I hope that you are well and keeping safe and well during this time in your (sustainable) home…
The start of 2020 – The Elephant in the Room…
I’m sure that for all of us 2020 definitely didn’t start off the way that we anticipated…
But I am equally sure that if we all work together we will get through this global crisis. And hopefully learn and grow from this experience!
With everything that is happening in the world at the moment I have been reflecting a lot about the way we live. It’s also brought up a lot of thoughts around how we can be a force for good when it comes to our planet and our environment.
Just looking at how people are working together in the midst of this crisis proves to me that we can change and work together – if we are prepared to put our differences aside and work towards a solution.
With that being said – as it relates to the environment – I believe that the very first place to start is in our own homes. Once we learn how to scale back on waste in our own homes we can be a greater force for good in the world… Our world is truly such an amazing place – we want to preserve it for as many future generations as possible!
Making a difference together
Just looking at some of the positive news in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, it is amazing to read about blue skies in China, clearer water in Italian canals and just the general “breather” that we have given the environment. Even if some of the stories are “fake” news, there is enough evidence that the three week lockdown period in a lot of countries has effected some change… This just proves to us what is possible!
Let’s hope that this crisis not only unites us to stand together against this virus – but also to stand together for the environment going forward.
(A quick disclaimer: If it seems like I am not putting enough emphasis on the Covid-19 situation, please know that that is not the truth. However, the purpose of my post is to draw attention toward sustainable living, so that is my focus in this post.)
On to Sustainable living
So let’s just talk about sustainable living and zero waste homes for a little bit…
For those who are new to zero waste living, here is an explanation from Helen O’Keeffe from EZ Living Interiors & Furniture:
What is a Zero Waste Home?
A lady by the name of Bea Johnson created the movement “zero waste home” back in 2008 when she was based in France. Basically as a family, over the course of a year, she hoped to reduce her waste output to what would fill a jam jar. She focused on what she called the 5 R’s which required the reduction, reuse and more of her household waste. Today, Ms. Johnson is known all over the world for this movement. She has published books and blogs about the topic and millions of people have heard her teachings and continue to try to implement them into their own households.
Almost every single day, we hear about issues regarding climate change as they have a detrimental impact on the world. Inclement weather conditions create hardship for many people all over the world so this focus on the reduction of waste can only be a positive move. Being environmentally aware therefore has never been more important!
We need to educate our children too to understand that what they use can and does impact on the environment. Single use plastic for example is available everywhere, so we should educate our children about zero waste but also about the need to be mindful of their consumption of everyday items. Fast fashion too is a modern day mainstay but it has meant vast landfills are filling up faster and faster as people move onto the next new (cheap) trend.
EZ Living Interiors & Furniture also put together this infographic below which outlines the whole zero waste concept and movement. It provides advice on how we can reduce waste in our own homes and it details the 5 R’s of zero waste. Check out the full details below!
5 Actionable Ways to Reduce Waste and have a more sustainable home
I would like to focus on the 5 ways mentioned in this infographic on how we can reduce our waste…
Do Food shopping with a list
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while – you will know that I am all about meal planning. In fact, you can check out my post on meal planning and download your own free meal planner too!
Of course, a great alternative which we are all doing much more of currently, is ordering online. This can be a very effective way of reducing waste – especially if you can plan your online shopping and order for a couple of weeks at a time. This reducing, packaging, number of deliveries – not to mention saved time!
And last but not least on the topic of food shopping…why not start your own vegetable garden at home? This is a great way to start having a more sustainable home! We are very lucky that my neighbour has a fabulous vegetable garden and her daughter often comes over with baskets full of fresh veggies…there is nothing better! (I also love my Young Living Thieves household cleaner for washing my fruit and veggies…you can read more about Essential Oils here)
Declutter wardrobes
You will feel like a million dollars when you declutter your wardrobe…!
The clarity of thought that comes from a less cluttered space, as well as easier outfit choices because of fewer clothes are all great advantages… And what better time to do it than the present? #stayathome
And why not donate unwanted items to charity? If an item will spend the next 12 months unused in your cupboard – wouldn’t it be better served by someone else using it? There are great initiatives by shops like H&M where you can drop off clothing at a local store. They collect it and either distribute or recycle it…so much better than old clothes just contributing to land fill!
Similarly – Declutter other spaces such as attics and garages for a more sustainable home
Well as the saying goes- there is no time like the present, right? And while we have this time that we have to be at home, why not use it to do some of those decluttering tasks that we never get around to doing?
Reusable shopping bags or crates – no plastic shopping bags!
This one is super easy to do…trust me, I’ve done it! They say it takes only 30 days to create a new habit. So I put my reusable shopping bags in the boot of my car. Each time I went into the shop and forgot the bags in my car (which happened quit often at first!) – I had to purchase another higher priced reusable shopping bag. If this wasn’t an option I had to put a certain amount of money into savings. Trust me – I soon learnt to remember to take my reusable shopping bags into the shops with me! 😉
Give the gift of experiences
Instead of purchasing more goods as gifts that are likely to become clutter in somebody’s sustainable home – rather opt for an experience or gift card. Better yet – why not buy a gift card from a small business? If there’s a small business that you love, a gift card for a friend would make a perfect gift. That way you are supporting the business as well as helping their marketing…win-win! Small businesses are definitely going to need our support in the aftermath of the current economic situation!
In conclusion…
There are so many ways in which we can all make a difference… The best thing to do is just to start! Even if it is just with something small…Gradually over a period of time, those small things can make a big difference!
I hope that you have enjoyed some of my tips for living a more conscious life and having a sustainable, zero waste home in 2020! If you have any other tips I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
