The importance of reducing landfill and how you can help

We’re in extremely environmentally conscious times. It’s a good job too, because the world can’t cope with our rubbish anymore; physically or metaphorically. There are billions of humans on the planet and we live in a time of fast-consumerism. It’s easy for us to buy things and then throw them away. And we do. Every day, we each use items that are single use, or throw away things that we’ve had a very little while; clothes, shoes, plastic bottles, toothbrushes, and packaging, to name a few. Most of this stuff goes to landfill. Lots of it take hundreds of years to decompose. Eventually, we’re going to run out of space.

So it’s really important that every one of us looks to be better. We need to reduce our personal contribution to landfill. The time for excuses is over.

Here’s how you can help.

• Choose recyclable products where possible

We all know by now about the damaging impact plastic has. We know that it takes a long time to break down and that it pollutes our oceans and kills our fish. But there are recyclable options out there.

Whenever you can, look for products that you can recycle. Choose cans instead of bottles and natural fibres instead of synthetic ones.

When you’re choosing furniture, look for companies that boast about their recyclability. These are environmentally conscious organisations and you can be sure that they’re taking the environment into consideration at every step of their manufacturing process, even if it means they make less profit.

Ely mattresses are 100% recyclable. We also offer the option to recycle your old mattress with us.

• Look for environmentally friendly companies

Unfortunately, there are still some companies willing to put profit before the environment. If we’re not careful, this attitude will leave us without an environment left to worry about.

There are lots of companies out there taking the environment and their contribution to landfill very seriously. If you care about human impact, it’s important that you look for companies whose morals align with your own. You don’t want to be giving profit to people who are filling up landfills to produce the products you’re buying if this is something you’re staunchly against.

• Invest in good quality things

It’s so easy these days to replace things. There are cheap options everywhere. Ruined your top? Buy a new one. Broken shoes? Buy a new pair. Can’t afford a bed? Buy a cheap one and replace it in a couple of years.

The harsh reality is that cheap products don’t last as long. They need replacing quickly, and your old products end up in landfill.

Where you can, it’s really important that you try to save up and buy products that are durable. If possible, look for items that come with a long warranty, especially if your item is expensive. This gives you some guarantee that what you’re buying is good quality and likely to last.

• Promote the cause

Social media has it’s bad points, but it’s excellent for spreading a cause. If you use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, these are great platforms to promote the case for environmentalism and responsible shopping.

A great way to reduce landfill waste is to promote the importance of the environment and the detrimental effect of buying irresponsibly. Every person you encourage to make a more informed decision is making a difference. Share the cause on Facebook, show off your own well-intentioned purchases, and encourage your friends and family to get involved.

Bought something new and environmentally conscious? Make sure you tell people! Promoting environmentally conscious organisations helps them and the planet.

• Give household products a second life

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Where possible, repair things. Upcycle things if you can. Some new screws and a lick of paint can work wonders on an old bed or chest of drawers. If you’re tired of your items and you want something new, try selling it on an online marketplace, or offer it to someone for free on freecycle.

There are probably dozens of people in your local area looking for things you were about to throw out.

• Kick your caffeine habit

Unbelievably, tea and coffee makes up a very large amount of the waste that’s thrown into landfill. That’s because between us we drink millions of cups every day.

Caffeine not only makes it difficult for you to fall asleep, but also impacts the amount of deep, important sleep you have. This can affect your overall mood.

Here at Ely Mattresses, we’re big on sleep. And we’re big on reducing landfill waste and taking care of the environment. So we’re big on reducing the consumption of tea and coffee. It’s what’s best for everyone.

Ely mattresses are made from natural materials, have a ten year warranty, and are fully recyclable. We’re committed to reducing the impact our work has on the environment and hope that you’ll join us in our Earth saving mission. For more information about Ely mattresses, please read our story.