Producing less waste: we can and we must

The incredible amount of waste which we produce and its repercussions on the ecosystem, as well as on the economy, represent a fundamental problem in Italy, Europe and the world.

All of us can and must contribute to solving this problem by adopting a more conscious lifestyle, reducing consumption, limiting waste and making intelligent choices, not only when we throw away a product away, but also when we buy it and during its life cycle.

• Let’s choose high-quality products, made with materials which are not harmful to the environment, which are long-lasting and which can be recycled or disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way.
• Let’s avoid disposable products in favour of reusable ones, for example rechargeable batteries.
• Let’s reduce waste at its source, by favouring products with compact and recyclable packaging, using cotton shopping bags instead of plastic ones, buying detergent from dispensers instead of by the bottle, buying fruit and vegetables loose instead of pre-packaged and so on.
• Let’s sort our waste: it takes the minimum of effort to contribute to more eco-sustainable waste collection and management. By sorting our waste we can drastically reduce the amount of rubbish which goes to landfill and up to 85% of urban refuse can be recovered.
• Think before you throw away: often we don’t realise how long it takes our waste to biodegrade in the environment. Consider that a cigarette butt takes 2 years, a piece of chewing gum 5 years, a tin can 50 years, an aluminium can 500 years, a plastic bag 500 years and a plastic bottle 1000 years.