Every day, tonnes of waste are being thrown away.
No big deal? The truth is, waste material is a big contributor to Climate Change and negatively impacts our Earth.
In Singapore alone, about 6.94 million tonnes of solid waste was generated last year, with 16.3% contributed by paper waste, 11.7% by food waste, and 14.1% by plastic waste1.
When waste breaks down in landfills, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming.
Some countries are experiencing stronger heat waves, declining food supply from worsening weather conditions, and other Climate Change issues.
One of the things we can do to alleviate the global issue is to reduce our carbon footprint. Carbon footprint refers to total greenhouse gas emissions associated with us and our company. This includes Scope 3 emissions, which are emissions that occur in the value chain of our company, including upstream and downstream emissions.
In order to reduce our Scope 3 emissions, we can start with waste management. Waste management is the collection, treatment and disposal of waste. With proper waste management, we can help to reduce methane emissions from landfills.
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For businesses, learn more about the Application of ESG to your Business Value Chain !
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- Recycle as much as you can
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to recycle as much as possible. This means recycling items such as drinking bottles, paper, plastics, glass, and electronic items. Recycling helps to reduce the need for creating new products from scratch.
- Avoid single-use items
Avoid single-use items like plastic bags, straws, and Styrofoam boxes as much as possible. Bring along a reusable bag when you are out in case you need to purchase items.
- Reduce your paper consumption
We live in a digital age. Why not ask for soft copies instead of printed materials? Reuse paper such as the back of envelopes received in the mail instead of fresh paper.
- Buy only what you need
Avoid over-purchasing food, clothes and other items. Make it a routine.
Take sustainable practices into account in your daily habits today!
LEARN MORE in our articles on ESG and Sustainability to kickstart your personal and corporate sustainability responsibility journey!
Footnote
1/ 2021 Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling report published by the National Environment Agency at www.nea.gov.sg.
