A zero waste lifestyle might still be difficult to achieve for most living in big cities, but it’s a good example of where we should be headed. Plastic pollution is on the rise, it’s harming our wildlife and polluting our waters and land. A recent study has estimated that if we don’t take action there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean in 2050. Reducing our use of un-necessary packaging can help. If going full zero waste is not possible for you at this time, don’t worry aiming for less waste by changing a few daily habits can already make a huge difference.
What does a Zero Waste lifestyle mean?
Zero waste was coined by writer Bea Johnson, in 2008 when she started her blog, Zero Waste Home, about her family’s journey into reducing both their landfill and recycling waste, to a point of having none.
She took the concept of ‘Reduce, Re-use, Recycle’ further and created a 5 steps manifesto to living a zero waste lifestyle.
The 5 Rs of Zero Waste
Refuse what you don’t use
Sounds simple enough, but think of the amount of stuff we receive that we not only don’t need but don’t use. By refusing what’s of no need to you ( cutlery with your takeaway, promotional items, straws…) you will already limit the amount of things that come into your home.
Reduce what you do use
Buy more intelligently: can you get refills instead of a brand new item? Can you buy food as you go instead of filling your fridge with items that might perish quickly? Perhaps it’s about investing in better household and clothing items that might be more expensive initially but will last longer ( which also means you’ll save money over time). All these small daily habits equal to less waste over time.
Check out our list of zero waste and refill shops HERE
Re-use whatever you can
My mother grew up in East Africa at a time when getting things over from Europe took months. Get out of the Amazon mindset, and just like my mother taught me find 3 uses to every item. Can you extend the lifespan of something by mending, handing down, or repairing it? Challenge yourself by making it fun and creative ( if you have kids, get them involved!), turn up to art and nature for inspiration.
Recycle the rest
Recycling is the next step,but keep in mind that some items will not recycle indefinitely and will end up in the landfill at the end of their lifespan.
Rot, ie: compost
Compost your food scraps, paper, bamboo toothbrushes. Composting returns nutrients and fibers back to the earth and helps it being more resilient. And yes you can do it in the city, read our guide HERE
Getting deeper: learn more on the subject
Two books we recommend if you want to go further are:
The Less Waste No Fuss Kitchen by Lindsay Miles
Zero Waste Home, by Bea Johnson
