In a consumerist society, nearly everything someone does produce waste. Humans are just constantly throwing things out and creating more and more trash that the world has nowhere to go. 90% of what is thrown out doesn’t get recycled properly, and according to the appearance of new “islands” in the ocean, people don’t need to guess where their trash goes. Most people know of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an island of trash about the size of Texas floating between California and Asia, but more and more of these “islands of trash” are showing up. Despite various attempted clean-ups, activist groups aren’t able to keep up with all the waste humans produce, and anything removed from the water only gets replaced.
Recently, the Zero Waste monthly challenge has become a trend amongst eco-friendly companies such as Wholesome Culture and Happy Earth. The challenge gives a person one way each day to eliminate waste from their daily routine, hopefully ending the month with a waste-free routine. Here are some simple and easy ways to start creating your own zero waste life:
1. Start Using Reusable Bags Everyone has a tote bag. Just through random life encounters and shopping experiences, people acquire tote bags of all materials. I suggest you start carrying around those tote bags and switch to reusable instead of plastic shopping bags. Not only does this eliminate plastic but with the establishment of bag taxes in major cities like New York City and Boston, you’ll be saving some money too. For bag taxes, each plastic bag used in a purchase will add a small tax to the overall price; while these taxes are only a few cents, it’s always nice to save some money.
2. Get a Library Card Who doesn’t love a great book? Everyone, at least once in a while, which is why people should invest in library cards. Not only will this save you money in the long run, but libraries are an effective way to recycle books and share amongst a community. Most library cards are free to get and easy to apply for. Although there is nothing like holding a bound book, printing wastes a lot of materials and cuts down many trees. If you’re like me and love trees and books, you’ll understand why a library card is the best of both worlds.
3. Bar soap Liquid soap usually comes in plastic bottles. Bar soap usually comes in cardboard or a cardboard-esque box. Both aren’t great for the environment, but one is definitely better than the other. (I’ll give you a hint, it’s not plastic)
4. Reusable water bottle and containers A simple fix that might cost a little in the beginning, but will be well worth it in the long run. Containers prevent the inevitable throw away of Ziploc bags and are easy to clean and reuse over and over again. As for water, the average human should consume two liters of water a day. By using a reusable water bottle, people are more likely to reach that goal. Reusable water bottles also allow for the reduction of plastic waste.
5. Donate instead of throwing out Did you know the fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world? Due to high demands and quickly changing trends, many of the clothing produced never end up in-store and instead find their way into landfills, and third-party markets that disrupt economies of developing countries. Instead of throwing out clothes when they get old, you outgrow them, or the pattern just isn’t cool, think about donating. Thrift stores and homeless shelters are always accepting donations, and it is better to give a piece of clothing a new chance instead of ending up in the garbage piles.
6. Learn to hem and sew basic repairs Going along with the topic of clothing, learn how to hem or a simple stitch. Just because a tiny hole appears in your favorite dress or your pants need to be shortened, doesn’t mean it’s the end. Sewing kits are easy to come by and simple stitches for hemming, repairing, or patching is easy enough for anyone to learn. This lets you wear your clothes for longer, and you learn a new skill.
7. Keep a bucket in the shower to water plants with So much water is wasted in a shower. Almost half of it goes down the drain. A small idea to stop using so much water would be to keep a bucket in the water. I understand this sounds strange, but that water is perfectly clean. You don’t have to use the water yourself, in fact, that isn’t healthy. Instead, I suggest using the bucket to water plants. Keeping a small garden is another way to practice zero waste, as you are actually helping something grow, and all waste produced from that is important to the ecosystem. By keeping a small garden and using shower water for the plants is a good way to transform something easily forgettable into new sustainable habits.
8. Try walking instead of driving Simple and straight-forward like bar soap. Set a limit for yourself, and it can be as small as a mile, just focus on substituting driving for a nice walk, or even a bike or train ride for longer distances. Cars emit greenhouse gases at a large rate, and while it is undeniable that cars are needed, they aren’t needed all the time.
9. Ask for a mug when staying in at a cafe Many coffeehouses and cafes offer ceramic mugs for use if you plan on staying, just make sure to ask for one at the register. Big companies like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts also use mugs, so don’t be afraid to ask anywhere with a comfortable environment you’re ready to lose hours in.
10. Tea towels and rags I find myself using a lot of paper towels. Personally, I’m just clumsy and drop things over all the time, but I’m sure other people have rolls and rolls of paper towels sitting around just like me… well, like I used to. By switching to tea towels and rags, everything stays clean and dry all the while not soiling paper that will need to be thrown out. The best part is you don’t even necessarily need to buy anything to make the switch; by cutting up old clothing or sheets, you can make rags and towels of your own minimizing waste even further.
There are many more simple tips out there to help everyone lead a less wasteful life. By going zero waste, people are much more conscious about their consumption and often find they use less after the challenge naturally. Using mindful habits and active sustainable thought hopefully those trash islands will stop replacing themselves. Many zero waste options are very simple and easy enough as remembering an extra cup or bag when you leave your house or asking for no straw.