Olivia TusseyAmericans generate an extraordinary amount of waste— around 4.5 pounds of trash per person, per day. Almost all of the items we dispose of are single-use; literally made to go straight into a landfill after only a few hours (at most) of use. This design tactic by large corporations has stripped us everyday people of our power and choice in how much we throw away.
This does not have to be our reality, though. In the last few years, a growing number of people and companies have decided to do what they can, where they can, to decrease the amount of waste they produce. Enter: the zero-waste movement. Zero-waste legends such as Anne-Marie Bonneau, Megean Weldon, and Bea Johnson have figured out how to live in a way that generates almost no waste, with methods that differ from person to person.
As a college student trying to cut back on the waste you create, it can be hard to know where to start. Living sustainably comes at a higher cost than what we’re used to, in a world where most single-use items come for so cheap. Over the past year, I’ve been building a collection of zero-waste products and learning as much as I can about this lifestyle. Because I have so much that I want to share with you all, I’ve decided to create a series of articles on all of my favorite zero-waste swaps! Future articles will focus on topics such as kitchen and cleaning products, personal care, and swaps that I want to try.
In the meantime, I encourage you to complete a personal waste audit using UK Recycling’s Worksheet. This will help you notice areas where you would like to cut back on your waste, and better understand what kinds of items you throw out the most. Chances are, someone has made a zero-waste version of it!
After doing so, if you would like to get a head start in exploring the zero-waste world and the products available to you, head to some of my favorite online shops that place sharing sustainability and the zero-waste lifestyle with as many people as possible:
- Zero Waste Store
- EcoRoots
- Earthsider
- Life Without Plastic
- Package Free Shop (per their name, this shop uses very little packaging when shipping their items, in order to reduce their waste production even more!)
We can’t wait to see what changes you make! Leave a comment below with your favorite Zero Waste Swap!
Olivia, I look forward to reading future articles about your zero-waste lifestyle. I often find it really difficult for people who want to start living this lifestyle to begin and I think with your help, many people can start their journey! Thanks for inspiring people to be more sustainable!