Over the past few years, many millions of people have taken steps to begin lowering their carbon emissions and the amount of waste they throw out. We recycle more, we switch to energy-saving light bulbs, and we put our leftover food into compost bins. All of these things are great first steps to take when it comes to looking after the environment. And although remembering to recycle yesterday’s newspaper instead of putting it in the regular bins seems insignificant, over time it can add up – especially if lots of people are doing it.
But some families have taken it further. One example is the family of Bea Johnson – the author of the book Zero Waste Home, which instructs families on how to live a Zero Waste life. Since 2009, Bea and her family have reduced their household waste to an astounding one-litre jar a year. For many families, they wouldn’t even be able to fit their waste for a single day into the same sized jar.
You might be wondering just how they do it – and how you can take your first steps to living in a Zero Waste Household, too. Just some of the ways Bea reduced her family’s waste are:
Just some of the things that Bea no longer finds she needs to purchase once she started getting creative include:
Overall, Bea and her family saved so much money that they were able to install solar panels on their roof, saving them even more money in energy bills.
Lauren Singer, who was inspired by Bea’s lifestyle, began living a Zero Waste Lifestyle, too. Over three years, she produced only enough rubbish to fit inside of a small mason jar. She credits her success to composting leftover food, buying food in bulk with no packaging, and buying second-hand clothes.
So, what can you do to begin on the path to a Zero Waste Home?
Buying your food in bulk and taking your own containers to bring them home in will reduce your waste significantly – as will shopping for your fresh fruit and veggies at a farmer’s market and getting your meat fresh from a butcher.
Cleaning supplies not only take up a lot of space in your cupboard, but any homeowner will know that opening the kitchen sink leads to a treasure trove of plastic bottles.
Many basic and effective cleaning supplies can be made at home using a small number of ingredients, such as bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar.
While not directly relating to your household waste, we all know that driving isn’t the most environmentally friendly of practices, especially if you’re doing it every day. Instead, try using public transport or car sharing to get to work, and if you know you have plenty of errands to run, try to fit them all in the same day. This will reduce your fuel consumption, leading to more money in your pocket and less congestion on the roads.
Plastic bags are nothing short of a menace to society, and the less you use them, the better. Take your own fabric or long-life bags to markets and shops, and say no to plastic bags. The environment will thank you for it.
By now, we’re all pretty aware of how important it is to recycle, but it pays to stay vigilant. Place your recycling bin in a prominent position in your home so that it’s easy for you and your family to recycle, and if you’re undergoing a big renovation, hire a skip bin from a company that ensures your waste will be properly and efficiently recycled.
If you haven’t quite managed to get your waste down to a mason jar, our skip bins are available in a range of sizes to suit your needs. Get in contact with Bonza Bins today to see how we can help you.
