Happy April! This month is Earth month. A special way to celebrate our Earth and all of the things she does for us. Not only do I plan to celebrate the Earth, but I plan to share a few ways in which I plan to make my home a little more sustainable. Consider this blog post a case study – watch as I switch out products in my home and every day life to reduce my ecological footprint. Keep reading for some tips and easy ways to get started!

Journey to a Zero-Waste Home

When I first started hearing about zero-waste living I was super intimidated. I had no idea how to get started, as it was so overwhelming to think about all of the items and practices I’d have to switch out. Something that really helped me was following accounts for zero-waste inspiration. I loved seeing their ideas and how those people were able to make the switch to a more sustainable lifestyle. I’m going to try to spell out everything as easily as I can for you. In this post, I’ll share why going zero-waste is important, the steps I plan to take, and the potential benefits of a zero-waste home, including decreasing your monthly spending budget.

What Does it Mean to Go Zero-Waste?

In short, reducing the amount of waste you create is what “zero-waste” means. It doesn’t mean literally NO waste, as that’s highly unattainable for most of us. Especially those who have families. However, “going” zero-waste is just taking steps to decrease the amount of waste we have. Waste meaning: trash, food waste, single-use plastic waste, clothing/textile waste, etc.

Why Zero-Waste?

Why should we want to go zero-waste? I’ve always loved the quote, “We aren’t inheriting the Earth from our ancestors; we are borrowing it from our children” which means we need to do everything in our power to make sure it’s inhabitable in the future. If you follow the news at all, you may have seen this grim, yet very real report released earlier this year by the IPCC. The Earth is getting warmer. Climate change is real, and everything we, as humans, do makes an impact on the future of the Earth. Read more here about the effects of climate change on our lifestyles, planet, and how it will affect the region you live in.

If you’re a parent, you know that children follow the examples they in us. This was one of the biggest factors in trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle: my children are watching me. They’re taking notes, and I want them to grow up to be intentional humans. So for all of these reasons, this is why I’ve decided to try and lessen my ecological footprint.

Tips on How to Get Started: My Zero-Waste Home Case Study

Join me as I slowly switch out the products we use every day. My goal for this is to create attainable steps (small, baby steps) for eliminating products or practices that contribute to waste. I also want to share businesses and products that may help you reduce your consumption of products like single-use plastics, and materials that aren’t reusable. Example: my favorite reusable water bottle, my favorite reusable coffee cup, etc!

Step 1: Single-Use Plastics

Click here to read the blog post about single-use plastics and why I’m quitting them.

Click here to read about helpful alternatives to single-use plastic to help you go waste-free!

Step 2: Bathroom Waste + Menstrual Cups

Click here to read the blog post about bathroom waste and alternatives to help you go waste-free!

Step 3: Textile Waste + How to Properly Pass on Clothing You Are Done Using

Click here to read the blog post about textile waste and alternatives to help you go waste-free!

Step 4: Kitchen Waste + Eating More Veggies

Click here to read the blog post about kitchen waste and a few recipes to help you go waste-free + lessen your carbon footprint!

An Important Note to You:

This change is something that DOES NOT happen overnight. Which is why I’m taking it a little bit at a time. To make it less daunting and to save up for the things I’ll need to make the necessary changes! Please don’t feel overwhelmed. Every little bit you do helps. So do one thing a month, one thing per year, if you have to! Just try to strive to be better, that’s all any of us can ever do!

 

Thank you so much for reading and sharing!