Hi there,
I have 10 tips for you
on how to live zero waste on a budget.
My name is April Hepokoski
and my journey to zero waste
started about 5 years ago.
I started living a zero waste lifestyle
when my health took a dramatic downturn
which motivated me to look into
natural treatments to live a healthier
and in result, more sustainable life.
Zero waste is really about
living more simply and within our means.
It creates a great mindset for reducing expenses.
Tip number 1 is for when you are looking to swap
single use items with reusable alternatives.
Shop your home for reusable items
you already own
instead of going out
and buying new ones
When you replace single use items
with reusable alternatives,
you will also reduce the amount of money
you spend, because you are not continually
needing to replace single use items.
A great way to get started
is to make a list of the single use items
used in your home
and come up with a reusable alternative,
putting priority on
alternatives you already own.
Some common reusable items I use
are cloth napkins
instead of paper napkins,
reusable jars and containers with lids
when buying bulk items at the store,
instead of taking the single use bag,
reusable utensils, straw, chopsticks,
shopping bag for when I go places
that only offer options
that are single use,
and cloth rags instead of paper towel.
Tip number 2 is to save recyclable items
like glass jars, containers, paper,
really anything that you would find
useful in your home.
For example, I use glass jars
as a vase for flowers, a pencil holder,
for bulk shopping at the grocery store,
or just in general for storage.
That way I do not need to buy a vase
or mason jars for buying bulk food.
Remember that reuse comes before
recycle in the "5 R's of zero waste"
and those 5 R's are
refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot.
Tip number 3 is to use
community sharing resources
like the library, or community groups
that encourage giving and trading
instead of buying and selling,
or simply borrowing from a friend.
There are many ways to
acquire items that do not involve money.
Tip number 4 is to buy second hand items
instead of new as much as you can.
Used items typically cost less money
than buying something bran new.
Hat and vintage homemade dress
are some of my favorite secondhand items
that I have found.
If you are like me where you provide a meal
at events for large groups of people often,
look for used silverware at thrift stores
instead of buying
single use plastic utensils.
It would have cost about 50 dollars
to buy this set of forks bran new
at a department store.
Instead, I was able to find this set
at a thrift store for only
6 dollars and 50 cents.
Also, I borrow this set to family members
or friends who are also hosting events
that do not want to use the single use utensil.
When you buy used, you are
supporting the second hand market,
taking items out of the waste stream,
and giving new life to items.
Each time an item is purchased,
you are voting with your money
and supporting that business.
So make sure to support
businesses that align with your values.
Tip number 5 is to embrace experiences over material things.
In general, when you switch to a mindset that reduces
the material possessions in your life,
you have less of a desire to buy things.
When you buy less, you are putting less
demand on the earth to supply resources to create these items.
Find value in immersing yourself
in experiences and especially in nature.
Connect with family and friends,
sit out in the sun, go for a swim in the nearby river,
forage for wild edible foods.
There are so many experiences you can
indulge in that do not cost any money.
Tip number 6 is to grow and forage your own food.
Food can be a huge expense on a household.
Seeds cost hardly any money,
compared to the amount of food you get from just one seed.
There is also an abundance of wild food
growing all around us.
I can pick enough edible leaves from my yard
to make a salad every day, from spring to fall.
This food is not packaged, processed,
or sprayed with chemicals, and supports
eating a whole food diet.
Gardens can be made right on the ground
or with repurposed materials,
making them very inexpensive.
You can also join a community garden
in your area.
Tip number 7 is to start composting.
This dramatically reduces
the amount of material
that you would send to a landfill.
These materials break down and create rich
compost that can be added as nourishment
in a garden and help you grow your own food.
It can be as simple as a pile in your yard
or a bin in your home.
I have red wigglers in my home
that I feed food scraps to.
I have a bucket on my counter
to collect all the compostable materials.
like food scraps, peelings, hair, floor sweepings.
Many cities have community
drop off sites as well.
Tip number 8 is to repair items
instead of buying a new one.
Repairing extends the life
of an item that could
have otherwise been thrown away
or recycled into something new.
It also takes less resources from the earth
because you are not putting demand
on bran new items to be made.
Tip number 9 is to make your own items
instead of buy them.
When we make our own, we can repurpose
items in our home that need new life
like turning a ripped sheet into
a reusable bag, for example.
Use what you have already to create what you need
and then your waste and your expenses are reduced.
Tip number 10 is to reduce food waste.
Food can cost a lot of money,
when it is spoils, it is like
throwing your money away.
One way I reduce food waste in my home
is by meal planning where I come up with
meals for the week and write down
the ingredients I need.
I check my fridge, freezer, and cupboards
for the ingredients and make a list
of the ones I still need.
That way, I'm not buying what I already have.
I also plan a leftovers day.
On that day I move all the food that is
about to spoil to the front of the fridge
just like a store would do with their shelf
so that that food gets used first.
I also do the pantry challenge
when I have a lot of food left over for the week.
This is where I use only what I have
in my home to make meals.
Sometimes I have to get pretty creative.
I do not buy a certain food group until
I am out of it.
I so hope you enjoyed my 10 tips
to live zero waste on a budget.
Please share your tips in the comments below.