Sometimes I think it'd be easier if I just quit my job and went "off the grid". It'd be so much easier to be zero-waste if I lived off the land and was completely self-sufficient, I could grow my own food, raise livestock, make soap and candles, and learn to make my own clothes. Maybe I can learn blacksmithing. I wouldn't have to work so much because I wouldn't have to pay for stuff. Great plan! But then I think...wait. That sounds like work. All of the time. Maybe I'll just stick with my day job and buy stuff when I need it. So it's either leave civilization or deal with all this trash, right?
It doesn't have to be one extreme or the other. We can make a positive difference to reduce waste without donning a bonnet and avoiding civilization. Here are some easy things we can do to reduce packaging and waste, reduce use of fossil fuels, and even save money!
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Compost food scraps (about home composting).
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Support waste reduction businesses like Park + Coop! (of course).
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Use paper bags at the grocery store or bring your own tote bags.
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Plan meals around food you already have in your refrigerator, so you don't throw food out and buy only what you have a plan to use.
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Shop in the bulk section at the grocery store and at farmers markets.
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Buy refillable soap, lotion, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.
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Donate stuff you don't use if it has life left.
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Shop at thrift stores, garage sales, Goodwill, and other second-hand stores rather than buying new.
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Use reusable water bottles and coffee cups.
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Buy high quality, classic clothing staples that you can wear for a long time.
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When you feel you must shop on Amazon buy all at once and have items shipped together.
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Buy domestic goods or even better, locally made.
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Reuse shipping supplies like boxes, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts.
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Take yourself off of junk mail lists.
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Substitute single-use products with multi-use products you love. Read this blog post on our favorites.
Every bit counts. By changing just one thing you're making a difference. Take a peek in your garbage can and see what is making up the bulk of your trash. Then focus on reducing that one thing. Add a new change with each new year to build on your successes. Remember, nobody's perfect. We certainly aren't. But we feel happy when we try. You will, too.