Your Guide to Low-Waste Living
Note: I would like to say that even though I offer multiple ways and “swaps” to reduce waste in this piece — the first thing to do would be to use what you have. I started out my journey by buying a lot of these sustainable products — like bamboo toothbrushes and stainless steel straws. And although they have been a great addition, I am currently using the plastic toothbrush my family had stocked up instead of purchasing a new one. Like many things on your journey — choose what works best for YOU. The first step is to be aware of the waste being produced by the purchases we make. Step two is how we can be more mindful of what we consume, and try to minimize it. Remember: Refuse, REuse, Reduce, and Recycle.
Clean water:
- Charcoal sticks to clean your water at home
- Metal reusable water bottle/tumbler
- Bottle + filter = combined. Magic. For the traveller who’s always concerned about their water and how it tastes.
- Drinking from good old water fountains that purchasing plastic water bottles
Low waste food:
- If you’re eating out often because you struggle with time management and packing your lunch (guilty), then ask to be served in store if you have some time or carry a reusable bag (stasher bag, rezip, good ol’ lunchbox, or beeswax) to take your food on the go!
2. Bamboo cutlery from ToGo ware is a must. It’s the sh*t! Really. But if you don’t have that, don’t fret, the most earth-friendly option is to use what you have. Have stainless steel cutlery? Put another set in a pouch bag and take it with you to keep on the go!
3. Always like a drink with your food? Water’s your best bet. Eh, but you want to take it one step at a time and have a soda, no worries. You might just want to bring your reusable water bottle then. And if you don’t have a straw, don’t go running buying one. You have your mouth, don’t ya?
4. Ordering small portions and wiping your plate clean. No need for takeout boxes at all (aha!)
5. Buying staple food items in bulk (like grains, wheat, chocolate pieces, and granola! Other things are hard to find. This is beneficial if you have a natural store near you (like Wholefoods, Mariano’s, bulk stores, or co-ops). This might not work for anyone and one that I struggle with the most. Food comes in bulk, but I wonder how that’s transferred to the big hard plastic or glass bins they have at the store. I once saw a WholeFoods employee just dumping goods from an already packaged item into the bulk bin. To say I was shocked to see that is an understatement. Now I doubt this option because everyone talks about it, but nobody thinks about its origin. Where is this food in the bulk bin coming from? If it’s coming from the same packaged item all dumped into one, what’s the tradeoff? Will we be making an impact? I recently went to Whole Foods near Rogers Park, Chicago, IL and the cashier told me how they wouldn’t be allowing people to bring their containers for bulk items. I asked her why, and she said it was company policy: some stupid health code. Amazon x Whole Foods is taking over the world. And it’s not pretty.
Low waste clothing:
- Take care of what you buy. Hand wash more delicate pieces of clothing, and air-dry them. Putting clothes in the washer + dryer can destroy them, or make them not last as long, so for those pieces specifically — get a drying rack.
- Mend your clothing. Patch up old clothing, or try to sew holes in your clothes (if there are any!). Some people get thrifty and buy nicer pieces of clothing secondhand online or in-store locally, and then mend them (or get them tailored) according to their fit.
- Save up and spend the extra money on higher-quality clothing — some good places to buy clothing is Reformation, Patagonia, Everlane and others. Patagonia’s ironclad guarantees small repairs and charges a reasonable price for bigger ones. Sometimes, community events are hosted where they offer free clothing repairs — it’s always a good idea to be updated on what’s happening locally!
Low waste beauty products:
- Package free products — like bar soaps, and hair soaps for washing!
- Always check: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep to verify it is good!
2. Natural toothpaste tablet bits from “Bite” (or make your own!)
Sustainable feminine products:
- Alternatives for a plastic pad — Aisle (formerly known as Lunapads) + Party in my pants (since they are reusable (washable) cotton pads) & cotton tampons (to prevent “toxic shock syndrome”)
- What is toxic shock syndrome?
Toxic shock syndrome usually occurs if tampons are left in for long periods. Hygiene is important, gf!
- Don’t feel guilty to keep condoms on you, though, please. It’s important. There is one brand that’s making it more sustainable though, here it is!
School/Uni Supplies:
- Using lots of paper? Buy recycled paper! Or my favourite is to avoid using notebooks, get one handy binder (I’ve been using mine since high school) and get some loose paper from the store. It costs way less, and it’s a more sustainable way. 5 notebooks with plastic covers and file slots or one ‘reusable’ binder to last you the whole semester!
- Alternative to paper where you’re still writing by hand: Rocketbook. Rocketbooks are unique because they have reusable pages. Yes, they do require a specific pen, but once you scan the page with your phone, you wipe away the ink with a wet cloth and have a completely blank page to use all over again!
- Are you spending money on new school supplies? Skip the stop to the dollar store, Walmart, or Target. No need to spend $20 or higher. Buy pens, pencils, and papers from your local thrift store. If you’re in the Chicago area, check out the WasteShed!
Go YOU if you made it thus far! :) Thanks for reading. Let me know if you learned something or have questions/want to chat in the comments !
