Everyone has the power to create less waste, but the idea can often seem overwhelming and impossible. Here are a few different charts with great tips for living sustainably that anyone can try.
1. Swapping out your everyday products for longer-lasting, reusable items can actually add up to make a difference.
2. A great place to start: these three swaps that can make a world of difference in reducing waste every day–without you having to think about it!
3. Learn the difference between biodegradable and compostable, because they aren't quite the same thing.
4. And then brush up on what you can and can't compost, and how you should dispose of certain items.
5. Know your bioplastics, because it can get a little confusing at times.
6. Learn once and for all why plastic straws are the worst with a capital "W," and commit to cutting back on using them.
7. Make a conscious effort to store your food without all that pesky plastic wrap.
8. One way to do this is to make your own beeswax wrap at home, which you can use again and again to store food!
9. Try to buy a number of your pantry staples in bulk so you can take fewer trips to the supermarket and use less packaging.
10. Buy a reusable coffee filter, which can give you up to two years' worth of waste-free coffee.
11. Make your wardrobe more sustainable by learning which fabrics to avoid and which fabrics to embrace.
12. Then wash the fabrics with your own DIY laundry powder, so you don't have to keep buying detergent in giant plastic bottles and tubs.
13. Assemble a zero-waste travel kit, so you can stay green even when you're on the go.
14. Learn the difference in energy usage between standard and LED lightbulbs, and then make the switch wherever you can.
15. Start out your zero-waste journey with these five simple steps.
16. Think critically about how you can effectively make less trash.
17. Consider different areas of your life where you can start making small changes.
18. And finally, take on these small tasks and tips individually, and watch them them add up to a full year of creating less waste.
