10 Tips to Live Zero Waste on a Budget

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.