Going green is an important part in American life nowadays. We create a lot of waste we don’t even think about. Here’s a great post from Care2 discussing many of these wastes.

We produce a lot of waste. In 2008 alone, Americans generated 250 million tons of trash, and though about a third of that was recycled, a lot went into landfills or was incinerated. Our culture is centered around disposability, and only we have the power to change that.

Take stock of the disposable, overly-packaged, and single-use products that you use, and then look for reusable alternatives. Not sure where to start? Here are more than two dozen items that many people use . . . and can easily live without.

25 Wasteful Things You Can Live Without:

1. Tin foil — Use an oven-safe pot or dish with a lid.
2. Plastic wrap — Instead, use a container with a lid.
3. Disposable cleaning cloths, dusters, etc. — Use a microfiber cloth that can be washed.
4. Paper towels — Use a tea towel, instead.
5. Disposable pens — Buy a good pen that only needs the ink well changed.
6. Plastic cutlery — Use the metal stuff.
7. Paper plates — Washing dishes may be an effort, but it’s worth it.
8. Paper or plastic single-use grocery bags — Get a few reusable bags.
9. Packaged fruits and vegetables — Produce does not need to be packaged.
10. Individually wrapped snacks — Snacks travel better anyway in a hard container.
11. Disposable razors — Invest in a razor that only needs the blades changed.
12. Juice boxes — Put juice in a reusable container (not plastic).
13. Electric pencil sharpeners — Use the hand-crank version of days gone by.
14. Disposable diapers — Cloth diapers aren’t that much more difficult to use.
15. Disposable cloths — Fabric cloths can be washed regularly to avoid bacterial or viral build-up.
16. Plastic cups — Stick to reusable cups.
17. Bottled water — Install a water filter on your tap or pick up a water jug with a filter.
18. Non-rechargeable batteries — Make the investment for rechargeable batteries and you’ll save money in the long run.
19. Electric can openers — Use a little muscle.
20. Single-serving pudding or yogurt cups — Buy a large container of yogurt or make your own pudding, and send it in a reusable container.
21. Antibacterial wipes — If you must, use a gel hand sanitizer.
22. Disposable table cloths — Spills are a reality of life; just clean them up as they happen.
23. Facial tissues — Unless you have a bad cold, a handkerchief will work just fine.
24. Paper billing — Switch to e-billing for your bank statement, credit card bill, utility bill, etc.
25. Plasticized sticky notes — Use the original paper sticky notes; they can be recycled when you’re done with them.

If you’re thinking 25 things is a lot of products to cut out of your life start out with just a few and work your way up. As always, make sure to check out Stock N’ Go for all your health and beauty products. Let me know if you have any other simple products to cut out of your life for less waste!

(Image courtesy of Care2)