10 ways to meet your zero waste resolutions

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to start new habits or say goodbye to old ones. But, by the end of January, it can be hard to find the motivation to match our good intentions.

As the excitement of a new goal is replaced by the day-to-day reality, we can find ourselves slipping back into old and familiar routines.

The thing to remember is that with any life-changing resolution, whether it’s to exercise every day or committing to a zero or low-waste lifestyle, the initial change is likely to be the hardest part. As soon as it becomes habit, it’s much easier to maintain the pattern of behaviour.

If reducing your waste is one of your goals, we can help! Our experience, from running numerous waste reduction campaigns, projects and challenges, is that it’s best to start small and try one change at a time. 

Follow the links below for ways to reduce waste in different areas of your life. All the ideas can be mixed and matched to create a balance that works for you.

Where will you begin your zero waste journey?

1. Reduce food waste
   
2. Reduce shopping waste
   
3. Reduce bathroom waste
   
4. Reduce cleaning product waste
   
5. Reduce clothing waste 
   
6. Reduce packaging by growing your own
   
7. Reduce waste from pet products
   
8. Reduce and reuse baby products
   
9. Reduce and reuse in your business
10. Repair what you already have

The easiest way to start reducing your waste is to sign up for our 30-day Waste Nothing Challenge emails!

For 30 days, you’ll get a new idea or activity to help you reduce how much you throw away delivered straight to your inbox. Each email has been written by waste reduction and sustainability experts, including some special guest contributors.

Can’t wait to get started? Choose to reuse!

One of the easiest waste nothing resolutions you could make this year is to choose to reuse.

There are some really easy swaps you can make to help you waste nothing, but you will need containers to carry them in. If you haven’t got one already, start your waste nothing journey by creating a refill kit for your shopping.

Although you can buy specially designed products, a refill kit doesn’t need to cost you anything. Jam jars, plastic bottles and takeaway containers work just as well as the reusable products you can buy in the shops. 

Once you have created your kit, use the City to Sea Refill app to find places that accept reusables or offer refills.

Items to include in your refill kit: 

• drinks bottle
• coffee cup
• cutlery
• net or mesh bags for loose fruit and veg
• reuse Tupperware or takeaway containers

Remember to use what you already have before switching to a packaging-free alternative.

When making changes, we always recommend using up what you have first. For example, if you want to make some switches in your bathroom, like moving from a liquid shampoo to a solid bar, use up the shampoo you have before buying the alternative.

Find out more about waste and recycling in Bristol

Do you know the difference between reducing, reusing and recycling? Find out more about the waste hierarchy and what you can do with things when you don’t need them anymore.

Good luck with your zero waste resolutions!