Should You Try Zero Waste?

Should You Try Zero Waste?

The short answer is, yes, you should! But the long answer is that this world doesn’t make it easy to go completely cold-turkey, waste wise. Waste is everywhere and comes in so many forms that it can be hard to wrap your head around the idea of zero.

The key to adjusting to a zero waste lifestyle (or, at first, a much-less-waste one!) is starting small. Obviously, we think you should stop buying plastic toothpaste tubes and use Bite instead. But what are some other things you can do that are just as simple?

Buy reusable. Look around you at the everyday things you use once, or even a few times, and throw away... then Google search for alternatives. Ziplock baggies? Replace with reusable, dishwasher safe silicone bags. Canned or bottled sparkling water? Buy a Soda Stream or equivalent. Plastic wrap? Invest in bees or plant-based wax wraps. There are amazing companies starting up across all industries, creating alternatives to plastic and are only a Google search away (that's how our first customers found us after all)! 

Try secondhand shops first. This is pretty self-explanatory, and it has the added benefit of being fun. Because what on this earth is better than an amazing find at a vintage store? If you'd rather online shop, Poshmark and Tradesy are great second hand options too! 

Turn off your fan. Truly the easiest: just turn things off when you’re not using them. Turn off your fan before you leave the house for the day, unplug things that don’t need to be plugged in, and be mindful of the power you’re generating when you’re not even around to enjoy it. Look into phantom charging -  aka devices that use energy even when you’re not using them — and keep things unplugged.

Meal prep. We’re so sorry to be the trillionth person to tell you about the benefits of meal prepping. We know you’ve heard it before. But it’s popular because it really does have so many benefits, we swear! Besides just saving you money and leading to healthier eating, it drastically reduces waste from the takeout containers you’re bound to end up with when you find yourself hungry and out of options.

Only wash clothes that are really dirty. It’s easy to get into the habit of throwing everything you’ve worn once into your ever-growing laundry pile. But next time, take a minute and consider: does this item really need to be washed? That might mean that while your gym clothes always make the cut, your sweaters get a few wears before they end up in the washing machine.

The good news is that a lot of the habits that lead to zero waste also lead to other positives - like saving money, eating well, and finding really cool secondhand stuff. And the more good waste-conscious habits you adopt, the easier it will be to try new ones. Zero waste sounds daunting, but when you break it down it’s not only do-able, but actually pretty fun. So start with Bite, and then keep going.