Keeping Our World Green | Joseph Merlo Supports Recycling

Joseph Merlo, founder of Energy Automation Systems, Inc., is an energy expert with a vested interest in conserving resources and greening the planet. Joseph Merlo put together some tips for readers to help minimize waste.

Every day, begins Joseph Merlo, Americans throw away plastic, electronics, paper, glass, and food. Joseph Merlo points to research that indicates that every year the amount of waste produced by Americans alone exceeds 700 billion pounds. Joseph Merlo says this is over a ton of trash for every single American citizen! Joseph Merlo says managing waste is a central consideration of the green movement. The volume of waste may seem overwhelming, notes Joseph Merlo, but the solutions aren’t. Joseph Merlo adds there are habits that every consumer can practice to ease the burden of waste on our environment.

First off, Joseph Merlo encourages reusing bags and containers. Joseph Merlo suggests reusable canvas totes bags for grocery trips. Every shopping experience, says Joseph Merlo, does not need to produce new bags. Joseph Merlo knows from personal experience that it does not take long to get used to bringing bags to the store. Once that habit is set, explains Joseph Merlo, hundreds of pounds of waste stand to be avoided.

Another way to reduce packing materials, suggests Joseph Merlo, is to buy in bulk. Joseph Merlo says many items, from food to carpentry nails, can be purchased from bulk bins. Rather than buying cans of beans, Joseph Merlo suggests buying a couple pounds of beans in bulk. They may take longer to cook, says Joseph Merlo, but that’s a small price to pay to save some cans. Besides, adds Joseph Merlo, they’ll taste better than canned beans any day. Also, Joseph Merlo notes that most household products can be purchased in bulk. Joseph Merlo explains buying a lot of detergent, rice, or dog food at one time costs the consumer less and creates less waste from packing materials. Joseph Merlo adds that concentrated products, like fruit juice concentrate and concentrated laundry detergent, also use less packaging material than regular strength products.

In the home, instructs Joseph Merlo, switch to reusable products wherever possible. Joseph Merlo suggests that rather than crumpling paper napkins with meals, grab a cloth napkin. When a cloth napkin becomes too dirty to use, says Joseph Merlo, toss it in the laundry rather than the trash. Joseph Merlo also suggests using sponges and dishcloths in place of mounds of paper towels. In keeping with the reusable philosophy, Joseph Merlo recommends rechargeable batteries to eliminate the toxic waste produced from disposable battery cells. Once a rechargeable cell outlives its usefulness, Joseph Merlo reminds readers it may still be recycled instead of trashed. All of these are small daily steps, concludes Joseph Merlo, that help everyone strive toward minimal waste.