zero waste products for the kithcen bamboo cooking and eating utensils and reusable water bottle and straw

Did you know that the average American produces about 5 pounds of trash a day, and 12% of that is plastic!? When we change how and what we consume, we can directly improve our impact on the environment that we need to survive and the lives of the most marginalized communities. Going zero waste can be a long and difficult process, and it is typically only accessible for affluent households and it, unfortunately, puts the responsibility of sustainability on consumers, rather than governments and corporations.

But, what I’ve learned on my own zero waste journey over the last few years, is that trying and doing it imperfectly is better than not doing anything at all.

In fact, I would say the most obtainable and healthy goal is reduction rather than the total elimination of waste. That’s why I made this list of zero waste products to help you start to lower your waste, room by room.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.Meaning, if you purchase anything through them, it won’t cost you anything extra and I make a small commission.

If you’re familiar with “zero waste”, you can skip to:

The aim of going “zero waste” is to reduce the amount of trash that ends up in landfills and the ocean.

Around 8 million metric tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean each year, and 236,000 tons are microplastics. Plastic in general can be devastating for marine life, but micro-plastics pose a big threat to filter feeders like whale sharks. Microplastics also end up in the seafood we consume.

Additionally (and more importantly)–most plastics are made from fossil fuels, and the companies making plastic exploit and pollute the most vulnerable communities the worst.

These petrochemical facilities are often located next to communities of color, causing BIPOC to face elevated health and environmental risks from the toxic chemicals these plastic facilities produce.

Plastic is therefore an environmental racism issue that we have the power to eliminate.

To eliminate using plastic grocery bags, shop my reusable tote bags for a good cause.

whale shark tote bag plastic free lets marine life be
sea turtle cotton tote bag plastic free lets marine life be
fernweh a far sickness

As consumers, we have the power to vote with our dollars and achieve a low waste lifestyle by purchasing and using products that by design, eliminate waste and are better for the Earth and the millions of species that also inhabit the planet, and therefore, also better for us.

Of course, I need to acknowledge the negative aspects of the zero waste movement, which in the words of Naomi of Irie to Aurora “leaves out the voices and values of BIPOC while failing to address the causes of environmental racism.” And as Leah Thomas founder of Intersectional Environmentalism explains, “this lifestyle is only available to those privileged enough to be able to dedicate the time and resources necessary and ultimately pushes the responsibility on the individual to make sustainable choices

Because this movement isn’t perfect, we still need to actually vote for inclusive and progressive candidates that will push for legislative changes that will not only help the planet but also ensure that we are respecting Black, indigenous and other communities of color who are disproportionately being impacted by the Climate Change crisis and other environmental catastrophes.

We also need to be sure to listen and follow BIPOC educators to ensure that we are absorbing the wisdom of indigenous communities who invented the concept of sustainability long before the word existed, and we are taking in the perspectives of the most marginalized and impacted communities.

Here are some BIPOC Environmentalist & Environmental Justice Instagram accounts I recommend following:

That all being said, for socioeconomically privileged consumers—below are some suggestions and low waste products you can transition to in order to reduce your waste and in turn, help empower marginalized communities who suffer the worst consequences of waste and production pollution.

Make this your mantra: Reduce. Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle.

Reduce refers to reducing your consumption of single-use products (like take-out food containers and eating utensils, and to-go coffee cups) but also, it refers to generally buying less material goods that you don’t need. Ultimately, the more we buy (and what we buy) creates the demand for large corporations to keep producing unsustainable products in unsustainable ways.

Reuse and repurpose are pretty straightforward. Try to reuse single-use items as many times as possible and repurpose old or damaged clothes, shoes, accessories, furniture, etc whenever possible. You can also always donate things you no longer want that are still in decent condition, or even try to sell them to certain second-hand stores. And when you do want to refresh your closet, try visiting a thrift store before buying clothes that claim to be made sustainably, and definitely avoid fast fashion stores.

Recycle–note that “recycle” is last. It is traditionally one of the easiest and first methods that people attempt when trying to reduce their waste, and in theory, the concept is great. However, there are a lot of problems with recycling in practice. Mostly because most countries don’t have the proper facilities or capability to truly recycle our plastics and other “recyclable” materials. For a more in-depth explanation, I encourage you to watch Netflix’s documentary series Broken (Episode 4: “Recycling Sham”).

A Few Quick Zero Waste Tips

Try to eliminate single-use plastics, throw-away products, and avoid unnecessary plastic packaging. You can typically accomplish this by making the following lifestyle and behavioral changes:

The following list of reusable kitchen, laundry and bathroom supplies are a great starting place if you are looking to reduce the amount of garbage you produce.

Low Waste Items for the Kitchen & Laundry Room

  1. Indoor Compost Bin
  2. Organic Bamboo Cooking Utensils
  3. Bamboo Cutlery Set
  4. Mason Jar Soap Dispenser
  5. All-Purpose Biodegradable Soap (can be used for hands and dishes)
  6. Bamboo Dish Brush
  7. Nano Sponge (no soap needed and can be washed in a dishwasher or washing machine)
  8. Beeswax food wraps
  9. Reusable Produce Bags
  10. Reusable Grocery Bags
  11. Reusable Silicone Meal Bag
  12. Dry Food Storage Jars
  13. Blueland multi-surface cleaner (comes with reusable containers and tablets)
  14. Telescoping Stainless Steel Straw
  15. Microfiber Dish Towels
  16. Reusable Water Bottle
  17. Laundry Detergent Pods

Low Waste Items for the Bathroom

zero waste products for the bathroom
  1. Adjustable Safety Razor
  2. Bamboo Hair Brush
  3. Bamboo Toilet Paper
  4. Bamboo & Castor Bean Toothbrush (100% organic, vegan, and biodegradable)
  5. Toothpaste Tablets
  6. Biodegradable Floss
  7. Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
  8. Bamboo Shower Body Brush
  9. Hand Soap Refills
  10. Reusable Foaming Hand Soap Dispenser
  11. Blueland Bathroom cleaner starter set (comes with reusable containers and tablets)
  12. Reusable Make-up Remover Pads
  13. Biodegradable Bamboo Cotton Swabs (comes in sustainable packaging)

This list is in no way exhaustive, but rather it is meant to be a helpful starting place. Each of these products are things you can get from countless brands and in endless variations (so please buy whatever is affordable and accessible to you). All the items I link to in this post are products and brands that I have personally used.

Please feel free to comment with further suggestions of items and brands that have helped you lower your waste or to continue the discussion on how we can make the zero waste movement more inclusive and just for BIPOC communities.

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About Author

Anna is an optimist with pessimistic tendencies who enjoys making a short story long, listening to soundtracks from musicals, and watching anything in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi genre. These days you can catch her learning about off-grid living and gardening the hard way, wandering with her partner and dogs through forest roads in a camper, or hiking to waterfalls or glacial lakes. You can also find her on YouTube at Anna and Ryan.

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