From Neophyte to Recycling Pro

More and more people seem to be joining the zero waste movement throughout the world. With videos popping everyday to remind us that we can actually concoct our own deodorants and that used toilet paper can still be recycled to turn into something else entirely.

 

But what does zero waste mean exactly?

 

It could mean caring enough so that no stuff that you throw ever goes to the landfill. It could also mean saying no to using plastic.

 

There are now a lot of influencers who talk you into catching on with sustainable living and letting go of their garbage-filled lives. If you’re ready to live as they do, then here are a few tips that could jump-start your new lifestyle –

 

No Shopping Bags Please

 

Instead of having your newly bought items stashed inside a plastic bag, you can just bring a reusable bag with you. The lightweight kind of market bags is light enough to bring with you at all times.

 

Always be prepared with a reusable bag because you’ll never know when you’ll feel like shopping.

 

Do Bulk Purchases

 

Divide your shopping time between the grocery stores and the farmers’ market. Fresh produce can be gotten at the latter but they are often selling in retail. If you want to do some bulk purchase, then zero in on the supermarket. This is the place that could give you the veggies in bulk.

 

And as you shop, be sure to bring your reusable bags yet again. If you have to bring containers for your liquid purchases, then do so.

 

Buying in bulk might be more expensive at first but it could actually save you money as you keep at it. Plus you don’t have to worry about the stack of plastic bags that eventually turns into a mountain under the kitchen sink.

 

Use Rags and Dish Towels, Not Paper Towels

 

This is one of the easiest transitions that you could do. Sure, it’s convenient to just wipe and throw but you can commit to a better solution. If you’re not used to washing rags, then slowly wean yourself from the paper towels.

 

You can begin by hiding the paper towels and then getting some unused shirts that you could begin using as a rag.

 

Cloth napkins can also be used for everyday cleanups.

 

Store Food in Metal or Glass Containers

 

There are many reasons why you should pick a glass container instead of a plastic one. Glass is safer, it is better able to hold heat in, and it is transparent and a lot prettier than plastic.

 

Glass is also a lot cleaner compared to plastic containers.

 

Practice the FIFO Method

 

The FIFO or first-in-first-out food storage method is efficient because it ensures that no food goes to waste. Older products, which were bought earlier, are used or consumed prior to the newer ones.

 

There are just five simple steps to follow for this method –

 

• Find the products that have the soonest use-by or best before dates.
• Throw stuff that are already damaged or are past these dates.
• The stuff with the soonest dates must be kept in front of the fridge or the cabinets.
• The newer items must be stocked at the back.
• Sell or use the oldest items first.

 

Make Your Own Stuff

 

This might not be that easy. You could begin with some kitchen beauty remedies such as honey or ice cubes instead of the usual facial cream. Look for DIY soaps, shampoos, and cleaners.

 

Cut Down on Your Trash

 

Take a careful look inside the garbage bags and analyze how you could cut down on the contents. If the bin is already brimming with cartons and plastics, then you know what to do.

 

Vow to say no to plastic the next day and recycle the things that you could.

Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, minimalism, sustainable lifestyle, sustainable living

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 13th, 2019 at 8:37 am and is filed under Green Living, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.