The traction that less wasteful living has gained over the last couple of years is astounding! Everyday I see more and more people sharing about simple changes they’re making. My journey with less waste started about two years ago and it’s something I’m STILL working on. I get so overwhelmed when I see people that are doing the whole “zero waste” thing perfectly. And I think that’s amazing! However, I know how I work and had to face that putting the stress of being completely zero waste wouldn’t be helpful in making this a sustainable lifestyle. So I’ve continued to make small changes over time and do what I can. Being aware is the first step because once you KNOW how much damage we’re doing to our planet, you can’t “unknow” it.
That being said, it can feel like a daunting task to take on less wasteful living when you do see those people doing ALL. THE. THINGS. But, I think one of the first and most important questions to ask is, “What can I change right now?”. Identify something that you can change right now that won’t make you feel put out in other ways. For instance, many of us already have at least one travel coffee mug. So consider keeping one in your car for when you go through Starbucks! Keep reading for three more changes that anyone can make when starting on this journey of less wasteful living.
1. Cut the Plastic at the Grocery Store
Buy Produce out of Plastic
There are three ways you can cut the plastic at the grocery store. First is with produce. Unfortunately, some things are not available without plastic, such as strawberries. Many things you will find out of plastic, though! For instance, you’ll find broccoli crowns without plastic, but see the already cut up broccoli that IS wrapped in plastic. Consider making the switch to the whole broccoli crowns. It might take a little more work to cut it up, but it’s worth it to avoid the use of plastic! Additionally, a very easy change to make is to stop using produce bags. Put the dang produce directly in your cart if you don’t already have reusable produce bags and you can wash it when you get home. This is such a simple change to make that doesn’t require buying anything else.
Shop the Bulk Section
Secondly, shop the bulk section if your grocery store has one! Some stores will allow you to bring your own bags or jars to use if you know the tare weight. Unfortunately, our Whole Foods doesn’t allow us to bring our own bags for the bulk bins, but they do provide paper bags that only have a plastic window. This means you should be able to remove that and recycle or compost the paper bag. In the bulk section you’ll find all kinds of grains, dried legumes, nuts, seeds, and even flour! This is a great way to not only reduce waste, but often times get things at a lower price.
Bring Your Own Bags!
Lastly, and possibly the most obvious change to make is refusing plastic grocery bags! Many of us already have reusable bags, but if you don’t, consider getting some! They’re usually only about a dollar at most grocery stores and they fit more than the plastic grocery bags, so you should only need a few. If for some reason you don’t have the option of buying a few reusable bags right now, ask if your grocery store can use paper bags instead of plastic. I’ve also heard the excuse of forgetting your reusable bags, but make it a habit to return the bags to your car after unloading your groceries so that you’re never without them. A few extra steps won’t kill ya! 😉
2. Make a “Zero Waste” Kit to Keep in the Car
Chances are, you already have silverware, Tupperware, and a spare cup in your house. Consider going around the house and collecting things to make a zero waste car kit with! This is stuff that would be great to have on hand when eating out. Picking out a food storage container is a great place to start, so that you can avoid a Styrofoam container if you have leftovers at a restaurant. Not-so-fun fact: Estimates for how long Styrofoam takes to break down is at least 500 years and ranges to 1 million years. Keeping an extra set of utensils in the car is also a great idea in case a restaurant only has disposables. You may also want to consider a reusable straw (and remember to speak up and ask for no straw!).
Additional items you may want to add to your kit include a cloth napkin and some kind of cup or mug. I love to keep a mason jar in my car as it doubles as a food storage container and a cup! Some places, like Panera Bread, only offer plastic cups for cold beverages, but their drink fountain is self-serve, so I’ll either bring my mason jar and fill it up with water OR I’ll bring my already full water bottle in with me. These are things that take time to turn into a habit, but the first step is just making yourself aware.
3. Borrow, Trade, and Buy Secondhand
This tip is possibly one of the biggest and most meaningful changes you can make in this journey to less waste. By avoiding the purchase of new items, you will automatically be reducing your waste. The packaging waste will have already been taken care of and by taking something you want that someone else no longer needs, you will keep that item out of a landfill.
Some simple changes you can make in this category are
- renting movies instead of buying them
- using the library instead of purchasing books at the book store
- borrowing from or swapping with a friend
- joining local buy/sell/trade pages on Facebook
- shopping secondhand
Not only will putting these practices into action be more beneficial to the environment, but you will also save SO much money and reduce clutter in your life! I talk more about this tip and why it is helpful in this journey of less waste and simple living in this post.
Hopefully, these tips will give you a good boost for starting this journey to less waste. If you have already started on your journey, I’d love to know what changes you have made! Remember that we’re in this together and that every small change we make adds up!
Want to create better shopping habits? Check out these tips for ethical and sustainable shopping!
