Easy Ways to Go Zero Waste: 7 Things you Should Stop Buying.
Easy Ways to Go Zero Waste
Whether you’re embracing the minimalist lifestyle, trying to live green or just trying to stick to a budget, taking conscious steps towards reducing your use of items that cause waste is always a good idea, and here’s something to help you with just that.
Keep reading to discover 7 of the best things you should stop buying if you’re planning to go zero waste.
Body Wash
Yes- you read that right. Even if your body wash claims to be organic, you’ll still be throwing the bottle away once you’ve used it, which then needs to be recycled, and the amount of fuel needed to produce just 1 liter of it is mind-blowing. Instead, buy bar soaps in bulk from a local vendor and support local businesses as well.
Cotton Balls
You may be surprised about this one, but yes, cotton balls are also wasteful. The cotton crop is water-intensive and often uses a large amount of pesticides as well. Skip using cotton balls and pads to remove your makeup, and instead, use a soft moist face cloth.
Plastic Bags
You probably knew this one was coming- plastic bags, especially the non-biodegradable variety, are a real menace- not just to the environment but to animal life as well. Apart from clogging drainage systems and polluting the parks and beaches, they also cause harm to our wildlife. Embrace a plastic-free lifestyle and use cloth bags as much as you can.
Paper Plates
Paper plates are often used during events and celebrations, and are super convenient since you can use and throw them, but what most of us ignore is that they contribute hugely to the landfill. Instead, you could consider using glass plates since they are reusable, washable and obviously last longer than paper plates.
Plastic Wraps
In our culture of convenience, plastic wraps may seem like our go-to solution to wrap and preserve food, but disposing it is actually not great for the environment. Plus, PVC is often used in its manufacturing process- instead, opt for environmentally safe and cheaper options like reusable food wraps made from beeswax, jojoba oil etc.
Moreover, when disposing of plastic wraps, it’s essential to consider the correct waste management practices. You can select the correct size skip for waste disposal to significantly minimize environmental impact. Doing so ensures efficient waste management and reduces the accumulation of non-biodegradable waste in landfills.
Even though the UK government has banned some single-use plastics, with plastic waste and microplastics polluting our biosphere, it is essential that we start reducing the demand for production of plastic products and look for ways to reduce plastic waste.
Aluminium Foil
While aluminium foil can be washed and reused, most of us don’t, and we just tend to chuck it in the bin, which is often found in waste piles, and that’s not all- the metal aluminum also tends to leach into the food that it’s been wrapped or cooked in, which is harmful for health.
Paper Towels
Paper towels, tissues and toilet paper are all disposables meant to improve hygiene, and while they do serve their purpose effectively, their yearly costs are staggeringly huge. Even if they are crafted using recyclable materials, they are still wasteful- you could easily save a lot on costs and also protect the environment by using alternatives such as cloth napkins (as a swap for tissues and paper towels) or install a bidet (as a swap for toilet paper).
If you would like to read more about keeping a thrifty home and more Easy Ways to Go Zero Waste pop over here
