“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” – Anne-Marie Bonneau, founder of Zero-Waste Chef
We are a family of four and over the last ten years we have upped our recycling, started composting, we take our reusable bags to the store, and we buy package-free whenever possible. But it still seems difficult – if not impossible – to waste absolutely nothing. That is why I like thinking about zero waste living like Anne-Marie Bonneau does: We are all part of the millions of people that need to do zero waste imperfectly.
Every year I pick one new habit I would like to adopt, that will help me make progress on my low-waste journey. I’ve started carrying reusable bags in my purse and not only using them for groceries, but for all shopping. I’m getting local food delivered to our front door in reusable crates and glass containers, which the company then picks up the following week. This year, I’ve started bringing my own reusable containers to restaurants for take-out. Concentrating on one new habit gives me focus and feels doable.
Currently, my kids’ school is closed and all their classes are online. My husband and I are teleworking. The COVID-19 pandemic is keeping us close to home, which has translated into much more cooking, greater water and energy use, less travel… Being home has challenged me to consider, “How can we modify our habits to live a low-waste lifestyle?” Here are some ideas and strategies: