by YL Tang

I recently watched a few videos on YouTube of people trying to produce zero waste for a week. I must say their efforts are inspirational, so much so that I considered following them myself, not just for the sake of my health, but Mother Nature and the longer the better. However, it is incredibly hard to avoid packaging, especially in the current climate and I have to admit IÔÇÖm not ready to take it to the extreme and use reusable toilet roll (shame on me). Nevertheless, I think that baby steps can turn into giant leaps, for the love of our earth, here are a few things you and I can bring along with us to make a little bit of difference each and every day.

 

Reusable coffee cup: To kick off your day, a reusable coffee cup is essential. Lots of cafes are even starting to offer discounts for those who bring their own cup. You can use foldable tumbler too, if you think a regular tumbler use up too much space of your bag.

 

Reusable re-zip seal storage bag: As for your breakfast, carrying around a reusable re-zip seal storage bag is perfect storing your breakfast burrito. ItÔÇÖs just as convenient as a regular zip-lock bag, but it is much more economical and eco-friendly.

 

Pre-prepare food, reusable utensils and handkerchief: ItÔÇÖs lunchtime! Pack your own lunch to avoid the excessive packaging of shop bought lunches, as well as your own reusable utensils and even perhaps a handkerchief. Reusable utensils are growing in popularity, bamboo in particular is much smaller than you think and are lightweight so they can be carried around easily. A handkerchief is a great substitute for tissue paper because you can wash it with your laundry and prevents over-use of one-off wipes.

 

Reusable water bottle:To stay hydrated throughout the day, a reusable water bottle is a must. The Guardian announced that by the late 21st century, 20,000 plastic bottles will be consumed per second worldwide. You can even invest in one with a fruit infuser, which will not only provide you with many essential nutrients but may encourage you to drink more.

 

Reusable shopping bag: A reusable shopping bag is that all-important item for anytime of the day, whether your shopping for clothes or food. You can also get ones that fold into a pouch to save space in your bag. ItÔÇÖs even better if can also bring smaller bags made from materials such as, cotton etc. to store veggies, fruits and other miscellaneous produce.

 

Menstrual cups: For girls, sometime waste is unavoidable during a certain period of the month, however, menstrual cups are becoming an increasingly popular solution. If you want to ease yourself into it, there are also reusable pads and underwear available. They may sound unsanitary, but with the proper care theyÔÇÖre no different than conventional period products.

 

There are a lot of different recycling schemes to help manage our waste, but they are not enough. There are still a lot of things we can do to avoid producing waste altogether, although, producing zero waste is hard, itÔÇÖs definitely worth a shot. You might be surprised by the difference you see on bin day.