THE BEGINNING OF A JOURNEY TO ZERO WASTE

January was basically like this -

-Watching TV - Bea Johnson on 'This Morning'
-Who's Bea Johnson?
-WHAT? Only a litre of rubbish a year?
-Ok, Shes cool
-Zero-waste lifestyle?
-Google - Zero waste
-Eyes opened
-Ok, that's cool
-My kinda vibe
-Let's get on this awesome band wagon!
-Looked around me - what I used, wasted and chucked away
-Bought Bea Johnsons book - Zero Waste Home
-Read that in two evenings!
-Itching to re-evaluate my life!

February..

-Reading up on this and that - what can I change in my life?
-Refusing all plastic bags!
-Skipping stuff in plastic packaging where possible
-De-cluttered EVERYTHING!
-Bought a stainless steel flask
-Made my own hankies and produce bags
-Glass Jars Please!!
-Replaced  a lot of shop bought products for homemade or natural alternatives
-Got a pack of bamboo toothbrushes
-Minimalism? I thought that was just a style of interior
-Is zero-waste the same as minimalism?
-Note to self- get into minimalism
-Seeing plastic rubbish everywhere!
-Obsessing over recycling - even more than before!
-Got inspired by zero-waste, eco friendly, minimalist instagramers and bloggers
-Started my own blog - Hello!

 Zero Waste, has it changed my life?

I suppose so, and for the better!
I've always thought of myself as 'green', a litter-bug hater and a serious recycler. I've always hated waste and hoard junk until I can either mend it, reuse it or upcycle it. But I was blind to so much rubbish that I suppose became so normal! There was so much more I could have done - or not have done, like to stop consuming, purchasing and contributing to all that waste and land fill rubbish! It's become so normal to use plastic straws and bags and styrofoam cups and paper plates - that only get used once and then disposed of and it is just totally UNNECESSARY.
It's early days for me on the zero waste wagon and it's breaking those habits which is tricky - e.g -using that plastic wrapped hand wipe at a restaurant the other day! UGH


I'm still using products in plastic/un-recyclable packaging - like mascara, moisturiser and face wash- I will continue to use until the likes of these run out and I'll look for alternatives when the time comes - I've been so tempted to chuck everything away and start using natural alternatives now, but it just doesn't make sense to waste it. The containers will eventually end up on the land fill - but at least I can delay it for a while and use up the contents.
I have thrown/given away unused, toxic and unnecessary products (like deodorant), found alternatives and will never go back! But I'll leave that for another post..

I wonder how long until I really settle into this transition. How long it will take for the strange looks to not bother me. And how long will it be until all the rubbish and plastic waste used and left by others will stop giving me anxiety!!


Have you been trying to reduce your rubbish/trash?
What's that number one disposable/waste product you will never go back to?


Thanks for reading!

Juliette x