Easiest Zero Waste Living Tips

Just to be clear, I don't live zero waste. However, I am gradually making the transition and sharing the tips and tricks I have learned so that others can do it as well. You may be thinking you'll lose convenience by doing this, or that your small contributions to zero waste won't make a difference - and that's just not the case. Below are some zero-waste tips that I've found easily doable.

Where should you start?

1. Re-usable water bottles. 

Everyone knows this. You don't have to buy a $50 water bottle, you can get a $5-$10 one that is your style and use it for years. You save A TON of money by doing this.

2. Water Filters.

If you are buying water bottles because you don't like the tap water at your place, get a filter! I use a Brita, along with my re-usable water bottle, and it works wonderfully. It fits in the fridge to stay cold and makes the water taste better so I don't need to get any plastic water bottles at the store.

3. Compost.

For this one there are a few easy options:

• Place organic food scraps in any container and keep it in your freezer. That way it won't smell or decompose before you can take it to a compost pile.  I, personally, have a small compost bin that I empty weekly at Sunshine Community Garden.
• Create an unconfined compost pile in your yard.
• Build/buy your own compost container for your yard. You may think a compost pile will smell bad and that it's a lot of work. But that's not necessarily true. If you keep the correct ratio of green to brown (1:2) and add worms, there won't be an odor. Plus, you won't have to buy anything for your garden!
  
  
  Here is an awesome article that will walk you through creating your own compost from the University of Nevada.
  
  

4. Buy what you need from brick & mortar stores.

This will reduce the shipping packages you get that tend to get thrown away, along with their packing materials.

5. Ask Amazon to only use recyclable packing.

If you will be using Amazon, it's easy to message and ask them to only use non-plastic packaging materials.

6. Educate yourself on your city's recycling.

Not every city or state has the same recycling capabilities. Make sure you know what all your city can recycle and how to properly recycle everything that you can. Throwing trash in the recycling bin because you're not sure if it should be there, will actually harm the process. Rinse out any food particles, take off the caps of bottles to reduce pressure when they're compacted, and be aware that recycling plastic isn't necessarily as beneficial as you may think. Try to use aluminum, glass, or paper products instead if you can't reduce.

7. Invest in glass containers.

"Invest" is a loose term. While glass containers are more expensive than plastic ones, it's not by much and they last a lot longer and are much more durable. You can use these containers whenever you go out to eat as to-go containers so you're not using styrofoam or plastic. You can also take them to the grocery store for anything you get in bulk.

8. Get your cheese and meat from the grocery store counter or a butcher. 

Yet another use for those glass containers; take them when you go shopping so you aren't buying meat or cheese wrapped in plastic that you could get for roughly the same price at the counter.

9. Go to farmers' markets.

Farmers' markets are typically on Saturday and Sunday mornings and are MUCH more fun than a normal trip to the grocery store. They will occasionally have events and some vendors will take back containers they sold you to re-use! (Egg cartons, glass jars, etc.) Check out some of the Austin Farmers' Markets below:

• Texas Farmers Market
• Sustainable Food Center Farmers' Market
• Barton Creek Farmers' Market