Zero Waste Changes Anyone Can Make

Since I was in middle school, I always wanted to live a completely “green” lifestyle. Now, as a ten year old that wasn’t really feasible, but I sure did try. I decorated individual boxes to help my family sort cans, bottles, and other recyclables. Gardening was always a dream of mine, but my black thumb made it just that. I would try again and again throughout the years, but without my family’s full support and all of their resources, it just wasn’t possible.

So, when I was going to live in my first apartment long-term with my best friend, we planned to live an eco-friendly lifestyle as best we could. A whole board on Pinterest was dedicated to ours. The problem is, living a zero waste lifestyle is hard enough normally, but we were attempting to do it amidst a global pandemic. No longer was bringing reusable cups to coffee shops an option. Everything became disposable and single-use.

It would have been easier and more convenient for us to just give up. Except, this was our first time living in a space that we had total control of. If we couldn’t do this for ourselves, at least we could do it for Mother Earth.

Therefore, we persisted. Birthday and Christmas gift lists included eco-friendly supplies. Shopping lists were made carefully. Recycling was made a priority. It wasn’t easy though, because a lot of “green” items aren’t cheap, which means they weren’t in our budget. If we wanted to make a lifestyle change outside of a gift-giving season, we had to fund it ourselves.

It is possible though. We don’t live a completely zero waste lifestyle, but we’re putting in a lot more effort than a lot of college students on a fixed income would. There are very easy changes to make that can make a big impact.

• Reusable Sandwich Bags

These may seem more inconvenient because you’ll have to wash them in between uses, but it really takes no time at all. Fill with a little water, add some soap, close it up, and shake. Takes less time than trying to find the right size disposable bags in the grocery aisles. They are very cheap if you know where to look, so you can stock up on a few. You don’t need that many though. For three people constantly eating, cooking, and traveling, we survive quite easily on five reusable sandwich bags. It’s an easy step that reduces a lot of waste, and saves you money in the long run.

• Wooden Dish Scrubber

Buying plastic materials encourages the production of more, and it takes much longer to break down in the environment. By using a wooden dish scrubber, you’ll get a longer-lasting and better quality tool for your kitchen. When it’s finally time to get rid of it, you won’t have to worry about it staying for very long–they’re organic. They’ll break down naturally when thrown out. This brush is also excellent at getting off dried-on food. It’s much better than any cheap dollar-store plastic one I’ve used.

• No Paper Products

Growing up in a house that had both paper products and dishes, I always thought it was a waste. You’re going to use a lot of water washing the reusable items, and add to the great garbage pile by throwing out a single-use one. So, my best friend and I went to Target and spent about $15 getting an entire dish set for the apartment. Since we moved in seven months ago, we haven’t bought paper plates, napkins, or plastic silverware. We need paper towels for cleaning, and there’s no need to have both napkins and paper towels in your home. So, we use any napkins that come with takeout meals, and the rest of the time use just paper towels and dishcloths that we can wash.

• Dryer Balls

I’ll admit, we bought these at first because they had the cutest little lambs on them at the time, but once I did my research I realized we’d stumbled upon another eco-friendly life hack. They’re made without any harsh chemicals, and they are completely reusable. Dryer sheets run out eventually, but spending a few bucks once gets you a “green” alternative for life.

• Plant Shelf

We’re constantly buying succulents and other plants when we go out because they fit the aesthetic our apartment has, but also because raising them is good for the environment. If they sit in stores, they’ll wither and die under fluorescent light, but we use special plant-centered lights, fertilizer, and water. Not only is it great for the planet, it’s providing us with many health benefits every day.

For more house plant information, visit this page

• Keep a Recycling Bin by the Mailbox

Living in an apartment means you’re going to get a ton of junk mail from former residents. So, I bought a recycling bin and placed it right in our entryway. Every day when one of us gets the mail, if something isn’t addressed to one of us or the tenants upstairs, it goes straight in the recycling bin. Once it gets full, we take it out with the trash and city recycling. This is a great way to avoid these papers cluttering up your surfaces or ending up in the trash out of convenience. Junk mail never sets foot in the door here.

• Collecting Pop Cans

This is something my family has been doing for generations, and it was the same for my roommate’s families. So, with the very few cans and bottles we even use, we put them in a bag in the kitchen that gets taken to a bottle return every time it’s full. This is also a great way to get a little extra cash. We’ve had a returning trip come back with over $16.

• Reusable Straws

It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s cheap. They even come with their own cleaning brush.

• Reusable Makeup Rounds

This is the most recent change I’ve made to my lifestyle. I wear makeup at least twice a week, and all of it is designed to be resistant to the elements. With my makeup removers, and now my reusable rounds, it makes life so much easier at night when I have to take off makeup that I’d put on twelve hours before.

Link to my micellar water and eye-makeup remover here.

*I am a beauty consultant for Mary Kay and do sell these products. Message me for details.

No matter how much money or time you have to devote to living a zero waste lifestyle, every little bit helps. The classic phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” still applies.

Reduce:

• The amount of items you buy

• The time spent in cars

• Single-use plastic and other one-time products

Reuse:

• Other’s clothes

• Anything that’s not broken

• Towels more than once

Recycle:

• Plastic

• Aluminum cans

• Paper

• Anything with the ♼ symbol

These little changes will help you live a better, happier, and more eco-friendly life!