If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that this is a new kind of post for this blog. I’ve been working hard to live a more sustainable life these past 5 months and I want to share some of what I have learned. I know first hand just how difficult it can be to make the changes necessary to live more sustainably. The concept of “zero waste” is somewhat flawed because it is impossible to live a fully zero waste life, however I believe that living zero waste is still something worth striving for. When I refer to “zero waste” from here on out, I am not being literal. I simply mean low-impact, sustainable, and minimalist.
Lauren Singer put it best: “It doesn’t happen overnight. And if you try and make that significant of a life change happen immediately, chances are, it won’t stick.” Lauren is the CEO and founder of Trash is for Tossers. Most people know her as the woman who collected a year’s worth of trash in a single mason jar. Women like Lauren have inspired many people (me being one of them) to live a more minimalist life. Well-known zero waste activists make going zero waste look easy, which is one of the reasons it can be really intimidating trying to make the shift to living zero waste only to find that it is not as easy as it seems.
As someone who spends lots of time in the kitchen, I began my zero waste journey by investing in zero waste kitchen swaps. That’s why I decided to begin my zero waste blog collection with this post. If you also find yourself producing a lot of waste from food and single-use products like bags and napkins, then this is is the post for you!
When I did my initial research on the best way to go zero waste, the biggest piece of advice out there was to write down all the things in your life that produce waste and find zero waste alternatives to those things. My list included paper towels and zip-lock bags, so that’s where I decided to start. I decided to swap paper towels for something the internet calls “unpaper towels.” The next swap was for zip-lock bags. Luckily, I was already familiar with a sustainable alternative called Stasher bags. These bags are made of silicone and can be re-used for up to 10 years. (How great is that?!) Below is a list of easy zero waste swaps that won’t break the bank.
EASY ZERO WASTE KITCHEN SWAPS
- “Unpaper towels” (I got mine from Plastic Free Pursuit)
- Beeswax wrap
- Reusable food storage bags (Stasher bags are my favorite)
- Bar dish soap (I enjoy No Tox Life)
- Bamboo sponges + scrubbers
- Reusable coffee cups
- Mason jars
- Produce bags
- Reusable cutlery
- Silicone can cover (I for mine from Earth Hero)
- Silicone ice tray (I got mine from W&P)
- Glass spray bottles
- Reusable coffee filters
