minimalism

About a week ago, I learned that our city and several surrounding areas would no longer be accepting anything but plastic bottles, corrugated cardboard, and metal food cans for recycling. Over the past few years, I’ve been very dedicated to recycling whatever I can and reducing our waste in other ways, so this was a huge blow.

You may have heard people say recycling is dead. This is because it’s incredibly expensive to recycle here, so the U.S. was shipping recycling to China — and China has now decided not to accept most of it, since it is often contaminated with food and other items that can’t be recycled. While I still think it’s valuable to recycle IF you are recycling the right things and not causing more problems, it’s becoming harder and harder to do that.

What you CAN do is reduce your waste entirely. Almost three years ago, I read a book that literally changed my life: Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Bea Johnson. This woman and her family have found ways to reduce their household waste to just a liter-sized bottle each year.

Before you roll your eyes and say that this is impossible, know that I was the same way. I remember finishing this book right before Christmas in 2016 and thinking about how everything comes in plastic and that there was no way I could make my own food from scratch constantly or bring a glass jar to the store to get ice cream to avoid a cardboard carton (which is one thing Johnson does).

Bea Johnson does have a big advantage: She lives in California within biking distance of farmers’ markets and small grocery stores that offer organic produce, and she’s also a stay-at-home parent who has time to make lots of foods and products (including makeup) on her own to avoid packaging. It’s completely unrealistic to make everything or assume that the homemade version is better than the manufactured product. I would be terrified to make my own makeup and hope it didn’t give me some crazy rash, and I despise cooking and do not want to make my own yogurt in an effort to reduce plastic waste.

So. Do I think everything in this book makes sense? Absolutely not. However, it made me completely rethink my buying and recycling habits and be more conscious of the waste my family creates. It also made me realize there are simple changes I can make to have a better impact on the environment and live a more minimalist life (which is what I was striving for anyway).

If you’re like me and want to make small, sustainable changes, keep reading. I’ve shared how I try to live minimally on social media before, but here are five different ways I’ve begun reducing my family’s waste:

Buy secondhand. Sadly, I used to be a lot better at this when my kids were babies, but it seems fewer people donate older kids’ clothes to the yard sales and consignment stores I frequent. I had a hard time finding jeans for two 5-year-olds this year and ended up buying most of them brand-new. However, I do sell most of my kids’ clothes at consignment sales every year to help other parents save money (and avoid buying brand-new where possible). I also try to buy toys from Facebook Marketplace or consignment sales, and I try to buy used books whenever possible.

Stop washing your hair so often. If you’d told my 16-year-old self I would only be washing my hair 2-3 times a week, I would have laughed in your face. But it’s actually healthier to wash your hair less, and you use much less shampoo and conditioner when you wash it only a few times a week. Also, since it takes forever for me to wash and condition my dry, curly hair, I spend only a fraction of the time I used to in the shower when I’m just scrubbing my body.

Invest in nicer-quality items. A few years ago when flash deal sites were all the rage, I found myself getting so excited about scoring a great deal on a shirt or a pair of sandals or a necklace. Then, of course, I’d get those shoes I paid $15 for and they would fall apart within a few months or start to look really scuffed or dirty within a few weeks of wearing them. I’d buy cheap jewelry and end up having to throw it away because the metal hurt my ears or started wearing away to reveal a green undertone. Even if you give this stuff to someone else or donate it to a shelter, pretty soon it ends up in the landfill because it’s not built to last. Over the past year, I’ve paid more attention to what items are made of, especially my shoes and clothes. I’m willing to spend a bit more for pieces that will last for years rather than filling my closet with trendy ones that instantly fall apart.

Avoid disposables wherever you can. One thing you’ll notice when you try to reduce your waste is how much we rely on single-use items everywhere. You go to a work event and the catering company has brought disposable silverware packaged, of course, in plastic you have to throw away. You go to a kid’s birthday party and eat everything on disposable plates. Even the breakfast at my kids’ school is handed out in disposable bags, and everything is in plastic. I get it. It’s much easier to throw things away than to clean a bunch of dishes (especially at a school). But you can control what you and your family waste. Start bringing reusable sporks with you and carrying a water bottle so you don’t have to buy plastic bottles or use disposable cups. Buy something you can eat with your hands, if possible, to avoid disposable silverware. Figure out ways to bring your own food or containers along. I even have a friend who carries a washable handkerchief to wipe his mouth with when eating so he doesn’t have to throw away a napkin. Even if you start small, you’ll notice you generate much less waste this way.

Borrow or do without items when possible. If you love to read and end up with shelves full of books you’ll never pick up again, start planning ahead so you can borrow new releases instead. Goodreads will often tell you when an author you’ve loved is releasing a new book, so you can search for the book on your library’s website and request it way in advance. You can also check Amazon for release dates or browse for new books coming out soon that sound interesting and reserve them at your library. Even better, use the Libby app to read ebooks or listen to audiobooks. They come right to your phone, so you don’t have to waste time and gas driving to the library — and the library also buys fewer hardcover copies if there’s less demand for them. Avoid buying an entirely new Halloween costume each year and figure out items you already have that can be repurposed. A black dress works for a witch costume. A brown leather jacket can work for an Amelia Earheart outfit. Get creative rather than buying something new each time.

I’ll occasionally share more ideas here as my family continues our quest to generate less waste, but this book really did change my life and continues to impact the way I think about my possessions every day. I’d love to hear about a book that changed your life, too!