Let's start from the beginning with a question I hear almost every time I mention the phrase zero waste. What is zero waste? Zero waste is a choice to make a difference for the health of our planet by making conscious efforts to recycle when we can, reduce the amount of products we buy that have plastic packaging as much as possible, reuse items or upcycle instead of buying new, and to refuse plastic where we can. By now, we've all heard of the spread of banning plastic straws and plastic grocery bags. Did you know that it can take 400- 1,000 years for plastic to breakdown? Breakdown does not mean go away, however. It simply turns in to smaller pieces called microplastics. Our marine wild life, including the ones we eat for food, consume plastic because they cannot distinguish plastic from food. That includes the birds, as well. Since the plastic does not digest, it simply sits in their stomach, taking up room that would otherwise be used for food and nutients. Eventually, they starve to death. Furthermore, the microplastics have shown up in our water supply, and even the air we breath. This is a serious health concern, as the chemicals that plastic leaches can causes problems such as with reproductive health, cancer, among others.
You may ask, "What do you mean by refuse?" That can mean different approaches to different people but all with the same goal of refusing to purchase any item that has single-use plastic. Single-use plastic is any plastic packaging that can only be used once. Think doughnuts from a convenience store, individually wrapped cookies, candy wrappers, zip lock sandwich bags, or plastic wrap. This could mean bringing your own straws or not using a plastic straw, bringing your own take-out containers for leftovers to restaurants, or carrying your own bamboo or coconut cutlery in your bag. Most of us are familiar with using our own bags at the grocery store or market instead of using plastic bags.
Zero waste is using not using straws, plastic cutlery, plastic take-out containers, plastic produce and grocery bags but instead, using bamboo or aluminum straws and cutlery we carry in our bags, using cotton drawstring produce bags that can be washed, and opting to use bar soap that comes in cardboard or paper instead of plastic. Zero waste is recycling your glass jars, aluminum cans, and any plastic we already have in our households. Zero waste is picking up litter that someone else carelessly threw on the ground. Zero waste is opting for compostable doggie poop bags instead of using plastic ones from the grocery store. Zero waste is trading in that liquid bath gel, hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner for a solid bar instead of plastic bottles.
Here's an easy list of swaps to get you started (in no particular order):
1. Plastic grocery bags: Use cloth or reusable grocery bags
2. Plastic produce bags: Cloth or mesh produce bags
3. Buy beans, nuts, granola, cereal, and spices in bulk and store in your own jars. Glass jars can be from washed and recycled food jars, such as sauce.
4. Choose solid bar soap instead of liquid hand soap
5. For items that you cannot find without plastic packaging, opt for ones that can be recycled, such as choosing a cereal box in cardboard over a single-use plastic bag. The plastic bag inside cardboard cereal box types can be recycled as a plastic bag if washed and dry. Check to see if your grocery store has a bin for recycling plastic bags.
6. Swap your plastic baggies or zip lock sandwich bags for reusable cloth ones.
7. Swap your plastic wrap for beeswax wraps or store in containers with lids. Even just placing a plate over a bowl with leftovers works. Use a plate in the microwave as a lid instead of plastic wrap.
8. Consider purchasing powder laundry detergent, where the cardboard can be recycled.
9. Keep your own cutlery set in your bag or plan ahead and just bring cutlery from your kitchen drawer if you know you are going to eat at a place that uses plastic cutlery. Wrap in a cloth napkin.
10. Swap paper towels for cloth "unpaper towels" or rags you wash. The same goes for napkins. You can even find cloth napkins at thrift stores or make your own.
If totally eliminating plastic from your life seems daunting, to make it easy, incorporate one new change and make it a habit. Once that is habit, you can make another change. The point is, that a change is being made. Any change you make to reduce your consumption of plastic packaging is a step in the right direction and makes a positive impact. In the mean time, educate others as you make the change. Want to know more? Click the graphic below for a link to Plastic Pollution Coalition. Click here for bath and body products, if you'd like to browse our subscription services to help you on this journey. Click here for our iGarden Club, for zero waste subscription of non-GMO and organic seeds.
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