Lauren Singer is an advocate for the zero-waste movement who leads by example—and by very engaging videos (“DIY deodorant,” “What do you do about toilet paper?”).
She began by doing entirely without plastic, and her role model, Bea Johnson, is a longstanding hero of ours too: See 10 Ways to Live with Less from Zero-Waste Home and The Zero-Waste Challenge (and read Michelle’s unforgettable New York Times profile of Bea).
Back in 2012, Johnson and Singer were voices for what was considered a very fringe concept.
Singer at home in Brooklyn. Curious about the magnetic spice rack in the background?
Photograph via Urban Outfitters.
1. Say no to shopping bags.
Instead tote all purchases in reusable bags: Carry light-weight string market bags with you so you’re always prepared.
At this point, we all know to do this, but too often we accept the packaging that’s proffered; instead put everything, including that new Instant Pot and flea market teapot, in your own bag.
A String Bag, $20, from the Package Free Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. To clean, just toss in the wash.
Singer advocates dividing your shopping between the farmers’ market and the grocery store. At the supermarket, zero in on items sold in bulk or available free of packaging, such as heads of lettuce (instead of those organic greens sealed in plastic).
2. Buy food package-free or in bulk.
This is a step that’s easy and inexpensive, and yet somehow hard to fully commit to.
3. Use dish towels and rags instead of paper towels.
4. Discover that cloth napkins are for every day.
We take inspiration from blogger Carmella Rayone, who lives with her family of five in a 665-square-foot cabin, and keeps cloth napkins rolled up in initialed metal rings in a basket for every meal: “Each is used until it’s dirty; then we swap it out.” See Carmella’s 7-Step Plan for Clutter-Free Living.
We’re fans of Indian tiffins and so is Singer.
Covered-glass refrigerator containers predate Tupperware and are easy to come by on Etsy. They’re but one of the many good alternatives to plastic; see 10 Easy Pieces: Food Storage, Plastic-Free Edition.
5. Store food in glass or metal containers. And ban baggies and cling wrap.
Singer’s ensemble of kitchen tools, includes Redecker’s biodegradable Dishwashing Brush, $12.50; a Bamboo Toothbrush, $4.99—she uses her old one for scrubbing stains; and Bottle Brushes, $11.85, all from the Package Free Shop.
These are no longer hard to find or expensive—Amazon, Williams Sonoma, and Sur La Table—all stock what you need. So the next time you’re faced with a Big Box selection of plastics, realize there are nicer looking alternatives that are recyclable.
6. Use dish scrubbers and cooking tools made of wood or metal instead of plastic.
Photograph by Justine Hand for Remodelista.
Justine’s DIY natural dish soap.
One by one, as Singer ran out of products, from skin cream to cold medicine, she started concocting her own simple versions: See her 5 Easy Beauty DIYs, for instance, and her Three-Ingredient Nontoxic Cleaner.
7. Make your own dish soap—and more.
8. Compost (even if you live in an apartment).
Gathering your scraps in a container is (almost) as easy as tossing them in the trash.
To bypass plastic utensils, Singer advocates carrying your own, such as this lightweight set of bamboo To-Go Ware; $14.95.
9. Analyze your trash.
Size up the contents of your garbage bags and consider ways to cut down. For instance, is your recycling bin brimming with plastic takeout food cartons?
10. Take note of what you’ve done.
“Trying to go zero waste in a day, a week, or even a month is like trying to lose forty pounds overnight. It means making lots of little changes in your routine,” says Singer.
Consuming conscientiously allows for breathing room: a display at the Package Free Shop. Mail-order goods are sent in used cardboard boxes, fragile items are packed in compostable paper, and the boxes are sealed with recyclable paper tape and plant-based glue.