10 Ways to Reduce Waste & Skip the Landfills
Written by Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO
Wayne Elsey is the founder and CEO of Elsey Enterprises. Among his independent brands, he is also the founder and CEO of Funds2Orgs.
Have you ever considered that sustainability is about dollars and cents? How so, you ask? Sustainability efforts reduce waste, but they also save you money, not to mention the jobs created in the industry.
Skipping the landfill with your unwanted stuff doesn’t have to be hard, and it can serve as a climate emergency response. It’s just a matter of making simple shifts in our everyday lives. Let’s dig into 10 ways to do better for your community (and wallet!).
1. Do good instead of dumping
If you have a pile of sneakers, that’s worth money. Don’t throw athletic shoes in the trash. For instance, you can participate in the mail-in-reuse program to reduce sneaker waste. In the process, you can help a good cause and support sustainability. If you’re a nonprofit supporter, you can also consider a shoe drive fundraiser! So, go ahead and clean out your closets and storage area and do good instead of trashing.
2. Repair, don’t replace and waste
If you have scuffed shoes, jeans that don't have intentional tears, or electronics that need repair, ask yourself a question. Can you fix it? Increasingly, what's old is new again. There are cobblers, tailors, and electronic repair shops in your community. Of course, you can also do a DIY YouTube tutorial to help extend the life of your items. In short, repairing is cheaper and is a vote against throwaway culture.
3. Embrace the art of the swap
Before you open your phone's wallet and splurge on new electronics, clothes, or household goods, consider hosting a swap party! There are several ways to do this. For one, you could have a fun BBQ party and trade items. However, if you want to get more people involved, consider doing a swap party with a local community center. Either way, you'll get some excellent stuff and shop without spending a dime.
4. Choose reuse
When you choose reuse, it's a no-brainer. For example, why use single-use plastics, such as water bottles, shopping bags, and coffee cups? These days, you can buy yourself a fantastic coffee thermos or covered mug that keeps your coffee warm throughout your trip to work. As we know, many people love coffee, but with the average cup of coffee being over $3, you can save the money, make it at home, and still take it "to go."
5. Turn used sneakers into trees
If you own or work at a gym, school, or are a small retailer, become a sneaker collection location with an added plus. To reduce waste and practice sustainability, consider collecting sneakers by partnering with Green Sneakers. Green Sneakers is working with Veritree to fight climate change and support reforestation. Bonus: it’s free and easy to make an impact.
6. Upcycle your old stuff
Do you want to glow up your old things? If so, you can upcycle stuff in your home and keep them out of landfills. For instance, you can turn old sneakers into planters. You can take old T-shirts and make them cleaning rags. You can also convert glass jars into cool candle holders or containers. Get creative and think about how upcycling your stuff can save money and be spot-on creative.
7. Shop smart to reduce waste
Okay, this one is tough, but do you love fast fashion? Fast fashion makes it easy to buy, buy, buy, but the clothing goes in and out of style quickly, and generally, it's not made to last. There's a better path to shopping, which is also good for your wallet. In short, shop with intention. Look at high-quality vintage stores, shop at artisan shops, and go thrifting. When you buy with purpose, you reduce waste and support jobs!
8. Get your tech repaired when possible to reduce waste
We know that mobile phones, tablets, and computers have planned obsolescence built in. Most of these companies want us to spend more money. Still, look for certified e-waste programs in your area if there’s no hope for your tech. But also look into take-back programs and, of course, repair shops near you. Electronics in landfills aren’t good because they leak harmful chemicals, so avoid it at all times.
9. Host a community waste clean-up
A fun way to skip landfills is to get your community involved. Organize a community-wide clean-up day. Get a committee together to plan the event. Partner with local community centers, stores, and other partners. Then, get gloves, bags, and enough collection boxes to collect different types of things for proper disposal. Make it a point to include a swap area so people can shop and swap while doing good!
10. Support circular economy initiatives
When choosing brands where you want to shop, select ones that embrace the circular economy and sustainability efforts. For example, you can patronize B Corps and other sustainable companies. In other words, spend your money on durable brands that are not cheap or disposable. These items will last longer, save money, and do better for the planet and its people.
Why reducing waste matters
Landfills are full of trash. We've all seen the videos and pictures. We produce over 292 million tons of trash in the USA every year. That's a lot of garbage and waste. But the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. If you care as much as we do about reducing waste, saving money, and being sustainable, join us in taking the steps. In other words, join the reuse movement!
© 2025 Wayne Elsey. All Rights Reserved.
Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO
Wayne Elsey is the founder and CEO of Elsey Enterprises. Among his independent brands, he is also the founder and CEO of Funds2Orgs. This social enterprise helps nonprofits, schools, churches, civic groups, individuals, and others raise funds while helping to support micro-enterprise (small business) opportunities in developing nations and the environment.
