It's Okay Not To Have A Perfect Zero Waste Lifestyle

When you think of zero waste lifestyle, the picture below might be the first thing that comes up in your mind.

Source: https://ourcrazyadventuresinautismland.com/is-it-possible-to-live-a-zero-waste-lifestyle/

A minimalistic interior of the house, a bunch of plants on the patio, mason jars, Stasher silicone bags, all products made of wood or glass, stainless steel containers, and more. These products are often referred to as “zero waste essentials.” Yes, they are definitely eco-friendly and have lower impacts on the environment. However, the perception that we must be equipped with all of these essentials can cause hesitation for people who just decided to live sustainably because of the cost of buying them. People may even give up their resolution because they think they should be perfectly zero waste right away. That’s not true at all. You don’t have to be perfect to have a sustainable lifestyle.

Many people who decided to live sustainably soon realize that everything around them is full of what people call “wasteful and unsustainable” stuff. They feel bad about that, and try to change their surroundings. As you probably know, you can find a bunch of lists online that tell you how to go zero waste, and unfortunately, those are not that cheap compared to the products that you can easily consume, such as single-use plastics. Not everyone can afford to replace conventional products with sustainable ones. Actually, you don’t need all those items to have a sustainable lifestyle. Not really. If you decide to dump all the unsustainable products you have without using them and immediately buy new, “sustainable” versions of them, that is far away from being sustainable. That’s not green.

Instead of buying sustainable products right away, try to use what you already have as long as you can. You don’t need to buy a stainless steel lunch box; your plastic lunch box is good enough to be green. You don’t need to buy a new mason jar; empty glass jars from pasta sauce or preserves are just fine. Reusing what you have as long as you can is good enough to be sustainable. In fact, it’s better. The core of the zero waste lifestyle is reducing the amount of unnecessary waste you make. You can slowly adapt to replacing disposable products to durable ones. Being sustainable is more than just having eco-friendly products. We need to know what matters the most.

I know there are many challenges when you are in the process of adopting a zero waste lifestyle. You have to reconsider many of your daily habits and consciously keep track of your behavior, which is probably something you have never done before. Becoming more eco-conscious is not always easy. You may be tempted to give up. But remember, even if you are not perfect today, it’s fine. You can try again tomorrow. The small changes you make will add up over time and have a positive impact on you and the environment. Joining a club or following low waste content creators on social media to get more information and make buddies definitely helps you maintain your decision and change your habits. Reaching out to your community is also a good option.

Remember, you are already ahead of the curve if you have made the decision to be more environmentally friendly. It’s okay not to be perfect. Ask your friends and family to be more sustainable together. Tell them why we need to be aware of the impacts that we have made on our planet. Changing people’s mind is more important than anything else. The more people there are working to make a positive impact, the bigger that impact will be. Plus, if more people want affordable zero waste products, the market will change, then consumers will have more options. Your choices matter. Let’s be bold and patient.

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