Tips

If you want to reduce your household waste, here are some things you can do (in order of most 'bang' for effort):

1. Compost. Organic waste comprises roughly half of the household waste stream, which means a family can reduce it's household waste by 50% by composting kitchen scraps, yard waste and other organic material.  There are plenty of resources on how to compost, here is a local guide from the City of Kamloops. If you are a TNRD resident, you can buy a composter for a subsidized rate of $25 (City of Kamloops residents can also cash in on the deal if you find out where the composters are sold, as the stores don't ask for ID).  The norm is that you shouldn't put meat or dairy products in a compost pile, as the smell attracts four legged creatures, but if you are interested I stumbled on this article which talks about composting meat in the backyard.
2. Recycle. If you are lucky enough to have the luxury of curbside recycling, then recycling should be a no brainer.  It takes just as much effort to put a piece of paper in the garbage can as it does to put that same piece of paper in the recycle bin.  Go to the City of Kamloops website or the TNRD website to find out what is accepted in their programs. Tip from a pro: if you want to capture all the recyclables from the bathroom, bedroom, or other rooms, use a clothes peg and clip a plastic bag to the outside of all garbage cans in your home. Put recyclables in the garbage can and use the bag for actual garbage.
3. Re-Use Your Own Containers.  Avoid buying individually packaged items (like cookies, cheese, yogurt, and pretty much everything that comes individually wrapped).  Buy a set of reusable containers (or better yet, reuse jars or yogurt containers) and make your own individual servings for lunches and snacks.  It's not much more effort, and a whole lot cheaper. Next time you are in the grocery store and reaching for the box of individually wrapped crackers or cookies, think about your child/ grandchild/ niece/ nephew and what sort of world you want them to live in. 
4. Bring Your Own. Cups/ Bags/ Containers/ Water Bottle. If you find it difficult to remember these things when you go out, put them someplace accessible and obvious like next to your shoes. If you drive a car, put a stash of bags, cups and containers in the trunk.  If you are really absent minded (I was once pregnant, you can't get much more absent minded than that) try giving up plastic bags and cups for a week by telling yourself that if you forget your own bag/cup/container that you will have to wait until you remember.  It won't take long to get into the habit once your brain realizes it is going to be deprived of coffee if it doesn't remember to bring a cup.
5. Smart Shopping. I highly recommend taking 20 minutes to watch the Story of Stuff  to put you in the mood for smart shopping; an informative short video by Annie Leornard that talks about, well, stuff.  If you are still not inspired to avoid buying cheap stuff you don't really need after watching this video, well, maybe you should go see your doctor.