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The zero in "zero waste" makes it sound scary and hard to achieve. It is actually not as as hard as it seems, and it is as simple as following these Five R's, in order:
- Refuse what you do not need.
- Reduce what you do need.
- Reuse by using reusables.
- Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse.
- Rot (compost) the rest.
1. Fight junk mail. It's not just a waste of resources, but also of time. Register to receive less at dmachoice.org, optoutprescreen.com and catalogchoice.org.
2. Turn down freebies from conferences, fairs, and parties. Every time you take one, you create a demand to make more. Do you really need another "free" pen?
Reduce
3. Declutter your home, and donate to your local thrift shop. You'll lighten your load and make precious resources available to those looking to buy secondhand.
4. Reduce your shopping trips and keep a shopping list. The less you bring home, the less waste you'll have to deal with.
Reuse
5. Swap disposables for reusables (start using handkerchiefs, refillable bottles, shopping totes, cloth napkins, rags, etc.). You might find that you don't miss your paper towels, but rather enjoy the savings.
6. Avoid grocery shopping waste: Bring reusable totes, cloth bags (for bulk aisles), and jars (for wet items like cheese and deli foods) to the store and farmers market.
Recycle
7. Know your city's recycling policies and locations—but think of recycling as a last resort. Have you refused, reduced, or reused first? Question the need and life-cycle of your purchases. Shopping is voting.
8. Buy primarily in bulk or secondhand, but if you must buy new, choose glass, metal, or cardboard. Avoid plastic: Much of it gets shipped across the world for recycling and often ends up in the landfill (or worse yet, the ocean).
Rot
9. Find a compost system that works for your home and get to know what it will digest (dryer lint, hair, and nails are all compostable).
10. Turn your home kitchen trash can into one large compost receptacle. The bigger the compost receptacle, the more likely you'll be to use it freely.
And remember: You're not alone. Come here to share your experience with like-minded individuals, check out the tips page and post your questions in the forum's page.
Thank you for being open to change!
love this...nice concise reminder of the many areas of waste reduction that I can work on! many thanks!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome - thanks for the summary, Bea. I find strength in numbers - the more I get compliments on my cloth bags/napkins, etc., the more I am encouraged and inspired to continue this lifestyle. I think we should all encourage each other to make changes so this lifestyle becomes the new norm.
ReplyDeleteI am a Kindergarten teacher, and I am very interested in your lifestyle. I would like some advice on how to make my classroom less wasteful. We use a lot of paper, crayons, and glue sticks everyday in the classroom. How can I have zero waste in my classroom, or come closer to it anyway?
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice reminder of how it is done and great inspiration for anyone starting out with zero waste. The zero in zero waste is very daunting at first but it is amazing how, when you add up all the R's it can amount to real change. It gets easier and easier as one goes along! I am amazed by how lots of small steps all add up quite quickly to something quite significant.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest hurdle is the first one- learning to say "no" and not being embarrassed about refusing excess packaging. Once you reduce the amount of waste coming into the home it's easier to stay motivated and follow through with the other steps as you've already made such a difference. Shopping with my nice wicker bike basket and other reusable containers is so much more pleasant too. And I know simply being seen to shop this way makes others question their unconscious consumption of packaging etc. and can inspire them to make changes too.
ReplyDeleteBea I am going to post a link to this post from my facebook page. You are also listed on my blogroll. :D Once you open your eyes, everything is seen differently!
ReplyDeleteI also love the videos you did with Sunset and refer to them when I need additional inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous: I will be posting these here soon.
ReplyDeletegreat advice
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I like that final R -- rot. And, of course, I love the first and all-important REFUSE!
ReplyDeleteCan you offer good resources/references on what happens to our recycling? I don't doubt what you say but rather wish to read more and have more information to offer others. Thanks!
ReplyDelete"1. Fight junk mail. It's not just a waste of resources, but also of time. Register to receive less at dmachoice.org, optoutprescreen.com and catalogchoice.org."
ReplyDeleteMy goal for the month of Oct is to eliminate or at least put at huge dent in the amount of stuff in my mail box. Whew! What a pain!! It feels like this has become my part time job. But I'm sure it will be well worth it when my mail box gets emptier. Catalog choice has been great in my junk mail war. Every time i get a mailer, i search the company on catalog choice, and if its there, you can have catalog choice opt out for you. Catalog choice is great bc they will also ask the companies not to sell or trade your info which cuts down on more junk mail and having your info out there. The only places catalog choice cant help me with are the local specialty and grocery store ads and mailers. Still have to find a way to get rid of those. Thanks for the info Bea! You definitely are inspiring me to live with less waste!
ekparks: here is a great link to get your started
ReplyDeletehttp://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Reuse/Links/School.htm
Thanks very much for your blog. Loving your advice and information, it's definitely helping my family learn to reduce our household waste.
ReplyDelete