3 Easy Ways Zero-Waste Will Change Your Life (And The Environment)
If you’ve ever thought about going zero-waste, the best place to start is in your home.
It’s simply not enough to sort your garbage into bins and call it a day. Much of what we use every day is still producing a large amount of waste. Luckily, the zero-waste movement has made it so there is a way for nearly everything to be repurposed or composted, without being sent to a landfill or incinerator. From your kitchen to your toilet duties, never deal with waste the same way again.
Let’s begin!
In The Kitchen
Leftovers: Before wrapping last night’s lasagna in aluminum or clingfilm, pickup (or DIY) reusable wax wraps. They maintain freshness and can be cleaned and reused.
Meat cuts: While some of us aren’t ready to give up good ol’ bacon, we can still do our part in reducing the waste that often comes with picking up meat products at the grocer. Instead of getting pre-cut meats, locate a butcher and ask that they use butcher paper. If you’re unsure of what they use, bring your own butcher paper. Recycle after consuming!
Dry Goods Storage: There’s no need to use the plastic bags when grabbing your beans and grains from the store. Instead, bring reusable mason jars and have your cashier weigh them before shopping. Now when you get home, your dry goods are already stored and ready to be shelved, all without being wasteful. For apples, onions, and other un-jarables, use a cloth produce bag. A produce bag is similar to reusable shopping bags, but more like a sack and ready for carrying your individual fruits and veggies.
At The Office
Ink Toner: Instead of repurchasing ink toner when it’s all finished, you can take your toner to a specialized store that will refill it for a very low price. When I recently did this, the refill actually lasted longer than an entirely new cartridge, along with better printing results.
Pencils & Pens: Buy eraser-less pencils and all natural erasers (yay for being biodegradable!) You can purchase metal paperclips or a staple-free stapler. Get yourself a refillable pen and feel extra fancy. If you’re visually creative, there is no shortage of refillable markers, pencils, and art supplies.
Eating & drinking: Ditch the k-cups and bring your favorite mug or drinking receptacle to your local coffee shop. Refilling should be no issue. Use a stainless steel bento box for your afternoon lunch, since plastic, although reusable, will not fare well when it’s finally time for it to be thrown out.
In the Bathroom
TP: Most toilet paper is made from using virgin trees! A more sustainable option is to use 100% recycled TP. There’s even ‘tree free’ toilet paper, using materials like bamboo, sugarcane, and eucalyptus. If you’re super daring, some zero-wasters use washcloths just for their business, then stash it in a special bin for laundering. Almost all washcloth enthusiasts recommend a bidet to help the process.
The Period: Going zero-waste certainly doesn’t stop at our monthly cycles. Reusable cloth pads are a favorite of many, but of course it may not cater everyone’s flow and lifestyle. For this reason, a menstrual cup is an interesting but easy to adapt to alternative.
Beauty & Skincare: There is a massive amount of information available to help DIY literally any beauty product, from masks, toners, cleansers, to mascara, blush, shampoo, and deodorant. Whatever you do, be sure to use glass reusable bottles and containers. If you’re attached to one holy grail product that you MUST repurchase, make sure it is ONE. Remember to take advantage of brands like MAC, Lush, Aveda, La Labo, Origins, Kiehl’s, and Garnier that gladly recycle your empty containers and even sometimes reward you for it.
I know all of this appears very daunting, but there is no rush or contest — the point is to try where you can. Work zero waste into your life and you’ll feel less frazzled about waste in your home, all while helping the environment.
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