Although the idea of changing one’s lifestyle for the betterment of the world is a noble pursuit we can all get behind, sometimes the required transition can appear daunting at first glance. However, even the smallest changes can make a dramatic impact, and with a little bit of guidance from zero-waste advocates like author Tara McKenna, the roadmap toward a better future has never been more clear.
In the Don’t Be Trashy book, McKenna provides a month-by-month guide through a year of reducing waste with tips and tricks ranging from how to be a conscious consumer to participating in the sharing economy.
In this excerpt, McKenna breaks down five easy ways to help develop habits that in addition to reducing the amount of money you spend on inessential consumer driven products, can also help to heal the world along the way.
Avoid single-use plastics
Choose reusables whenever possible to avoid single-use plastics at home and on the go; Create a zero-waste kit of reusables:
- Water bottle
- Coffee cup
- Straw
- Napkin
- Handkerchief
- Eating utensils
- Food containers
- Shopping bags
Quality over quantity
Shop less, buy better quality and longer-lasting products, and support the secondhand market.
Sharing is caring
Participate in the sharing economy by borrowing, swapping, renting, and sharing resources, tools, products, and skills.
Support sustainable farming practices
Support organic and sustainable farming practices with your food purchases, which helps to support better land management and biodiversity, as well as better working conditions for farmers, and contributes overall to better health for everyone (people and planet).
Eat more plants
Eat more plants and fewer animal products to reduce waste, conserve land, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
