What are your Zero Waste New Year resolutions?
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In the January newsletter I asked our readers what Zero waste New Years resolutions they had planned.
(If you’re not on the mailing list, sign up now.)
I thought I’d share them in a blog post so if you’re stuck on how you can ‘up the ante’ this year you can take inspiration from our wonderful community!
Take a lightweight cloth when out and about for hand drying instead of using paper towels.
Change one disposable to a reusable per month. This gives time to plan and find alternatives.
Reduce your landfill by half a bag a week.
Take waste home with you to recycle, rather than throwing in a street waste bin.
Use glass or stainless steel containers rather than plastic.
Gradually replace cooking utensils with metal/wooden/bamboo.
Ditch aluminium foil and use containers with lids instead.
Stop buying prepackaged foods and switch to loose items only. Booking a veg box is a great way to do this.
Monitor your rubbish bin – find one thing that goes in there which could go in the compost or the recycling bin or could be exchanged for more zero waste friendly product.
Swap your kitchen bin for a recycling box!
Get organised and take reusable shopping bags whenever you go out.
Take a bottle of water whenever you go out rather than buying something.
Use washable cloth nappies for your baby.
Invite a friend to make a Zero Waste resolution.
Start a compost heap. Don’t have room? Try a bokashi bin or wormery instead.
Batch cook and freeze extras to save yourself buying convenience food in black plastic trays.
What about you – how are you going to slim your bin in 2015?
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My Zero Waste never fails to keep me on the path to–zero waste..this time one small action which i have not done before; to take a small cloth to wipe hands when away from home. when we had a car, i did keep multiple t-shirt squares for oil rags and wipes. but while walking i plan to put a cotton square in one pocket and my regular linen handkerchief in the other. such tiny steps make for a more focused life..at so little personal cost..happy new year all, ns
loving your new resolution Nadine and I’m right on board with you for this. I love its simplicity.
I take my lunch in a reusable lunch bag and bring my 32 ounce travel cup also when I have a full day of errands. I don’t have a car but I walk and take the bus till I get my bicycle.
Sounds like you’re doing loads to make the world a better place, Mrs. Stookey 🙂
I will also carry a towel for drying hands. This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing all the great tips.
I loved that suggestion Kathleen; it’s something I’m going to commit to as well!
I’d like to give up other people’s litter please. You know, the stuff that blows onto your property from elsewhere. We have roofing works in the street and the stuff that has blown out of the skips you would not believe. And that was stuff that wasn’t all coming from the roofing works.
I’ve also taken the litter stick for a walk this morning and filled two thirds of an old compost sack I found with litter. All from one patch five minutes from the house. Mind you that went into the big street bin but it was unnecessary litter that would have filled my bin but for a well placed large street bin.
I’d also like to not have rust on the allotment this year. That produced a whole lot of stuff that had to be binned because it couldn’t be composted or burnt.
What a shame about the rust; it’s devastating when crops are ruined. But well done on all your efforts to keep your neighbourhood a cleaner place – you’re doing such a great job!
When I use a public toilet, I always use a hand sanitizer so I don’t use paper towels. If I buy prepackaged goods eg bananas I make sure it says on the bag I can recycle it at a larger store.
Great way to cut down on the paper towels Julie!
The owner of a local café kindly saves her aluminium cans for me as does one of the cleaners in my local train station. I also pick up aluminium cans from the street and they all get recycled, earning money for a charity in the process. I attend classes at two different FE Colleges where I remove plastic bottles and aluminium cans from the waste bins in my classroom, take them home and recycle them.
That’s fantastic Alison; what an achievement and great way to reuse these valuable items 🙂