Being in harmony with the environment and generating positive actions that help environmental sanitation is everyone's responsibility. Having this clear objective will help us focus on the activities that we carry out every day to support this cause. Businesses, for example, must create and execute industrial waste management business plans to repair their work, whether it’s by their own means or by outsourcing the service; but how do we do it from home?

The Ministry of the Environment has a public Guide for Environmental Education and Waste that supports this cause and provides useful advice to apply good environmental practices in order to generate positive changes in habits and procedures concerning the environment; therefore, they help improve the quality of life of the population and the environment.

Hence we gathered the following tips to prevent the generation of waste:

• Buy only what is necessary. We should gain awareness and not support the generation of waste with the accumulation of unnecessary equipment or material.
• Buy sustainable elements that help conserve natural resources, saving energy and generating less waste. This step may be assured by reading the information on each package and reviewing the materials that were used in its manufacturing, the manner of use, and what is done with it when it is discontinued.
• Prefer products with a longer shelf life. For example, LED bulbs last much longer than traditional bulbs.
• Buy products in bulk and reuse containers for transport and storage. If you are unable to do this, choose products with less packaging.
• Avoid products with disposable packaging. Choose those that have a returnable packaging option.
• Use rechargeable batteries.
• If the use of paper is not necessary, do all the paperwork you can online.
• Prefer organic and natural fertilizers, repellants and stimulants.

This Public Guide to Environmental and Waste Education also has tips on how to recover generated waste , aiming to extend the useful life of a product using it again for the original purpose it was made for, by for example recycling, repairing or giving it away.

We invite you to review this useful guide to apply these practical tips and prevent the generation of waste, here.