This post has been requested for quite some time now… and for good reason! Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in reducing the amount of waste we produce. With more predicted plastic than fish in the oceans by 2040, reducing plastic consumption and going zero waste is something everyone is somewhat interested in. We all live on the same planet, right?

One thing to keep in mind (and this is for any endeavor, honestly) is that when you try to do something outside of the norm, you will always, every time, WITHOUT FAIL get pushback from people in your life. In the zero waste world, these people are known as the “eco-police.”

“Oh, you’re using reusable bags now? Haha! What’s next, a jar filled with your trash?”

“I see your glass straw… save the turtles am I right???”

“I don’t understand. You bring your lunch everyday but then you get takeout once every two weeks in styrofoam. I mean how is that zero waste? You don’t seem to be doing a very good job of it.”

Keep in mind that these people are the same people who will never attempt to make these changes themselves. Why? Out of fear of being ridiculed (ironically enough).

One of my favorite quotes is by Anne Marie Bonneau, also known as the Zero Waste Chef. She says:

“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

This. This is the way it should be. Nobody is perfect; not me, not you. I bring my lunch to work everyday, but I also buy produce wrapped in plastic. I place my bag of chips into a reusable bag and walk out of the grocery store with pride. I save old food jars for storage, but I buy my shampoo in a plastic bottle. I’m human. I try my best.

In alignment with what I’ve said above, just try your best. If you fail, learn for the next time. On that note, here are a few easy zero waste swaps that you can incorporate into your life as early as today if you’d like!

Another thing to keep in mind for most of these is that they don’t involve buying anything new. A lot of Instagram worthy zero waste influencers will make you feel that in order to do this thing right, you need to go out and buy stainless steel lunch tins and fancy utensils. News flash: you don’t. The first step of living a low waste lifestyle? Use what you have.

5 Everyday Zero Waste Swaps

#1: Using reusable bags to grocery shop

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding these things, but quite honestly, I LOVE using reusable bags. I truly do not believe you can fit more than 4 items into a plastic bag at the grocery store. And if the items are heavy, double bagging is a whole other issue. If you’re like me, you probably have a whole stash of reusable bags in your car’s trunk. Take them out and put them to good use!

With reusable bags, I can fit as many as 10-15 items per bag depending on the size. I usually walk out of the store with no more than three bags which makes transporting my groceries from my car to my second floor apartment WAY easier. This alone is the greatest benefit for me, however the reduction in plastic bags needed for groceries is the main plus.

I also use reusable produce bags when I can. If vegetables are too wet or slimy, I go for plastic bags. Most of the time however, I will just take the produce and stick it in the cart. Then when I check out, I’ll place them straight into the big reusable bag. Easy peasy!

#2: Bring your lunch to work

While buying lunch is easy, it can often produce a lot of waste. Plastic bags, utensils, and styrofoam can all be avoided 5 entire days a week just by bringing your lunch to work/school! Yes, this involves planning, but anything worthwhile often does.

Things to bring:

a lunch tote
a fork from home
reusable napkins (mine were gifted to me from Ikea, but you can also use thrifted ones!)
plain ol’ tupperware containers

Bonus points: save old jars from pickles or garlic and use them as salad dressing jars or overnight oats for breakfast.

#3: Get a reusable water bottle

It’s 2020. If you’re still drinking out of plastic water bottles, please join the future and get yourself a good reusable water bottle. Buy your favorite color. Put stickers on it. Don’t put stickers on it (your call!). Just please, whatever you do, buy yourself a water bottle. :)

#4: Stop buying paper products

This one is probably the hardest one on this list, not going to lie. I grew up using paper towels and paper plates. In my senior year of college, I decided, to help me save money, I would stop buying paper plates. Past me did not understand this also meant washing the dishes way more often… HOWEVER. I saved a lot of waste and also money by just using regular dinner plates. Today, I live in an apartment with no dishwasher and I’m proud to say that I still do not buy paper plates. Using real plates has become a habit now and the amount of waste I save is awesome. (As for the washing the dishes habit… that’s still a work in progress.)

Paper towels are another swap that is super tricky. I still use them for really sticky messes, spills, or certain kinds of cleaning. However, rags and old t-shirt cuttings can be used for all of this as well, it just involves more laundry. There are also plenty of paper towel-like alternatives you can buy online, but again, using the old before buying new is always a good idea. Keeping a laundry bin specifically for dirty rags and doing a weekly washing will make sure you always have fresh “paper towels.” (This is something I hope to incorporate in the near future!)

#5: Don't buy new clothes. Shop secondhand.

About 70% of my closet is thrifted. Not only is it fun for me, but I feel like I get to choose my own style and search for treasures in the racks. Additionally, buying clothes secondhand means you are keeping those clothes out of the landfill, sometimes giving them another several years of use!

Many zero waste influencers will promote sustainable brands (like Everlane, etc.) and while these brands are doing great things for the world, their products are not yet affordable for every kind of wallet. I personally cannot afford to spend $50+ per article of clothing, so for me, thrifting is the answer. I can shop for my own style/personality, find name brand clothing at low prices, and help the environment all at once.

If you’re one of those people that won’t shop secondhand because you feel like everything isn't a name brand or looks like it walked out of the 80’s, read my Winter Thrift Finds blog post and I’ll prove you wrong. ;)

Do what you can!

If you’re new to all of this, just try your best. If you see an easy swap you can make, try it out! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you fail—because you will, we all do—and DEFINITELY don’t try to do too much at once. Living a sustainable life should be something that is also sustainable for YOUR life.

Tried any of these out? Let me know in the comments below or over on Instagram!