I didn’t quit cold turkey; it was a gradual transition that started in an Environmental Studies course during my senior year at NYU. A classmate of mine would pull out a plastic bag filled with a plastic box of food, plastic utensils, a plastic bag of chips and a drink—you guessed it—in a plastic bottle. I’d watch her, class after class, throw it all into the garbage and I would get really upset.

One night I was feeling particularly frustrated after watching her and went home to make dinner. I opened my fridge only to realise that every single thing that I had in there was packaged in plastic. Oops!

There I was, an Environmental Studies student, constantly talking about how much I loved sustainability, getting upset at this girl that was plastic-ing everything, and it turned out I was that girl too! I felt like an absolute hypocrite. So I made the decision to quit using plastic.

Parting with plastic didn’t just mean eliminating plastic food packaging from my life; it meant evaluating all of the things that I used that were conventionally packaged in plastic and finding alternatives to them. When I couldn’t find products like toothpaste in plastic-free or recyclable packaging, I started to research recipes to make them myself.

While researching alternatives to my everyday products, I came across a blog called Zero Waste Home that was started by Bea Johnson, a woman with two kids, a husband and zero trash. I was amazed. I thought, if a family of four can live without trash, I can too. So I took a leap and committed to going ‘Zero Waste’.

When I couldn’t find products like toothpaste in plastic-free or recyclable packaging, I started to research recipes to make them myself

How did I do this?

Instead of buying packaged food, I began to shop in bulk. As opposed to buying beauty, cleaning and home products, I had to learn to make them myself. This proved to be a bit of a challenge as I definitely didn’t have a recipe for deodorant hanging about in my back pocket. I had to mess around with over six different deodorant recipes before I found one that worked well for me. In fact, I didn’t have any of the recipes I needed for any of the products I used. But that presented a fun challenge and I began to think about it as a game. Yesterday I transitioned away from toothpaste tubes, today I’m going to learn how to make my own lotion! Every new product that I learned to make was a step towards my Zero Waste goal and it was extremely exciting.

Ultimately I went from a girl that was constantly talking about how much she cared about sustainability, to one that actually lives that way.

Over the past few years I have learned some great ideas that even others can take to lessen their daily trash output.

STEP 1 » Evaluate your trash

When I first started my transition towards becoming Zero Waste, I took a peek into my trash can and understood what was in there. For me, it was predominantly food packaging and food waste and so I thought about ways to eliminate them.

To get rid of food packaging, I began buying my food unpackaged from the farmers market and my local grocery store. Instead of buying, say, baby carrots that came in a plastic bag, I bought whole carrots, which came without any packaging. I also learned to bring jars and cotton bags to buy bulk items like grains and beans.

To eliminate food waste, I began composting. I would take my food scraps, put them in a bowl and place it in my freezer so they did not smell in my fridge. I would then take them to my local compost drop off at the farmers’ market every Saturday.

STEP 2 » The low hanging fruit

This step covers the more superficial but high-impact steps that one can take towards lessening their trash output. What you have to do is:

• Carry reusable bags to the store as opposed to taking plastic or paper bags
• Use a reusable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles
• Bring a mason [jam-sized] jar or reusable mug to the coffee shop as opposed to using a disposable cup
• Say NO to disposable plastic straws at bars, coffee shops, or juice shops and use a metal, glass or bamboo straw
• Pack your own lunch in reusable containers and eat it with real silverware as opposed to disposable plastic forks and spoons.

STEP 3 » Do it yourself

Lots of everyday products come packaged in non-recyclable or difficult-to-recycle packaging. Instead of trying to buy products and figure out if they are being recycled properly, I learned how to make them myself. I started out with something that was simple and easy like toothpaste. I then moved on to products like deodorant, moisturiser and even cleaning products.

Becoming Zero Waste is not something you can do in a day, but decreasing the amount of trash you produce is something that can happen right now with a few simple steps. You might even find that you save money, have more time in your day and feel great!

The post Here’s how you live a trash-free life appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

1. Get rid of the clutter

Most people do not think of clutter as waste but everything that you have in your home that you are not using is going to waste because someone somewhere else could be making better use of it. While it is sitting in your home unused, it may be deteriorating or becoming obsolete. If you haven’t used an item in six months sell it or give it away.

I cleared the clutter out of my garage and my spare room and now I rent out my garage for storage and my spare room to students. Not only do I make money from these activities, I also make the best use of the space available and help to create less need for new hotels and storage units to be built.

2. Swap disposables for reusable items

Buying disposable goods is a massive waste of money and is bad for the environment too. It is easy to make a few simple changes to reduce your dependence on disposable objects. Here are some alterations I made and you can do them too. I swapped:

• Reusable boxes or cloth bags for disposable bags
• Washable cloths or rags for paper kitchen
• Non-stick natural cookware e.g. glass, stoneware or cast iron for foil and baking paper. If food needs to be covered in the oven use an ovenproof dish with a lid
• Damp cloths or damp newspaper/ other waste paper for wet wipes
• Reusable refillable bottles for plastic bottles
• Unpackaged food [or bulk buy] for packaged food and I bring it home in reusable bags. Even meat, cheese and fish can be transported home in reusable containers
• Lastly, I put food items in a box with a lid instead of wrapping them with clingfilm.

3. Don’t waste food

A lot of time, energy and resources go into producing and transporting the food we eat, yet many of us throw leftovers away, not an Eco-friendly practice. Food in landfill gives off methane—a greenhouse gas, and it seems terrible to throw food away when there are people going hungry in the world.

• Only buy the food you need—don’t be tempted by special offers
• Weigh or count out portions of rice, pasta, vegetables and so on, so that you only make what you will eat in that day
• Freeze leftover cooked fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, bread and dairy products to consume at a later date. Only freeze cooked food once, do not refreeze again or the food will spoil
• Instead of throwing out fruits and vegetables that might be nearing their expiry date or just a few days past their best, cook them and turn into soups, smoothies, cakes, ice cream, sorbets, sauces or juices
• Give away any excess food you can’t or won’t use to friends, family, neighbours or those in need.

4. Make use of your waste

Try to avoid bringing stuff into your home that will soon end up in the bin; if you do find it unavoidable occasionally, try to make use of it by up-cycling it.

• Before throwing something in the bin, try to mend it first
• Glass jars make attractive plant pots—line the bottom with stones or you can even use pieces of cracked pots for drainage. Glass jars are also handy for storage
• Envelopes can be reused or turned into notepads. Cut them up into rectangles, punch holes through the top and thread through some string to bind the pieces together
• Brown paper packaging makes great wrapping paper
• With old clothes, sheets and other fabrics you could:
• Cut the sheets and towels into squares and use as cleaning cloths
• Tear towels into strips and make into foot-rugs
• Use as fabric for new projects—e.g. make a reusable shopping bag, cut jeans into shorts
• Or you could even wrap gifts with them.

5. Recycle whatever is left

Have a set of recycling bins and sort your rubbish into them e.g. glass, cans, paper, metal, fabric and plastics. We often stop thinking about our trash once we are done separating it but make an effort to find out what is being done with your waste. What is the use of separating your garbage if it is going into a dump? If you find that your garbage is not being recycled by the agency that collects it, take it to a different area where there is a recycling facility. There are paper marts or scrap dealers that pay you for used paper and plastic.

6. Invest in some compost bins

Station small compost bins in both your kitchen and your bathroom. If you have a food waste collection then follow the instructions given on what type of foods you can put in it. If you have a garden, then invest in a compost bin where you can put all types of foods in.

In your bathroom compost bin you can collect hair, nail cuttings, tissues, toilet paper rolls, cotton wool and wooden toothpicks.

7. Ditch the toxic antibacterial cleaning products

It is important to keep your home clean, but antibacterial products kill all bacteria, good and bad, plus many contain toxic chemicals. We need the good bacteria to be healthy. There is usually no need to use antibacterial products on surfaces unless you have been chopping raw meat on your kitchen counter or someone in your household has an infectious disease. If you do cook meat at home, use a wooden chopping board that you can wash rather than disinfecting the whole area. For the occasions when you do want an antibacterial cleaner, switch to natural substances like bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice or vinegar.

8. Switch it off!

We all know that if your lights or electrical appliances are not in use, then switch them off. But my suggestion to make things easier is to plug a number of items into a multi plug extension lead e.g. a TV, DVD player and cable box, which you can switch off all together when you are done.

If you have solar panels or access to another form of renewable energy, use appliances at the right time e.g. when the sun is shining or when the wind is blowing.

Consider using intelligent systems that can work out exactly when to turn lights, heating, air conditioning and watering systems on or off, based on your whereabouts or on the temperature or humidity that day for example and which can be controlled remotely.

9. Turn off the tap

Keep water usage to a minimum by doing the following, if possible:

• Collect rainwater in water butts to water plants
• It is preferable to fill a bucket with your bath water so that you use a limited amount of water
• When running a tap or shower put a bucket underneath to collect any spare water and use the waste water to flush the toilet or water plants
• When cleaning your teeth, put a small amount of water in a cup and use only that water to clean your teeth
• See if you can wear clothes [like pants or night clothes] a few times before washing them
• Before you start to cook, measure the water needed to cook and wash the food into the kettle and only use what you need
• Fill a reusable container with your daily amount of drinking water, this will give you an idea of how much you consume.

10. Grow your own

We don’t realise the carbon footprint that buying food creates. If you grow food yourself, it doesn’t have to travel long distances and can be grown without pesticides and fertilisers. Herbs and spices, fruit and flowers are an easy place to start and most come up year after year with little effort on your part. If space is a constraint, try and walk to the market instead of going by vehicle. This reduces the carbon footprint and every little bit helps.

• You can gift homemade flower displays from flowers you have grown—even weeds can make pretty displays!
• Herbs and spices have many uses—they make great herbal teas, herbal baths, have medicinal uses and add flavour to meals.

This was first published in the May 2015 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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There is a thin line between living an informed life and a paranoid one. This article’s purpose is not to stress or overwhelm you. Instead it is an invitation to become aware of some important facts, so that you can make informed choices for yourself and your loved ones.

We’ve been ‘lead’ astray

According to World Health Organization, 1.2 crore people are overexposed to lead and 99 per cent of the most serious cases are in the developing world. So what does lead exposure do? Lead is absorbed directly into the bloodstream, causing, serious damage to the brain, kidneys and nerves. Lead exposure has also been linked to learning disabilities and behavioural problems. Children are more at risk because of their constant contact with lead-based products, from walls to toys to playground equipment.

So what do you do?

• Get yourself and your family tested for lead and other heavy metals.
• Use lead-free paints whenever possible.
• Increase your consumption of foods rich in calcium and iron. This will help offset some of the damage caused from lead exposure.
• Spread the word so more people are informed and demand safer paint options as consumers.

Bye, bye plastic bottles. Hello stainless steel and glass

Most plastic bottles are made of phthalates and BPA, toxic substances that leech from the bottle into the water, juice or other liquid it contains. BPA has been associated with certain types of cancers, diabetes, fertility issues, and developmental concerns. Research is finding that BPA-free plastic also might cause harm to the body.

So what do you do?

• Stainless steel or glass bottles and jugs are healthier alternatives. They are good for the family, and because of their easy recyclability, they are great for the planet too.
• Another perk of stainless steel bottles? They keep water cool and refreshing in the warm summer months without refrigeration!

Take a peek under that kitchen sink

Most household cleaning products come laden with toxic chemicals and xenon-oestrogens. The latter are particularly harmful to women and can cause severe hormone disruptions.

So what do you do?

• Some of the most effective household cleaning ingredients come in very harmless forms! Mix some vodka with eucalyptus oil and you have a bug spray, kitchen stove cleaner and air-freshener.
• Mix some baking soda and vinegar together to clean your toilets and kitchen sink.
• Use olive oil and lemon to keep your wood furniture clean and shining.
• Hydrogen peroxide mixed with hot water makes for a great floor cleaner.

Better still, call your grandparents and ask for tips. They lived a far more eco-friendly life than us.

Au Naturel is the latest beauty trend

Most bath and beauty products available in the market today are laden with sulphates, parabens and a host of other harmful ingredients. Almost 60 per cent of these are directly absorbed by our skin and enter the bloodstream without any filtration by the liver. Lead in lipsticks is known to cause neurological problems, blood disorders and depression. Toxic metals such as aluminium are widely used in deodorants and have oestrogen-like effects, disrupting the function of the endocrine system. Phthalates, the synthetic fragrances in shampoos and lotions are linked to hormone disruption.

So what do you do?

• Check out the ingredient list on the product. Anything you can’t pronounce? Maybe its time to move to simpler products.
• Baking soda and orange juice makes a great face mask.
• Honey, lemon and turmeric is a great cleanser.
• If you have to use packaged products look for organic options and always check the ingredient list to see what’s really in there.

Be a tree-hugger. Print less.

Honestly, paper usage has no direct impact on our health. And yet we have to just look around us to realise the effects of global warming and a receding green cover. Although technology has significantly reduced our need to print, there are times when hard copies of documents are required.

So what do you do?

• Look for printing paper that is made of recycled paper [at least partially].
• If you’re using paper for personal use, then use the blank side of old printouts lying around the home or office.
• Look for recycling options or donate your old books to local libraries. Spread some bookworm love and save the earth.

Finally, vote with your money

We often underestimate our power as consumers. India is the twelfth largest consumer market in the world. That means, our individual and collective consumption decisions can have a large impact on what the markets make available.

So what do you do?

• If you’re an animal rights advocate, ask for cruelty-free products.
• Think big corporations are evil? Frequent local, mom-and-pop stores, boutiques and restaurants.
• Wish your grocery store sold organic produce? Get your friends to make phone calls to the store till they stock up on the stuff.

Being conscious, responsible consumers is probably the most empowering thing we can do. It affects our own health and has a huge impact on the environment. Wherever we live, from a high-rise in Mumbai to a tree-house in Sweden, we all really have just one home and one mother: our beautiful, magical planet. When we commit to take better care of it, we end up benefiting in the process.

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