12 Cheap & Easy Tips for Reducing Your Waste - Sustainable Zero Waste Hacks

Summary

In this video, the hosts share practical, budget-friendly tips for adopting a zero-waste lifestyle. They discuss easy ways to reduce plastic use, like switching to reusable bags, bottles, and containers, and buying food in bulk. They also suggest educational steps, such as doing a waste audit at home and exploring alternative stores and markets. The video includes both low-cost options and long-term investments, along with friendly advice on how to become an advocate for sustainability in daily life. The hosts encourage viewers to embrace small changes to reduce waste and make a bigger environmental impact.

Takeaways

• 😀 Get educated about your local recycling and composting options by checking with your city's website to understand what can be properly disposed of.
• 😀 🧤 Perform a waste audit at home by going through your garbage and recycling bins to identify miscategorized items and understand the sources of your waste.
• 😀 🎥 Find inspiration by watching documentaries, following zero-waste bloggers, or checking out Instagram accounts to understand the environmental impact of waste and plastic.
• 😀 🛍️ Avoid using plastic grocery bags by reusing the ones you already have, switching to cloth bags, or using reusable alternatives.
• 😀 💧 Use glass bottles, mason jars, or stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic bottles. Consider investing in a water filter to avoid bottled water.
• 😀 🍱 Replace plastic sandwich bags and containers with glass or stainless steel alternatives, or reuse containers like old salsa or yogurt jars to pack lunches.
• 😀 🏷️ Reuse glass jars and remove labels using olive oil and baking soda to make them suitable for storage or other uses.
• 😀 🥕 Buy food in bulk using your own containers and bags to reduce packaging waste. Look for local bulk stores, farmers' markets, or bulk food buying groups.
• 😀 🍞 Choose unpackaged bread from bakeries, or bring your own reusable bag to store it. You can also use wax wraps for keeping bread fresh.
• 😀 ☕️ Avoid disposable coffee cups by bringing your own reusable mug, or asking for a ceramic cup at cafes to reduce plastic waste.
• 😀 🍽️ Carry reusable food containers and cutlery to avoid using disposable plastic options. Invest in compact foldable sporks for easy portability.
• 😀 🌱 Be a friendly activist by explaining your zero-waste efforts to others, and encourage businesses to adopt sustainable practices through positive feedback and suggestions.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on providing cheap and easy tips to reduce waste and adopt a zero-waste or low-waste lifestyle, with options for both immediate and long-term actions.

What is the purpose of EcoSia, mentioned in the video?

EcoSia is a search engine that plants trees in deforested areas worldwide using the revenue generated from ads. It's a free service that allows users to make a positive environmental impact just by searching the web.

What is a waste audit and why should you do it?

A waste audit involves reviewing your own garbage and recycling to check if items are properlyQ&A Generation Task sorted and to identify areas where waste reduction is possible. It helps you understand the types and quantities of waste you're producing.

What are some sources of inspiration for reducing waste?

Watching documentaries about plastic pollution, following bloggers living a zero-waste lifestyle, and checking out Instagram accounts focused on sustainable living are great ways to get inspired.

What is the best way to reduce plastic grocery bag use?

Reusing existing plastic bags until they fall apart or investing in durable cloth bags is an easy and budget-friendly option to reduce plastic grocery bag usage.

What are some alternatives to plastic water bottles?

Alternatives include reusing glass juice bottles, using mason jars, or investing in stainless steel water bottles. It's also more environmentally friendly to use a water filter instead of bottled water.

How can you reduce waste from food containers?

By using glass or stainless steel containers instead of plastic sandwich bags and plastic containers. You can also repurpose containers from other food items like old salsa or yogurt jars.

HowQA for Waste Reduction can you effectively remove labels from glass jars?

Soak the jars in water, and apply olive oil with a bit of baking soda to the glue. After letting it sit for a few minutes, you should be able to scrub off most of the glue.

What are some options for buying food without excessive packaging?

You can visit bulk stores, farmers' markets, or bulk food buying groups, and prioritize buying unpackaged fruits and vegetables. In regular grocery stores, look for food in cardboard, glass, or cans instead of plastic.

What can you do about the waste created by disposable coffee cups?

Instead of using disposable coffee cups, bring a reusable mug or, if you're at a cafe, ask if they offer ceramic mugs. This reduces waste and avoids cups lined with plastic that are difficult to recycle.

What is a 'friendly activist' in the context of the video?

A 'friendly activist' is someone who engages others in a kind and open manner when promoting waste reduction, whether it's educating family, friends, or businesses about using more sustainable packaging options.