Zero Waste Living: A Journey to Reduce Waste in Montgomery County

By Gina Thompson

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Living a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual change you make in your daily life until you notice you take the trash out less and wash a lot more glass jars. Residents in Montgomery County are on that journey and want you to join them.

Going Green in Montgomery County

In just a decade, Montgomery County has made enormous strides to recycle and reclaim materials. County residents and businesses are able recycle standard materials, as well as e-waste, yard trim and food scraps, as well as repurpose durable medical goods, clothing, and more. Through commitment and education they are able to recycle over 57% of waste, but more work is needed to achieve a zero-waste future, and we need your help.

Community Participation

When you participate in these programs, though, you need to know what materials are recyclable to avoid wishcycling. It’s the practice of tossing trash into the recycle bin in hopes that some part of the item can be recycled. Wishcycing wastes time and money, and can condemn a whole batch of recyclable items to a landfill.

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Understanding Recyclables

Here’s a quick guide for what can go into the blue recycling bin:

Make sure that all food or liquid residue is removed from materials before placing them into the recycling bin.

When it comes to e-waste, Montgomery County understands electronics have precious metals that need to be recycled. With new electronics and gadgets coming out every few months, don’t let your old items collect dust. Recycle your old electronics by taking them to the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station.

County programs like Reduce Litter and the Plogging Challenge also invite community members to participate in cleaning up trash around town. Plogging is a mix of walking and picking up litter. These active volunteers pick up trash and prevent thousands of pounds of litter from entering water sources every year.

Noteworthy Accomplishments

Montgomery County has had many accomplishments on its zero-waste journey including straw and styrofoam bans. Most recently, the #Skipthestraw initiative was passed by City Council and requires eateries to only provide compostable or biodegradable straws.

Montgomery County Bill 41-14 also bans No. 6 polystyrene food service products and requires businesses to use recyclable or compostable to-go cartons. That bill also prohibits the sale of packing peanuts in the county, so remember that the next time you need to ship something.

Here are a few things you can do to start your journey to a zero-waste lifestyle:

Look Around Your Home

Start your zero-waste journey by looking around your home and gathering waste and trash. After a while, you can sort through your collection and really determine your consumption patterns. When you conduct a home waste audit, you find out your trash habits and determine how you can cut down on waste.

Composting

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An easy way to start cutting back on the trash you send to the landfill is with composting. You can compost food and yard waste in your own backyard, too! All you really need is an outside compost bin, leaves and occasional grass clippings or green material. Free compost bins can be picked up by residents at locations throughout the County, weekly yard trim is available for those with weekly pickup, and yard trim can be taken seven days a week to the transfer station.

For composting food scraps, the best compost bins are convenient, easy to use, and can tumble. Plus, your kitchen will smell less since you’re removing the food scraps that would have sat in the indoor trash all week. Your compost will also come in handy when it’s time to fertilize your plants.

Go Thrifting

While shopping sprees are fun, collecting new clothes can be harmful to the earth. Most textiles aren’t recyclable and clothes will eventually end up in landfills. Thrifting clothes at a local vintage shop is not only good for local business, but also gives clothes a new life. Follow this sustainable shopping guide for Montgomery County to discover thrift shops and ways you can shop sustainably.

You are not alone on your journey. We are all in this together! You can even volunteer with My Green Montgomery in several ways to start helping your community right now. You’ll also meet other community members who are passionate about keeping Montgomery County beautiful for generations to come.

Gina Thompson is an experienced multimedia journalist, producer, and content writer born and raised in Texas. In her spare time, she loves catching a live band, dancing, and finding the next big taco spot. As a writer, she is passionate about making a positive impact on her community by elevating the voices and stories that need to be heard.