Wake Up to Waffles

A waffle a day keeps the doctor away.

How to Go Zero Waste (a beginner’s guide)

January 23, 2021
FacebookTwitterGoogleEmail

“Going 100% zero waste” is a flawed concept. It’s impossible to live a completely zero waste lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth working toward. When I refer to going zero waste, I’m referring to living a less wasteful lifestyle. It may seem daunting at first, but once you’re able to identify the necessary changes and make a plan to incorporate those changes into your everyday life, going zero waste can be shockingly easy. 

I’ve put together a guide, consisting of three worksheets that can be downloaded, printed, or copied into notebook to help you make an action plan to begin living a zero waste life. Below is the Google Drive link to the three worksheets. 

ZERO WASTE WORKSHEET

WORKSHEET ONE helps you identify your reasons for wanting to go zero-waste and your new mantra to stay motivated.

Use the “zero waste living motivational prompts” to get started. You’ll be asked to write down your reasons for wanting to go zero waste, your hesitations about going zero waste, things you want to learn more about, and what you learned after doing research.

WORKSHEET TWO helps you figure out where you’re creating the most waste in your life.
These might include…

  • Cleaning supplies
  • Food wrapped in plastic or in a plastic container
  • Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash
  • Toothpaste
  • Plastic coffee cups
  • Paper towels
  • Menstrual pads and tampons

WORKSHEET THREE helps you figure out what you have that can be reused and repurposed instead of thrown away.
A few creative ideas for reusing and repurposing include:

  • Old t-shirts, fabric, or towels can be made into rags.
  • Glass jars can be used for storage or propagating plants.
  • Tissue boxes can be used to hold dog poop bags.
  • Cracked mugs can be used as planters for succulents.
  • Newspapers can be used as protective paper for packages.
  • Old furniture can be freshly painted or repaired.

THERE’S PLENTY TO LEARN ON YOUR ZERO WASTE JOURNEY!

ONE: Where to Shop
Start investing in sustainable replacements for the things you use most often.

Below are a few examples of sustainable small businesses that offer affordable zero waste products. I highly recommend avoiding Amazon when shopping zero waste, as purchases often arrive in lots of plastic packaging. Plus, this is a great opportunity to support your local small businesses! For a comprehensive list of zero waste small businesses, check out this post. If you’re interested in checking out sustainable clothing stores, check out my post about it. 

TWO: Why Not to Shop
Use up or give away what you already have before you buy new things.

It’s important to remember that the most sustainable option is to stop buying new things. It’s easy to buy things, whether it be because we’re bored or we saw an ad for something that looks intriguing, but a great habit to get into is waiting until it’s absolutely necessary before you buy anything new. It takes some practice for sure. I’m not fully used to it myself, but it certainly gets easier.

Here are some resources to help you be a more discerning consumer when you do decide to make a purchase.

  • Ethical Consumer offers a tool for people to check how “ethical”certain businesses are. Check it out here.
  • Better World Shopper also offers a resource to check how “ethical” businesses are. Check it out here. 
  • There’s also an app called Good On You that is dedicated to digging deeper into the ethics of businesses. Check it out here. 
  • Another great resource is the list of eco-friendly Black owned businesses from LeafScore. Check it out here.  

Use the “Week 1 Planner” in the Zero Waste Worksheets to push yourself to keep making more eco-friendly decisions. It’s challenging in the beginning, but after a while, it will come naturally. 

THREE: How to Dispose of Things
Look into where to properly donate or dispose of things you want to get rid of.

  • Waste Management has a helpful guide to sorting through recycling and trash. Check it out here.
  • Check out this post that lays out places where you can donate clothes and other things around the United States.
  • If you have food to donate, there is a great state-by-state list of food pantries at FoodPantries.org.

FOUR: Consider Composting at Home
Composting at home is actually quite easy. NPR has a great detailed guide to composting from home. If you live in an apartment, opting for a small countertop compost bin may be your best option. I love the one I have, so I’ll link it here. 

Litterless has an amazing resource listing state-by-state where people can compost. Check it out here. If you have no use for composted material, chances are good you know someone who would love to have it, so start asking around!

 

I hope you have a great time working towards a zero waste lifestyle. I am always here for anyone who has questions. Leave me a comment or reach out via email. I can’t wait to hear from you!