Over the years, I’ve come to realize that there is beauty in the simplicity of this lifestyle. I’ve also noticed that there are myriad new zero waste, low-waste, sustainable and eco-friendly products arriving on the marketplace every single day. And the recommended “zero waste kit” has grown bigger as a result.
It’s exhausting.
I hope you’ll see the irony in this, like I do. And the challenge. Because this means the barrier for entry to “zero waste” is increasingly bigger, more expensive, and more intimidating (or seems that way).
8 Zero Waste Essentials (Spoiler: They’re Not Products)
In reality, there are just a few zero waste essentials I’ve come to rely on day in and day out that I’d endorse. They are not products, just materials, that I recommend you prioritize when you are making purchasing decisions.
They are:
- Stainless steel. Lightweight and virtually indestructible, I will choose stainless steel over most other materials when given the choice. Some stainless steel items that I use in my home: pots and pans, water bottles, tiffins (to-go containers), a reusable straw vs a plastic straw, utensils, etc.
- Baking soda. I use baking soda on a daily basis for cooking, baking, and cleaning. It’s got so many uses I could write a whole novel about this glorious ingredient. Plus, it’s very easy to buy this ingredient in bulk with your own container!
- Castile soap. If you’re going to choose any type of soap that is multifunctional and yields the biggest bang for your buck, go with castile soap. It's a wonderful olive-oil based soap that works great at cleaning dishes, hands, bathtubs and everything in between.
- Coconut oil. I love coconut oil because of its consistency and I use it in various homemade items like deodorant and toothpaste. It’s also a beautiful oil to cook with and can easily replace butter in most baking recipes. A great ingredient for its versatility.
- Distilled white vinegar. I clean my entire house with a simple solution of vinegar and water in an old vinegar bottle with a spray nozzle. Yes, my toilet bowl gets the same cleaning treatment as my kitchen sink and I’m still alive :). I also love white vinegar for its utility in recipes, too, like when I’m out of lemons or I want to pickle/preserve food.
- Bamboo. It's a lightweight and sustainable material. I swear by my bamboo toothbrush. Bamboo cutlery is also a great zero waste alternative for plastic utensils. Yes, it costs a bit more, but you can reuse bamboo utensils endlessly and they are lightweight like plastic.
- Glass. I will put just about anything in a glass jar. Leftovers, coffee/tea, prepped ingredients, jams, pickles, stocks, broths, etc. While heavier than a stainless steel or bamboo item, glass is easy to recycle, holds up well in the dishwasher, and my favorite zero waste swap for a plastic bottle, shampoo bottle, reusable coffee cup and more.
- Organic cotton. One of the first things I purchased when I was starting out was a cloth produce bag. I noticed and was unnerved by the increasing plastic bag count in my kitchen. Yes, organic cotton costs more than regular cotton but it's healthier for you and the environment and will last you years and hold up to hundreds of washes.
That’s it. Seriously.
A Foolproof Method for Making Earth-Friendly Purchasing Decisions
Here’s another way to prioritize materials when deciding what to buy.
Ask yourself:
- Does this material come from nature? (Yes/No)
- Will this material easily decompose without the aid of industrial-strength composting facilities? (Yes/No)
- If No, can this material be easily repurposed, upcycled (not down-cycled, like plastic, where the resulting product is a lower quality than the original) or is it part of a closed-loop recycling process? (Yes/No)
If your answers are Yes across the board, you’re golden. If your answers are Yes and No (with a secondary Yes), then you’re golden.
If you’re just starting to ask yourself these questions, you’re golden. High-fives all around.
And if you’re already favoring the above materials over others when making purchasing decisions, then you’re way ahead of the zero waste game. Showoff! 😉
