Hey everyone! In honor of Earth day, I thought I’d compile a list of things that everyone can do to reduce waste! I’ve been working towards going zero waste, so these are just a few things I’ve done/want to do in the future to further reduce my waste!
First, my spiel on waste, consumerism, and capitalism. Obviously, most waste and pollution created is created by huge corporations who have little to no emissions regulations. And, obviously, this is a huge problem!! However, the point of reducing your waste or starting a zero waste journey is not necessary to save the planet from just your individual actions. If enough people try to reduce their waste, then we’re collectively telling corporations that we will no longer buy their shit! Going zero-waste often requires some initial investment (however, I try to work with what I have before buying a new thing and you should too), but after you’ve got everything you need, you won’t be consuming nearly as much!! For example, I want to switch to cloths rather than paper towels. Obviously, I’m gonna use all the paper towels I have stocked before I switch. In the mean time, I’m collecting fabric scraps from clothes that I alter and random towels from the thrift store. And, I’m gonna do this before I go out and buy a whole new pack of Swedish dish cloths. My point is, you don’t always have to buy something brand new to make these switches! In fact, it’s even more of a fuck you to consumerism if you go to the thrift store or collect random garbage from your home and repurpose it! And finally, to reiterate, reducing your waste is a bit more about rejecting consumerism than saving the planet. Eventually, it will save the planet, but in order to do that, we must exile consumerism from our culture! Also, buy local if you can!! Anyways, onto the list!
From above, cut out paper towels! Collect scraps of fabric from cropping your shirts or whatever the fuck or buy some rags second hand! If you want buy some Swedish dish cloths from a local store!
Maybe controversial, but get a bidet! They’re not as pricey as you may think and it will seriously help you cut down on toilet paper!
Get a safety razor! It can take some time to learn to use, but it’s worth it in the end! It’s also a lot cheaper for you in the long run! And, I don’t really think they’re that expensive to begin with.
Get a reusable notebook thing! Like rocketbook or whatever it’s called.
Try a crystal deodorant! Or just one in paper/reusable packaging. Crystal deodorants aren’t anti-vax facebook mom garb, they actually work! They’re usually crystals of potassium aluminum sulfate. Yes, there’s aluminum in that name, but it is not the same as the aluminum compounds in other deodorants! Those are the ones found in other deodorants that increase risk of breast cancer and stuff. Using crystal deodorants have actually proven to reduce your risk of breast cancer! It’s sort of like how sodium chloride, NaCl (table salt) is fine, but hydrochloric acid, HCl, is bad. Both have chlorine, but only one of them is bad!
Side note, my favorite natural deodorant is Hey Humans, which you can find at target now! The packaging is recyclable, and they come in a lot of really fun scents (my fav is apple matcha!)
Switch to bar soap! This is really easy/cheap switch you can make. Also, there are a ton of small businesses that sell soap! You could also make your own soap if you’re into that! It’s pretty easy to make, which is partially why so many small businesses sell soap.
Also, try out bar shampoo! I was pleasantly surprised, but it’s not for everyone’s hair. There’s some brands that sell bar shampoo for curly/kinky hair, but I’d try to look into some small or local businesses! Even if you find something technically for your hair type, it may not work out and that’s okay too!
Buy natural loofahs instead of plastic ones! Loofah is a plant that’s a member of the gourd family. They grow on vines, and they can be grown in most temperate regions. They need approximately 100 days without frost.
If you can’t grow them, there’s tons of small businesses online that grow them and sell them! Or, see if any of your local businesses sell them!
Natural loofahs are also great for cleaning dishes and stuff, and they don’t need to be replaces as often because they are less dense than normal sponges or plastic shower loofahs, so if they are dried properly, they should last a long time before they start harboring bacteria! When you need to switch them out, they can be composted!
Be more conscious of the packaging you buy at the store. Buying from the bulk section is good, but when you need other things, try to buy aluminum or glass.
Aluminum is (nearly) infinitely recyclable and rather easy to recycle, but a lot of glass is not recycled because the process of recycling glass requires a lot of heat (and by extension energy). So, try to repurpose any glass you have to buy.
If you buy plastic, try your best to buy number 1, 2, or 5. The numbers can be found somewhere on the container and these numbers are the most easily recyclable. However, check your area. Sometimes 5 will not be recycled in certain places. If it doesn’t have a number, it’s best to not recycle because it may be a combination of types of plastic. Other types of plastic can be recycled but really only a small percentage is, so just try to avoid it if possible.
2 and 5 are the safest to get because they leak out the least amount of microplastics. They can be reused, although I’d recommend that you never heat any plastic up.
Sort of obvious one, but use reusable grocery bags. Again, they can be anything, you don’t need to buy any. You can use extra backpacks or duffle bags or literally anything you have at home.
Use beeswax wraps! I get mine from a local bee keeper, but you can make your own out of fabric scraps and beeswax which you can buy online or just wherever.
Bring your own cup to wherever you get your coffee!
Buy/make soy or beeswax candles instead of paraffin wax candles! Paraffin is a carcinogen (causes cancer)! It’s a petroleum byproduct, so it’s not renewable and is obtained by destructive mining techniques and refining processes.
It’s also toxic to pets! Because our pets are much smaller than us, they will get sick from less particles/exposure.
Composting!!! is!!! so!!!! important!!!! So, do it if you can!! If your community doesn’t have a compost drop off, bug your legislators until you do! You can just send them a bunch of emails! Also, if you have a mulch/dirt supplier, chances are they compost. Look on their website or call!! You can ask to drop off your compost there; they may not let you, but it’s worth a shot!
Buy second hand when you can!! You can buy cookware, appliances, furniture, dishes, fabric, clothes, home decor, etc. for a fraction of the price!
I know that sustainable fashion can get a bit controversial. But, I think sustainable fashion can be anything! Buy what you can afford and have the time to search for. If you don’t have the time or live in a place that doesn’t have a lot of good clothing at thrift stores, buy from shein or whatever the fuck. Buy from wherever as long as you think that clothing will last you for a long time!! Just buy clothing that you will cherish! Not just because it’s a trend or whatever the fuck. If everyone bought sustainably from places like shein, then their fast fashion model would no longer work and they’d have to shift their practices to be more sustainable. It doesn’t matter where you buy from! You are a consumer and every business matches what consumers want (this is why reducing your waste will actually help in the long run).
Also, extend the life of the clothing you have! Don’t use fabric softener because it just causes your clothes to wear down faster. Wash your clothes less often! It’s not gross as long as you’re hygienic otherwise. Here’s how often you should wash clothes, but adjust this for how much you’re sweating/getting dirty:
Jeans (or thicker pants): 4-5 wears
Tighter clothes: 1-3 wears
Underwear, socks, etc: 1 wear, nasty nasty
The amount of times you wash your clothes depends on the fabric and how it fits. Tighter/thinner fabrics need to be washed more, while looser/thicker fabrics need to be washed less.
While on the topic: dryer balls instead of dryer sheets!! They last super long and they actually work! If you want a scent, you can spray perfume or put a drop of essential oil into them.
Get an email receipt when you can. I know it’s annoying to type in your email, but receipts are made from non-recyclable plastic that leaks microplastics.
Find a refill place near you!! There may not be, and that’s okay too!! There are some places online that will do low waste refills for delivery, so just do a bit of research and find something that will work for you!
When buying fresh fruits and veggies, try to make them last as long as possible! I’m sure there’s a ton of things, but here’s a few tips I’ve learned! (Note: all of those glass jars you’ve collected will come in handy!)
Wash fruits (like berries) and DRY THEM COMPLETELY before putting them in an airtight container. And DON’T CUT THEM!
Store carrots or celery in water in an airtight container
Refrigerate avocados (maybe I’m dumb, but I didn’t know this). When you cut them in half, you can store the other half in water to prevent it from getting brown. You can also do this for apples!
Wash herbs, dry them, wrap them in a cloth, and then put them in an airtight container
For some herbs, you can put them in water and set them by a sunny window (basically like growing them in water). I know that you can do this for green onions and soft stemmed herbs like basil, mint, lemon balm, etc.
Citruses go in the fridge!
Clean out your email! Unsubscribe from all the garbage you don’t want to see anymore!! Sending/receiving emails requires electrical energy that is, in most places, created with processes that create pollution! It’s really simple and will probably make you feel better!
Also, I just want to say that I know that being eco-friendly can sometimes be expensive/discriminatory and if you can’t do it, it’s not your fault!! I made this list hoping that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, could find at least one thing they can do!!
Well, I think this is all I have! If you have any suggestions, let me know!
