For those not in the know, zero waste living is about not producing any unnecessary waste.
The “rules” include being able to compost and recycle but you cannot send anything to landfill.
Our day to day activities, shopping, eating, buying stuff, produces an eye-watering amount of waste, most of which ends up in landfill.
The plastic waste accounts for a staggering 1.3 million tons in Australia alone.
Somethings gotta give.
If the thought of tackling a zero-waste lifestyle is a little daunting but it doesn’t have to be!
I’ve enlisted the help of zero waste living expert Anita Vandyke, who also happens to be a former rocket scientist, current med student.
Anita shared with us her super easy to implement tips on how to reduce your waste.
TIP 1. START SMALL
I suggest just stop buying bottled water and stop buying coffee from disposable cups. It’s such an easy switch but if everyone did these two things, landfill will drastically reduce.
TIP 2. REMEMBER, PLASTIC CAN NOT BE RECYCLED LIKE GLASS AND ALUMINIUM
It can only be down-cycled to poorer quality plastic until it can’t be recycled anymore. It then sits in our landfill taking hundreds of years to decompose or even worse, sits in our oceans, polluting our seas.
TIP 3. REPLACE YOUR DISPOSABLES WITH REUSABLES
Items such as paper napkins, plastic grocery bags, disposable coffee cups can be replaced with cloth napkins, reusable cloth grocery bags and Keep Cups (reusable coffee cups). I also buy bulk foods where possible, using my reusable produce bags and I also buy as much as I can secondhand.
TIP 3. SECONDHAND FIRST CHOICE
Whenever you need to buy something, try to see if you can buy it secondhand first. Look at local thrift stores, ask neighbours and friends, try eBay – make a good effort to try to buy secondhand before buying new.
TIP 3. SECONDHAND FIRST CHOICE
Whenever you need to buy something, try to see if you can buy it secondhand first. Look at local thrift stores, ask neighbours and friends, try eBay – make a good effort to try to buy secondhand before buying new.
I ALWAYS CARRY A ZERO WASTE KIT WITH:
- reusable drink bottle
- sport
- cloth napkin
- KeepCup for tea
I have come to appreciate that every step (no matter how small) is important in helping our planet!
