6 Super Simple Ways to get a Zero-Waste Household
What is Zero-waste movement? How to get a zero-waste household?
People these days are talking about the enormous waste created by humans and its evil effects on our planet Earth. As a responsible human being, you too feel dearly for the cause but when it comes to execution you feel your efforts are not making any real impact. Don’t get disheartened, as there is always the scope for improvement. Start the zero-waste movement from your own home.
Recycling Is Not the Best Way to Get a Zero-waste Household, It Is the Last Resort
You have already heard of zero-waste movement but may think that recycling is the only solution to get a zero-waste household. However, recycling everything in your house is not the perfect solution, as many items are not properly recycled. Instead, they are down-cycled, which means they become inferior products of lesser quality. And when they are further down cycled, they end up in the landfills. Thus, the zero-waste movement is not only about recycling. Rather, recycling is the last resort.
Know How to Get a Zero-Waste Household
Adopting a zero-waste lifestyle becomes super simple with the following guidelines:
- 1. Declutter Your Home
Declutter your home and donate what you do not need to the local thrift shop. This way you will lighten your load of junks and make precious resources available for those who really need them. Start making a shopping list and reduce unnecessary trips to the market. The less you will bring home, the less waste you will create.
- 2. Plan Your Meals
Along with reduction of material waste, you should also concentrate on reducing wastage of food. It’s completely avoidable if you buy groceries that you know you will eat. Though you find it plain sailing, you will be astonished at the amount of food thrown away into the garbage in every Indian household.
- 3. Swap Disposable for Reusable
Begin with using handkerchief, cloth napkins, rags, cloth bags, refill bottles at home instead of the disposable items. Thus, you will save money and create lesser waste. You should also reduce the grocery shopping waste. Using reusable tote and cloth bags and buying jars of wet items like cheese and jam can help reduce wastes.
Also, invest in some good quality reusable containers for your kitchen.
- 4. Find a Compost System
Find a compost system that works for your home. Most of the things that you throw into the trash can be composted. You will need a bin and some extra space to do so. You can aslo turn your home kitchen trash can into a compost container.
- 5. Switch to Zero-waste Feminine and Baby Care Products
If you or your family members are using pads and tampons, you must know that they are loaded with chemicals and pesticides and it is next to impossible to get rid of them. They take 500-800 years to dissolve in the earth. Which make them the greatest threat to the environment. Same applies to disposable diapers for babies. This is why women have started switching to reusable menstrual cups which is an eco-friendly option. Likewise, there are reusable cloth diapers and cloth wipes which would help you to get a zero-waste home.
- 6. Recycle everything possible
Get acquainted with your city recycle policies, but it should be your last resort. Check the need and lifecycle of the things you purchase. Buying second hand is another option. But if you are buying new, avoid plastic and opt for metal, glass, or cardboard. Know what can be recycled and what not. For example, plastic forks are not entirely made of plastic, therefore they cannot be recycled with other plastic items. So, avoid buying plastic forks.
Going zero-waste is a liberating process. Refusing unnecessary items, reusing whatever you can, and recycling the things that cannot be refused, reused or reduced will help you attain a waste-free home.
