My Journey Towards Zero-Waste
"Isn't it bizarre that the most intelligent animal to ever walk this planet is destroying its only home?"
-Jane Goodall
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
For almost as long as I've cared about animals, I've cared about the environment. I think these two loves grew with each other and helped me become the animal- and earth-loving person I am today. In my parents' house growing up, we always recycled and reused things when we could. If we bought a plastic water bottle, we kept refilling it for as long as possible before recycling it; if we got plastic utensils from a fast food restaurant on a road trip, we'd save them, wash them, and use them over and over again. Obviously, if you know anything about environmentalism, this was still not ideal, but we were trying to do what we could with the knowledge we had. I know recycling isn't anywhere near a perfect system, and I still probably do it too much, but at least it's something. At least you're giving some thought to the planet and believing that something good will be done with that product once you're done with it.
When I later went vegan at the age of 18, which, luckily, was around the time Cowspiracy came out, I learned about the total devastation to the planet caused by animal agriculture. Seeing the massive scale of catastrophic negligence of animal agriculture made me feel good to no longer be contributing to that, of course, but it also made me start to think more about other ways I was living that may be causing harm to the environment.
Get Out of My Hair
This first manifested in the form of my haircare routine. Every time I washed my hair, which I cut back to twice a week at most, I fretted over all the shampoo and conditioner bottles I'd gone through in my life. So I started to read up on what I could do to reduce the number of plastic hair care bottles I was using, which resulted in me attempting to just not wash my hair at all. Well, that didn't work, and it made me feel disgusting. So I went back to shampoo and conditioner for a while and decided to think about that problem later. Eventually, I came across the blog My Plastic Free Life, and I felt totally inspired. Reading about little steps I could take on my journey to going plastic-free (or close to plastic-free) from someone that somehow manages to survive without plastic felt like the answer to my prayers. Since then, for about three years now, I've been making a shampoo and conditioner replacement. Finally, I'm free of the guilt of constantly buying those giant plastic bottles.
Living Low-Waste
In the last year or so, I've really become much more interested in zero-waste living and began to implement more changes in my life. I'm at the point now where I would consider myself a low-waster; there are still areas that I need to work on, primarily food, but I've come very far. And as a fairly lazy person that isn't too keen on DIY-ing everything, I firmly believe that anyone can and everyone should start to implement these kinds of changes in their lives.
It's Not All or Nothing
When it comes to veganism, that is very much an all-or-nothing scenario because actual lives are at stake. Every time you purchase an animal product, you're paying for that animal to be killed. With the environment, though, it's much more difficult to see how your choices impact the world around you. I don't know that the plastic bottles I recycle are going to actually be put to use or will just be thrown into the ocean, but I hope for the former. But the point of zero-waste isn't to actually be zero-waste; it's about implementing small changes in your life over time. If everyone did that, we'd be doing a massive favor to the planet and to wildlife. (And, yes, reducing your consumption of animal products is never a bad thing, but elimination is the ultimate goal. I don't classify veganism and zero-waste equally because carnism, or non-veganism, is a form of discrimination ingrained in our society. Buying plastic is not.)
Plastic in the Ocean
Since the dawn of plastics, every ounce of plastic that was ever made still exists on Earth today. Eventually, over time, it breaks down into tiny microscopic pieces that float through the water in the oceans, lakes, wells, and right into our bodies. These microplastics are wreaking havoc upon the aquatic food chain, from tiny little plankton all the way up to blue whales and land-dwelling seabirds and mammals. Animals that ingest large amounts of microplastics or large pieces of plastic have difficulty passing it through their stomachs. As the plastic sits in there, it gives these animals the false feeling of being full, and they thusly don't eat, eventually starving to death.
Where Is It Coming From?
You may have guessed from the earlier parts of this post that human consumption of plastic goods, such as water bottles or potato chip bags, is to blame for this devastation. There is certainly no shortage of footage of birds with lighters and pens in their stomachs and turtles with straws and bottlecaps in theirs. However, the biggest problem to marine life is fishing. Approximately 46 percent of plastic in the ocean comes solely from fishing operations. Gargantuan industrial fishing nets are strewn across the oceans, entangling any animals that may get caught in its path. However, there's still the other 54 percent to account for, and any chance to not buy plastic should be taken. This planet is my only home, and I feel an obligation to do everything I can to keep it healthy and its other creatures safe.
Everything I either make myself or buy low-waste/plastic-free:
I have made my own in the past, but I'm still trying to find a recipe that really works for me. I'd prefer to make it myself to reduce the cost of buying something pre-made, but this is what I'm doing right now.
Tissues: I cut up about three old shirts into small, hanky-size pieces and keep them in an old tissue box from which I removed the top to make it into a little basket of sorts.
Last Swab: Q-Tip replacer (currently available for pre-order)
Toner: I bought a plastic bottle of Thayer's toner and have been reusing it with my homemade one
I get that some people are kind of grossed out by touching their armpits, and I felt that way at first, but they're your armpits! It's just another part of your body. Plus, they should be clean when you apply the deodorant anyway.
Cotton rounds - cotton ball replacers
Shopping bags & reusable produce bags
Old glass jars for bulk items
Unbagged fresh fruit & vegetables
Bulk grains, tea, nuts, seeds & nut/seed butter
To Plastic or Not to Plastic
Generally, if there's something available when I'm out shopping and I can only buy it in a plastic container, I wait to purchase it and look for other options in different places. Sometimes I really want a bag of pretzels or a bar of chocolate, but I force myself to think, Is this little craving I have right now worth buying that product and contaminating the planet with yet another piece of flimsy plastic that cannot be recycled and will still be on the earth hundreds of years from now? The answer, of course, is usually a resounding "no." That doesn't mean I don't give in to temptations sometimes, and there are some things, like tofu, that, sure, I could give up, but as it's one of the few things I still buy in plastic, I feel ok continuing to purchase it.
Where to Find Them
If you are interested in shopping zero-waste, you can peruse some of the online stores I've listed below, though I must make clear that these are not exclusively vegan. They may still be selling products that contain animal products--usually beeswax, silk and wool--or were tested on animals (which I certainly wouldn't consider zero-waste or Earth-friendly). Usually, however, companies advertise on their labels if they are vegan and/or cruelty-free.
Who to Follow
Most of the products I've mentioned or the recipes/ideas I've utilized in my life come from other people or searching online for what I need. I don't follow too many zero-wasters, because a lot of them aren't even remotely vegan or they follow a plant-based diet but still buy some animal products. However, there are a few that I do trust (as much as I can trust an online influencer that I don't know).
Why You Should Care
The reason I feel so passionate about helping animals and the environment, instead of, say, starving children in some faraway country (though, ironically, my lifestyle still greatly benefits them) is because there is something I can do about it in my daily life--right now. It's not feasible for me to give food to all those children, but I can control the things I buy and what companies I choose to support. Being vegan or zero-waste doesn't mean that's all you exclusively do or care about; it's just living a certain way. You can be both vegan and zero-waste while fighting passionately and dedicating your life's work to ending world hunger. It's not either-or, so caring more about those children is really no excuse to choose to do nothing at all.
Just Do(n't) It
Obviously, the very best thing you can do for the environment is to simply buy less stuff. But for the things you do indeed need, it's best to shop earth-conscious whenever you can. This doesn't have to occur all at once. Like me, you can start with making one zero-waste change, then once you're used to that, make another small change. It's about everyone making lots of little changes in their lives to benefit the planet. Don't feel bad if you buy something in plastic sometimes; just do what you can to reduce your overall consumption. As my slogan goes, be conscious of what you're buying, what businesses you're supporting, and choose products that align with your values.
be conscious, be kind, be vegan