The Farmstead's Learning Articles
| Learning Post #1 |Zero Waste Ideals
A Process, Not An Overnight Destination
6/22/2018 (Athena)
Living a zero-waste lifestyle is so incredibly against the grain of our American culture that it is often not fully attainable for the majority of people who have always lived a standard Western-world lifestyle (or, at least it can sure feel that way!). It can be a looooooong process. And, if you aren't rich (which we will talk about in another post), the process of living a lighter-footprint includes many years of not being exactly where you ideologically want to be. That might be hard for some people who are all in or all out. It can be hard to anyone! And to be honest (because that is what we are about here), it can be hard for us too.
We are on this journey. We have times when we are closer to the ideal of no-waste and times when we have set-backs. Like Kyle has communicated before, this whole process is a major life-style change and it is a slow process. I might even argue, it should be a slow process. Those parts might not be "social-media star-power" but they are the reality, and that's what we all live isn't it? The reality of life...not the fantasy it.
One small step at a time.
There are many catalysts that send a person on the road to wanting to live a waste-free lifestyle. In many cases it might just be that we mostly all know that waste is not ideal & we want to do something personally about the amount of waste produced in the world (especially in affluent countries in which we may live or be dependent on in one way or another).
In my case, it was a slow progression that began after I stopped eating flesh, dairy and eggs in 2012 and started more seriously (and bravely...'cause let's be honest...facing the depth of pain and destruction humans are capable can be really heart-breaking) confronting issues in our world. Reducing the amount of waste our family produced happened in earnest when we had our daughter.
Ironically, realizing how much waste is produced by a very tiny human...and how we add to it with diapers, disposable wipes, disposable bottle liners, plastic bottles, and on and on. We haven't been perfect, but we have decided to either use re-usable diapers and wipes (and make our own wipe solution) or use biodegradable options. The latter are obviously more expensive, but when looking at the long-term cost for our planet and the future of all living on her...it feels worth it to us. We entered the world of no-waste here...but that was not the final destination by any means!
Just like anything along these lines, the first catalyst often lights fire to a plumb-line of other catalysts. Some of the following efforts toward zero-waste have been what our family has been focusing on in the recent months and years. **This is not a comprehensive list by any means but this is part of where we are as a family right now. (See my link at the end for other tips and ideas).**
Our family is:
- Composting ALL our food scraps. We don't eat flesh or animal milks or eggs so we don't have to use special means of composting these. (I will have a link at the end of this article on how to compost these items if you don't eat vegan). Get a compost container for inside right next to where you shop and wash dishes. Use a sink strainer to catch the food waste. Build a compost containing area with free used pallets in nearly ANY condition (it can be ugly...it's for compost!). Read up on a little composting OR watch some YouTube videos. It's fairly easy. Just be sure to now what you shouldn't put in a compost pile that is going on your veggies. You can have more than one pile...and should!
- Recycling as absolutely much as we can (whether recycles in our own use or via a recycling service). This even means re-purposing. We practice reusing glass jars or other containers (such as clean almond milk containers for starting plant starts).
- Buying reusable hygiene products (see my link below for women specifically). Use a bamboo toothbrush instead of your plastic one. Purchase reusable cloths and hand-towels for everything!
- Making or purchase from a local trades-person a knitted or crochet dishcloth and ditch your sponge! (See link below for knitting patterns). I don't know how to knit very well so I experimented until I created my own crochet pattern. We have 3-4 of them and just toss the current one in with the wash when needed. They never smell bad if you hang them over the faucet neck to allow to air dry between uses. Be sure to use 100% and organic cotton. Synthetic yarn will get stinky and musty!
- Buying your clothing and furniture second hand. This is a big one and once you start to get your clothing and house-hold items (that you cannot make or re-purpose)second-hand you will be spoiled because it saves you money and it saves a ton of items that would otherwise be thrown into a land-fill.
- Eating less fossil fuels. Yep, that's right. Did you realize that, even if you buy organic, that product might be being shipped in over hundreds, if not thousands of miles!? We often don't even look at the label! When you buy local you can search for farms that use organic processes (even if not Certified USDA) and buy your produce from them...cutting out the impact of miles and miles of fossil fuels. Shoot! Why not even go visit the farm and pick it up yourself! If you have an electric vehicle or a very efficient vehicle, you just took that much more control of the process.
- Using reusable bags at the grocery store. This is one we personally have to continually be diligent about. I cannot tell you how many times we have put the re-usable bag of re-usable bags by the front door....and forgot the dang thing! Even when we get it to the car....we often forget until we are about to check out...we are working on this one! It is so easy too!! ((Sigh...being patient with oneself along the journey...)).
- Buy the "ugly" fruit and veggies and encourage others to do the same. It is UTTERLY astounding how much food waste goes on in our country and many MANY others across the planet. In a world where starvation is an undeniable issue...we waste like there is no tomorrow. Often there is nothing wrong with the food that is culled or thrown out...it just wasn't pretty.
- Save seeds. Recently when we eat a local fruit or vegetable, we save the seeds (not all the time, but more and more lately). For one, we know these grow in our area so we know we can grow them (even if we still have much to learn about doing so!), and second, we can know fairly well the life of the parent plant and what genetic qualities might be passed down. Also, save your own seeds from your own garden. Let some of your garden go to seed (or dig up and keep the rhizomes (for plants such as yacon and others), and replant your own seeds. (Be sure to buy seeds that are open-pollinated, untreated and GMO free). See the link at the end of the article on seed-saving tips.
- Grow your own food! This is especially important in the long-term goal of being more self-producing and less dependent on a consumerist standard. It might seem overwhelming to start, but it is not only doable...but once you realize you can, it become so self-gratifying you can't imagine any other way. The problem is many of us lost or never acquired the skills it takes to garden well (that was so easy for our ancestors). It can be hard to take on the learning process here, but it is SO important and worth the effort. Just start one step at a time. And learn if you are a better container gardener or a better earth-bound gardener. I am an earth-bound gardener myself!
- Check your refrigerator and pantry often and especially before you go shopping! AND Make a menu for the week and create a shopping list off this. This can feel time-consuming but it will significantly reduce the amount of things you double-buy or forget in the back of the fridge. It will also show a significant reduction in your overall food-bill!
- Eat less meat, diary and eggs. I know! I know! Of course the vegans would say that. But, unless you are raising your own meat in a sustainable way you might be sickened at how much waste is produced and resources used on the standard (even organic) production of meat, dairy and eggs. Besides the ethical factors which are another issue unto themselves, the cost to our soils, our water systems, our farming-systems, our workers, our fossil-fuel reserves, our health, and our future.... is beyond a doubt something we cannot afford to continue paying.
Kyle and I believe strongly that we have the power to vote with our dollar when wee are engaging in the consumer market. Although we are making motions to move into a home-based and trade-based economy, when we do buy and use items in our everyday lives...we still very much live by this mantra. We want to vote daily for a more sustainable, kinder, better stewarded planet. One step at a time.
We would love to hear how some of you are doing this in your daily lives as well. Feel free to contact us via email (see below or our Contact page) or via one of our other social medial sites. Blessings on your journey! Thanks for stopping by to visit our Farmstead Blog!!
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