My low waste lifestyle has begun from my mind shifting to be more interested on minimalism to how I can get less stuffs. The minimalism and decluttering are my all time my favorite topics. I used to buy many cloths, jewelries, bags, shoes and many more things which I have not actually used them too often.

When I buy things I need to spend extra time for it just to keep it in good order. If you have a car you need to bring it to car wash to keep it clean, get insurance, maintenance, deal with parking lot and so on. At one point I think I should spend my time with other meaningful and necessary thing than these extra thing as actual items. Year by year, I aim to be more conscious, mindful in every moment and to have more considered living. If these are words to say. I would call this as journey, still long way to go. At least I have started and I am now more aware of what I need and what I don’t.

I would say that this a low waste lifestyle I become and it could not just suddenly shift by night but these happen little by little. If you have a good intention, with clear picture to your concern. You are doing good for the environment. You want to live with less harmful to earth after all. These habits change will not difficult for you.

It would be challenged to live absolutely zero waste lifestyle since the beginning of this journey which mean you won’t create waste at all. It would likely hard to do but still possible. Many people now living zero waste life. I would keep zero waste like gold standard to follow.

Low waste lifestyle requires more planing so we need to be prepared in advance. What we want to buy, how to live low waste outside your home in situations. I think it is something that we will learn from mistake everyday and then one day this will become habit and you realize it what the best way to deal with each of situation and that become spontaneous and easier for you. You will find right tools to be equipped and upgraded as your feel good item. This is most enjoyable and charming way of living. You love planet and planet would love you.

There are many people who make all these zero waste fundamental to action. I was first impressed by Lauren Singer with her enthusiastic on TED talk. It would not be able to avoid mentioning about major concept to live with waste free. The 5 Rs hierarchy I have inspired from Bea Johnson seems the best precise to describe about fundamental. I understand we could not do this alone to make a better producer and consumer chain cycle as a whole. However by this concept, we could apply start from ourselves right now.

1 Refuse: Say ‘No’ what would finally go to trash

Do you want to try sample for free ? Someone offers you some product testing while you are on the way to catch the next train. You know how to gently refuse this at the first place. Try to practice this. It is not rude at all, do not think too much. You can explain to them frankly or talk nicely with them about other thing to change their focus if you just feel bad about it. Somehow you want contact details of supplier from exhibition and want to keep it for later, you can use mobile phone and take photos let transfer to electronic form better than carrying back business card, leaflet or premium promotion gift. You may refuse before the offer ‘No bag please’, ‘No straw please’ when shopping or at restaurant. I know that this need a bit of conscious reaction to people but you will know how to do.

2. Reduce: Cut down what we consume

I always wondering where product I purchased came from if I can try to produce it myself. In fact, we could not produce everything. We are still a consumer but is it better not to be a waste producer. I started to think before buying and be mindful to buy only what I really need. You will be surprised that not only financial statement that looks better but you will have more time at the end. I have my own veggie little garden. Eat more plant based food. I stop buying fashionable cloth so I do not spend time every morning planning my outfit. I survey myself what I actually use and what to donate to the thrift community, luckily there’s a place just beside my house. You may not even just donate your things to thrift shop but you also can seek around and may find item you want to buy at thrift shop instead buying new item.

It’s time to declutter your home and organize items, place them to where you can easily navigate. I try to finish product I have bought. You may not have notice how many perfume scents you have. Dozen of lipsticks in different colors. Product can be expired and shelf life has started after it produced not when you buy it. I started to concern about chemical ingredients in commercial product. How much they are harmful and irritate to our body. I love to make natural product myself that I always use. Recently I made recipe for lip balm. All these will then give you ability to see through what will finally become waste since the beginning. It will require a bit of planing and use maximize resource to most efficient.

3. Reuse: Bring old friend back to live

Think about what can be substitute or repair before you decide to buy things. Somehow, it may boost your creativity and find alternative solutions. This habit taught me to appreciated with what I already have. I replaced a lot of one time use disposable items with reusable items to my lifestyle. I use own stainless coffee tumbler come with stainless straw. I love coffee and need for 1-2 tall glass a day. If to do a simple calculation, I can be able to save at least 365 disposable single use plastic cups and straws in the past a year. I brought my tote bag every time I went shopping.

As I am in this community for awhile and I appreciated that more people already aware and won’t ask me why I did this and that. Lots of tips and tricks you can find on this zero or low waste community. I understand that there are are lots of resources and energy spent during production line. I think one day our voice will be heard by many big commercial company so they can change their habit too.

4. Recycle: The old to the new. Some says ‘Waste is Gold’

Overall concepts we have said, to produce zero or less waste as possible until you have few items send to recycle facility. Try to survey recycle company around your community to ask them what are item they can recycle and what not and how to manage waste at the end. I found one commercial recycle facility that will pay you for selected waste items. I can make money for bit from it. This way will encourage community around here to separate garbage than pull waste together until it cannot separate and finally dump to landfill. Some countries, if you want to recycle item you even need to pay them for waste management fee. If we can close the circle of any product life cycle that is good enough. Remember, those waste will go through recycle process and production again which mean lots of good resources and energy will be used along the way. So, when you buy product if not package free from bulk market please you may notice a bit if container is recyclable better than not and end up with dying in landfill.

5. Rot: Compose Compose Compose!

Our planet can heal themselves. Everything will return to the ground, but need a bit of time to compose and those will become nutrient soil for the existing to grow. I am only talking about natural organic food products and material like wood which those definitely can be composed. Some other material may takes several human life time to compose. We will not talk about plastic here. You can easily find the way to set up compose system in your backyard. In some countries like Scotland, I found there is household food waste bin in their kitchen. In a week, they need to place this bin outdoor in specific time waiting for collection. This kind of commercial food waste compose is managed and promote by the local government. They have some informative details of what are approved food waste kind of manual on their website. After collection, this food waste will be sent for further special process at its facility and then end products become good soil for farmer and form of energy. This is kind of cool concept to manage waste in a big city. Of course, cumulative waste from every household will become huge. I would prefer to reduce food waste and you can find many ways out there.

Okay, now I hope you would get overall idea of how to live low waste lifestyle and start apply these concept to your daily life. If now you are not, at least you are aware that waste become big environment issue. Do you feel global warming ? There were many events happened that made me conclude that should be due to the climate changes. There are many people now concern about this and has already started to change their behavior. Remember to be kind with yourself, this will need consistency and probably you cannot see any in return. You are part of people sho make the world the better place. Do not give up guys.