Choosing zero waste can be scary. Drastically changing habits that have been ingrained for years is not a trivial act. And the risk is sometimes to derive frustrations rather than satisfactions. For these developments to be truly sustainable, it is sometimes necessary to think smaller at the beginning by making the first changes, but where to start?
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Once these first small changes have become real habits, you can then adopt others and so on… while raising awareness among those around you.
Interest in zero waste continues to grow
The environmental situation is one of the concerns. Eat more local. Use public transport whenever possible. Pay attention to his energy consumption. These various recommendations are intended to help us consume more responsibly. The opportunity for many people to question their own consumption patterns and the changes within their reach to make a useful contribution to the common effort. This growing awareness has made it possible over the years to reduce the amount of waste. Per capita, this would be 4.6% less waste since 2007 according to ADEME in its report on the circular economy updated in February 2021.
To continue in this process (or simply to get started), it is sometimes a question of simply replacing so-called “problematic” products for the environment or for your health through sustainable alternatives.
Where to start to try zero waste?
Here are some ideas for zero waste accessories:
- The flat charlottes or the bee wraps to replace the paper aluminum. Whether it’s to wrap up some leftovers before putting them in the fridge or to transport your gastronomic creations, the fabric charlottes are ideal. Equipped with an elastic band, they are stretchable and cover your dishes and salad bowls. The bee wraps, on the other hand, are fabrics coated with beeswax and are an excellent alternative to film plastic.
- Reusable straws. Already banned in cafes and restaurants, plastic straws are still wreaking havoc on marine life. Available in glass, silicone or bamboo, reusable straws are used in the same way and are accompanied by a small brush to be cleaned very easily.
- The bread bag. One of the precepts of movement zero waste is to refuse what is not indispensable. The paper bag handed to you by your baker is one of them! Today, many designers or alternative online shops offer fabric bread bags that are just as practical. Just remember to take it when leaving the house.
- Cottons to remove make-up. They are one of the small accessories that are easy to integrate into your routine. The operation of cotton is very greedy in resources and water, not to mention its daily use which generates a lot of waste each year. Make-up removal with oil and water, or the purchase of washable fabric discs are two alternatives to explore, for example.
- The furoshiki. This is undoubtedly the solution that requires the most organization upstream. Furoshikis replace traditional disposable wrapping paper. These fabrics of all sizes make it possible to wrap objects in an ethical and eco-responsible way. They can be reused endlessly. And if you’re comfortable with manual labor know that you can absolutely create your own furoshiki using recovered fabrics or old sheets that you no longer use.
And the question of cost? Yes, depending on the zero waste accessories you are going to buy, you will find in the first place that they cost more per unit than their disposable counterparts. But in the long term, this choice of reusable will also save money on certain expenses…
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