7 TIPS ON HOW TO START ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE

28.04.2021

If you’re planning to start living Zero Waste life, there is no need to change your life completely. You can start from small steps, like switching your mindset and start implement some eco-friendly ideas to your daily life.

Zero Waste lifestyle should become your goal.

Zero Waste should become your goal or idea, and every little step you’re taking is a significant accomplishment. It’s important to understand that some habits might take some time and sometimes efforts, but just every time you drink from your refillable cup, just think that it could be a plastic cup instead.

Very important step to follow is not to throw away everything that is not complying with your new eco-friendly lifestyle. For the moment, you can finish it or use it until it runs out or needs repair. Optionally you can give it to people who need it, or sell it on markets or marketplaces.

Most everyone who decides to explore the zero waste lifestyle has a “why” behind what they’re doing. Get specific with your “why” so you can return to it on a daily basis as your inner motive.

Are you a surfer who hates seeing plastic wash up on the beach? Have you experienced a health scare or issue after using a beauty product containing toxins? Are you tired of spending $6 on a latte every single day? Are you fed up with our political leaders not giving a damn about climate change? Write it on your mirror, tattoo it on your bicep – always come back to you WHY.

Zero Waste shopping and lifestyle require special preparations.

Of course, zero waste shopping and lifestyle require special preparations. You can start from the following ways:

• Start from a first rule of Zero Waste Mentality – Refuse. Always think twice whether you really need that plastic straw, napkin or plastic bag you offered. Almost always, accepting single-use plastic products is unconscious.
• Always have your shopping bag with you to avoid using a plastic one. If you’re going to a coffee shop, try to always have your refillable cup, remember that a lot of places are offering a discount if you’re bringing your own cup. Just think about these numbers, In America, only 23% of water bottles are recycled, while the rest ends up in soil, waters, or is being burned.
• While we are talking shopping bags, also you can consider bringing small cotton bags to replace paper and plastic ones during shopping for vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, etc. 
• Try to support small businesses that are eco-friendly and support zero-waste movement, places like small bakeries, butchers, grocery shops and weekly markets. As an advantage, you have higher chances to buy there organic and high-quality products and have more options for packaging. 
• Consider subscription options for food, deliveries or home essentials. For example, with Kiwi Eco Box you can save up to 25 dollars monthly just receiving all necessary eco-friendly items on ongoing basis.
• Try to order less take-away food, or alternatively support places that offer eco-friendly recyclable food packing. You can also bring with you own utensils instead of using plastic ones. At Kiwi Eco Box, we offer this item as well in our box.
• The bathroom is generally an area in which we use many plastic or not recyclable products. But there are many ways of lowering this negative impact. Bottles of shampoo can be replaced by shampoo bars, adding natural handmade soap, instead of shower gels, bamboo toothbrushes and loofah sponges are another great alternative. 

Those are simple steps you can start with to enter Zero Waste Lifestyle easily and bring joy along with it. The next step is to look of other aspects of your life and see what else you can change in order to live concisely, choose suitable products over plastic ones, and build your eco friendly routine.

Best, Kate and Nataly