Where is that universe "far, far away?" And how do they like all of our garbage?

When we throw something away, it doesn’t actually go "away." It doesn’t leave the planet or magically disappear into thin air, but instead ends up in a landfill. In California, we produce garbage to the tune of 46 million tons of trash each year.

According to Sustainable Works here in Santa Monica, landfills are filling at an alarming rate. Even more alarming is leachate – the liquid created by decomposing materials that can seep into our groundwater. Leachate is toxic, and though many newer landfills have systems to keep it out of the water supply, some do not. Plus, decomposing garbage produces both carbon dioxide and methane, neither of which is a friend to the environment.

Of course, I’m all about solutions, so here are the top three ways to reduce your waste:

1. Reduce your consumption and reuse whatever you can. This concept may sound foreign to many people, especially since we’re often urged to buy, buy, buy to keep our economy growing. But considering that Californians dump 5 million tons of food each year, just food, it should be easy to cut back a little. Eliminate "disposable" items, like paper plates, cups and plastic utensils. And really, how many one-use cleaning products do we need? I’m going retro with an old-fashioned rag bag. Besides, don’t you already have enough "stuff?"

2. Recycle. Everything. In the US, 40% of the solid waste generated is paper! If you’re not sure what can go in your curbside recycling, check with your city. If you have unwanted clothes, donate them to charity. Have a garage sale. Heck, organize a block-wide sale, put your unwanted junk on the lawn, and rake in the cash.

3. Close the loop. By buying things made out of recycled materials, like plastic, you keep the cycle of useful materials and resources going, instead of ending it in a landfill. I have a really cool doormat made out of old flip-flops, but there are plenty of more mundane examples, like paper with recycled content.

Since it takes Styrofoam 500 years to break down, and a cigarette butt 10 years to biodegrade, making better choices now will have long-lasting impacts. After all, when this planet is used up, we don’t have another one to move to.