6 easy ways to start a garbage-free life!

Lauren Singer recently made headlines when she revealed that in the past two years, she’s produced only enough trash to fill a small 16 ounce mason jar. After learning how much waste a single person produces in one year, Singer vowed to remove trash from her life. There are a few easy ways you can start to make your life garbage-free!

Singer is part of a growing movement of people striving to live a garbage-free lifestyle. Though you might not be ready to radically change your entire life, there are some simple ways to significantly cut down on the amount of waste you produce in one part of the home - the kitchen. To help you get started we’ve outlined a few easy ways to reduce the amount of waste you produce while cooking and cleaning.

1) Make a compost bin

Via remodelista.com

Composting seems like a no-brainer for families with gardens and backyards, but even people living in small apartments and condos can set up a compost bin and start reducing kitchen waste. Apartment Therapy has a great tutorial for creating your own cheap and customizable indoor compost bin; all you need is a container, some dirt, and shredded newspaper to get started.

Once you’ve set up your own compost bin you’ll be able to turn all of your fruit, vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds into fertilizer instead of trash!

2) Visit your local Bulk Barn

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A ton of kitchen trash is generated through packaging. The best way to cut your kitchen trash in half is by finding ways to reduce the amount of non-recyclable plastic packaging you bring into your home. Invest in some recyclable cloth bags and get acquainted with your local bulk food store. This will both cut down on trash and save you some money in the long run (unless you succumb to the candy aisle).

Everything from nuts, to pasta, baking goods, spices, and even peanut butter can be purchased in bulk and stored in your own reusable containers. Mason jars make excellent storage containers (and look good on your shelves too).

You can also opt to spend more time cooking at home, making your own granola bars, and eating fewer packaged foods. Not only will it reduce the amount of plastic that you bring into the home, but it will also reduce the amount of processed sugar in your diet.

3) Revamp your cleaning cupboard

Changing the way you clean the kitchen can also help you reduce waste. We’ve already published a tutorial on how to make your own cleaning products from natural ingredients found in the kitchen. This will help you cut down on the number of plastic containers inhabiting the space under your sink.

You can also reduce the number of paper towels you use while cleaning by cutting up an old t-shirt and turning it into a reusable rag. If you don’t have any old clothing hanging around the back of your closet, try purchasing cleaning rags made from natural fibers (like cotton or bamboo) that easily break down after use and return to the earth.

4) Do your research

Spend a little time getting acquainted with the recycling rules in your city. Just because something can’t go in the recycling bin doesn’t mean there isn’t a program that covers these materials. For example, batteries, propane tanks, and even electronics from around your kitchen can be dropped off at depots where they are reused or disposed of safely. In Ontario, you can also return all alcohol containers to your local Beer Store in exchange for a small return.

5) Invest in more reusable items

Get into the habit of using reusable containers as often as possible. Take your veggies to work in a tupperware container, start grocery shopping with reusable bags, and invest in a reusable travel mug and water bottle. This alone will help you cut back on the amount of plastic bags, coffee cups, and ziplock bags that go in and out of your kitchen.

You can also start looking for creative ways to reuse the waste you bring into the house. Think about how you can extend the lifespan of any packaging that finds its way into your cupboards. Pickle jars or coffee tins can easily be washed and used to hold your bulk kitchen ingredients. Earth 911 recommends getting into the habit of asking yourself “how can I make this moment a trash-free moment” when shopping. Make this your mantra!

6) Read the label on products

Start looking for products that are made from post-consumer content or recycled content.  Sometimes these items are a bit more expensive than the non-reusable option. However, you’ll already be saving money by cutting down on paper towels, by shopping in bulk, and by returning your empty alcohol bottles. Put that extra cash back into responsible shopping by opting to purchase recycled or post-consumer products.

The best part is that once you start developing these habits in one part of the home, you can easily extend this mindset to the rest of your household. It won’t be long before you can also collect all of your trash in a 16 ounce jar.