A frequent question we receive at Zero Waste is: from where should I start if I want to pursue a more environmentally friendly lifestyle?
Here at Zero Waste we all almost came out from the similar illuminating day, where we realized that our habits had to change for a very urgent cause. Although we were recycling everything we could, our houses were imploding under the quantity of trash we were, more or less, unconsciously producing. And it wasn't only our apartments, they were the mirror of the world around us.
Shanghai Countryside
But let's go back to you: you want to change your lifestyle, but you don't know where to start, how, and when, maybe next Monday.
Today indeed it isn't Monday, but it still is a valid day to begin.
China is not the easiest country to choose a zero-waste lifestyle, we can give you that, it can be excruciating: single package cookies, single package toilet paper, single package vegetables, plastic bags and containers for almost any product, takeaway, e-commerce; temptations are everywhere!
That is why the most compelling method is to start step by step, analyzing your habits and your real consumptions.
Be honest with yourself, you will know if you are cheating!
Today we don't want to talk about the 5 pillars of Zero Waste, we want to give 5 more practical and concrete tips to begin your detox from plastic.
1) ALWAYS CARRY A FABRIC BAG
with you for any eventuality: grocery, fruits, laptop, anything you have to carry. It takes no room in your bag; if you are a man some bags are so thin they can fit in your pockets.
2) AVOID TAKEAWAY.
Yes, the couch is so comfy while watching a movie, but what about all those non recyclable plastic containers? If you really don't want to go through the hassle of cooking, why don't try to eat outside, maybe with a friend?
3) TAOBAO!
Are you sure that you really need anything you buy on it? And if you really have to, do you think you can walk to any store nearby?
Try to stay one week without purchasing anything online. Then two. Then try with a month. Besides, your wallet will thank you too.
4) SAY NO TO THE STRAW!
Start by involving your friends and your usual bartender next Saturday night. We are grown up, in addition to having the drinking age, we don't need a straw to drink it!
5) BRING YOUR OWN PORTABLE CUP.
Starbucks and many other coffee shops allow you to fill your own cup. It useful also to save plastic bottles, they are perfect for cold and hot water too!
Not everything you do is absolutely wrong, perhaps there are just some small practices that you can improve, and perhaps there are simply more eco-friendly alternatives to meet the same needs.
Although it might really require a more than a little effort and/or self-control, refusing certain practice can be very satisfactory and, more often, a big favor you are doing to yourself, for instance not eating junk food or avoiding knick-knacks that relentlessly will just accumulate dust.
Eventually, you will end up even saving some money for all those concerts, trips and workshops that you always postpone because you already are over your monthly budget.
So why don't start today? Any day is perfect to start saving the planet!
Let us know how you detox is going, isn't that hard in the end, right?
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You want to change your lifestyle, but you don't know where to start, how, and when, maybe next Monday. Today indeed it isn't Monday… But… any day is perfect to start saving the planet! So, let’t take a look to our new post blog THE ZERO WASTE STARTER PACK @Federica is going to give us 5 practical and concrete tips to begin our detox from plastic.