A Zero Waste Journey

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Something that I’m keen to do this year is to be more environmentally friendly.

I’ve been following a number of zero waste movements online and it fascinates me.

Before I go any further, I’ll just briefly explain what zero waste means.

What is Zero Waste?

Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. The goal is for no trash to be sent to landfills, incinerators, or the ocean. The process recommended is one similar to the way that resources are reused in nature. (Source)

The idea is that we need to reduce the items we actually need, reuse as many products as we can and reduce the amount of items we send to be recycled. You can also compost what cannot be recycled.

How do I start my zero waste journey?

There are lots of different resources available online that can help you on your journey. A simple google search of the term ‘zero waste’ will bring up lots of helpful information.

Personally, I’ll be starting small by making small changes and then I plan to gradually introducing new ways to reduce our waste over time.

Here are my first few changes that I’ll be making:

Reusable Sanitary Products

Switch to reusable sanitary products – review coming soon to the blog of Cheeky Wipes reusable sanitary pads and period pants so keep an eye out!

Bamboo Toothbrush

Did you know that every single toothbrush ever made is still in existence? I’ll be switching to a more eco-friendly bamboo toothbrush. These are biodegradable unlike plastic toothbrushes which never biodegrade.

Invest in a Water Pump

Like many houses, ours doesn’t have the best water supply. That’s where a water pump can come in handy. When looking online I came across Grundfos pumps. Their domestic water pumps are self contained and can help boost the water pressure in your home. I would definitely recommend investing in a Grundfos pump available at Pump Sales Direct.

Food Wraps

I’ve also been looking at the way in which my children consume their packed lunch. Every day they have sandwiches which we put into plastic sandwich bags. I have two children so that’s two plastic sandwich bags every day for five days a week, that’s ten plastic sandwich bags each week. By switching to a reusable sandwich bag or reusable food wrap we can start to reduce the amount of plastic we’re using and throwing away.

Ditch Plastic Bags

When I go shopping I’ll be taking a reusable canvas bag with me for my shopping to go in. This means I won’t ever have to buy a plastic bag again. I’ll also keep a few of these in the boot of my car.

Shop Better

I recently discovered a shop called Ripple in Cardiff. It’s a zero waste shop. You can even take your own food jars and containers to fill up on a variety of food products without having to worry about packaging. Brilliant idea!

Reusable Face Wipes

When I take my make up off at the end of the day, I tend to grab a wet wipe. I’ll now be changing to reusable cotton pads (rounds) that are machine washable.

Reusable Kitchen Roll

Similar to the reusable face wipes, you can also buy ‘unpaper towels’. Not only do they look great, they’ll also help you to cut down on your waste.

Finally

In my job as a self-employed cleaner I tend to put my used cleaning cloths into a small plastic nappy bag after each house I’ve visited. I then end up emptying three to four of these bags into my washing machine and putting the plastic nappy bags in the bin. I’ll be making the switch to my trusty canvas bags from now on!

These are just a few of the ways that we’ll be trying to be more environmentally friendly this year.

Have you heard of zero waste? Is it something you’d be keen to embrace? Let me know in the comments below.

You can also visit my Zero Waste Pinterest board for ideas on how you can embrace a zero waste life.