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Do all the things you throw away on a regular basis—plastic bags, straws, paper, wrapping paper, cotton buds etc.—make you feel guilty? Does your trash can overflow with stuff between pick-ups? Do you find yourself wishing you could cut back on unnecessary waste but don’t know where to start? If yes, then this helpful guide is for you. Some of the things in this guide might be stuff you are familiar with but still unable to put to practice. We will help you build habits that can make sustainability a part of your daily routine without you having to put too much effort into it.

The trick to using cloth bags

We are sure everyone knows the importance of using cloth bags instead of plastic bags. Most of us have at least a few cloth bags stuffed in random drawers in our homes. But what happens is that we forget to carry these when we go out shopping and we end up either using a plastic bag or buying another cloth bag which will eventually end up in the same random drawers. The trick to make sure you don’t use plastic bags is to always have a reusable bag with you. When you put away your groceries, don’t just toss your reusable bag in a drawer. Fold it away and put it in your bag, in the dashboard of your car, or next to where you keep your keys in your entryway. This way you’ll always have a reusable bag with you on hand. You can also hang a few on a hook in the kitchen so that when you have to make impromptu grocery runs, you can quickly grab one. Make sure your cloth bags are lightweight and strong.

Reusing whatever you can

Before you throw anything away, take a look at it with fresh eyes. Most of the time, we tend to throw things that can be reused in various ways. Whether it be empty cans or jars or wrapping papers and gift bags, everything can be repurposed and used for different things around the house. You can use empty cans and jars to store spices and grains. You can repurpose them to hold pens or remote controls. The reason most of these jars and cans end up in the trash bin is because they’re hard to clean. To get pesky labels off, immerse empty jars in a bowl of water overnight and then you can simply scrub them off with a steel wool the next day. Did you know that you can repurpose gift bags to make pretty boxes that you can use to store documents and little trinkets around the house? You can find many tutorials on Instagram and Pinterest. Wine and liquor bottles can be used to store oil, as water bottles, and even as flower vases. A great way to ensure that you reuse things and don’t toss them away is to make a list of all the ways you can do just that. It helps to have a reminder on hand.

Small actions

There are many little things you can do to live an eco-friendly life,  from carrying your own water bottle and metal straws to mending your clothes.

You just have to put a little thought into it but that is often easier said than done. Don’t try to make drastic changes overnight. Start with one thing at a time. For instance, in the month of May vow to not buy mineral water when you’re out. For this, you’ll have to carry your own water bottle. Invest in a steel or a glass bottle and carry water with you everywhere. Once you’ve gotten into the habit of doing this, pick up another action. Instead of carrying tissues, tuck a small handkerchief in your bag. Wherever possible, choose reusable options. Switching to a menstrual cup instead of tampons or pads can significantly lower your trash volume during your periods. The key here is not to start doing everything at once. Choose one action at a time and once you’ve mastered that move onto the next.

Buy what you need 

Most of us buy things without a second thought, and it’s not unusual for us to have multiples of everything, from notebooks and stationery to cookware and bags. Impulse shopping is something that we all succumb to every once in a while. One of the main things you have to do if you want to live a sustainable life is to look into your consumption patterns. Are you buying things because you need them or because you want them? Remember that things start to lose their appeal once you’ve bought them. The thrill only lies in the purchase. When you go out shopping, make a list of things you need and only buy what’s on it. Mend your clothes so that a simple tear or a popped button does not have you running to the store to replace the item. Try using what you have at home before you buy more things. This goes for items like bags, shoes, and clothes, as well as staples like pasta and grains among others. Don’t fall into marketing traps. Understand your needs and only buy things that you know you will use.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reports that 330 Afghan inmates jailed in Pakistan had been released and returned to Afghanistan in the last week. The returnees entered the nation via the Spin Boldak crossing in Kandahar province, according to Xinhua.

Pakistan has released thousands of Afghan captives in the last year and continues to repatriate them. Currently, around 7m Afghan refugees live abroad, primarily in Iran and Pakistan, with many lacking documentation.

The Pakistani government plans to expel Afghan nationals in 2025. Meanwhile, the Afghan interim government has urged its citizens to return and help rebuild the country, Xinhua reported.

Pakistan's military stated Tuesday that a border clash with India killed 51 people, including 11 soldiers and 40 civilians, despite a truce accord announced by US President Donald Trump over the weekend.

The army accused India of breaking the truce, which was intended to reduce tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Indian officials have yet to react on the incident, Reuters reported.

The United Nations aviation agency has ruled Russia to be responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014, which killed all 298 persons on board. The ICAO ruled Russia violated international air law by failing to prevent the use of a Russian-made missile against a civilian aircraft, BBC reported.

MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine, amid conflict between Ukrainian and pro-Russian separatists.

The case was brought by Australia and the Netherlands, whose residents comprised the majority of the victims. Both applauded the decision as a step toward justice, according to BBC.

In 2022, a Dutch court convicted three men linked to Russia in absentia, sentencing them to life in prison.