The habit came from the family
Julija remembers that sorting came into her life very naturally. “When the waste sorting system appeared in Lithuania, I was probably thirteen years old. I grew up with my grandparents, containers appeared near our apartment building in Vilnius, my grandparents started sorting, and probably from them it was instilled in me. It wasn’t strange to me – I just did it automatically,” she recalls.
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Today, the sorting order in Julija’s home is also clear. There is a large drawer for waste in the kitchen, and packages are folded and placed in paper shopping bags. Julija and her husband like order, so they try not to accumulate anything for long and take out the waste the same day.
Living in a rented apartment in the center of Vilnius, as the woman says, everyday life is not always as tidy as one would like: “Although there are mixed waste and packaging containers, no matter how much you try to sort, there is still everything thrown in there. Since the containers are not locked, passersby throw whatever they want into them. It’s sad and somewhat painful. But we still try to sort.”
“It turns out I made quite a few mistakes”
Collaborating with the association “Future of Nature,” Julija participated this summer in Nida in a survey and educational activities. This experience became an opportunity for her to check if she was really sorting everything correctly. It turned out that some habits had to be corrected, and through various tasks and conversations, she says she learned many new sorting rules.
One of the most unexpected discoveries was related to plastic items. Until then, Julija followed simple logic – if an item is plastic, it should go into the plastic container.
She treated her toothbrush this way, and even disassembled a razor – throwing the head into mixed waste, the plastic handle into plastic. Later she learned that packaging containers are meant specifically for packaging, so items like a toothbrush or razor must go into the mixed waste container.
Another unexpected discovery for her was related to food packaging. “I was one of those people who responsibly washed all plastic containers, for example, from sour cream or yogurt. But it turns out that is not necessary – it’s enough to remove the remaining content and throw the package where it belongs. Washing does not change anything in terms of sorting, unless it’s more pleasant for oneself,” the interviewee explains.
Shipments show how many packages we consume
Raising a small child, Julija orders quite a few products to her home. Then it is especially clear how many packages remain after one delivery.
She does not hide that sometimes it is frustrating to see how much plastic is senselessly consumed. After unpacking shipments, she immediately sorts the packages – separating paper and cardboard from plastic.
When she goes shopping herself, she tries not to use disposable bags at all.
“I don’t put bananas, grapefruits, or avocados into plastic bags. I also try to carry thin cloth bags meant for fruits and vegetables. I really like them and think they will be durable – maybe we will even pass them on to our grown child along with the sustainability tradition,” Julija smiles.
Forgetting a reusable bag and having to take a plastic one, she admits she doesn’t feel good about it.
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The attitude of young people is also encouraging
Speaking about Vilnius, where she was born and raised, Julija thinks the situation with littering has improved over the years.
More education and storytelling about proper sorting are needed.
She was also impressed by the survey conducted in Nida. When asking people if they pick up litter when they see it on the beach, she mostly heard positive answers. Julija herself, when she sees litter on the beach, picks it up, puts it in her bag, and later throws it into the nearest trash bin or container.
“It’s nice to hear that young people increasingly pick up even litter that is not theirs and throw it away. I would like there to be as many such people as possible. More education and storytelling about proper sorting are needed,” she points out.
Finding a solution in the countryside too
Julija faces a different situation at her grandmother’s homestead in the Utena district, where there are no sorting containers right by the house. However, as she says, a solution can be found even in such a place.
In the summers, the family spends more time there, so they keep several separate bags for plastic and paper packaging in the barn. When they accumulate, on the way home they take the packages with them and throw them into sorting containers in the town.
“We depend on our environment and greatly influence it. Every step we take, even a small one, creates the overall picture. So often what is needed is not ideal conditions but simply the will to act responsibly,” Julija is convinced.
According to representatives of the association “Future of Nature” of producers and importers, residents of individual houses have the right to order sorting containers from the municipality, but not everyone knows or applies for this, although all citizens should have this opportunity. And if they encounter difficulties – the local government must inform which nearest sorting containers are assigned to a specific person/household.
“Sorting Champions” is a national initiative by the organization “Future of Nature” and the media group 15min, recording ongoing sustainability changes in the country’s municipalities.
The initiative invites to choose responsibly, use longer, and sort properly. Every municipality and every resident can become a sorting champion – it only takes the right habits.
Before throwing away waste, let’s pause for a moment and think: is it packaging, what is it made of, and where does it belong? Such everyday decisions help recycle more waste, conserve natural resources, and create a more sustainable future.
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Let’s become sorting champions!
