One of my favorite ideas for a greener lifestyle concerns trash. In my days as a Central Oregon builder, I visited the Knott Landfill on more than one occasion. While our dump is afforded with some of the best mountain views in town, the trip itself was never one I looked forward to. My problem is I always think about how big the landfill will be in a month, year, or ten years. We are a nation with a ton of stuff! And with that ownership of a ton of stuff, comes with the burden of getting rid of that stuff when we don’t want it anymore. 
There are two easy things we can do to help slow down the growth rate of our landfills, while lessening our impact on the earth. The first thing is a correct answer to a simple question we get asked everyday, “Paper or plastic?” Just remember the alternative answers; “Neither,” “No, I don’t need a bag for my two items,” and, “No, thanks, I brought my own.” After all, you went to the market for groceries, not another paper or plastic bag to be folded and discarded to the bottom of your pantry, only to be thrown out after years of non-use. BYOBag! It’s better for you and better for me.
The other simple step to lightening our load comes in the form of your personal water bottle. Your personal water bottle eliminates the need for the other 11 plastic bottles worth of water we should be drinking each day. While you’re at it, instead of a plastic, BPA-containing water bottle, why not make it a stainless steel bottle. And, if you’re going to go stainless, make it a Hydro Flask bottle. Hydro Flask’s double-wall, insulated design ensures your hot drinks stay hot, and your cold drinks stay cold, without the annoying water bottle sweat. And, of course, it’s 100% recyclable! BYOBottle!
Don’t forget to stop by www.fivepercentback.org to see Hydro Flask’s commitment to making this a better world. While your there, feel free to direct 5% of the proceeds to a charity of your choice.
