Easy minimalist & zero waste ideas (that don’t cost a lot of money)

When people see "zero waste," they usually think about drastic lifestyle changes, but it's possible to reduce your waste without rearranging your whole life.

Why go zero waste? On top of the enormous environmental benefits, you can save money. Reusing products is cheaper than constantly buying disposables. Many cities near me are now charging by the trash bag or levying fees for garbage collection. And if they don't, it's bundled into your property taxes or rent. Why pay to throw out stuff you never needed in the first place?

Here are a few quick, easy, zero waste solutions you can implement right away.

Coffee

If you buy coffee on their way to work, consider bringing a reusable cup. Some stores now offer discounts for bringing your own cup, and you're avoiding sending all those disposables to landfills. Or, brew coffee in the morning and take it with you in a stainless steel container.

A post shared by Ellie Daforge (@elliedaforge) on Jan 14, 2018 at 12:43pm PST

If you have a machine that brews single cups, get a reusable filter cup (pictured above). I fill mine with ground coffee ($3 a can that lasts months vs. as much as 50 cents per disposable K-cup) and toss the grounds in my compost bin when I'm done. (Just don't put coffee grounds down the drain--they can clog pipes.)

Reusable water bottle & lunch container

When I was a kid, sandwiches always went in disposable bags. I still pack my lunch every day, and a few years ago I switched to a reusable plastic container for my sandwich. I haven't needed to buy sandwich bags since. I even bring a larger container to restaurants that give huge portions instead of asking for a disposable take-away container.

I have a reusable water bottle that unscrews in two parts, so I can wash it or add items like ice or fruit. If you can't buy a reusable bottle yet, a mason jar will work.

Bar soap or refills

Those little disposable soap pumps add up, both in cost and landfills. If you want to keep the pumps you have, buy large refill jugs (usually about the same price as one tiny pump, and last a lot longer). Or, switch to bar soap to reduce packaging.

“Unpaper” towels (and handkerchiefs!)

Instead of using paper towels, cut up old towels/shirts or use washcloths, and use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water to clean most surfaces.

Reusable bags

Many stores now charge for a disposable plastic or paper bag. Pick up a few cloth bags (often sold for $1 each, or given away free by some businesses--or check thrift stores) and put them by your door, or take them with you when you go out. There are some that fold up very small, so you can place them in a purse or backpack. Many reusable bags are also insulated, helping to keep food cold or hot when you're transporting it home. And if you don't want to buy a reusable bag just yet, you can use a cardboard box.

If you have disposable bags still lying around your home, you can bring them back to the store for recycling (look for a bin near where soda cans are collected).


I hope these tips were helpful. In a future blog post, I plan to outline more minimalist/zero waste tips for parties.

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