Feeling financially stretched at year’s end? How about making the ultimate New Year’s resolution: making your home zero-waste.
In November, Metro Vancouver again hosted the annual Zero Waste Conference. Our regional government continues to promote awareness that reducing and reusing waste are a priority to managing waste sustainably.
But before reducing, there is a choice that needs more attention: refusing.
To achieve a zero-waste lifestyle, one needs to follow the five R’s in order: refuse, reduce, reuse, rot and recycle. The more you refuse, the less you have to reduce. It’s not just good for the environment, it’s also good for our health. In addition to eliminating toxic products from our homes, a minimalist lifestyle keeps us de-cluttered and free to enjoy more of the important things in life: family, friends and life-enriching experiences.
According to Bea Johnson, mother, blogger and author of the Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste, her husband calculated their family of four was saving 40% on its overall budget by following those five R’s. Moreover, adopting a zero-waste lifestyle was saving them a huge amount of time.
Bea loves to share how a zero-waste home is easier, healthier and cheaper than you might think. Here’s how to do it:
• Learn to say no: We’re constantly bombarded by advertisements, almost every minute of every day. But you are smarter than those trying to sell you stuff you don’t need (like the latest iPhone). Fight the good fight against planned obsolescence that makes you feel like you’re missing out. You’re not. Shopping online has its conveniences but many tend to buy more than they need, and often the product isn’t exactly right anyway. Support local, small businesses and when shopping in person, ideally for locally crafted products. If you don’t love it, leave it.
• Reduce what you need: It is important to learn to let go of the things you don’t fully use/need and make them available to others. Metro Vancouver is spoiled with choice for charity and thrift shops. Pick your favourite local non-profit/cause and make a regular habit of dropping off a box each month.
• Reuse/repurpose: If you love being creative or need some inspiration to get those ideas flowing, check out twistedsifter.com or boredpanda.com for some rather unique ideas (depending on your style).
• Rot: Our society actually manages to waste some 40% to 50% of food from the field. Up to half of the goodness grown never makes it to the table. It’s one thing to compost organic matter, it’s another not to waste it from the start. In addition to being accurate with one’s weekly shopping needs, stretch yourself and go for that “ugly” carrot or misshapen red pepper. I test myself when it comes to yams and squash, trying not to go for the consistently slim contestants, knowing the “imperfect” fruits and vegetables are the ones often rejected and wasted.
• Recycle: If recycling actually happens, it tends to result in “downgrading” — taking a product and turning it into a lower quality item, a process that not only consumes energy but most often occurs overseas (more fossil fuels). In June, The Guardian reported how “fleece” garments made from single-use plastic bottles have been found to shed their plastic fibres when washed, contributing to microplastics found in our oceans. Another reason to avoid plastics, especially single-use items, even if there’s a chance they will be recycled.
Embrace the New Year with a whole healthier way of living waste-free. Enjoy discovering new-found freedom and greater savings while being kinder to Mother Earth.
Melissa Chaun of Port Moody is an ecologist with a passion for all things sustainable. She is events co-ordinator with the Rivershed Society of BC, volunteers on various city committees and co-ordinates the monthly meetings for Tri-City Greendrinks. Her column runs monthly.
