Hello Tunza Readers!

I was scrolling across YouTube when I came across a YouTuber named Lauren Singer and she was sharing about all the waste she produced in a year. I was amazed when I saw that all her trash fit into a small mason jar — I immediately began looking into how she was able to accomplish this. This led me to look into the zero waste lifestyle. Canadians produce approximately 777 kilograms of trash per year and this ?out of sight, out of mind? approach to garbage must be removed. So today I will give you some tips so you won?t have a need to throw out any trash!

First, the kitchen. The kitchen is a hub for disposable items and some easy ways to switch to eco-friendly alternatives include replacing paper towels with reusable rags, using non-disposable or biodegradable dinnerware and always bringing your own shopping bags. The next tip might be slightly harder to incorporate, but it?s such an important step to take — buy in bulk! 13 million tons of plastic waste is thrown out each year in the U.S. alone and this can be prevented by buying in bulk to help eliminate the waste produced from throwing out plastic. Bring mason jars to the grocery store to hold your bulk items or foods, and even consider buying bulk castile soap for hand and dish cleaner instead of buying a bunch of bottles for different cleaners that ultimately achieve the same effect! Go to your local farmer?s market to support reduced transportation, fresh produce and, of course, your community!

Next, the closet. Shopping second hand is another easy way to incorporate waste reduction  in your life. Instead of allowing good and quality (and stylish!) clothing from being tossed out, shop second hand to reduce the demand for production of more new clothing! Also, take care of your clothes so you won?t find the need to constantly get new items!

Finally, the bathroom. There are so many resources out there teaching you how to reduce the use of cleaning supplies (filled with chemicals) and replacing them with more natural alternatives. One excellent example is white vinegar and baking soda!

I admit — I haven?t even scratched the surface in reducing my own waste, there?s so much more I can  do! I started with using more reusable items and recycling as much as possible as my first steps. I hope after reading my report you can start taking your own steps!