Each of us, as we began our journey towards waste reduction, felt overwhelmed by the amount of new things to buy, learn how to self-produce, correct behaviors. Adopting a lifestyle-oriented towards reducing consumption (and consequently waste) can seem difficult, burdensome and demanding.
The path is made up of small steps, to be savored with calm and conviction. No one will ask you to be perfect, but simply more aware.
You can take the 10 steps as a personal challenge, in which you dictate the times and ways. Remember that even one of these changes can have a huge ecological impact, so don't be afraid to try: you will only do good (to the environment and to your pockets!).
1. Fill the bottle (but also the jug and the water bottle!)
Try to calculate how many plastic bottles you throw away every day, every week, every month (especially if you are traveling). Think how hard it is for you to bring the water pack into your apartment every time, and how annoying it is to throw away the plastic bag in the evening in winter.
ALTERNATIVE: At home, use a glass jug or bottle and fill it with tap water. For travel and when you are away from home, take a steel water bottle, which is light and easily refillable. Choosing to fill the bottle is not only ecological, but also convenient and economical.
2. Avoid disposable items
We are surrounded by objects such as plates, glasses, napkins, handkerchiefs, and wipes, which are used only once before ending up in the dustbin. If you think about it, now the disposable is normal, but until a few years ago everyone had in their pocket a nice piece of cloth (often finely embroidered!). Reusable' products are certainly healthier for the environment, but also for your wallet. If you go through the drawers or the family cupboard well, you'll find that you already have most of these items at your disposal. And organizing a dinner or an aperitif with real glasses and cloth napkins will surely give a chic touch and will pleasantly impress your guests.
ALTERNATIVE: Every disposable object has a 'durable' alternative: e.g. porcelain plates and dishes, glass glasses, handkerchiefs, and cloth napkins. Start by analyzing which products affect your waste the most, choose one to start with and replace it. As disposable products run out, replace them with "durable" ones.
3. Always carry your spender bag/bags with you.
From 2018 all bags/bags will be replaced by those in mater-b and will be charged, even that of the counter fruit and vegetables. Learn to refuse bags at the supermarket, but also when you go shopping. Always carry cloth bags with you: they don't weigh you down, they take up little space, and you'll be ready for anything.
The ALTERNATIVE: Fabric bags, mesh bags: there are some beautiful and colorful, with prints or writings. If you are a little familiar with needle and thread, you can recycle old scraps of cloth and make them yourself.
4. The bulk is better!
Bulk shops are becoming more popular, especially in big cities (see the Local Realities section to find the one closest to you). Obviously, however, not everyone has access to this type of store. It doesn't have to be a constraint or an excuse, because you can make many conscious choices also in a supermarket, where you can find a series of unpackaged products, or in small local shops or local markets.
ALTERNATIVE: Don't be lazy! Always choose loose fruits and vegetables: avoid polystyrene packages or those already washed and cut into plastic boxes, and dried fruit in single-dose bags. Use your own fabric/network bags or price some products directly (do bananas really need a bag?).
5. Change your toothbrush
Each person consumes an average of 4 toothbrushes per year. Multiplied by a life expectancy of 80 years, there are 320 brushes per person. Non-recyclable plastic and highly polluting. Alternatives exist and are not as expensive as you probably imagine.
ALTERNATIVE: The bamboo toothbrush exists in different sizes, suitable for the whole family, costs about 3 euros and is completely compostable. The bamboo is a fantastic material, with a high yield per hectare and grows easily (we do not deforest anything). Unbelievable! Just be careful to buy toothbrushes with bamboo bristles. If you don't feel good, choose toothbrushes with interchangeable brush heads (electric or normal).
continued in part 2: https://zen.yandex.ru/media/id/5d63be1de4f39f00aebf062b/the-first-steps-towards-zero-waste-part-2-5d949d0df557d000ae817348