Our Favorite Low Waste Practices

Four years ago, we started being more intentional about the waste we produced. I had realized our trash was way out of control - especially for a household of just two people. We didn’t even have a cat yet! I wrote about some easy ways to reduce waste, and we went for it. Today, I am sharing a few of our favorite low-waste products - the ones we use pretty much daily! Some may surprise you.

Bin For Groceries

We keep a collapsible lettuce crate we got from a Super Store in the back of our car for our groceries. It just works easier for us than remembering our reusable bags (which we also keep in the back of our car...). Since we shop ALDI a lot, it works great to keep the crate in the cart and have them put the groceries directly into it once scanned. We carry the crate to the car, into the house, empty it, and the crate goes right back into the car for the next time. And speaking of groceries, making more of our own pantry staples from scratch has cut down on a lot of packaging and really does not take much time!

For Our Food

Each week I meal prep and pack both of our lunches in reusable glass containers . I’ve also gotten reusable sandwich and snack bags which have replaced the disposable plastic bags. Doing this has cut down on costs too! We had a lot of mason jars left over from our wedding so I’ve been using jars to store food and such as well - that way we didn’t have to buy more containers! Packing our own lunches has also helped us make healthy food choice! Double win :)

Side note: using what you have already is a great way to be nearo waste! It’s called repurposing! 

Metal Straws

We.Love.Our.Straws. We use them all of the time. They come in a great case so we can transport them as well. We don’t order drinks when we eat out, and if we get water at a restaurant, we ask for no straw. Of course, life doesn’t always go perfectly and they may come with a straw already in it, but sometimes that happens. 

Water Bottle

We have been faithful to reusable water bottles for years. We prefer glass bottles, but have received some stainless steel ones as gifts that we really enjoy too! They are lighter and keep water cold (or hot) for long periods of time. Our water bottles come with us everywhere we go!

Feminine Hygiene

Whaaaa!!! The internet already knows that I use a menstrual cup, so no more shame here. It took years (literal.years) or research before I took the plunge and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t start sooner. For one, it has already paid for itself - actually it took less than a year. My two favorite things about it: no more overflowing trash can once a month, and I love love LOVE forgetting that I’m even on my period. I’m sorry for all of you who are blushing right now, but do yourself a favor and switch over to a menstrual cup if possible. I’ve only tried the Diva Cup so I can’t speak for any other brands (bonus that it is made in Canada), but there are so many options out there. Great for the environment and for your peace of mind. I wrote a whole post about the cup here, so check it out if you want more information!

DIY Handsoap

Gone are the days of buying those little .99 cent Walmart liquid hand soaps that didn’t smell that great anyway. I’ve been making my own hand soap for years now, and I don’t know if I will ever go back. This large container of Castile Soap lasts more than a year and refills all of the soap containers we have. We have four sinks, which means four soap containers that are constantly being filled. It’s fun to use essential oils to mix and match scents, or just go plain jane too. Whatever. Here is the recipe I use.

Instant Pot

Okay, this is a little strange to be adding to this kind of post, but hear me out! I’ve always been the kind of person who was interested in making meals ahead to eat later. I did it before I knew I could call it “meal prep” and it be a thing. My freezer was my best friend. Ever since getting an Instant Pot, though, I’ve been even more motivated than before! Now my prep time is cut in half and I can make a whole lot more food with a whole lot less mess. How does this help in my nearo waste endeavors? We eat out much less and cook from scratch a whole lot more. Granted, we want to stay in budget as well, but when cooking dinners at home are so easy, fun, and convenient, then it’s a great bonus. I’m hoping to add more Instant Pot recipes to the site soon!

Libraries

We love books. Going completely paperless would be a no-go for us because we love books. But we also realize that we do not need to own every book we read. When I was living at home, you could find me at the library often. If I wasn’t at the library, I was at home or under a tree reading a book I got from the library. It never occurred to me that libraries were a great way to live sustainably and save money! So we got library cards. To more than one library! And to make it even better, we got the Libby app so we could rent from our phones and send the book straight to our kindles (and shoot, I still have an old one from 2012 that is still going strong!). Our reading volume has gone up, as have our book goals (mine is 24 for this year). 

We are always looking for new and easy ways to help the environment, so I doubt that this will be my last post about our favourite low-waste practices. The key is being stress-free about it, and implementing small changes as you go. By the way, Maple Alps now has an Amazon storefront that is always being updated with all of our favorite products, so check it out for more “nearo” waste fun!

10 [Easy] Things You Can Do Today to Reduce Waste

Reducing waste is not a new topic. Throughout elementary school I heard the phrase, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" often. Recycling bins were set up right by the trash cans and compost piles were always encouraged. At home, we had a small bucket for compost, and it was my responsibility to empty it out in the backyard composting bin every day. We collected empty cans and bottles to take to the bottle depot, and paper products were never thrown in the trash.

Somehow, this changed over the years.

When we first got married and moved, I was shocked at the amount of trash that was being taken out of our home. I'll admit that a big part of it was being new to the state (and country!) and not really knowing how the recycling program works here. I was completely lost. 

I came across this article claiming that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish! Whether this is true or not, I decided that we produced way too much waste as it was. After figuring a few things out, we started implementing simple ways to reduce the amount we throw away, and it has made a noticeable difference for us. 

Besides the obvious (reduce, reuse and recycle), here are 10 things you can do today to reduce the amount of waste you may produce. 

A note: Everyone is different and has different needs. It's important you sit down and find out what your main source of waste is, and what you can do about it. The list below was a direct result of looking into our trash bin and seeing what was in there. We then decided what we could do to get rid of, or at least reduce it.

Affiliate links are used in this post.

---

Stop Using Plastic Grocery Bags

I know, I know, they just bag them up automatically, but opt for reusable bags for groceries. This takes a bit of practice (I know I've forgotten many times), but it's worth it in the end - even just to have a sturdier bag to take the groceries in with. Some stores, like Target, even offer a few cents if you bring in your own bag!

Skip Produce Bags 

Try using mesh laundry bags for produce, or just skip them altogether! I tend to do the latter if I forget, but I also do enjoy using my own produce bags (these ones are great from Amazon).

Ditch Ziplock Baggies

Or wash and reuse them! Replace them with reusable glass storage containers (I like these ones). Or even reusable baggies! I love using these ones from Amazon. Mason jars are also great for leftovers or storage of bulk bin items. Speaking of which...

Buy in Bulk

Bulk bins are just so much fun! You can get everything from spices to banana chips in a bulk bin. Take it a step further and skip the plastic baggies they provide and use a recyclable paper bag instead. Most stores are even jar-friendly!

Use Cloth Towels Instead of Paper Towels

We use these cloth towels that I purchased from Amazon. We've also opted for cloth napkins at the dinner table!

Make Your Own Products

A lot of packaged goods are not only unhealthy for us, but also create a lot of garbage! a Most are really easy to make with ingredients already in your home. Try making your own bread to start! We've even started making our own toothpaste (More on that here)! **Update: hand soap, body wash, face cream, and body butter have now been introduced to our bathroom, and I've ditched disposable hygiene products for a menstrual cup. 

Say Goodbye to Disposable Water Bottles

Not only is bottled water packaging a potential health hazard, it is overpriced, and many of the bottles are found in landfills. Instead, carry your own water bottle with you. We use glass bottles (I like this one) - they can get a bit heavy, so stainless steel is a good alternative.

Opt for Paying Bills Online Instead of Getting them in the Mail

Who wants that kind of mail anyway? Bonus: if you sign up for automatic payments, if you forget one month, it won't be terribly tragic because it will be on time!

Read the Newspaper and Magazines Online

I'll admit, having magazines around can be a lot of fun, but with everything online these days, it's almost unnecessary. Save yourself the clutter and the waste that is created when people don't recycle! I have bought very few physical magazines since getting my iPad a couple of years ago.

Forget About Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets are filled with toxins that we should probably avoid! Make your own wool dryer balls (or purchase them on Amazon), or just forget about them altogether. I'd rather have some static in my clothes than harmful chemicals.

---

These are, of course, only some of the ways we can start reducing our negative impact on the environment. As I write, even more are coming to my mind - but that will have to wait for another day :)

Until that day comes, what are some of the ways you reduce waste in your home? Comment below to share some ideas!

---