I’m not exactly sure when the “anniversary” of any lifestyle is. There’s no commitment ceremony to becoming zero waste, but it has been about a year since I started blogging about this crazy decision. I’ve made significant strides in the past twelve months, but there’s still so much more that needs doing. To that end, I’ve made a short list of things I want to do in the next twelve months to take my zero wasting to the next level.
Learn to Darn
Generally, I’m not big on repairing what’s broken. I’m far more likely to get by without a thing than to fix a thing. However, one big part of zero waste is reducing, and when you stop buying excessive amounts of socks and underwear, going without when they start to fall apart is not (always) an option.
That’s why rather than some vague goal of “fixing what’s broken,” I’m going to start small with one specific goal (learn to darn), that will have big effect on my day-to-day life (fixing all my worn out socks and underwear), using tools I already have (needle and thread).
Find a Cobbler
When you can’t repair something yourself, pay someone else to.
I’ve always hated buying shoes. Not only are my feet slightly different sizes so finding anything that fits is a pain, but every time I buy a new pair of anything but sneakers, the “break-in” process is painful. Sometimes even bloody.
I have several nice pairs of shoes now that don’t kill my feet. As a result, I wear them all the time and they’ve started falling apart. Finding a cobbler will not only save my body and sanity from a new pair of shoes, but it is more sustainable to fix a broken shoe than it is to buy new ones.
Buy More Local Produce from Small Businesses
I’ve tried growing my own food and let’s just say it’s been…underwhelming. I would rather mooch of the spoils of my friends’ hard work than rely on my own skills. But one cannot mooch forever.
Therefore, I’ve decided to stop buying produce from big chains whenever possible. “Whenever possible” refers to my budget. At the moment, I can’t afford to buy everything from farmer’s markets. Instead, I plan to frequent independently owned stores that preferably sell local produce or ripe produce that needs to be used immediately. A lot of food waste comes from stores throwing produce away once it no longer meets consumer’s visual standards. That food is perfectly edible and cheaper than what you buy in the average chain supermarket. I’ll be saving money and a few tomatoes from the dump.
Don’t Lose Stuff
The number one contributor to waste in my life? My inability to keep track of junk. In the past year, I’ve lost five coffee tumblers, two water bottles, three pairs of sunglasses, and so much more. On the bright side, it’s been an opportunity to replace my belongings with more sustainable alternatives…but you can only use that excuse once per item.
I’m not sure what steps I can take to stop losing stuff. People have given me plenty of advice (put stuff in the same place every time, treat your belongings like a child–or at least like they are priceless items, etc.). None of these have worked for me thus far. But one can dream.
Keep On Keepin’ On
The easiest thing in the world is to quit. To stop keeping track of every little piece of waste you put into the world. My first few months in Seattle witnessed the biggest lapse in my zero waste habits, but I’m hoping this blog post will act as my sustainable lifestyle re-commitment ceremony. I’m going to keep trying to reduce my waste, and I’m going to keep writing about it. So stay tuned.