I started my zero-waste journey exactly a year ago today. And it has absolutely changed the way I perceive my life and this world!
I got to know about the zero-waste lifestyle a couple of years ago on social media. But I never really took it seriously. Even though I knew that plastic waste generated by a consumerist lifestyle adversely affects animals.
I kept seeing social media posts of animals dying because of plastic waste. Videos showing plastic straws being taken out of a sea turtle’s nose, egrets being suffocated by plastic bags, starving seabirds with stomachs full of plastic, etc etc.
Although it was painful to see those images, all it did was push me to feel extremely upset about the animals’ suffering and share those pictures on social media. That’s it!! I can’t believe it didn’t spur me into action. To do something! Anything to reduce even a fraction of the waste that I generated by mindlessly consuming plastic products.
I truly regret not starting my zero-waste journey earlier. If you’re reading this, I hope you consider living a zero-waste lifestyle sooner than later.
What is the zero-waste lifestyle?
Put simply, the zero-waste lifestyle is living a life that is kinder to the planet. That means, limiting your consumption, buying plastic-free locally-made products, reusing what you already own, and reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfill or the world’s oceans.
I know it’s not possible to produce absolutely no waste in this world that literally runs on fossil fuels and their by-products. But at least we can try to be more conscious of the way we consume everyday products and limit our contribution to this world’s ever-increasing waste piles.
No-buy challenge: My inspiration
Last year, I came across a post on Instagram about a no-buy challenge. For those who don’t know how the challenge works, the rule is to not buy items that are non-essential to your daily life. That means you can’t spend on anything other than the most essential items such as food, medicines, and transport.
The person I was following on Instagram did the challenge for a year. But you can set the time period according to your own preference. I did the challenge for a month. You can do the challenge for a week, a month, a few months or however long you want.
During that period, I struggled with one thing and that was, not buying books. Because I just absolutely adore books!! I used to go to the bookstore and browse through all the books I liked. It was a real struggle to not buy them, I’m telling you.
But I ended up learning a lot about how and where I spend my money. I also learned to control impulse purchases. It was really eye-opening.
Simple living
The point of this challenge is to make you learn how to live a simpler life with fewer things that spark joy and add value to your life. By doing this, you will be contributing less to the waste that is generated by a consumerist lifestyle. Fewer products mean less waste.
The bonus was saving money while doing this challenge! Who doesn’t want to save money? Am I right? For example, buying that jacket just because it’s on sale, is a wasteful purchase when you already own many that are in perfect condition. You can rather use that money to save up and go for your dream holiday.
I saved a ton of money by not buying a lot of things.
Decluttering unnecessary clutter
The year before last, I moved to three different share apartments in 4 months because of various reasons. Ugh! it feels tiring just to think about it. I was under so much stress due to problems in my personal life.
On top of all that stress, packing and moving 1 large suitcase, 6 huge cardboard boxes, and a few more bags filled with my clothes, stationery, bedding sets, knick-knacks, kitchen stuff, etc was a herculean task. This made me take stock of what I owned.
I decided to declutter most of the unnecessary stuff I had acquired over the years. You will get to know how much clutter you have in your own house only when you look at them with the goal of removing that clutter.
I had collected so many knick-knacks that I did not even like or use. This made me realize the amount of money and resources I had wasted by buying useless stuff.
My teenage self used to buy any and every earring that I thought was cute. These were sitting in my drawers collecting dust because I’m not the type of person who changes earrings to match every outfit. So I have no idea why I bought that many!
I also used to collect keychains, stickers, and bags. You might think that these are just small things but once you start hoarding them, they take over your life. Seriously!! I’ve bought keychains in literally every place I have visited. Because every souvenir shop sells them. I wanted to have a physical reminder of every city that I visited in the form of keychains. I didn’t realize that my memories were enough.
Donating unwanted items
I ended up donating nearly half of my ill-fitting clothes, stationery that I never used, and kitchen items that I had bought to make dishes I never made.
In Australia, there are lots of organizations such as the Salvation Army, Vinnies, and Red cross that accept donations of clothes and other goods. I donated my stuff to Vinnies because it was the only drop-off point closest to my house. They give donated items to people in need and the remaining items are sold at discounted prices in their stores.
Before donating, you have to check and make sure what goods each organization accepts. For example, Vinnies did not accept electrical goods until last year. You have to also make sure that the clothes or other things that you donate are in good working condition. The items shouldn’t be torn, stained, or broken. If they are, then you should sort them out and drop them in the recycling bin.
What do I do now?
I decluttered most of my unwanted belongings and promised myself that I would never buy unnecessary things again. I’m super mindful of each and everything I purchase now. I look at the material an item is made of, check whether it’s of good quality and I also try to buy only locally made products. For example, if I want to buy a shirt, I only buy it if it’s made of natural materials like cotton and not synthetic fabric.
Also, thanks to social media, I got to know about so many thrift shops and shops that sell plastic-free items. Once I started reading articles on zero-waste living, lots of amazing zero-waste shops started popping up on my feed. So if I’m in need of any item, I buy from these shops instead.
Pursuing a zero-waste lifestyle has changed the way I live my life. I’m much more conscious of my consumption habits. Instead of accumulating non-essential things, I’m saving up to spend my money on experiences that bring me joy. I’m also happier than before knowing that in my own small way, I’m being kinder to this amazing planet and myself.
If you’re already leading a zero-waste lifestyle, I would love to know how it all began. Or, if this is the first time you’ve heard about the zero-waste lifestyle, would you like to learn more? Let me know in the comments below.
