Why Zero-Waste?

Why Zero-Waste?

Why Zero-Waste, is it just a load of old rubbish?

When we started on this Mintie journey, it was as much about trying to make changes in our own lives as it was about embarking on a new eco business venture.

There are four of us living in our house and by default we create what feels like a mountain of waste….it was depressing to see how many bulging bin bags were thrown away each week and I started to feel more sick and more aware that ‘away’ doesn't really exist.

Our rubbish goes on a long journey often underground, incinerated or sent overseas…its not really going away. It is hanging around just out of sight, affecting us all in a negative way. I knew from the growling pit in my stomach that something needed to be done. Something needed to change at home. Not necessarily for me and my future but in order for my kids and their kids have the chance of a future that is green, flourishing, and positive.

So what does Zero Waste mean to us? I think the term can be a little suppressive, I prefer to think of zero waste more in terms of living a lower-impact lifestyle. The statement ‘you need to live without creating any waste’ can be stressful and unobtainable by most people, myself included. Our journey to reducing our plastic waste is slow and on-going. It's about lots of small choices and small changes that accumulate and snowball to create bigger changes in our lives and our world.

Low Impact Living is a movement that is taking off around the web, it's about making positive eco-conscious choices when we can and not feeling like we need to give up when we have an epic fail.

So what do we actually do at Mintie HQ…

  • Recycle everything we can
  • Compost all our food waste
  • Use local fruit and vegetable delivery services
  • Say ‘no thank-you’ to plastic bags, straws and other unnecessary items in stores and give our kids the confidence to do the same
  • We are making our bathrooms and kitchens consume less plastic by refilling, reusing and supporting those fabulous re-fill shops that are thankfully popping up out there
  • We love our local charity shops & vintage stores
  • Try to reuse and mend stuff more…

 It all sounds highly virtuous doesn't it…but we still create rubbish each - and - every -  week…we are still contributing to the ‘away’ that doesn't exist. I think the point is we are giving it a good go, making the change. Day by day. Little by little.

We have a way to go in un-treading those well trodden paths in our heads but I firmly believe we can make better decisions that will help our inner and outer eco-systems to flourish and thrive. I think that the concept of zero waste is a great reminder that this movement is happening, reducing our plastic, bit by bit, better choice by better choice.

I believe the most important thing is to be kind to ourselves and others along the way. I love this quote by Publilius Syrus  - ‘You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force’

I am excited to be on this learning curve of plastic-free living and have shiny green visions for my family’s future too. I’d love to hear your moves to making your lives have a lower impact on the planet or tips you have for living zero-waste so please share in the comments below …..Vic . x .