In most quarters, the zero waste movement has been criticized as classist, and that can only be true if your approach to participating in a zero waste lifestyle is to buy every zero waste item/swap that you could lay your hands on.
In reality, and achieving an environmentally conscious lifestyle starts with budget-friendly ideas or concepts. There are different ways to attain a sustainable lifestyle that constitutes using what you have and not breaking the bank.
Here are some awesome tips to help;
Reuse
The first step to achieving zero waste is to reuse items you already have. Giving items a second life is one great way to go about your new lifestyle, from reusing single-use plastic bags to reusing old jars and cans to become planters or storage or even turning your old pair of jeans into something more trendy. By doing so, the finished product becomes more practical, and valuable and reduces waste. This step also allows you to be creative, and who says a sustainable lifestyle can’t be a little fun?
Use what you already have
It’s cool that you’ve realized you need to make sustainable choices with your purchases but ditching what you already have to buy new eco-friendly items is very anti-hero waste and budget unfriendly. For example, you want to switch to bamboo toothbrushes but you have already stocked up on plastic toothbrushes to last you a year. A good idea would be to use them instead of throwing them away, which creates more waste. Using what you have could help you save money on getting zero waste swaps when you are ready for them.
Make your own
Doing DIY for some of your zero waste swaps would help your pocket and the environment as well. From making your cleaning products to beauty products (with supervision or guidance from a professional). This helps you save money and live a better life for yourself and the environment.
Shop second hand
In Nigeria, shopping secondhand is not new to us and we are doing well in that department. When you shop secondhand, you save money and help conserve resources that would have been used to make a new product. From clothes to electronics, shopping secondhand is one great zero waste alternative on a budget (even outside a budget).
Refuse
This is the easiest but the hardest way to go zero waste on a budget. Before putting that item in your cart or before the money hits the seller’s hand, ask yourself the hard question, “Do I really need this?”. Buying what we don’t need or purchasing more than we would use only creates more waste, which we are trying to curb, zero waste remember?
Living a zero-waste lifestyle should be inclusive of all social classes and doing it the best way you can is the ultimate goal. We might not be perfectly waste-free but we can be imperfectly waste conscious to achieve a safe and eco-friendly world.
