The beginning.....

I don't usually make New Years Resolutions because I never stick with them for more than a couple of months. However, at the end of 2016 I felt like there was something missing from my life. One night after watching way too many YouTube videos, I came across the zero waste movement. After binging a ton of videos and blogs, I realized that the zero waste principles could actually help reduce my stress, unnecessary stuff, and my carbon emission. I had watched documentaries on the subject of plastic-free lifestyles, but never thought it was possible. Over the course of the next month or so, I began to realize that living with less waste was actually not only possible, but also empowering.

By going zero waste, I have tried to send very little to no trash to the landfill. Instead I try to reuse, reduce, refuse, or compost any sort of packaging or items that I would normally send to the landfill. Yes, I do still send a ton of plastic and food waste to the recycling and compost center (respectively). It’s important to understand that waste free living doesn’t mean producing ZERO WASTE, but trying to limit the amount of waste you produce to the necessities. Despite having access to some bulk bins, there are still a ton of normal products like peanut butter, flour, seasoning, tofu, trail mixes, and so many other items that I eat on a daily basis that still come in sort of packaging.

According to many recycling facilities, food contamination is one of the main reasons why a container or bin full of recyclables might end up being thrown into the landfill. Despite the recyclables going through two light washing stations before being packaged as recycled materials, it has been said that many food like peanut butter don’t end up washing off of the containers and any other materials it has contaminated. Those materials are then sent to the landfill instead of actually being recycled properly. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, I make sure to wash all of my recyclables before chucking them into the bin.

I am still in my transition period. This means that I do still send some trash to landfill. I hope that within the next couple of months I will be able to find more sustainably packaged products that will help me to further decrease my landfill waste. I have found recipes that allow me to use things that I already own, including coconut oil and baking soda as toothpaste. During my research, I have found a community of all different types of people who are very respectful and committed to their lifestyle. This is important since the media has conduced this topic to only be for the millennial generation, aka the lazy generation. Despite all of this skepticism, I do believe that this lifestyle will only benefit my life. 

I hope to share more recipes, lifestyle updates, and other interesting posts soon!