Zero waste living means aiming to reduce the amount of waste you produce that is sent for incineration/landfill to the bare minimum, if not zero.
If you decide that this is something you would like to do, the first step in the process is to take a look inside your bin to get a better understanding of what it is that you and your family are throwing away – a smelly but necessary step! Once you can see what it is that you are actually throwing away, you take steps to avoid bringing these items into your house and making this waste in the first place.
Arm yourself with the 5R’s of waste-free living:
- Refuse – say no to disposable, or non-recyclable things like plastic straws and plastic bags
- Reduce – use less; whether it’s buying fewer clothes and shoes that end up only being worn once or twice, or kitchen gadgets that stay in their box, think about whether you really need something before you buy it.
- Repair – make this the first thing you try instead of throwing something away.
- Reuse – if something you have is worn-out or broken, ask yourself if it can be reused? Another name for this that has emerged is ‘Upcycling’, and you’ll be amazed at the creativity this can inspire!
- Recycle – this should be the last option after all the above have been tried.
By following the principals of the 5R’s you can now take practical steps to ‘slim’ your bin.
Here are 20 quick and easy ways to reduce your waste today:
- Stop buying disposable items such as wipes, kitchen towels, cling-film and foil – you’re literally throwing your money away
- Compost fruit and veg peelings from the kitchen as well as your green garden waste – see our home composting page for practical tips
- Minimise the amount of food you waste – see our Love Food, Hate Waste page for practical tips and recipes
- Choose items with less packaging:
- In the bathroom, swap shampoo in bottles for shampoo bars, swap shower gel for soap, swap disposable toothbrushes for ones with removable heads or bamboo ones which are compostable
- In the kitchen, buy meat in a bag from a butcher rather than on a plastic tray from a supermarket, buy vegetables loose rather than on a plastic tray wrapped in more plastic; cook from scratch with fresh ingredients rather than buying ready meals; make your own salad dressing, pasta sauce, soups, jams, apple sauce, and stews in big batches and freeze for later; find out how to get creative with leftovers
- In the utility room, swap ordinary laundry liquids and powders for concentrated versions, choose detergents in refillable or recyclable containers
- Avoid takeaways – when cooking meals from scratch such as curries, stews or lasagne etc., try cooking extra then freezing additional portions ready for busy nights
- Take your own re-usable travel mug when getting take-away coffee – some places offer a small discount to customers who do this!
- Learn to love tap water, and carry a reusable water bottle with you
- Keep a couple of reusable shopping bags in your bag or the glovebox of your car to reduce the number of plastic bags you buy when making unplanned stops to pick up a few items
- Get your milk delivered to your door by a milkman
- Join your local library
- Learn how to make simple repairs to clothing such as sewing on a button or sewing up a popped seam – or find a recommended local tailor
- If you have young children, use washable nappies, even used part-time these can cut the number of disposable nappies you use drastically
- Borrow and lend, don’t buy
- Find your nearest, recommended cobbler and make use of them!
- Sign-up for electronic bills, statements and receipts
- Donate, don’t dump your unwanted clothes, shoes, book, furniture etc. to your favourite charity
- Swap single-use batteries for re-chargeable ones
Although the obvious benefits to adopting a Zero Waste lifestyle are environmental, there can also be financial benefits too – after-all, if you’re wasting less, you’re saving more.