Adopt Less Waste Lifestyle Before Going Zero Waste
On a usual day, I was strolling in my favourite mall. Hopping from store to store, surmounted with all the fancy shopping bags. Something that caught my eye, was a board that said board said, ‘zero-waste gifts’, tucked away in the corner. From package-free soaps to candles to environment-friendly wooden toys, I was blown away by the concept.
When I got back home, I was totally pumped up. I started reading about zero waste lifestyle. Totally blown away by watching videos of people generating only a little bottle of waste, I rolled up my sleeves, swearing upon zero waste. I started replacing all my plastic containers with glass jars. I started replacing my washroom brands with cruelty-free, not tested on animals and organic products. I ordered reusable cutlery, steel straws and all things reusable. And to top it all a compost bin.
In the end, I became so overwhelmed and realized that in the process of creating zero waste, I ended up creating more waste.
The following points can help understand why adopting less waste is the first step towards zero waste.
Finish What You Already Have
Don’t jump the gun when it comes to adopting sustainable alternatives. It really is lucrative to ditch your plastic toothbrush and purchase a bamboo one. But try to first completely use what you have and then take the next step.
Reuse Mindset Instead Of Buying New
For example, you might have a few food-safe reusable containers. Instead of buying new mason jars or glass bottles, first, try re-using from the available options you already have. Then opt for buying sustainable options for what you need.
Switch To Sustainable Alternatives One At a Time
Take some time to evaluate what sustainable switches you can make. Then choose the one that you can switch to most easily, for example, it can be as simple as carrying your own water when you step out. This will help you understand the process of going zero waste in more depth. And it will make the transition easier.
A zero-waste lifestyle is a journey, it cannot be a fully functional dimension from day one. Zero waste is an amalgamation of methodology revolving around reducing your waste, reusing what can be put into the system again and making conscious choices.
