What is trash?

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Trash is dirty, worthless, leftover debris. Fittingly, the word is also a terribly derogatory term for useless, low-status people: “I should’ve known you were nothing but trash.” And to trash talk is to brutally criticize or gossip about someone. You can even use trash as a verb, to mean “throw away,” as in, “I’m going to trash this trashin that trash can over there.”

How to make less trash

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Think about whether you need an item before you buy it. Can you make do with something you already have? The more you buy, the more trash you will create, so if you can make the items you already own do double duty, you will create less trash in the long run.

Do not buy overpackaged products.Avoid buying items packaged in individual serving sizes. Buy one larger bag or bottle instead of many smaller ones. Since you are paying for less packaging and shipping, you may also pay less by buying in bulk.
Ask your butcher to wrap your meat in peach paper only, then attach the price on top to keep the paper folded. Peach paper is a strong, water- and oil-proof beef or pork wrapping paper normally used to split stages of meat inside a Styrofoam tray. It is available in rolls or in sheet.
Buy fresh, unpacked, fruits and vegetables.
Buy grains, pasta and dried fruit in bulk.
Look at whether the package is recyclable in your area before you buy.

Use your own bags when you go grocery shopping. Both paper and plastic bags do the environment little good.Bring a canvas bag with you to the store.
Ask store clerks not to bag items that have their own handles (milk, bottled laundry detergent) or already have bags (produce) or packages (cereal). Often, the package an item comes in is at least as convenient as putting that package in another bag.
Ask for no bags if you only bought items that you can easily carry or if the items are going straight from cart to car to kitchen.
Pack your purchases yourself. You can pack them your own way and save time and bags.
If you cannot avoid getting a plastic bag from the store, reuse it as a trash bag for the bathroom, bedroom or kid’s room.