Preventing Wastage at Home

Reduce

• Don’t waste electricity by leaving unnecessary lights and other electrical appliances on.
• Try to utilize daylight as much as possible during the daytime and do not keep curtains closed, so that you have to switch on lights.
• In summer nights, if you have to keep the air conditioner running, try to sleep in one room to cut down on electricity consumption.
• If you plan to buy an air conditioner for the next summer, go for split AC because it consumes less electricity as compared to its counterparts, i.e., window AC.
• Use energy saver bulbs to reduce energy consumption.
• When using the e-mail, stop junk mail and faxes through the mailing preference service to save electricity, paper and your time.
• Cancel delivery of unwanted newspapers, donate old magazines to libraries and doctor’s waiting rooms.
• Use your own cloth shopping bags, when visiting the supermarket, Sunday Bazar, etc.
• Grow your own vegetables. Many varieties can be grown in small gardens.
• Save up washing water for your garden or plant pots.
• Don’t throw away food. Feed to a poor. Crumbs and leftovers can also be given to pets or animals.

Reuse

• Reuse scrap paper for writing notes, etc.
• Reuse envelopes – stick labels over the address.
• Donate old computer and audio-visual equipment to community groups or schools.
• Buy rechargeable items instead of disposable ones e.g. batteries and cameras.
• Take old clothes and books to charity shops or donate them to the poor.
• Reuse aluminum foil and cling film to cover food.

Recycle

• Some retailers take back old electrical items, when delivering a new one.
• Local charity shops, schools, and community groups can sometimes use unwanted furniture.
• Set your printer to print paper double sided.
• Old greeting cards or paper cartons of tea, biscuits, etc., can be cut up in thin strips to light stove instead of using match sticks for each burner.
• Give away old newspapers to the Raddi Wala for recycling.
• Reuse fabric cuttings left over from stitched materials for stuffing cushions and pillows.

Some organizations in Karachi that accept donated household items for re-use:

Alamgir Trust
Edhi Trust