Being an environmentally conscious person is not always easy. There are so many starting points, so many things to take into account, that sometimes you might feel a little dizzy. But what if there was a guideline to give us a hint where to begin and what to focus on?
It is a simple, innocent and yet so powerful letter: the R.
A letter that gives us orientation and points out the basic rules for an eco-friendly, zero waste lifestyle. No matter if you are just starting out and looking for a point of reference, or if you are an "old hand" in this field and simply lost the overview: The following 5 rules are very easy to apply and summarize the main pillars that are necessary to make the world a better place...
1) Refuse
The first step towards a better future is a conscious decision. We need to understand the negative impact of our current actions and lifestyle and develop a deep inner will and motivation to change something. This new mindset requires the ability to say "NO". Friendly, but determined. This starts in the store, where the sales associate offers you a plastic bag to transport your purchases. And it continues by actively asking the lady at the counter if she could pour the coffee into your own mug that you brought with you to the bakery. You can also reduce the amount of meat on your weekly menu or stop using the car and switch to public transportation or (if possible) your bike.
You choose at which point you can and want to start making the planet a better place. Remember that even the smallest step into the right direction can have a great effect. If each of us does the best he can, it will add up to a big collective achievement.
2) Reduce
The next step would be to spring into action and to keep your eyes open for ecological, sustainable alternatives. Question your habits, reduce as much packaging material as possible and avoid industrially manufactured products. You can do this by trying out a zero waste store or doing your groceries at the weekly market to support local farmers. There is an environment-friendly alternative for almost everything (food, toiletries, cleaning products etc.), and it is a lot of fun to discover them and give them a try! The overall goal here is to reduce unnecessary consumption in general and pay attention to what really makes you happy.
Another way of reduction could be to declutter your home. Reduce whatever is too much and get rid of everything that blocks your energy. Clothes, gadgets, any kind of junk... Only keep what you really need or what is dear to you, the rest might make someone else very happy.
3) Reuse/Repair
"My socks have holes - off to the garbage, let's go to the shopping mall." With a zero waste lifestyle, this attitude becomes a thing of the past. You can ask your grandma how to mend socks or use them as a cleaning cloth (don't forget to put them into the washing machine before). Try to give a second life to things that you would otherwise discard. Learn how to repair them (you will feel like the biggest achiever on earth) or go for items that were created to be reused: a stainless steel water bottle and food container to bring your own lunch to work, tote and / or vegetable bags to transport your delicious cooking ingredients, a straight razor and an ear cleaner made of bamboo or silicone to stay clean.
Another great and fun thing to do is to make things yourself. You can sew a cleaning wipe to remove your makeup, you can craft a cardboard-castle with your nephew made of toilet paper rolls, you can even produce your own laundry detergents with ivy or chestnuts. There are countless things to be discovered!
4) Recycle
There will probably still be some trash coming up that you will need to get rid of. For some products, there are simply no garbage-free alternatives (yet). At this point, remember that you as a customer have more influence that you might think. If you decide to only buy vegetables in glass jars instead of cans, the producers will notice a decrease of their revenues and therefore start thinking about alternatives. A more forthright way in this case would be to send a letter to the producer of your favorite (plastic-wrapped) chocolate and suggest to look for an eco-friendly packaging. If there is enough demand, the supply will change accordingly.
For the waste that cannot be avoided, simply be aware of how to recycle it the best way. Is there a deposit system for bottles in your country? Do you know what kind of plastic can be recycled and which one goes to the bin for residual waste? If you do some research and separate your waste attentively, you will as well do your stint.
5) Rot
After applying all the previous steps in the named order, there should be not much waste and superfluity left in your household and life. For everything that is compostable (vegetable scraps, eggshells, garden waste etc.), either install a compost on your own property if possible or find the closest composting plant / garbage collection point where you can bring your green treasures to. You won't regret it: after a while you can use it as fertilizer for your home-grown fruits and vegetables. And we've come full circle. :)