Living without producing waste? What is zero waste and 5 tricks to live a life without waste

In the world, an estimated amount of 11.2 billion tons of solid waste is collected every year and the disintegration of the organic proportion of these wastes contributes approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This rate of waste creation is unsustainable for our planet, therefore, we must look for solutions that can contribute to the fight against waste.

One of the ways to help the planet is the Zero Waste movement, a movement and philosophy of life that avoids the generation of waste as much as possible.  It is based on a set of practices that can be applied on a day-to-day basis to considerably reduce the garbage in our environment.

5 Zero Waste tricks that you can apply in your daily life 

  1. First, look at what you have and the products that you usually consume. Spend what you already have at home, and thus the changes to more sustainable products will be easier.
  2. Find out if there are bulk stores in your area. Try to buy food and household products in these establishments, you will avoid waste!
  3. Change to solid. For example in shampoos, gel and conditioners, with this gesture you will save countless disposable plastic containers.
  4. In the kitchen, it prevents food waste. Do your best to take advantage of what you already have, be creative cooking and freeze what you have left over for another time. Food waste generates a huge amount of waste, not to mention CO2 emissions (6% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide).
  5. If you have the possibility, compost everything organic that ends up in the trash can! Although we invite you to look for recipes of use or DIY how to make vegetable broth with the discarded peels or skins of vegetables.

Finally, reject, reduce, repair and reuse. Follow the Rs philosophy at home with everything you can to avoid generating more “garbage” than necessary. Some old sheets or T-shirts can be wrapped in rags or in reusable bags for bulk shopping.