Zero Waste: How to Get Started

Have you been thinking about the environment? How can you help? And what changes you can make to your lifestyle to lessen your footprint on the world. In this article, I am going to tell you some easy ways to get started with a zero-waste lifestyle. As well as how to make those habits stick.

You can start off by looking around your home and thinking about what it is that you usually throw away. By taking a look at your trash you can see where you need to improve. After you have gone through your trash and now know where you need to improve. Consider if your trash has recyclable materials in it. If it does get in the habit of putting those materials in the recycling bin instead. Many people have the option to recycle but just do not put the effort in. Although, if you do not want to have to worry about going through your trash and recycling you can try to avoid products that use those things, trash and recyclable material that is.

Zero Waste Shopping

When shopping at stores if you do not have a bulk section, a lot of stores don’t look for the products you usually buy. But see if you can find them packaged in glass, cardboard, or recyclable packaging instead of their usual packaging. I tend to look for package-free items first, then glass and cardboard, and if I have to, recyclable plastics. The glass packaging that you may get can be reused later for bulk buying if you have a store near you with a bulk section. Even if you do not have one near you. Have one day a month set aside to travel the extra distance to a zero-waste or bulk store to stock up. Often bulk sections are cheaper and you can buy only what you need so that will help you save money too. 

Food Shopping

Make sure to eat a snack before you go grocery shopping so you do not buy something just because it looks good. Overbuying is a common problem for people when they shop so have a list with you and stick to it. This extra food just ends up either thrown out or just sits in the cupboards. These are things you want to avoid because it is just a waste of money and space in the pantry.

Other Shopping

When it comes to buying products that are not food, things like nic-nacs, home decor, clothing, etc., ask yourself ‘is it something you need?’, ‘will you use it regularly?’ or ‘do you have something at home with the same purpose?’. If you answered yes to the first two questions, and no to the second then you can consider buying it. But remember if you do end up buying it and not using it you just wasted your own money and all the resources that went into making the product.

Thrifting

Thrifting is a great way to get those household products without adding any strain to the environment. The products you find at thrift stores have already done their damage when it comes to creating demand in the marketplace. Why buy a brand new product when there are plenty of good usable products just waiting to be picked up from the thrift store for a cheaper cost?

When it comes to travel it may take a little bit more effort. Though reducing and limiting your carbon footprint is actually pretty simple and you have a few different options too. You can cut back on your car usage by walking or bike to more places if you are able to. If you are a more lazy person you can opt to take the bus or carpool with friends instead. If you are a person who likes to travel and travels often you can look into flight companies that are making an effort to be more sustainable. You can also try carbon offsets too.

Useful Zero Waste Products

Reusable Shopping Bags

Cotton Totes

One of the easiest changes you can make is to stop using plastic grocery bags. Simply use some reusable cloth bags. There are many kinds you can get if you do not already have some at home. I myself prefer to use cotton bags because I believe they are better for the environment and I like the way they look better. I got these awesome cotton grocery bags from Amazon. This my favorite zero waste swap. Click here for a link to some cotton grocery bags I think you will like.

Travel Bags

You can also get some more portable travel shopping bags. These are usually made of some sort of plastic but you can find some that are not. I have found that reusable bags are often more useful. They can carry more and have bigger and better straps. That makes it easier to carry. On top of the fact that they make things easier. At some stores, you can get a small discount for having your own bags. The Target near my apartment does that. I keep a few cloth bags in my car and in my backpack, for when I am out of the house and decide to stop at the store. That way I have no excuse for using those plastic bags.

Zero Waste Water Bottles

Another super easy thing to change is to just carry a reusable water bottle with you instead of buying bottled water whenever you are out and about. There is no need to buy anything fancy either. If you already have a water bottle at home start to carry that around with you. Although, if you need to buy a water bottle I suggest getting one that is made of stainless steel or glass. I suggest those materials because they are better for your body as well as the environment than plastics are and often last you longer. Here is just one example of the many different water bottles you can find on Amazon.

These options are simple things that you can do to start working towards living a more sustainable life. Just keep an eye on the things that you are buying. The material and quantity of things you buy can have a larger overall impact than you may expect. All those things add up to quite a lot in a lifetime. 

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