Zero waste: what it is and why I might do it

Perhaps you have already seen my post on op-shopping. But what you might not know is the new trend on Zero Waste. It is everywhere. Zero Waste is literally what it says: adopting a lifestyle where trash is not created, and if it is, reused to the best of one’s ability. It often accompanies the minimalist lifestyle, whereby one seeks to reduce the amount of stuff one creates.

Perhaps what you might not know is that I really, really, really, want to try it out.

The hardest part is the “not creating trash” bit. Because that is so easy, and honestly, Zero Waste involves making a lot of your own products and ensuring that rarely any trash is created. It seems so tiring, when it is just so easy to open up that packet of chips or putting cling wrap over the vegetables.

But why do I really want to try it out? Well, for the sake of simplifying this post (not wasting my words, if you know what I mean), I am going to put it down in bullet point form:

• The whole stewardship idea is just one I can’t escape. I’m taking care of the planet that God put me in, which seems like a pretty good idea.

• It seems like a much more natural system of things, one that maybe God had intended right from the beginning.

• It escapes the often controlling idea of keeping things quick. In our normal culture, we have to have everything right now. But what if we had to work for it instead. What if, rather than buying everything, we actually made it ourselves. Sure, its more effort. But hard work builds more character anyway.

• It actually requires one to eat healthier. You can’t just buy packaged foods anymore, you have to make it from scratch. You can’t even go out to eat at fast food places, if you’re not wanting to create any waste.

A short post, but maybe it will remind me and others that there is so much waste already on our planet that we cannot get rid of or reuse. Perhaps we can prevent plastic or whatever it is, from building up so much, that we can no longer see the light in our future on Earth (although I suppose Christians have eternity, so... :) ).

Have a great day all!