unrealistic solutions, like filling your fridge with even more plastic to save half avocado once in few months, arbitrary savings for some resources instead of others, even more important (like water, time and electricity), insignificant effects and overlooking of more important ones, irrational examples (like where to find so many soapnuts? also, instead of composting, shouldn't we also replant them?), food or fuel dilemmas etc. In brief, a way to ease the guilt for those provoking the ecological hell. enjoy the avocado grown in a tree in your own pot on a window in Minnesota!
Um, I did these all my life, and spent a lot of it in apartments, rented. That said, the fetish for putting everything in ice cube trays is really unnerving me.
Load More Replies... Not sure I have the time or mental energy to do many of these, but what I like about nearly entry on this list is that they save money. Buying expensive "energy-saving" gadgets and spending a fortune on "green" products usually doesn't actually do much for the environment; if something "green" costs more, it's probably very un-green "upstream." For instance, those celebrities weren't directly helping the environment by choosing Tesla Roadsters over "gas guzzlers" (although they probably indirectly helped by building up a car company which now produces cars with a lower cost-of-ownership than gas guzzlers). Also, cheap food is often very unhealthy. But if going green means "reduce, reuse, recycle," moving away from conspicuous consumption, or developing a simpler lifestyle, you're probably being truly less harmful to the environment.
I’m never sure if switching to some things that seem better actually are. I suppose reducing any plastic waste is good, and using all your leftovers makes sense, but replacing things with other products might result in more water usage, more air miles or other issues.
What is it that annoys you about the list? Do you feel that the choices that consumers make to reduce consumption are insufficient? Is it that changes should be made at a higher and more widespread level (such as laws against plastic bags)? I'm asking on the off chance that I might learn something.
Load More Replies... So basically just garbage content meant to push the blame on individuals for climate problems and not big corporations plus private jet owners being the problem
It isn't an opposition to composting. It is an opposition to wasting food.
Load More Replies... Wasn't this post just a huge list of things this webpage uses to promote their super eco-friendly-extracool products?
We should also try to take the car as little as possible. Also don't leave the engine running when you stop the car even for 5 minutes (it happens a lot here in Greece). Don't blast the AC to freezing conditions in the summer. Don't throw garbage in the recycling bins (also happens a lot in Greece).
Many towns are spending $$ on throwing away what you thought was recyclable. Make sure you know what your town is currently accepting
Thank you Frank, I think we all know there is a problem and instead of the big bully on the playground getting in trouble we all desperately look for ways to avoid him while still having fun. Can we all stop hiding behind the big box tree and all point our fingers at the corporate bully and say "bully bully your a bully" so he is shamed and goes to sit in the corner and think about what they have done wrong?
It's interesting how so many of the ideas have comments that reject the environmental suggestion made. Why not filter positive feedback for each idea to reinforce its value?
Please Take a Look at my Insta Page. There you can See a Lot more Wastelesshero ideas 🥰instagram.com/wasteless_hero
Alot of these seems to be solved if you grow your own herbs and only take what you need.
Old them bought too much. New them still buys too much but instead of composting, repurposes the scraps.
As with anything, take what you can from this to apply to your own life and leave the things that won't work for you. Having said that, some of these tips are nonsenserubbish lol
I gave up on gift wrapping a few years ago. Now I take the not-wrapped gifts out of a big bag and the not-very-censored one-liner out of my mouth. No one's complained yet about the lack of wrapping. If anyone ever did, they'd get a bonus one-liner, "Oh dear, I didn't know you wanted some wrapping paper and a ribbon as a gift."
Some are just too much like take the water from your shower for your plant (which are dead anyways). It only takes 7 seconds to heat up. I would be too slow too. I gave away all the gift wrapping supplies I had because I decided not to gift anymore. I use Mason jars to keep some of my stuff in the fridge to last longer - it does work, contrary to what people think. I buy what's on my list - I made a menu before going shopping - and when I prepare the meals I use up what will spoil first in the fridge instead of waiting at the last minute. I also freeze all my meat in individual containers so my prep is half done since I'm also adding all the spices and the add-ons like the veggies. For ex. if meatloaf is on the menu, I prepare it without cooking, then freeze it. My husband and I have been doing this over 30 years and we get ~1-2 small bags or organic out per month, tons of recycling. We set the garbage out every 2 months (2x 30l bags); they don't smell BTW.
