Starting your zero waste journey

We are so excited that you are about to take your first steps into the world of zero-waste living.  We love this lifestyle and you will too.

 

Like all journeys worth taking, it may not always be a smooth ride.  Some days you are going to feel like you have it totally under control, others not so much.

 

There are a few ways that you can help yourself along the way.  Getting into the right mindset before you start will be big help, so we’ve compiled these top tips to get you going:

 

Small sustainable steps

Right now, you are probably feeling eager to make all the changes you can.  You want to turn your life and home into the definition of zero waste living.  But doing too much at once can be a recipe for disaster.

 

Therefore, we recommend that you make smaller changes over a longer period.  Or make gradual changes with zero waste in mind.

 

What do we mean by this?  So, make a few switches in your life to start off with.  Take the time to adjust to these before you make any more. 

 

You might even decide to transition to zero-waste by aiming to recycle more first.  You could make sure that you have could systems in place to recycle as much as you can, before committing to going full-on zero-waste.

 

The benefit of taking it slowly is that it will feel more sustainable.  Big changes all at once can feel overwhelming and this can cause us to go running back to our old ways.

 

This doesn’t mean you have to spend years reaching for your zero-waste goal.  It does mean that you aren’t going to change everything today.  There’s a happy medium!

 

Set a goal

What’s the dream?  Complete zero-waste living?  Or perhaps just to waste less?  Getting clear on your goals will make a big difference to whether you achieve them.

 

You might decide that your focus is to eliminate single-use plastics from your life.  Or, perhaps, you want to recycle more and throw away less?

 

Spend some time working out what it is you are hoping to achieve.  Writing it down regularly may help and allow it to change over time as you discover what is most important to you.

 

Once you have set your goal, then it is time to define the steps you need to take to get you there.  Remember, small steps = long-term success!

 

With your path laid out in front of you, it is just a few tiny baby steps until you’ve reached your goal and you are living your new eco-friendly life.

 

Don’t ditch everything

This is one of the biggest mistakes that people make when they want to start living a zero waste life.  They throw everything away.  Wait, what?!

 

It makes no sense when you think about it.  We are trying to reduce the amount of stuff that we send to landfill so don’t rush to put everything you own there straightaway.

 

There are plenty of zero waste products available and it makes good sense to switch to them.  But allow the products you have to be used up and worn out in their own time.

 

This will allow you to make more gradual changes and save up for you next switch which might require a bit of an investment initially.

 

If you don’t fancy waiting to use up all your leftover stuff, then you could always ask around to see if anyone else has use for them.  They might not be on the same journey as you.

 

Whatever you decide to do, it is important to remember that throwing stuff away before it has fulfilled its purpose is far worse than doing so after they are worn out.

 

Make a list of zero waste products

One of the easiest ways to make the journey to a zero waste lifestyle is to keep track of what you throw away.

 

Over the course of a couple of weeks create a list of what you dispose of, then at the end of that period sit down to review the items on there.  What can you do to make sure that you never have to throw those items away again?

 

This forms the foundation of your new lifestyle.  You can start by making quick switches such as buying reusable drinking straws and straw cleaners.  Straightaway stopping you throwing away straws again.

 

From there you can work up to larger problems such as food packaging and get creative about potential solutions.

 

Our zero waste store has lots of products to help you find fixes to your waste problems.  With lots of fantastic swaps, you’ll see your waste reduce fast.

 

Spread the word

A great way to keep you motivated on your journey is to share it with others.  This has two fantastic benefits:

1. It keeps you accountable. The more people that know what you are trying to achieve, the more people you must answer to.  They will ask how it is going and you will want to have some good news to share with them.
2. It encourages others to join you. Many people don’t know how easy zero-waste living can be.  That’s why you need to tell them.  Hold their hand as they start on this journey too.  You’ll be able to share all your favorite products from our zero waste store.

 

The more people that we can get to join the zero waste movement the better it will be for our planet.  All you need to do is share.

 

Remember, it’s not just about the zero waste products

Yes, there are some great products out that make zero waste living easier for us all, but that is not the whole solution.

 

A large part of reducing waste is about our mindset.  We must be in the habit of refusing unwanted products, thinking creatively about solutions and becoming so passionate about the cause that it drives us every day.

 

If you can do that, then this will be the easiest journey ever!