The four small daily habits that will minimise your waste

Sydney Morning Herald

30-06-2025

Many Australians have ambitions of living more sustainably and producing less waste, but sometimes those ambitions can feel unreachable.
There are, however, a few daily habits you can implement to reduce your waste output, save money and consume more consciously.
Households make up 16 per cent of Australia's waste output. We sent 5.2 megatons (that's 5,200,000,000 kilograms) to landfills in 2020-21, according to data from the ABS and the National Waste Report.
Here are a few simple ways you can reduce your waste output:
Pack the reusables you need (but don't overdo it)
The first stop of your morning may be the local cafe, and remembering to bring your KeepCup is the perfect start to a more sustainable day. Australians love a sustainability trend, whether it's taking green bags to the shops or replacing plastic straws with reusable options. Packing the essential reusable items you need every morning is a great way to cut down on the waste you generate each day.
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However, many of these items can have a significant environmental impact if overconsumed. The British Environment Agency found that cotton tote bags need to be used 131 times before they offer a positive environmental impact over a single-use plastic bag.
Having a few shopping bags in the car, or a tote in your backpack is a great idea, but try to limit them to just the ones you need. The same goes for reusable drink bottles — like your trendy Stanley or Frank Green. A quality reusable container can last a lifetime, but buying one in every colour to match your outfit defeats the purpose.