#96b: Waste Reduction in Your Home Room by Room
Americans produce a lot of trash. It is not difficult to do as our lifestyle is one of consumption and disposable items. It’s not because we are bad or inherently evil people that don’t care about the planet. It is just because it is easy, convenient and part of our culture. It may take a little work in the beginning, but changing our habits doesn’t have to be difficult. I want to take you room by room of your house to give you ideas on how you can decrease waste and choose items that are more environmentally sustainable.
A reminder about the 5 R’s:
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Refuse
Rot
We have to find ways to contribute to all of these R’s and when it comes to reducing waste they are all important.
Before we begin, should you buy new products? There are so many cute little zero-waste eco-friendly products out there, but if you already have something that works, don’t replace it. The whole point of zero-waste is avoiding throwing things away. If it works then keep using it!
The 5 R’s of Waste Reduction
Kitchen
The kitchen is a great place to start because it is an area of the house that naturally produces a lot of waste. Here are some ways to decrease waste in the busiest room of the house:
Use cloth napkins instead of paper towels (I bought a big pack of inexpensive, white small cotton towels and they work fabulously)
Use used glass jars from your ingredients to store dried beans, grains, nuts and seeds
Stop buying bottled water and use reusable bottles and a filter instead. We love our Berkey water filter and our hydroflasks.
Switch to glass containers to store and re-heat food as they will last longer and are not disposable. I love using ones with airtight lids for storing food and packing my lunch.
Purchase re-usable baggies for kids lunches. There are all kinds of options here including silicone containers that are washable and sealable.
Use stainless steel or glass straws instead of plastic
Recycle plastic and cardboard packaging (make sure to rinse well and sort as needed)
Use reusable bags when you go grocery shopping and mesh bags for produce, dried grains and dried beans
Purchase items from the bulk containers: it is cheaper and you don’t have to deal with packaging - great for grains, beans, nuts/seeds and spices. I can even get maple syrup and liquid aminos in bulk.
Use a tea strainer for loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags
Shop at the farmers market and use your own containers and bags
Join a CSA or produce service that delivers fresh produce in boxes without packaging
Get creative with cooking and use up your produce before it goes bad
Start composting or join a compost service
Bathroom
The bathroom can be tricky because there are so many products and everyone has different needs. But almost everything we use in the bathroom is packaged in plastic and some of these products we buy frequently. The amount of plastic really piles up. Many of these things I have not tried yet, but will explore soon.
Switch to sustainable or recycled toilet paper that is individually wrapped in paper rather than plastic. We subscribe to Who Gives and Crap and I love it.
Use a bidet instead of toilet paper! (my plan for the future!)
Refill shampoo/conditioner and hand soap with bulk products. There are now companies that will do this!
Use bar soap for bathing and for washing hands
Consider using bar soap to wash and moisturize your hair
Switch to a menstrual cup, re-usable pads or period panties for feminine hygiene
Use plain baking soda instead of toothpaste
Use a bamboo compostable toothbrush
DIY deodorant - some people use plain baking soda
Reusable cotton rounds for makeup
DIY lotions, face cleansers
Bedroom
The bedroom is not as difficult and for adults will mainly focus on our closet.
Develop a minimalist capsule wardrobe
Learn to repair clothing
Buy second-hand clothing
Wear your clothes longer before washing
Rent clothing for special occasions! I love using Rent the Runway for special events! I can rent beautiful clothing without having to keep them, it is great for a minimalist.
Old worn out clothes can be turned into cleaning rags
Donate unworn clothing
Keep clothing to pass down to subsequent children
Laundry Room/Cleaning
Laundry and cleaning items are usually packaged in plastic and this can definitely add up over time, finding ways to decrease waste in this area can pay off big in the long run.
Do laundry once per week with full loads only, use cold water
Line dry if you can
Buy detergent in bulk or make your own. There are also more environmentally sustainable companies now like Dropps
Use natural cleaning agents you can buy in bulk such as baking soda and white vinegar
Compost dryer lint
Instead of dryer sheets use tennis balls with a few drops of essential oil in the dryer
Office
For those of us with home offices and kids we can accumulate waste mainly in the form of paper. Here are a few ideas to decrease waste in this area of your home.
Refuse all the free pens/pencils
Buy recycled paper packaged in paper
Reuse printer paper for scrap paper
Print double sided
Unsubscribe to junk mail
Sign up for electronic statements
Use refillable pens and pencils
Re-use paper clips
Write or print addressed directly on the envelope
Use an address stamp instead of stickers
Use recyclable packing materials and paper tape
As you can see, there are many many things that you can do to reduce waste in your home room by room. Remember, it doesn’t have to be ALL-OR-NOTHING! After reviewing this list, is there an area that you feel ready to tackle? Where can you make changes. You don’t have to do EVERYTHING in order to do SOMETHING. Start where you can and add along the way.
Thank you so much for being a planet warrior!
Resources:
Products I mentioned (I have no affiliate relationship or sponsorships from these companies, informational only):
Berkey water filters: https://www.berkeyfilters.com
Hydroflasks: https://www.hydroflask.com
Toilet Paper: Who Gives a Crap: https://us.whogivesacrap.org
Shampoo/Conditioner Refills: https://www.plaineproducts.com
Rent the Runway: https://www.renttherunway.com
Dropps laundry detergent: https://www.dropps.com
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The information on this blog, website and podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace careful evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your or your child’s eating, nutrition or growth, consult a doctor.
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