A Realist’s Guide to Becoming Zero Waste

The idea of becoming zero waste in your home can feel as overwhelming as the entire environmental crisis. How can you stop making garbage when you have kids, rely on packaged foods, and see your Amazon delivery driver more than your best friend? If this sounds like you, then read on for a step-by-step guide for anyone who wants to make less garbage without losing their sanity in the process.

*This piece does contain affiliate links, but it’s only for products the author uses herself.

1. Dissect your Garbage

The first tip to becoming zero waste is to actually know what you’re throwing away. Pay attention to the garbage bag for a few days. Is it full of food scraps? Plastic packaging? Cans? Kids apple sauce squeezers? Make a list of the top five things you are throwing away and figure out how you can either stop buying those things or figure out how to recycle them correctly, so they don’t end up in a landfill.

My list includes: Baby Food Pouches; Pre-washed Salad Plastic Bags; Amazon Boxes; Egg Shells; Single Serve Dog Food Containers.

2. Separate Organic Waste

As of January 2022, a new composting law went into effect in California. It asks that residents separate food scraps and other organic waste and add it to the garbage bin once reserved for yard trimmings.

Did you know Amazon boxes are compostable? It’s true! Amazon cardboard boxes are made of paper that originally comes from plants, so they can be added to your organic waste pile along with coffee grounds, eggshells, and more. Just be sure to remove the tape and break down those boxes as small as you can to speed up the process.

I recently added a small counter compost bin to my kitchen counter, and it’s the perfect size for one to two days of collecting food scraps.

Personally, I like using biodegradable food scrap bags as well because they make me feel super eco-friendly, but regular small plastic bags also fit, just not as snugly.

3. Find out if your Trash holds a Treasured Second Life

Among the things I use far too often are the fast and easy Baby Food Pouches and Apple Sauce Squeezers I give my kids in the car. I always thought this was garbage – but it turns out that with a little digging you can find out where to recycle these items and more.

Terracycle offers a whole list of FREE RECYCLE PROGRAMS with ways to gather the items yourself or drop-off at locations in your city. The GoGo squeeZ® Free Recycling Program takes all brands of apple sauce pouches and lids, so all you need to do is collect them and attach a free shipping label. Plus, now you’ve also found another use for those Amazon boxes.

4. Replace the Landfill Lovers

Unfortunately, two of my favorite convenience items: Wet Dog Food Singles and Pre-Washed Salad Bags, always go into the landfill. Now that I am aware, becoming zero waste is easy because I can make the swaps necessary to replace these landfill lovers. I’ll be changing my dog’s food to the Aluminum Can version instead and purchasing salad at my local Farmers Market where I can supply my own bags.

5. Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk cuts down on the amount of packaging you are discarding, but it lowers the cost per item. Choose a store like Costco for items like Olive Oil and Rice which can be purchased in oversized containers and stay fresh for a long time.

6. Choose Products without Packaging

Replacing Body Wash with Bar Soap is a simple and easy way to eliminate packaging. There are also options for Refillable Products where you recycle the bottle and keep the pump for your favorite Shampoo or Cleaning Products. Grove Collaborate offers a FREE STARTER SET valued at over $60 when you sign up, and it includes 6 products like Glass Cleaner Concentrate plus a Refillable Glass Spray Bottle and Walnut Scrubber Sponge when you spend at least $20. Best of all, the shipping is free. It’s probably one of the best deals out there because the bottles on their own are $14.99, and you can get three FOR FREE plus all the other goodies you need to get started on your zero-waste cleaning journey. I’ve been a customer of Grove Collaborate for over a year now because every month, they also give you a free gift with any order over $35, and that’s also what qualifies for free shipping.

Save 20% or more on your first subscription here

If you live in Los Angeles, there are also super-trendy shops like re_grocery in Highland Park, Mar Vista, and Studio City that offer “refill stations” for almost any item you can think of. Plus, it’s BYOC (bring your own container), so you don’t even need to invest in any of their products to get started. They offer online shopping and next day delivery if you’re in Los Angeles so click the link if you’re curious.

Did these 6 steps on becoming zero waste help bring you down to earth? Leave me a comment or share your own tips.