7-R’s of Zero Waste Living
A waste-free lifestyle in 7 easy steps.
Originally published on Medium.
This is the view that always reminds me, the reason I fight for greener spaces and create through storytelling awareness about climate change. Happy holidays, praying for those who are voiceless and my people in the Caribbeans, my BIPOC in all North America and in Europe.
Here is some good news, but one that is making people believe this is it. Unfortunately, no and this research is only to distract. However, let’s take the bad and use it for good. This only means we got ALL of us, collectively, within our countries, and within ourselves to start making changes; that can help our planet and our future, together for the next 7 years.
We must not forget the urgency since we are in a climate crisis now. The more reason that sustainability lifestyle is very important to start embracing during these times. We are all trying to survive a world pandemic, and some of you perhaps haven’t experienced climate change yet but it is only a matter of time.
Humanity is in a crisis and those who are able to look away and not even blink at what’s really going on in the world. It’s a privilege, and it is a choice to ignore or to do something for anybody. Yes, even if we are all having some form of trauma or difficulty during this year. There is always good that comes along with the bad. Never forget our empathy and our unconditional love is our superpower.
Understand and be aware of our unconscious behaviors, which are 95% of our actions come from there. These are rooted in childhood and life experience and the environment. Now, these tech companies are using our experiences, what we shared, liked, and are engaging through our phones, Ipads, and computers; against us through artificial intelligence (algorithm) that keeps getting fed by us on a daily basis. We humans or at least most of us only spent 5% on our consciousness. How can we change this? How can we increase our consciousness? These are not things to be found, there are already within.
Self-awareness and spirituality.
We’ve been learning these and much more this year, by using creativity through adversity. Things that are within you, have or are being silent by our unconscious behaviors and external crap we are seeing through our feeds. Everyday.
The conjunction with Saturn and Jupiter definitely brought a lot of awareness and spiritual healing. If you didn’t feel the effect of that conjunction. I don’t know what will. Perhaps artists and creatives plus the young generation who are already suffering the consequences of our past actions felt that little nudge. And I hope you did because we are going to need all of us. Collective unity and embracing the heavy task of inner work and dismantling the old. We must stay conscious and focus on what's really important, which then can potentially save our life in the long term.
Starting a zero-waste lifestyle saves you money, time, and space. There are what I’ve come to associate as “the holy 7'Rs” and it helps to name them so you can track yourself and continue growing through your sustainability journey. It’s a process, so be kind to yourself as you tackle each of them. Let me help you dissect (yes, as you did in biology, I hope…) to be able to understand their importance and the reason why we should keep them as a priority on a regular basis. It’s like going to the gym or to therapy. You know it is work, but it is the best workout for your planet, for you and others. I promise you’ll start to feel so good after you’ve managed to get the hang of these.
One day at a time.
1. Refuse what you don’t need.
Yep! Let us begin with reducing one’s waste output to prevent the waste from entering your home (or your hands) in the first place.
The “refuse” steps involve saying “no” to waste in the forms of single-use disposables like bags, straws, cutlery, cups, as well as to junk mail, promotional freebies, and other short-lived non-necessities that destinations are unavoidably going into the garbage bin.
Saying “no” to waste can be just as challenging as saying “no” to people. Do you know? to situations that do not serve us. It doesn’t have to come across as harsh, a gentle and friendly “no, thank you” will do! Saying “no” is both a muscle that can be strengthened and a valuable skill with implications for our lives more generally. (This is a working progress, but one that I’ve learned to embrace more once I stop eating meat) This step can serve as a means for learning about our own personal boundaries, how to honor these and how to move beyond our comfort zones as we enter new territory in our journey toward a sustainable zero waste lifestyle.
We need to keep reminding ourselves and hold accountable trillionaire people and their companies for the climate change crisis. We don’t need the media and all over social media keep glorifying these billionaires making trillions in the middle of a world pandemic. They are celebrating their own madness because they are the wealthiest greed bigots and that’s what it is. I go into more details on this on the new podcast episode.
E1:E5
There are some who benefit a lot from inequality. And they have names and addresses. But just to remind y’all because I feel most of us are not grasping. You need to stay strong and your mind needs to rest. Those who took the vaccine. At all costs, sleep! And try not to work! I know it is harder for the people in the US. But please, your health and well-being are more important. Stay safe, wear your mask, wash your hands and keep your distance! ❤
Remember that a big part of this step involves saying “yes” to sustainable goods and services! Say “yes” to package-free purchases at bulk-shops and farmer's markets, to free water refills of your trusty water bottle, to cafés that accept reusable coffee cups, and to restaurants and shops that will fill your reusable containers!
Photo by Jennifer Lila
2. Reduce what you do need.
This one can get complicated, especially if you are just starting and you love to “save-for-later” things. This basically means getting clear about what you need and simply cutting back on that which you don’t need.
“Reduce” in the context of zero waste might mean letting go of household items that are no longer of use and donating, or selling these, thereby alleviating clutter and creating space. “Reducing” might also mean shopping with a purpose and focusing on necessary purchases as opposed to random buying on things that you don’t really need. Too often these items quickly make their way into the dumpster, the back of the closet, or come swaddled in swaths of unsustainable packaging. Fast fashion, cheap electronic gadgets, and processed foods come to mind.
#2 step is our chance, during these times to explore our consuming habits and to assess whether or not these are serving our best interests, or those of the Earth — and give yourself the chance to change them. Like choosing to NOT buy from amazon and support local or BIPOC businesses. Freeing oneself of the responsibility of managing extraneous possessions, or from the traps of hyper-consumerism might have the side effect of improving feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Don’t miss out on embracing your inner clarity and focus after reducing your waste, well-rested body, and self=care practices. ❤
3. Reuse anything that you can.
This is a fun one ❤. It simply means switching up disposable items for reusable and permanent alternatives. This means sourcing a reusable beverage container and carrying it with you when you are out and about. It means carrying reusable cutlery with you as a measure to avoid disposable cutlery. A refillable glass bottle or stainless steel water bottle is your ticket to parting ways with plastic bottles for good! Arm yourself with an assortment of reusable fabric bags for your products and other unpackaged foods!
Jars, yes, jars! These will become your trusty allies, serving as your lunch box, drinking glass, Tupperware, freezer bag, bulk food storage, deodorant container, toothpaste holder, and performing any number of imaginable functions!
Maybe you want to invest in a stainless steel drinking straw? Swap washable dish towels for paper towels. How about a washable handkerchief? Don’t forget washable cloth pads and menstrual cups!
This step doesn’t have to be expensive. Buy second hand, or make it yourself! Repair broken items. Repurpose old clothes or household items! Breathe new life into your wardrobe by participating in clothing swaps! Get creative!
4. Recycle what you no longer need or want.
This is about getting clear on the true place of recycling in the waste management hierarchy. Some mental reprogramming might be involved here. Many of us have been programmed to believe that recycling is the go-to solution for waste reduction. This is a misconception.
Recycling infrastructure in its current state is quite limited and in many cases actually consists of “downcycling” recyclable materials into low-quality, disposable goods that will ultimately end up in the waste stream. Also, recycling infrastructure cannot keep pace with the huge quantities of single-use disposables consumed and disposed of by humans at record speed. Recyclable materials that are not successfully recycled into new products become landfilled (in the US, for example), shipped to landfills in so-called developing countries, or incinerated in Waste-to-Energy (WtE) programs. It is also important to consider that the recycling process itself is highly energy-intensive.
For these reasons recycling is treated by the Zero Waste movement as a last resort to be used only after steps 1 Refuse, 2 Reduce & 3 Reuse have been exhausted.
5. Rehome what you no longer need or want.
Most people find themselves storing and keeping all sorts of things in their house, only to realize that they are not actually using all the items they own. If you feel that your house or apartment has become too crowded, then maybe it is time for a decluttering project or challenge. For example, old appliances, clothes you no longer wear, old toys, and any bulky pieces of furniture.
Rehome = Inner Work
We need to remember, we are human beings and we need to access our feelings. We need to rest. Find joy and happiness through the bad. Yes, everything is bad about this year. We are aware of being also contributing and have been manipulated for centuries now. We are awakening to the illusions that have kept us trapped. If you are awake, be grateful and use what you know for good, and to keep spreading love and light. Especially, to those still living in the dark illusions and unconscious bias which is what keeps them blind and that’s just really sad.
Being aware and awake plus fight for our planet and our human rights are the goals for EVERYONE, every year.
Not just “[New year] is the year!”.
This year is only the beginning and for the love of God and this planet. The year 2021, is not the year that you are just going to magically become what you’ve always wanted to be and money is just going to fly to you. My friends, personal growth, anti-racism education, financial literacy, circular economy, anything creative put into the marketplace, building your own sustainable online business and inner work takes time and it is work!
However, there is no better time, than right now. While we are on lockdown and sharing precious moments and life lessons with families. Find the balance that works for you. It doesn’t have to be perfect, anything that can make your life and of others better right now. Do it. The world needs it more than ever.
Every day, consistently, through adversity and realization of living in a world where domination and manipulation of our minds (AI, the algorithms, etc) has become normal. We know inequality is deadly and is toxic to be racists, discriminate, sexism, and abuse through white supremacy (colonialism s&*^$!) just because we can without balanced and regulation online.
We continue to spread those negative and unhealed traits through social media now and advertising plus corporations love it. Greed has no limits unless we are aware and create the limits. These big tech companies are so controlled and are dependent on them. They are super ecstatic that our actions, our suffering, depression, and our time using social media this year while trying to survive a world pandemic. They made billions while people are dying not just of covid-19, but of poverty and hunger. Let that sink in. Because this is what we will be teaching to future children born during a pandemic, in history books in 10 years. Let’s hope we make it there…
6. Replant the seeds of what you grow.
Collecting and Storing Seeds
I’ve been learning this process through my little sister, who has been taking seeds from fruits and vegetables and replanting them this year. Now, her little apartment is becoming a beautiful and cozy oasis where the plants love to grow and my sister improved her air quality plus her own environment. In other words, small conscious and consistent positive actions do go a long way. We just need to be aware and start.
Self-awareness and spirituality are only the beginning of our inner work. Here is where decolonization and dismantling come in too. Only if you let it and are willing to dive in, then your inner work starts. This is just like taking therapy or starting a new gym workout or diet. This is why spirituality and consciousness are NOT taught in educational systems. These are work that requires a lifetime and it takes all of us to be aware and awake. Which is not beneficial for an unjust, unequal capitalist, and white supremacy/colonial systems or business models. Ex: today social media platforms.
Use social media wisely my earthlings, don’t let it control you. You control the algorithm. Don’t forget you are the product and as such, do what you need to do by posting and sharing what needs to be shared (your business, services, or products, good motivation and inspo, or facts that you’ve researched) or amplified the voiceless. Then, go, do you. Stop using these platforms to spread hate, negative comments, and doing things that are outside, of what your purpose on this planet is. It is toxic to take your time to spread unhealed traumas, fake information, and hate everywhere; you’re not only damaging your own soul but those who are living this human experience with you. We are in this together.
Be mindful and balance your scrolling, posting, and sharing.
Be gentle with yourself and be aware that working on your consciousness is a lifetime work and one the always will enhance your life with others, within yourself, and fulfill your life purpose with more courage than ever before.
Who wants to continue being used and controlled? I hope you don’t, because if you are okay with mass murder and some gadget controlling us through someone being paid to do so. And no consequences for them earning a living by manipulating human lives.
Then, we are already lost and you need to find your way. Helping and caring for others is not a burden, if it is for you then you’ve lost what it means to be human. This vaccine is not the only medicine that we need to be waiting for to save our health. It’s our habits and our ways of living that also needs a “re-check” and start making changes. It’s not easy to embrace change. Some of those changes, we need to analyze, heal and process. Then let go of what does not serve us anymore. That also includes time too. Don’t waste your time on things you know are not good for you.
7. Rot (i.e. compost) the rest.
Compost! Does your municipality have a green bin program or a composting program for organic waste? Yei! Use it! If not, welcome to the wonderful world of home composting! Prepare to see your household waste footprint all to vanish!
There are a few possibilities to compost your own household waste. The first is an outdoor garden compost, which can take the form of a pile, a box, or a unit that can be purchased, or built yourself.
For those looking for indoor composting solutions: vermicomposting is one possibility. Allow thousands of worms to transform your organic waste into mineral-rich garden soil in the comfort of your own home! If worms are outside of your comfort zone, consider the Bokashi indoor composting system that relies on bacterial fermentation to produce pre-digested garden compost.
What can you compost? It will depend on the composting system that you choose. For municipal programs, all food waste should be accepted. The Bokashi method similarly allows for a wide variety of food scraps, including cooked foods, meat, fish, dairy and citrus to be composted.
For garden composts and vermicomposts, you will not be able to compost meat, fish, dairy, bread, pasta, processed foods, or citrus. What can you compost? You will be able to compost plant materials like veggie scraps, non-citrus fruit peels and seeds, nutshells, as well as eggshells, coffee grinds, loose tea, brown paper, hair (non-chemically processed), nail clippings (unpolished), and fireplace ashes. Regardless of your chosen compost method, watch your household waste output shrink before your very eyes! Here is my waste story in February before we got hit by a world pandemic.
That’s it! If these are what you are already doing. Amazing! good for you ❤. Make sure you share this with someone you know needs to read this. We are not perfect, and we all have things to work on. However, it goes a long way when you have friends that can support, guide, and teach you through a zero-waste lifestyle.
You have the potential to minimize your waste footprint should you choose. By following the 7 “R’s” of zero waste, you are 7 steps closer to a simpler and more conscious plus sustainable journey.
Be kind to your planet, to you and others.
Love and Light,
_AO.
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