How to Live a Zero Waste Lifestyle: 11 Tips for Zero-Waste Living and Smarter Shopping
When you open your mind to the possibilities of Zero Waste living, you learn it’s not about forcing the most, but finding ways you can make more from “less”.
Living a zero-waste lifestyle is about finding your mix of minimizing waste by finding creative ways to reuse everyday items, and making conscious choices while shopping.
Here are 11 tips to help you reduce waste in both unexpected and practical ways.
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1. Turn Food Scraps into Natural Paint
One of the more unconventional ways to reuse food (and my most recent home experiment) is turning food scraps into natural paints and dyes.
Boiling your most vibrant food scraps is a fun and resourceful way to turn your food into an art project!
And they sat you can’t play with your food haha.
Think avocado pits, onion skins, beet tops, fruits, veggies, spices! Almost any colorful organic matter can be with some good color used to create vibrant pigments!
Boil them in water and bringing them to a low simmer for about an hour. Mix them with a binder like cornstarch or flour and voilá! An eco-friendly, homemade paint that’s perfect for art projects or dyeing fabrics!
looking for value today?
Check out these beautiful creative supply sets
2. Citrus Peels into All-Purpose Cleaner
Instead of tossing out citrus peels, soak them in vinegar for a couple of weeks. Be sure to shake the mixture every few days to let the properties get acquainted with each other!
Strain the mixture, and you’ll have a powerful, natural cleaner with a fresh citrus scent.
This DIY cleaner works great for wiping down counters, cleaning windows, and disinfecting surfaces.
3. Coffee Grounds for Exfoliation & Cleaning
Excellent for your energy and exfoliating skin!
Combine your leftover grinds with coconut oil and natural scents for a natural body scrub.
If you’re not into skincare, they also work well as a scouring agent for cleaning pots and pans!
4. Eggshells for Plant Fertilizer
Crushed eggshells make an excellent calcium-rich fertilizer for your garden.
Sprinkle them into the soil around plants or compost them to improve soil quality.
They also make excellent seed starters by planting seeds in the shells and then transferring them directly to the ground when the seedlings are ready.
*Note that this is not something you want to do in excess, less nitrogen over exposure.
5. Infinite Candle
Okay so, not really infinite, but certainly a way to get the most out of your candles and wax melts!
Gather up old candle stubs and melt them down to create a new candle.
You can fashion a new wick from wood or bamboo, any cotton string, or any flammable fabric.
Pour the melted wax into a clean jar or mold, add a wick, and voilà, “infinite” candle hack!
want a good place to start?
Check out the Hearth and Harbor page for everything you need to create non-toxic candles and scents!
6. Corncobs as Natural Scrubbers
Outlandish but effective!
After enjoying your corn on the cob, save the cobs, dry them, and use them as natural scrubbers for pots and pans instead of iron wools.
They’re surprisingly effective for removing stubborn food residues, and you’re getting one more use out of something that would otherwise be trashed.
When you’re done? Leave em in the dirt!
7. Repurpose Toilet Paper Rolls and Paper Towel Rolls
Empty toilet paper rolls can be your best friend when it comes to organization and even seed starters.
For cables, you can roll the cylinder to house excessive wires!
They make useful organizers for pens and pencils, and other small items in workshops or garages!
You can also use them as seed-starter pots or cut them up to create drawer dividers to keep things tidy and organized.
8. Shop in Bulk to Avoid Packaging
Packing waste is an almost inescapable part of our economy.
There is significant room for growth in the storage solutions across many supply chains.
Minimize packaging waste by shopping in bulk, bring in your own containers for grains, spices, fruits, nuts and oils.
There are even brands offering sustainable solutions in personal care products like toothpaste shampoo .
Buying in bulk and selecting items that don’t rely on single-use packaging and is often cheaper in the long run.
looking for value today?
Check out these eco-friendly space-saving options available online!
9. Choose Reusable or Compostable Packaging
Look for brands that prioritize sustainable packaging. Choose products in glass, paper, or compostable packaging whenever possible.
10. Second-Hand Shopping
Giving items a second life is a great way to scale sustainability and create impact in both your personal life and community.
From furniture to clothes, appliances, and much more!
Buying second-hand is a great way to reduce waste and give items a second life.
The benefits of second hand shopping include but are not limited too;
- demand on new materials and resources.
- saving money on long term purchases and investments.
- finding higher quality, more durable items.
- reducing impact of shipping new items.
- reducing waste and landfill overflow.
11. Bring Your Own Containers and Bags
Live zero waste by bringing your own reusable shopping bags, produce bags, and containers.
Bringing your own containers is an easy way to reduce plastic waste on every shopping trip.
Also, the amount of trips you have to take from your car! haha!
BONUS: Sustainability Labels: Familiarize yourself with eco-certifications such as “Certified Organic,” “Fair Trade,” “B Corporation,” and “Cradle to Cradle.” These labels often signal that products were made with sustainability in mind, including the life cycle of the product and its impact on the planet.
Conclusion
Zero-waste living is about embracing creativity and making mindful decisions.
You will see more abundance in life when you train your mind to find opportunities and change your thoughts and perceptions of waste.
Open your eyes to the possibilities of the world when you make the most of what’s in front of you!
