The reasons to go Zero Waste are pretty clear to anyone who’s paying attention (climate crisis, duh) BUT anyone else out there feel like maybe you aren’t welcome to join the Zero Waste party?

Let’s all be honest. The Zero Waste movement is dominated by young, white women of privilege. High-profile zero-waste advocates argue that anyone can (and should) reduce their annual trash output to a lonely mason jar and trash their trash can.

But can we? Really?

Do you find yourself scrolling through zero waste IG feeds with their immaculately organized kitchen cupboards full of beautifully labeled glass jars of lentils, take a quick glance at your hot mess of a kitchen and think – NOPE.

Do you struggle with access to bulk stores or can’t imagine shelling out $40 bucks for a stainless steel lunch tiffin that, let’s face it, your hubby or kids will probably lose within the space of a month? You’re already insanely busy and this is just One. More. Thing. Now you feel guilt on top of it. Not good, right??

Sound familiar? Feel impossible?

Breathe, I got you.

I’m not a 25 year old blogger living in the heart of NYC or a wealthy Bay Area housewife. I’m a busy working-class Mama with two kids, a working farm to run, and not a Whole Foods in sight. (Not that I could afford it, anyway.)

The Zero Waste movement has been great for raising our consciousness surrounding waste, but not so great about making it welcoming or accessible for normal folks who are already overwhelmed just keeping their kids fed and the lights on.

This piece The Truth Behind Zero Waste : The Good, The Bad and The Privilege does a great job of showing how even a young, financially stable woman struggled in her efforts to go completely zero waste. She’s quite thoughtful and open; it’s worth a read.

But I’m not here to knock the women who have dedicated their lives to this important work. I’m here to say hey, it’s not all-0r-nothing, people! So go easy on yourself and don’t let the overwhelming prospect of trying of going zero-waste stop you from REDUCING your waste.

So, from one imperfect woman to another, here’s my top tips for reducing your waste (for normal people).

1) Start Small

You know that great quote “Do what you can, where you are with what you have?” Ya, that applies here.

There is no point setting a goal of getting a year’s worth of garbage to fit in a mason jar if you’ve never even recycled before. There’s no shame or judgement here.

Quick wins will serve you much better than shooting for the moon and failing. We’re talking lifestyle changes here, and this stuff takes time to stick. Give yourself some grace.

2) Take a Look at Your Garbage

No, really. Really look. 

Your garbage will give you a good idea where you can start to make small changes. Are there water bottles in there? Recyclables? Take-away containers? Coffee cups? Food waste?

One of my dad’s favourite expressions is “Pick one, look at the rest.” This applies here. Don’t get overwhelmed, just pick one thing that jumps out at you and use that as your starting point.

3) Reduce Your Consumption

Sounds obvious, right? But the best way to reduce what goes out is to reduce what comes in.

Everything from clothing to junk mail to amazon orders all add up to more trash in the bin.

4) Don’t Buy into the Idea that You Need to BUY Anything

Oh gosh this is a big bugaboo for me when it comes to the Zero Waste Movement.

Beautiful Pinterest-friendly “conscious consumption” is great, but also kinda beside the point. We can’t CONSUME our way out of a problem caused by over-consumption. That’s just crazy talk.

Sure, conscious consumption should play a part in your green, low-waste lifestyle, but it should be one of the last tools you pull out, not the first.

Chances are you already have everything you need.

5) Focus on Consumables

When you first get started working to reduce your waste, focus on things you need to buy and will use up. This helps in a couple ways:

• Focusing on low-waste consumables gets us away from the idea that you need to buy a ton of expensive tools before you can get started reducing your waste
• There are lots of options in this category, so it’s easier to get started regardless of your level of access to zero-waste options, your budget and your comfort level.

Examples in this category might include switching to bar soap and solid hair care like these ones that I make for the Soap Co. or buying some of your staples from bulk bins.

6) Remember Your Why

When embarking on major life change it’s important to focus on the spirit of the thing. The point isn’t to be perfect or to take pictures of your trash for social approval. Ask yourself WHY it’s important that you reduce your waste?

My why is my kids. Every little bit I do to reduce my waste helps them. If it isn’t perfect, it isn’t cancelled out. Every choice matters and it all adds up. So don’t give up! It get’s easier with practice, I promise.