Welcome to our simple guide on how to start your zero-waste journey!
We all know how making changes to our lifestyle can get overwhelming at times, especially when it comes to becoming more eco-friendly. The endless videos, articles and information on what to do and why you should do it sometimes makes it an almost impossible task to know where to begin. But fear not! This guide will give you what you need so you can have a stress-free start to your zero-waste journey.
1. Know The Basics
If you are a complete newbie and the word zero-waste is a new concept to you, then let’s start by understanding what zero-waste actually is…
Zero-waste is the conservation of resources, whether this is through reducing your energy usage, reusing containers or bags you get when shopping, or choosing to purchase things with minimal packaging.
How zero-waste differs slightly to phases such as ‘going-green’, ‘environmentally friendly’ and ‘sustainable’, is there is a stronger focus on looking at the way we consume products and how we can switch to reduce as much waste as we can.
(^^^^ MORE ARTICLES TO COME ON THIS TOPIC ^^^^)
2. Get Inspired
Finding out about zero-waste and eco-friendly living always starts from a dose of inspiration. Whether it’s from a friend or family member who has just started looking into it themselves or seeing a documentary or news article that might mention it, being shown that it is possible to make changes gets those juices flowing!
One of the best ways to keep yourself excited about zero-waste is by looking at others who are already doing it…
Here is an article that links other great blogs who share tips and tricks on everything eco-friendly:
3. Be Realistic
Unless you have all the time in the world to dedicate into creating a Pinterest-worthy, eco-friendly lifestyle, almost all of us needs to fit in those changes into all the other stuff we have going on in our life.
Knowing how much time you have in the week to try things out and prioritising what fits in to that schedule is super important! Look at your life now. What can you implement alongside what you are already doing? Maybe you have kids, could they get involved in making your homemade cleaning products? Or maybe meal prepping for a busy week will help save time as well as prevent food waste.
Get to know what works for you and know if won’t always be the same for everyone. Be open to change and be realistic in what you can take on.
4. One Step at a Time
There is a whole world of things you can change to become more eco-friendly, but let’s start by taking it one step at a time! Just like ‘being realistic’ with your lifestyle, one way to ensure gradual and sustainable changes is to go step-by-step.
Here are some examples:
· Want to go vegan? Why not try cutting out fish, or dairy first? Perhaps have one day a week where you only eat vegan food?
· Want to go zero waste? Why not start reducing your consumption on certain items, by shopping second hand or just asking if you really need it? Or how about setting a target to only by bio-degradable/non-toxic cleaning products?
· Want to be more eco-friendly? Try visiting your local farmers market and see what you could buy there instead of the supermarket? If you can, start buying organic.
You don’t need to make all the changes at once. As quote by Tesco… “every little helps”!
5. Talk to Others
Experiences are always best when shared… this goes for your new eco-lifestyle! Being able to share with friends and family about all that you have discovered will keep the curiosity alive. And you never know, perhaps you will be the person to spark some inspiration in them too!
If you ever want to learn more, the place to start is always by asking. Asking your local zero-waste shop, farmer, or fellow eco-friendly friend for advice on new plant-based recipes, a good swap for a product you always buy or a new hack to implement into your lifestyle.
From every-day tips and tricks, easy eco-swaps and mindset shifts you can make… there is more to come! Stay tuned for more articles coming out each week!