The zero waste movement is gaining momentum faster than ever. But what is “zero waste” and why does it matter?
What is zero waste?
Zero waste means basically what it sounds like: an effort to reduce the waste we produce in our homes and beyond. The mission behind the zero waste movement is to reduce waste and practice mindfulness when it comes to consumption.
Getting started with lower waste living
Reducing your waste might be easier than you think. There are plenty of simple swaps that reduce plastic waste and function just as well (sometimes even better!) than single-use versions of the same item. Here are a few items to consider swapping:
- Bamboo scrub brushes instead of plastic dishwashing tools
These bamboo scrub brushes work fantastically. When the bristles get worn out, you can simply replace the brush head (which is fully compostable!).
- Shampoo and conditioner bars instead of bottled shampoo and conditioner
The shampoo and conditioner bars we carry are excellent. Dip hair care made solid forms of salon-quality hair products that are plastic-free.
- Swedish dish cloths instead of paper towels
One Swedish dish cloth can replace up to 17 rolls of paper towels! They are super absorbent and dry quickly so they don’t get gross between uses. They can be machine washed, air-dried, and composted at the end of their life. They’re also way cuter than paper towels!
Refills and buying in bulk
Refilling is a great switch to make because you can still get products in their traditional forms (e.g. liquid shampoo), but you can ditch the plastic containers they come in. Fun fact: this was the primary way people purchased products before single-use plastics took over! Here’s how to use refilling to reduce your plastic waste:
- Bring your container to a local refill store. It doesn’t even have to be empty!
- Weigh the container before adding any product. Write the weight on the container.
- Fill your container with a product.
- Check out! The store will weigh the container again at checkout and subtract its original weight, so you only pay for the product inside.
At New Moon Refillery, we make refilling easy by doing everything for you at our warehouse and delivering it to your doorstep! No need to worry about remembering your containers or taking the time to fill them.
Progress over perfection
At New Moon Refillery, we prefer the term “low waste” over “zero waste” because completely eliminating waste is not practical for most people, and setting zero as the standard can make getting involved feel overwhelming. There is no set amount of waste that makes a person good enough to consider themselves part of the movement. The most important thing is taking the steps that make sense for you and remembering that progress is what matters most!