Let me just start from explaining what “zero waste” actually mean.
ZERO WASTE it’s just an industrial term used to mimic nature in that we resume responsibility for our waste. That’s a circular economy. An economy that’s based on taking back the “waste” produced and turning it into something useful.
Personally I don’t think a 100% zero waste is possible. We produce and consume so much, that the only way to stop this process is to die (is not very promising blog so far, isn’t 😉?).
My goal here is to reprioritize my shopping habits and reduce the amount of clutter and excessive packaging and goods I bring into my home in the first place. I want to rewrite the story of my consumption. The true goal of zero waste is to put value back into my belongings and to focus on living instead of collecting junk I don’t really need. That’s a good start, right?
I will share with you my top 5 tips on how to start zero-waste living journey:
1. RECYCLING BIN (S) – it’s a good place to start. Recycle as much as you can. I went to community recycling programme to learn how to do it properly. I’ve learn so much things I wasn’t aware of before. Learning more about what you can and can’t recycle easily will likely influence your purchasing decisions. I know recycling isn’t a perfect system. Lots of our recycling is shipped overseas to be dealt with. Just try to be a councious consumer.
So far:
– I pass on my son clothes to others
– I give unwanted household items and toys to charity shops
– I recycle paper, glass, plastic, tins, cans, batteries, cardboard, make compost, etc.
2. REDUCE – such a simple rule but how difficult is to incorporate in life. The less item we have, the less trash to deal with. Travelling is giving me a valuable lesson to learn – I don’t really need much to exist and enjoy life. When I travel I usually have limited luggage, so I need to take as minimum as possible. Turns out I can live like this on a daily basics.
So far :
– I reduce my wardrobe size, so I have to limited my clothing to my favourite.
– I reduce my cosmetics, shoes, kitchen equipment, furnitures to those I really use often and like.
– I’m trying to buy in bulk to reduce the packaging.
– I do make my own cosmetics, soaps, candles, cleaning products to reduce buying new ones.
– I use my reusable bags for shopping.
It’s better to buy a good quality thing that will last for a long time, rather than replacing cheap ones often.
Declutter is very liberating. By reducing what we have, we can focus our attention on the things we truly love.
3. REFUSE – we live in the world when everything is so tempting. Great marketing keeps as believe we really need more items. But the real power is in our hands. We just need to learn how to say NO. Do I need another jumper, do I need another cream, plates, books, etc.? It’s nothing wrong to own all of this things but I think is good to keep balance in every field in our life. The rule is simple – if you want to prevent waste from leaving your home you need to keep it from entering your home.
4. REUSE – try to buy things that will last “forever” or really long time rather than buying new ones whenever they need a replacement. For example:
– Swap plastic water bottle to a glass or stainless steel one
– Use empty jars in your household for nuts, seeds, rice, pasta, powders, etc.
– Buy used items instead of new ones. By buying secondhand, less resources are being used to create new items, and you’re saving perfectly good items from the landfill.
– Fix what is broken first
– Reuse clothing for napkin, dusters, wipers, etc.
– Reuse old envelope and bubble wrap for the future packaging
-Reuse bath and washing water on the flowers
5. COMPOST/ROT – Composting allows you to return resources to the earth. You can compost food scraps, natural fabric, hair, cardboard, paper, and really organic substance. Since I am plant-based eater I consume a lot of fruits and veggies – all the waste goes to compost I use later in my garden. The Earth is giving me a lot of goodies, so I’m giving it back.
If you don’t have a compost place, they’re a few options for you: A quick google search should show you compost drop off locations or if a
company or the city offers composting services in your area. Also look for a community garden. Often times, they will take your compost. Go to farmers markets – they will happy to take your compost as well.
ZERO WASTE is a such a huge topic. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about making progress and better choices. I shared just a few ideas I’ve already incorporated in my life, but you can make far more than I did.
I will close my blog with a beautiful quote I found:
” Clear your clutter and you life will start moving again. Clearing it lifts your mind, body and spirit, increases your energy and vitality and leaves you free to enjoy life, whilst looking younger, too! Remember, clutter is emotional. We collect clutter because, on some level, we don’t want to let go of something. Look at your possessions with fresh eyes and ask yourself if each object reflects your love for yourself and your home. If not, it’s time to bin it. By removing the old, you create fresh space for new opportunities to appear and by focusing your intention on what you DO want your clarity of purpose will emerge.”
– www.askdavina.com –