Johann Hunt
Your wallet’s feeling lighter, and your trash can’s overflowing? You might be surprised how much money you’re wasting on things you barely use. This article explores such everyday items that offer little real value and quickly become garbage. Discover how to break free from this cycle and start making smarter purchases. Ready to declutter your spending habits?
Bottled Water
Bottled water: convenient, yet wasteful. In a full year: 481.6 billion bottles. If all of the plastic bottles sold in 2018 were gathered in a pile, it would be higher than the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Plus, tap water is held to strict EPA standards and is often just as safe if not safer than bottled options. Ditch the plastic habit.
Single-Use Plastic Bags
Single-use plastic bags epitomize our throwaway culture. They offer a brief moment of convenience, then linger in landfills for up to 1,000 years. With 91% of plastic not being recycled, and production increasing from 31.4 million tons (2010) to 35.7 million (2018), reusable bags are the clear winner. Some countries have already reduced bag litter by 80% with bans.
Cheap Disposable Phone Charger
Those flimsy phone chargers seem convenient, but they quickly become e-waste. The EPA found that consumer electronics accounted for 2.7 million tons of waste in 2018. Sadly, these chargers often break before your phone does. The global waste index also confirms electronics, including these chargers, are some of our fastest-growing trash problems.
Overpriced Energy Drinks
Some energy drinks cost more per ounce than home-brewed coffee (Verywell Health). In 2023, U.S. spending on food and beverages hit record levels, including premium-priced energy drinks. Even rising prices haven’t stopped consumers. Consider this: unfinished energy drinks contribute to the 35 million tons of annual food waste.
Throwaway Razors
The siren song of disposable razors lures you in with promises of convenience. However, these razors become trash quickly. They’re difficult to recycle due to their mixed materials, adding to our planet’s burden. A traditional safety razor offers a much better shave and a sustainable alternative.
Trendy Snack Foods
So many trendy snacks, so much wasted food. Americans spend record amounts on groceries, and those “must-have” snacks often end up in the bin. According to Market.us, if food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter. In fact, globally, 1.3 billion metric tons of food are wasted yearly, with snack foods playing a part.
Fast Fashion T-Shirts
That “new” t-shirt may look cool, but its journey ends in a landfill. Textile waste is piling up globally. Fast fashion further encourages a “wear once” culture. Consider its 700-gallon water footprint before your next purchase. Some donations even clog overseas landfills, unworn.
Decorative Trinkets / Novelty Items
Decorative trinkets and novelty items quickly become clutter. Most of the time, they are made of unrecyclable plastics and cheap metals, destined for landfills. Plus, these items lose their value quickly. Remember, “collectible” rarely means valuable; it’s often just clever marketing.
Cheap Plastic Kitchenware
Another avocado slicer? Perfect. One more spatula that bends mid-flip? Fantastic. Cheap kitchenware seems clever until it ends up as landfill confetti. Your budget-friendly gadget may save cents but costs the planet, proving that “fun” rarely equals functional.
Scented Candles From Mass-Market Stores
That “fresh linen” scent might be less fresh than you think. Mass-produced candles often contain paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct that releases potentially harmful chemicals when burned. Plus, those pretty jars rarely get recycled due to wax residue, adding to the landfill pile. Retailers churn out “new” scents seasonally, encouraging a collection of half-used candles. Cleaning them? Good luck with that sticky project.