Health Tip: Reduce Environmental Waste

(HealthDay News) -- With some simple changes in your buying and consuming habits, you can help reduce the amount of trash that ends up in the local landfill.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers these suggestions:

• Look for products that have little or modest packaging to be thrown away.
• Choose items that are less toxic, such as batteries with less mercury.
• Buy items in bulk to reduce packaging waste.
• Look for items that are recycled, recyclable and reusable, not disposable.
• Choose products that are durable, are likely to last a long time, and can be repaired instead of thrown out and replaced.
• Reuse shopping bags, plastic containers and other products instead of throwing them out.
• Borrow and share things that you don't need very often, instead of purchasing them new.