Slow the Flow, Part 2!
After the positive reception of our first Slow the Flow blog post, we’re back with a few more tips for reducing your waste! If you didn’t catch the first blog in the series, check it out here. You can also sign up for the Hub’s newsletter to stay current with local sustainability news.
Why Slow the Flow?
By reducing our waste (or ‘Slowing the Flow’), we can have a larger and more meaningful impact than by recycling alone. Did you know that the Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township manages up to 12,500 tons of garbage per day? Slowing the Flow can manifest in many different ways and can involve reducing consumption outright or shifting consumption to more sustainable products.
By refusing single-use disposable items and practicing mindful consumption we are sending a message to companies and manufacturers that their customers want change. It’s important to note that not all of these options will suit everyone due to budget/time constraints/lifestyles and that's okay! Every little bit counts and if we all work together, we can make a big difference.
Read on for the latest batch of tips to Slow the Flow:
Kitchen:
Cloth napkins are a great alternative to paper towels/napkins. While the initial cost may be more expensive, they can pay for themselves many times over because they can be washed and reused again and again. As a bonus, they can make you feel like you’re dining at a fine restaurant! If you’d like to DIY your own cloth napkins, check out the Hub Shop for suitable fabric samples! Thanks to Kathleen for sharing this recommendation in the comments of the first blog post!
Composting is an increasingly popular way to Slow the Flow of food waste to the landfill. SWACO estimates that about 27% of the material sent to the Franklin County Landfill is compostable. By composting food scraps, we can help save landfill space. Some local options for composting include Queen City Commons (the Hub hosts a QCC bin), GoZERO, and the Common Orchard Project’s residential compost program. Look for a partnership with Queen City Commons and a discount for Hub Club members soon!
Bathroom:
Toothpaste tablets have emerged recently as an alternative to traditional tube packaging. While the Hub accepts toothpaste tubes in its Oral Care collection through TerraCycle, toothpaste tablets prevent the waste in the first place. I recently switched to The Humble Co.’s tablets, which are available both in fluoride and non-fluoride versions. They work great and the best part is–they come in a paper tube that can be recycled curbside.
Refillable safety razors can help to cut down on waste from disposable razors, which are often made of mixed materials and are difficult to recycle. The Hub can accept razors for recycling through TerraCycle’s Gillette program, but refillable safety razors offer a more sustainable choice. You can find many options online or at local shops like Simply Zero.
Baby & Toddler Care:
Cloth diapers can be an effective way to combat the mountain of more than 300,000 disposable diapers that are landfilled or incinerated every minute. Cloth diapers are widely available online and there’s even a local cloth diapering service! The Real Cloth Diaper Co. takes care of the laundering and delivers clean diapers to your door!
We hope some of these ideas will serve as inspiration for ways to Slow the Flow in your daily life. If you’ve got your own ideas to share, please let us know in the comments!
