Are you a complete Zero Waste beginner? 

Maybe you feel pretty confident with what items can be recycled and what can’t, yet you know you aren’t doing enough to save the planet.

This Zero Waste beginners guide is more important than ever, bookmark it and share it with those who you know will benefit from it.

Everything a beginner needs to know is here and waiting for you to read and share.

Okay ready?

Let’s do this. 

THE VITAL INFORMATION FOR ALL ZERO WASTER BEGINNERS

Hold up!  You need to read this eye-opening statement of truth before we go any further.

It’s important you find your unique strategy.

Raise your hand if you have spent many hours viewing Zero Waste feeds on instagram?

Well, ask yourself this. Are Zero Waste Gurus making it look easy? And is it easy for you to achieve? Well, all you need to remember is this following sentence. What can I do to reduce my environmental damage, that will not cost me any financial or lifestyle loss?

See here’s the thing,  people spend an extra £10 on fuel to drive to a further distance to purchase flour in bulk, crazy right? I mean, extra carbon emissions wasted to purchase something.

After interviewing many Zero Waste beginners, 83% of them would spend an extra £25 a month on package-free food, instead of investing that money into bills, hobbies, and interests.

That’s not good.

And you understand why.

Now I’m not giving you permission to go out and purchase individually plastic wrapped potatoes, I’m asking you to be logical with your Zero Waste beginner journey. Just remember, you are trying to avoid items that can’t be reused or recycled.

Now repeat this after me…

'I am a Zero Waster on my own terms because restrictions apply.' Click To Tweet

Disclosure:
Some of the below products are provided to you through an affiliate link. This means that if you choose to make a purchase I will receive a small commission. Please be assured that my recommendations are honest and only linked below if I believe in the product and its purpose.

Diary To Record All Of Your Waste And Recyclables

It’s simple, record every item you throw away and recycle in a specific diary. Then make it a habit to refer back to your diary so you can see what alternatives you can make or buy in the future.

And of course, to help you out I’ve put together a free downloadable Zero Waste diary. 

Click the below image to download your free Zero Waste diary.

Store The Items You Would Usually Throw Away

Without a doubt, you have seen the Zero Waste celebs sporting a trophy of their yearly trash in a mason jar.

“I want that!” I hear you say.

I think everyone should have a trophy jar of rubbish. Get this, I want you to push the boat out even further, wash the non-recyclables and store them it in the hope to reuse them in the future.

Tip: Supermarket brand bread bags are perfect for storing food in the freezer.

Know Your Local Areas Recycling Options

Think fast! Do you know what recycling facilities your current location has? If you answer no to that question, do you know how to find out?

Contact your local council and find out where you can recycle items that you can’t put into your recycling bin, for example kitchen appliances, batteries and steel.

Heck if you’re from the UK, you can find shoe donation boxes in any Wilkinsons store and drop off dead batteries and used car oil in Halfords.

Reusable Bags For Shopping

If you purchase bulk loose items such as oats and rice, reusable mesh bags are ideal and convenient. Click here to purchase your own mesh bags.

However, for the general day to day shop, always make sure you keep reusable bags with you.

Reusable Drinks Bottle

This is without a doubt, the easiest Zero Waste beginner item. Make sure your bottle is suitable for cold and hot drinks and fits into your bag or vehicle.

Don’t splash out on anything fancy. Hey, I’m currently reusing a Starbucks Chilled Macchiato glass bottle.

Food Storage

Food does not spoil as quickly if you keep it in the fridge. Reuse store purchased bread bags and glass jars to preserve your food for longer. If you don’t have any of these previous options, simply keep your food in a bowl with a plate on top. Stainless steel tiffany boxes are perfect for either on the go containers or fridge storage. Plastic clingfilm can be replaced with reusable and sustainable beeswax strips, or Click here for a vegan option from boobalou.co.uk

On The Go Must Haves

Apart from a reusable bottle and an on the go food container. Keep a set of reusable cutlery in your bag or vehicle. Include a reusable napkin (these are more handy than you may think).

Reusable Kitchen Towels

I’m sure you agree that it is a common practice that every household owns kitchen roll. Just because it’s a normal everyday item, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the Earth to use it. You can make you own from old towels and any absorbent fabric, or purchase handmade pretty looking un-paper kitchen roll.

Click here to see a kitchen towel alternative Etsy can offer to you.

Menstrual Cups And Washable Sanitary Towels (Ladies only read, yet to you guys out there this is still vital stuff to know.)

Ditch the disposable tampons and sanitary pads and move over to the reusable and eco-friendly alternatives. Tampons can be replaced by menstrual cups and disposable pads can be replaced with reusable friendly pads. 

Birth Control (This method does not protect you from STD’s)

I doubt you knew that you can avoid pregnancy successfully by monitoring your monthly cycle? Did you know there is a method that doesn’t include a single contraceptive pill, inserting a coil or having an injection?

Pick up your jaw and keep on reading…

The Family Planning Method helps identify the exact days you need to avoid unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. That’s right, anything we were taught in schools and hear from our GP’s can be dismissed every so slightly with this natural easy method.

All you need is the Taking Charge of Your Fertility book, a basal thermometer , bodily observation skills and somewhere to record your daily cycle notes. I use the Kindara app which is free to download from the majority of App stores. Please note: This method will not protect you from any sexually transmitted diseases.

 
Safety Razor

Shaving is the most preferred hair removal method, but that doesn’t mean you should stick to a disposable brand. Save the planet and be silky smooth by investing in a stainless steel (plastic free) safety razor.  When the blades need to be replaced, recycle them at a scrap metal recycling facility.

Tip: Use a clean dry tin can and tape the lid to the top so it looks how it did before it was opened. Make a slit in the lid with a craft knife, big enough for used razor blades to be posted through. When you have filled up the tin can, tape closed the slit and hand it over to your metal recycling facility. To prevent any accidents, label the tin can before you hand it over.

To watch a demo of how to use a saftey razor without shaving cuts or any anxiety, click here.

Zero Waste Toilet Paper

You can swap regular toilet paper to reusable cloth towelettes and wash them when needed. If this doesn’t sound like your type of thing, consider the following sustainable options.

1) A portable bidet

2) Eco toilet paper.
The company GreenCane sell a plastic packaging free, BPA free, GMO free and100% biodegradable toilet paper. Click here to find out more about them.

3) Commercial branded toilet paper 
Velvet comfort toilet paper is available in most high street stores and beats all the other brands with their sustainable practices. Their packaging is fully recyclable and exceeds the expected industry standards by planting 3 trees instead of 2 for every tree they use.

Food Waste

A lot of people will tell you food waste is the biggest battle you will face when you become Zero Waste.

What if I said, if you follow these 5 easy steps and you won’t ever struggle with food waste again? 

1. Most foods will last longer if stored in the fridge, apart from the following; garlic, potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, bread and onions.
2. Know your portion sizes and never cook more than you intend to eat.
3. Make a second meal with left-over food.
4. Plan your meals before you purchase more food and stick to your plan throughout the week.
5. Feed your scraps to either your pets, a bokashi bin, wormery or compost pile .

Click here to see how easy and cheap it is to set up your own DIY Wormery.

Click here to make your own outdoor chicken wire compost bin.

Hair Washing

You got two options.

1) Go for the water only method which is how it sounds; you wash your hair with water only. If this isn’t your thang, try the following option.

2) A Zero Waste shampoo and conditioner bar. Click here for my personal favorite.

Makeup

Probably the hardest thing is to find is a good coverage product with Zero Waste packaging.

Well, here are some foundation options I love.

Lush foundation (Comes in a recyclable tub that you can return to the store to be reused)
100% Pure Powder foundation (Comes in a recyclable tin)

Etsy sellers have some fantastic eco options for eye shadows and mascaras that come in stainless tin tins. Click here to have a look at the most recent Etsy sellers.

‘But I like my current makeup brand, I don’t want to switch!’

Hey, I got you covered. Check out TerraCycle and find out how they will use your empty makeup containers and recycle them into another product.

A Solution For Items That Cannot Be Recycled Or Reused

I cannot recommend TerraCycle enough, Click here for the UK website and Click here for the US website. TerraCycle will send you out a box and you add your nonrecyclables and then ship the box to them. When your box has been received, they do the hard work and ensure the items are made into other useful things.

What makes them even better is that for every item you send, you receive points which can be exchanged for cash donations to any non-profit organisation or a school of your choice.

Whilst TerraCycle is free for some items, many certain types of plastic involve a cost to be broken down and reused. This means, that for some items you will need to pay around £70 for the cost of a box to be sent to you. Therefore, encourage your office, college, street and school to invest in a box and more people can send their plastic to a better place.

Before you dismiss them, click here to view the free recycling programs they offer. 

Stationary

When it comes to pens you have the option of either using a refillable fountain pen or sticking with pencils because they are biodegradable. As for notebooks and other office essentials, if you can’t get hold of something second hand, only purchase an item if you know it will be reused again and again.

Yes, we want to avoid funding companies that produce non-biodegradable stationary. However, for the items that have already been made you can still add a Zero Waste twist. Click here to find out how you can send a box of used pens and markers to TerraCycle, that will be melted and reshaped into other products.

If you want to score more eco points, consider using the back of unwanted letters as a DIY notepad. Or Click here to view protecttheplanet.co.uk and find out how to get your own recycled notebook in a variety of colours, like this one right here.

Batteries

We live in a modern world fuelled by electric and portable energy. Small alkaline batteries are slowly being replaced for hard wearing battery packs, but until that happens we need an eco process in place.

1. Recycle
   Companies that sell more than 32kg worth of batteries a year must offer a recycling collection box. Think of places like Halfords, B&Q, Maplins, Currys.
2. Reuse
   Buy a reusable battery port like this one and never be short of portable power again.

Repairing Items

Congratulations your new lifestyle involves the occasional repair of clothing and other items. Because after all… you want to reuse something and avoid it being thrown out right?

If making, redesigning and repairing clothes sounds like your type of thing, I can’t recommend this sewing machine enough. Or maybe you only want to repair something when it is absolutely necessary, well in that case pick up an inexpensive sewing kit like this.

Toothbrush

This is the only toothbrush brand you will ever need again, BPA free, plant based bristles, vegan, biodegradable handle and the company support Zero Waste living, do I need to say anymore?

One more thing.

Every Zero Waste guru will advise you to swap regular toothpaste for a DIY baking soda and coconut oil mixture, I think this is bad advice and here is why…

1) Daily use of baking soda can be damaging to your teeth

2) You don’t need anything more than just water and a good scrubbing technique to clean your teeth.

Don’t buy into the ‘the product cleans my teeth’ hype. Think about it… people still get fillings by using expensive toothpaste with poor brush movement techniques right? 

Take note: Toothpaste doesn’t have superpowers. I won’t provide any links to baking soda toothpaste recipes because I want to make sure you preserve your teeth.

Cleaning Products

Linking back to the toothpaste point, you don’t need all the different variations of cleaning products for every room of your home. You really only need the 1 item, well 3 actually; lemon juice, white vinegar, and baking soda.

Lemon juice: Acidic enough to cut through grease and work as an antibacterial agent

Baking soda: Alkaline, good for scrubbing away burnt on food, deodorizer, stain remover, polisher and helps cut through grease 

White vinegar: Slightly acidic, de-scales grime and polishes without leaving streaky marks. 

Clothes & Dish Washing

Now I know what you’re thinking, you are expecting me to tell you to only use water. Come on now, let’s use science for a moment. Seriously, for sanitary reasons and to make sure your clothes are clean, you need a soapy substance to pull away dirt and grime and high enough water temperature to kill bad bacteria.

Soap nuts are the common Zero Waste alternative, but what if I told you that you can purchase a better and cheaper alternative?

Yeah that’s right. I have used Soap nuts for my hair, to clean my dishes, my clothes, even my teeth and yes they work… yes they can be thrown into my compost pile, but they do not lift heavy oils or dark pigmented stains. 

Ecover and Method are my personal favorite brands for both clothes and dish washing and they are produced closer to home.

Don’t forget to use old towels or t-shirts as cleaning rags and a washing up brush instead of a washing up sponge.

Oh and one more thing. Clean your rags and brushes often to avoid the spread of bad bacteria. Make it easy, hold your washing up brush over the kettle spout mid boil.

 

 

Zero Waste Things That Money Can’t Buy…

Get A Zero Waste Buddy

This can be a friend or a family member will join in on the eco transition with you. Having a Zero Waste buddy gives you double the chances of staying on track and soaring through any complications or struggles you have along the way. There are many Zero Waste beginner groups on Facebook for support for other like-minded people, and hey, you’ll even see me hanging around them from time to time.

Patience

Depending on your dedication and drive levels, you could either start your Zero Waste lifestyle by going cold turkey or start by making positive changes over a longer time period. Work with your lifestyle and budget, which brings me to the next…

Acceptance

See here’s the thing, you will buy things in a non-biodegradable material by mistake on the first couple of shopping trips. And you will receive things in the post with unexpected non-biodegradable materials.

And that is okay.

It happens, more than you would dare to think.

Accept that mistakes do happen. Just try to reuse the materials and make a note of it in your Zero Waste diary to avoid it happening again.

Switch To Paperless Bills

In a modern world of emails, paperless is the way to go. Nearly every company will offer you a cheaper rate if you switch to paperless billing. Take note that for legal reasons, some companies have to by-law send you a tangible document.

Love To Receive And Donate Second-hand Items

Get your ass on freecycle, run into the next charity shop and don’t be offended to be given a second-hand gift. For some people, it is seen as a lower standard of living to use second-hand items.

If this helps anyone, I purchase everything second hand and it saves me a lot of money. Heck, I haven’t bought a single new item for my home in years. 

And don’t be afraid to donate your items away. Join local Facebook freecycle groups and advertise your unwanted items for someone else to benefit from.

Say No To Junk Mail

Stopping junk mail from entering your home is an easy and process.
Click here to read The Ultimate end to Junk Mail.

More Zero Waste Inspiration

www.instagram.com/leafeco You didn’t think I wouldn’t include my own Kick ass Instagram account did you? Well, go follow me on Instagram and take advantage of all the eco tips and tricks I share. Don’t miss out!

Zero Waste Home by Beau Johnson, really was the mark on the ZeroWaste map. This book helped move me from a Zero Waste beginner to a superhero and it is still something I frequently return to. One thing to point out, consider the kindle download instead of the hardback version.

www.trashisfortossers.com Founded by Lauren Singer, this awesome chick made Zero Waste living stylish and carefree. 

Are You Ready To Be Zero Waste?

How far along on your Zero Waste journey are you?

Is there something that you think you will struggle with? 

Tell me in the comments below.

Free Download Click here!