I don’t remember feeling accountable for the amount of trash I produce as an individual before I discovered Minimalism. And during my Minimalism journey, I was introduced to a concept generally known as the Zero Waste Lifestyle.
2 years in my Minimalism approach and I still cannot fathom how one can lead a complete zero waste lifestyle, although, I know a few on the Internet who do it quite successfully (check out Lauren Singer for some hardcore inspiration). But a few concerns still haunt me, I mean, what about the packaging that comes with meat and dairy products? Do only vegans get to live this approach? And how can you possibly avoid pharmaceutical trash? Do I give up on aspirin or ibuprofen for when I have the chums? I’ve yet to find answers for many concerns like so and I am myself just learning the basics of producing less and less trash.
Whether you are a minimalist or not, I sincerely believe that most of us would like to treat Mother Earth a little better. Perhaps you’ve never had a trash audit at your residence but most of us have freaked out a little after having seen those documentaries on Netflix or the Discovery channel. But sometimes, especially in a county like ours where alternatives are hard to find, going green isn’t always the easy choice.
Many of my friends and colleagues believe that an environmentally friendly lifestyle is just too expensive. And while I am not going to refute the stance, I am here with 5 inexpensive and easy ways to go green that will help you from day one in sending less and less trash to the landfills and our oceans. You can adopt most of these right away and I can promise you one thing, going green saves you money along the way, something you will realize when you start on your zero/less waste lifestyle journey.
Avoid Drinking Bottled Water
It doesn’t get more basic than this – when you purchase bottled water, it adds to plastic pollution causing more damage to the environment than one can imagine. Opting for a reusable water bottle will help you save money plus its all the more convenient and let’s admit it makes you look cooler.
In Pakistan, you’ve plenty of options to choose from including BPA free (a plastic linked to cancer) plastic water bottles, glass water bottler and stainless steel water bottles. One can easily shift to a reusable water bottle especially at the office or during those hot, humid days at the university.
Bonus Tip: While we are on the subject of reusing, wouldn’t it be the easiest thing ever to switch to a reusable cloth bag for your weekly groceries? Mother Earth will thank you for it.
Turn Everything Off
The easiest of them all and saves you plenty of energy and money along the way. When stepping out of a room, simply switch of all the electrical appliances including the ceiling fan, light bulbs and help contribute to the future of the planet.
Even unplugging your laptop or mobile devices once charged saves you energy and much room on monthly utilities.
Use the Cloth Line or a Laundry Drying Rack
Most of us have seen this as growing up as part of our household but many homes have now upgraded to dryers. The amount of energy a dryer takes up is immeasurable and quite frankly unnecessary.
By opting to dry your clothes using a traditional cloth line or even a contemporary laundry drying rack you will save a tremendous amount of energy. And plus the equipment will last you longer!
Say “NO” to Freebies
Everything from promotional pens to decorative party boxes will probably find a way to your rubbish bin even before completing a life cycle. Besides we all have enough mugs, pens, tees, caps and key chains to sustain one lifetime. By simply saying no to an unnecessary freebie, marketing giveaway or even an extravagant party favour, you will directly contribute towards creating less and less trash in the landfills.
Bonus Tip: Perhaps you say “no” to a plastic straw at your favourite restaurant next time and just sip away.
Avoid Gift Wrappings or Even Gifts Completely
I understand that half the fun of a gift comes with personalised gift wrappings, ribbons, bows, tags etc. but how about we change things up and chose not to wrap it in additional paper anymore? Perhaps you can present the gift itself in its natural state? Gift wrappings contribute to wastage of paper, say no and help save world’s trees. Or better yet chose to gift an experience instead of a tangible object. Trust me, your special someone will appreciate a day at the spa and your niece/nephew will cherish membership to the library for years to come.
Bonus Tip: Sometimes, it becomes difficult finding the right kind of experience in your local area, create an at-home experience, a baking/cooking day or a movie night in and that special time will prove to be far more valuable.
It would have been easier to suggest – switching to stainless steel straws and a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush. I would have asked all the ladies out there to switch to a menstrual cup and eliminate almost 12,000 pads/tampons per year from ending up in landfills. But I understand that finding these “cleaner” alternatives isn’t always that easy in the country. So, why not opt for easy, green choices we can make in our homes right away without breaking the bank!
And perhaps begin your Zero Waste Lifestyle journey today.