What you can do - Waste

Find out how your actions impact the global environment and discover a number of simple ways in which you can make a real difference.

People around the world use enough plastic bags to carpet the entire planet every six months.

Where does it all go?

In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in waste. This means that each adult will leave a legacy of 90,000 pounds (40,800 kilograms) of rubbish.
About two-thirds of household rubbish can be composted. The average person throws away 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of organic waste every year – equivalent to 2,800 banana skins.
Americans throw away enough aluminium every three months to rebuild their entire commercial air fleet.

3 things you can do today:

Take a reusable bag when you go shopping.
Use local recycling schemes for all appropriate household waste such as paper, cans, glass, plastic and clothing.
Make compost from your organic kitchen waste. It makes a great fertilizer and reduces pollutants.

Discover more ways of reducing waste

Do more...

Use our interactive guide to discover more ways of reducing waste in the home

What is HSBC doing?

With 10,700 buildings globally, HSBC has the potential to produce a lot of waste. Find out in the case studies section how we have already reduced the amount of waste we produce and how we are recycling and reusing more.

What you can do - Waste

Where does it all go?

3 things you can do today:

Do more...

What is HSBC doing?

Tell a friend

Environment Quiz