25 Oct Essential products to welcome into your zero waste life

1. Reusable water bottle

Plastic bottles should be among the first things to go in a zero waste lifestyle. In 2017, The Guardian reported that one million plastic bottles are purchased around the world every minute. If consumers don’t cut down, that insanely high number could increase another 20 percent by 2021.

2. Bring Your Own Jars

When storing food, drinks, or a variety of other supplies, try eliminating plastic Tupperware and Ziplock bags and replacing them with glass jars. Bonneau gets a lot of hers for discounted prices at thrift shops, and Rosquillas reuses a lot of containers in her pantry and refrigerator, such as sauce and mayonnaise jars.

3. Cloth bags and totes

Cloth bags are essential for storing, transporting, and buying food in bulk. “I couldn’t live without them,” Weldon said. You can sew your own using old shirts or sheets. Johnson said one of her favorite cloth bag-making hacks is to sew the bags the same size as containers in your pantry so when you go shopping and fill them, you know you’ve bought the perfect amount. 

Reusable tote bags also cut out plastic and paper bags when grocery shopping. To ensure you always have them on hand,invest in bags that clip onto your key ring and fold up.

4. Reusable straws and utensils 

Eliminating single-use plastic straws is a must, says Kellogg. “If you like straws and drink a lot of smoothies, they make all sorts of reusable straws from bamboo, stainless steel, glass, and silicone,” she said. Same goes for utensils.

5. Handkerchiefs

Follow the lead of older generations and keep a few handkerchiefs handy. These useful pieces of cloth are easy to make, and they’re great for wiping your nose or mouth, eliminating the waste of tissues and napkins.