ZERO WASTE LIVING – A BEGINNERS GUIDE

So, you keep hearing the term zero waste or low waste being thrown around; You either are not really sure what it is, but you know its better for the environment or you know what it is and have spent hours on social media trying to figure out how to adapt to this lifestyle.

This does not happen overnight. It is a huge life change and taking it one step at a time is the best you can do for yourself and your planet. Eventually you will get to a life that is better lived for the plant, but the more you know the better it will be.

This will not look the same for everyone, so it is best if you just make the small changes with the resources you have.

What is zero waste?

Zero waste is a term used to explain waste prevention and how to regenerate it into our ecosystem.

” A combination of community and industrial responsibility that includes deconstruction in spite of demolition, composting to keep odorous organic waste out of landfills, recycling, and a screening facility to allow more separation and reuse of waste rather than incineration.”

By reducing our consumption to only the things we need, reusing as much as possible and recycling or composting the rest we can succeed with zero waste living.

More people are starting to change the way they live by becoming zero or low waste because of its benefits to our economy, community and the environment. So, let’s talk about what those benefits are.

Benefits of Zero Waste living

Living a lifestyle where you are reducing your waste is so beneficial to the economy, the environment, and your pockets! Here are a few benefits to switching over to a zero-waste lifestyle:

Environmentally

Economically

Personally

How do you become zero waste?

Some people think that being zero waste is expensive, but it is really not! If you look around your home you could start your zero-waste journey with things you already own.

Before we dive deep in ways to become zero waste, we should start with the 5 R’s. Many are used to the 3 – Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle, but Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home takes it a step further.

So many of us want to live a better life, not just for ourselves and our family, but for the planet and generations to come. If you are looking to become more zero waste there are a few extra things you can do:

If you want to dive deeper into zero waste, you can think about how to lower your use in other ways and the ethical standards behind it. Avoid plastic all together, not just with our food containers but with the items we use on a daily basis. Reduce your animal consumption or buy from a local butcher or farmer who raises animals in an appropriate environment and treats them with care. Start thinking about where your food came from and whether or not it was imported from another country. If at all possible, try to buy local. And lastly, find companies who care!

When it comes to the ethical standards, do some digging to figure out the mission behind your favorite company. Understand labels; just because the label says organic, healthy, or natural doesn’t necessarily mean it was sustainably produced. Try to find out who this effects. It is always good to reduce our trash, but in the longer run we need to make sure it is affecting us and our planet in a good way. Always remember to always do your own research because you don’t want to just rely on one source.

Changing your lifestyle to a zero waste one can definitely be a challenge, but if you start with writing your ‘why’ down then it will give you even more reason to accomplish it. Not one person can change the world, but if everyone is slowly making an impact then we can save our planet.

If you feel overwhelmed with everything, it is always okay to take a step back and just focus on one thing at a time.