How to Start Living a Low Waste Lifestyle

Do you ever wonder what happens to plastic after you use it? Well, nothing. It takes over 400 years to break down and globally we are producing so much plastic year after year that by 2050 there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic just sitting in landfills- choking us, taking up space, and killing our precious oceans and wildlife. “Of the 8.3 billion metric tons that has been produced in our lifetime, 6.3 billion metric tons has become plastic waste. Of that, only nine percent has been recycled.” Just let that sink in for a minute.

Ok, so what do I do!? In this blog post I’ll share with you some easy, actionable and free ways you can reduce your plastic waste which starts right in your home. I just really want you guys to empower yourselves and become more aware of the detrimental effects of plastic use most of us are guilty of. And don’t forget that each change, no matter how small, MATTERS.

I’ve found that everything works in complete harmony when we honor our Earth. All the way down to what’s on your kitchen shelves. If we don’t honor our Earth, we are disrupting it, neglecting it, and slowly killing ourselves and the other living things around us. If you haven’t already figured it out, the more we produce- plastics, textiles, cars, waste, etc. the harder it is for the Earth to provide a safe, healthy environment for us to thrive in. Take care of Mother Earth and she will take care of you!

Let’s start in our homes. Here are my top 5 tips!

pRO tip #1: Ditch bottled water and single use plastic and BYOB (bring your own bottle!)

If you’re still that person who buys a 24 pack of water every couple weeks please do yourself and everyone else a favor and STOP BUYING THEM! The plastic leaches into the bottles, and the water bottles are essentially single use which means you drink one and throw it away. WHAT A WASTE OF PLASTIC! Opt for reusable water bottles that are stainless steel or glass. These options don’t leach harmful chemicals into your water, bonus points if you’re already using filtered water. I currently get my water at MOM’s Organic Market from their reverse osmosis machine and fill glass gallons full of it. If that’s not your jam and you have some money to invest in a filter I recommend Berkey Water Filters- they are one of the highest quality water filters on the market because they filter out hundreds of toxic chemicals that make their way into our tap water. You could also look into under sink filtration systems if you’re really feeling fancy.

pRO tip #2: Use cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels

You guys, this was probably the first thing I did in my home to reduce my waste. There are practically no cons in this aside from having to wash your napkins and rags but you already do laundry anyway so what’s the big deal right? Honestly, having cloth napkins are great. They’re softer on your skin, they spice up a table or island, and they are so versatile. I bought a 4 pack of dark grey ones on sale at Target and they are perfect because they hide the food stains and spills. If you're really crafty, cut up an old flannel/button up and sew them into napkin squares ah how cute would that be!? I also cut up a few old pillow cases and t shirts and use them as paper towel to clean up the counters and wipe down dust and countertops.

pRO tip #3: Use a stainless steel reusable filter in your coffee machines and pour over carafes

I didn’t start off using a stainless steel filters but boy, it was a no brainer once I got rid of paper goods in my kitchen. I bought a cheap one off Amazon and I’ve been using it for our pour over coffee for a couple years now. It’s easy to clean and you save money because you don’t have to keep buying paper ones. There are also reusable K-cup filters that you can actually put ground coffee in which I think is a brilliant idea because K-cups are unfortunately SO BAD for the environment. Here is the filter we use.

pRO tip #4: Use reusable shopping bags + buy in bulk

Yes, you can go buy a cute reusable shopping bag, but you could also repurpose something you already have or reuse plastic/paper bags from home that you’ve collected under your counter for months. We’ve almost cycled through all our collected plastic bags from over the years, so I keep a couple cloth ones in my car and a couple at home, just so I always have one on hand. They also work great at farmers markets and lunch bags. I also like to bring a few mason jars to the store with me so I can stock up on bulk dried goods that won't go bad quickly like nuts/seeds, dried beans, coconut, quinoa, coffee beans, etc. you’re saving plastic and packaging and in most cases, saving money on these goods because you’re buying them in bulk. I also just love the aesthetic of seeing what’s in all the jars on my shelves in all different shapes and sizes. Even just eating real whole foods instead of packaged foods is reducing your waste and you’re guaranteed to eat healthier. Its a win win in my opinion!

pRO tip #5: Instead of ziplocs and plastic wrap, use reusable snack bags and glass meal prep containers instead.

This may seem like a tough one, but once you start using these amazing reusable snack bags from Stasher, you won’t want to go back. They are pure silicone food grade bags that come in a bunch of different sizes and colors. Silicone is a great alternative to plastic and these last in the freezer, oven and dishwasher. Also, a portion of every Stasher bag sold goes straight to high-impact nonprofits like Surfrider and 5 Gyers, that are dedicated to preserving and rehabilitating our oceans. How cool!? I also use glass Tupperware containers that you can color code if you’re cooking for a family or just want to organize your meals according to the day of the week. They are easy to clean and can be used in the microwave stove or toaster oven.

Here’s a link to the Stasher bags I have and the meal prep containers I use!

If you guys found this post helpful, comment below or shoot me a message on IG! I’d love to hear about your low waste swaps!

Happy Quarantining!

Love and health,

Ro

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-debris-environment/#close