The term “zero waste” may sound daunting to the uninitiated. Some even think the phrase sounds militant. However, proponents would argue that it’s an ongoing process, working towards an ideal instead of a strict set of rules.
In other words; you don’t HAVE to buy a metal straw to live a zero waste lifestyle.
There are 5Rs to remember, as popularised by zero waste guru Bea Johnson; “Refuse what you do not need, Reduce what you do need, Reuse what you consume, Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce or reuse, and Rot (compost) the rest.”
A large part of what this will involve, is refusing and reducing something we’ve all gotten too comfortable with — single-use plastics.
So here is a simple beginner’s list of simple tweaks you can make to basic aspects of your life to reduce waste: