So, you have decided to go zero waste! It is a great concept if you are a supporter of a greener, more sustainable planet for generations to come. But what mistakes could you make along the way? It is not as easy as making a decision. You could come across a few obstacles and below we have compiled the top 3 mistakes everyone makes on their zero-waste journey, and how you can avoid them!
#1- Doing too much too soon
Going zero waste is a journey, so it is not something that you can do all at once! Many people struggle when they try to go from 100 to 0 straight away, and this can lead to disappointment and ultimately giving up.
To avoid this, try and gradually reduce your single-use plastic consumption. A great way to begin is to go right to the kitchen! Look at food and produce where you could be reducing your plastic quickly. Replace single-use plastic bags with Reusable Bags. This could be done one item at a time. Start with smaller items, such as plastic-wrapped vegetables. Then you can continue and eventually to the bigger ticket items to get to zero waste!
#2- Replacing everything all at once
Zero-waste does not happen overnight, I can not stress this enough! Be budget conscious as well as environmentally savvy. You do not need to throw all your plastics out today and replace everything with environmentally friendly alternatives.
Instead, replace things as you need them. The zero-waste item is often on par with, or cheaper, than the supermarket alternative. But doing it all at once can be overwhelming. This will not only help your wallet but avoid what you already have from going to waste. After all, this is what it is all about!
#3- Don’t throw things away!
Your goal is zero waste, so don’t start throwing away old items! Instead, you can find a recycling depot, a donation bin, somewhere to reuse items you would otherwise dispose of. You could even look at giving away old items that you no longer use to friends and family if they are of use. Compost food waste and other items where you can. This can also help to grow your garden and keep your plants healthy and happy!
Everything counts, and when it comes to a zero-waste lifestyle you need to weigh up how quickly you can reduce your waste effectively and in a way that will not impact your lifestyle heavily. This is something that can make it hard to stick to.
Sometimes it can take a year or two to go completely zero-waste, so do not get discouraged when it does not happen right away! But it is amazing that you have taken the first step and working towards a very important goal for yourself and planet Earth. There are plenty of online platforms that you can join where other zero-waster’s can share with you some of their important tips and the struggles that they faced on their journey. There is plenty of inspiration out there, and I hope that our site helps to give you that necessary boost you need to keep going.
