This area is about Refusing single-use items.
The Big 4 Kit: Always carry a small kit with a reusable shopping bag, water bottle, coffee cup, and utensils (fork/spoon/chopsticks). Keep them in your car, backpack, or near your front door.
Say “No, thanks”: Politely refuse items you don’t need, such as receipts (ask for e-receipts), straws, plastic cutlery, paper napkins, and promotional flyers/freebies.
Shop Bulk/Loose: Buy dried goods (pasta, nuts, flour) from bulk bins using your own jars or cloth bags. Choose loose produce (like apples and potatoes) instead of pre-packaged, shrink-wrapped items.
Buy Second-hand First: Before buying anything new (clothes, furniture, electronics, books), check out online marketplaces, or local charity shops.
The kitchen is where most household waste (especially food waste) comes from.
Master Food Storage:
Meal Plan: Plan your meals based on what you already have to prevent food from expiring.
Proper Storage: Store food correctly for example, keep leafy greens wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge, and store onions and potatoes separately.
Freeze It: Freeze leftovers, overripe fruit (for smoothies), or bread before it goes stale.
Compost: Start composting fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds. This diverts a huge amount of waste from landfill.
Swap Paper Towels: Use reusable rags, sponges and fabric cloths instead of paper towels.
Ditch Plastic Wrap: Use reusable containers, beeswax wraps, or silicone lids instead of cling film or aluminium foil.
Focus on replacing non-recyclable plastic items.
Switch to Bar Soap: Use solid soap, shampoo, and conditioner bars instead of products in plastic bottles. They often last longer and have minimal packaging.
Bamboo Toothbrush: Replace your plastic toothbrush with a compostable bamboo version.
Safety Razor: Invest in a stainless steel safety razor instead of disposable plastic ones.
Refill: Look for local stores that offer refills for body wash, hand soap, or other personal care products.
These are the guiding principles of a low-waste lifestyle.
Refuse: Refuse what you don’t need (single-use plastics, freebies, junk mail).
Reduce: Reduce what you consume overall (buy less stuff).
Reuse: Find a new purpose for items you already have (use old jars for storage).
Recycle: Properly recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse. Check your local council’s guidelines for what is actually accepted.
Rot (Compost): Compost all organic waste.
