Measure household discard patterns, check local collection rules, test a useful reduction and review waste, cost and effort over comparable periods.
Choose a representative period and note discarded items as they arise. Record category, count or mass, reason and route: residual trash, accepted recycling, food scraps or a special collection. Keep households and days consistent. Do not reopen mixed bins containing sharps or hazardous material.
Check the local collector’s current material list, preparation rules and drop-off arrangements. Identify a realistic food-scrap route and a separate household hazardous-waste route. Mark uncertain materials for clarification rather than adding them to a recycling bin.
Use the log to pick a repeat purchase or unused food category that you can change. First check what you already own. Define a small trial: an adjusted purchase quantity, a borrowing arrangement or a reusable item with a cleaning and return routine. Set a spending ceiling and a review date.
If a collection pays by accepted weight or container deposit, enter the actual receipt quantity and local rate. Enter zero for unchanged flat-rate disposal charges and subtract extra handling or travel. Record rejected material separately.
Use the same categories, units, household coverage and number of days for a follow-up. Record changes in purchases, discards, expense and effort, including holidays or guests. Keep the trial that worked, revise the difficult step and download the checklist plan before the next review.
Create a dated discard log with measurement units, reasons and collection routes. · Keep dated collector links and the specific preparation instructions for recurring materials. · Save baseline and follow-up observations plus one concrete next action.
Compare complete observed prices on the same quantity unit when a repeat purchase is part of the trial.
Calculate the actual batch payout plus documented fees avoided minus extra expenses, preserving a zero rate.
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Use the receiving program’s rules for recyclable and compostable materials. A product label alone does not tell you which local collection accepts it.
Home composting and municipal collection have different accepted inputs. An appliance that dries and grinds scraps does not by itself produce finished compost.
Keep original labels and follow local hazardous-waste instructions. Do not mix chemicals or treat an unknown container as ordinary recycling.
Overbuying, forgotten leftovers and a disliked ingredient need different changes.
A special return trip has a cost; include it in the cash record.