Environment Magazine

20 Disposable Items You Should Stop Buying to Live Zero-Waste and Minimalist Lifestyle

Posted on the 05 May 2018 by Rinkesh @ThinkDevGrow

There has been a lot of buying of items globally by the masses, which translates to trashing of the items in the environment. As such, there is a need to adopt ideals that ensure healthy living. This can be achieved through zero waste and a minimalist lifestyle. The former is made possible by the reuse of the materials due for trashing. Particularly, it entails the management of the products by implementing the right process towards the items release as trash.

A minimalist lifestyle goes hand in hand with zero waste living in that there is minimal keeping of items since only what is needed is kept and the rest is eliminated. Therefore, what is kept is then put to other uses in order to reduce waste and to ensure minimal items with maximum uses. This article seeks to mention 20 disposable items one should stop buying in order to live zero waste and minimalist lifestyle.

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1. Feminine Hygiene Products

The existence of disposable tampons means that once used there has to be disposal, which results in wastage. There is a solution for this and merely entails the use of the menstrual cup. This is an item that can be used for the same purpose as the disposable tampons but can be washed and then reused thus preventing excessive purchase of disposable tampons.

2. Paper Towels

These towels are a danger to the environment in a myriad of ways. The presence of paper towels means that there is a lot of disposal of the towels once they are used since they cannot be reused. Moreover, the manufacture of paper towels leads to emission of dangerous fumes to the environment, which also enhances deterioration of the environment. For this reason, it necessitates the need to use reusable and washable cloth towels to live with zero waste. Old clothes that are not in use can equally be used as substitutes for paper towels.

3. Toothpicks

These are essential items and can easily be disregarded as disposable items. In fact, toothpicks are small and used by a large number of people and hence, are among the list of problematic waste products realized globally. They might be compostable and can decay but they reduce the level of environmental purity. In order to live a minimalist lifestyle with zero waste, individuals should adopt the stainless turkey lacers to act as substitutes. This is boosted by the fact that they can wash and reused.

4. Wrapping Paper

These are easily susceptible to dispose since once they fulfill their job of wrapping goods, then they have fully done their role. In order to save the environment from paper wrappings, there should be less purchase of them and more reusing of those available until such a time that they cannot be used anymore. When that time comes, substitutes such as old newspapers can be used.

5. Cotton Balls

Cotton is a crop that takes a lot of time, water and pesticides to produce. After their processing, it is sad that the balls are used only once and cannot be reused. In other words, they are thrown away as trash after every use. For this reason, it warrants minimal purchase and the perfect substitute for this is the use of face towels since they can be washed and reused.

5. Napkins and Facial Tissues

There is a lot of waste realized from the use of tissues. The reason for this is that they are widely used and disposed. The purchase of these should be stopped and the purchase of handkerchiefs encouraged since they have the same uses and can be reused after washing.

6. Tooth Paste

The tooth paste tubes fill the pit fast and as an outcome, there is a need to combat the wasteful tendencies. In a bid to address this global problem, there should be projects and sensitization on simple ways to manufacture toothpaste indoors, which is way cheaper and saves the environment.

7. Bamboo Skewers

There is a contrast in this. These should be eco-friendly, which they are. Nevertheless, they pose a greater threat since they can only be put to use once before disposal. To avoid an excess of this, then there is need to have in possession a metal skewer, which means that it is reusable.

8. Newspapers

There are various types of newspapers by different media services produced on a daily or weekly basis. As a result, the practice poses a great threat as they are read and then discarded. The move to use them for wrappings does not help much since they are also discarded. People should seek to have online subscriptions, which are efficient and do not involve disposal.

9. Single Body Wash

Personal hygiene is very important. However, the purchase of single body washes should stop since there is a lot of disposal of the packaging tubes. To avoid this, bathing soap should be bought in bulk from the local store.

10. Plastic wraps

Plastic wraps are used to preserve as well as serve food. As much as it is effective, it has augmented pollution and the use of PVC in its manufacture brings forth even worse effects on the environment. Its purchase should be stopped and a cheaper option for the reusable food wraps such as beeswax adopted.

11. Hair Spray

This is a secondary item that people can live without but still use. The purchase of hair sprays should be dissuaded completely because it contains a lot of chemicals which are toxic to both the environment and to humans. The solution is for people to opt for natural sprays which they can make themselves. It will ensure a minimalist and zero waste life.

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12. Aluminium Foil

This type of foil is made in a way that it is easy to wash and thus can be reused. Nonetheless, this is not the case since there have been numerous instances of bits of the foil found as waste. Moreover, the metal, aluminium, is harmful to a human’s health and can leach through the foil. People should reduce buying the aluminum foil and instead opt for reusable food containers.

13. Cleaning Products

There is a lot of toxicity in these items which are harmful to the environment both as finished products and during manufacture in their respective factories. As such, they should be avoided at all costs and the homemade manufacture of baking soda be encouraged. This cuts off waste from cleaning products by 100%.

14. Kitchen Sponge

The kitchen sponge is among the kitchen utilities with a very short work life. For starters, it is attributed to the fact that the sponge cannot be recycled. As a result, it can only be used till it starts to tear. After that, it is disposed of and ends up filling the earth. To avoid this, it is encouraged that people should prefer using dish cloths since they are cheaper and can be washed.

15. Plastic Bags

These are a huge nuisance to the environment. They are the biggest polluters and pose huge risks to the survival of humans and aquatic life. They are used to carry any item be it from the local store, the farm market or from a travel. Embracing plastic free living is the ultimate way of addressing the problem.

16. Cotton Ear Buds

The harm that these items cause is more than the good. The buds can cause permanent ear damage since they are not meant for the cleaning of the ears. Furthermore, the wax in the ears is protective and only the excess that forms that should be cleaned and this should be done with a bathing towel.

17. Magazines

These offer a great level of enjoyment but only for a limited time. Once a new issue is out, the old one is discarded and disposed to the landfill. Avoiding the purchase of magazines offers an impressive option since one can always borrow from the library where several issues can be read without them being discarded. Option for e-magazines is a great option as well.

18. Plastic Toothbrush

It is recommended that a toothbrush should be used for at least 3 months. This translates to 4 toothbrushes a year. Thus, every individual in a year would dispose of their plastic toothbrushes consequently adding to the land fill. To avoid this, the use of compostable bamboo toothbrushes should be encouraged.

19. Paper Plates

These are mostly used during events and occasions but they are thrown away immediately after use. Consequently, it has led to an increase in the waste that is found in the land fill. The use of glass plates is a great alternative since they can be washed, are reusable, and they last longer than paper plates.

20. Facial Wipes

This is a new type of napkin but it purposefully made for cleaning the face. The fact that it is made for the face means that it cannot be reused. In addition, after use they can only be discarded. In consequence of this, normal procedures for cleaning faces should apply. That is, normal washing of the face using water and a face cloth that is washable/reusable.

Image credit: Engin , pixabay

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