I’ve been on this low waste/sustainable living journey for a little under 3 years now and I’ve picked up some zero waste habits that I do pretty much on a daily basis.
This post is almost like a “zero waste day in my life” where I include my zero waste daily habits and products that I do and use almost every single day. I hope this post can give you some inspiration if you’re looking to add some zero waste habits or products to your life!
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My Zero Waste Daily Habits
In the morning:
Habit #1:
My days start with me waking up (obviously) and one of the first things I like to do is workout.
I use a hand-me-down yoga mat and workout clothes from Wolven which are ethically made from recycled plastic. (Use code: ALITTLEROSEDUST for 20% off your order!)
Habit #2:
Then I’ll hop in the shower. I try to keep my showers as short as possible and I don’t wash my hair every day. When I do wash my hair I use a shampoo and conditioner bar from HiBar. I was my body with a bar of soap instead of bottled body wash to eliminate any packaging and I shave using a razor made from recycled plastic.
Habit #3:
When I’m out of the shower I use my homemade body lotion (recipe here) and my deodorant from meow meow tweet which comes in a completely compostable tube.
Habit #4:
Next, it’s time for breakfast. I cook all of my meals at home daily. I very, very rarely go out to eat. This allows me to control the ingredients, the amount of packaging used, and the amount of food waste I produce.
One of my go-to low waste breakfasts is a smoothie bowl. I freeze banana’s in my trusty reusable silicon stasher bag and eat it out of a coconut bowl (use code: LITTLEROSEDUST-10 for 10% off) which is exactly what it sounds like: a sustainable bowl made out of coconuts. The seeds and toppings I put on top as also bought in bulk.
Habit #5:
I also make my coffee at home every single day. I honestly can’t remember the last time I got coffee from a coffee shop. To do this I use a second-hand french press and bulk coffee beans that I grind myself. I reuse the coffee grounds either in the garden, the compost, to scrub cast iron pans or as a body exfoliator.
Habit #6:
I also exclusively use a reusable water to drink out of and take it with me wherever I go s I never have the need to buy a plastic water bottle. I use the 32oz hydro flask because it holds a lot and doesn’t need to be refilled often make it perfect for travel.
Habit #7:
I brush my teeth with a compostable bamboo toothbrush and an all-natural toothpaste that comes in a recyclable metal tube.
Habit #8:
If I’m on my period, I use my reusable thinx period underwear. This eliminates the need for disposable products like pads and tampons and they’re so comfortable! (You can get $10 off just by using this link!)
Habit #9:
When it comes to getting dressed, I keep a minimal wardrobe to reduce my overall carbon footprint. About 90% of my closet is thrifted and the rest are older pieces that I’m caring for or some ethically made pieces I’ve been investing in.
Habit #10:
For makeup, I have a very minimal collection. I only use natural brands and try to get brands that are as sustainable as possible. Elate cosmetics has been a favorite recently because they have a number of products that you can refill to minimize the use of packaging.
Habit #11:
I work from home on a hand-me-down laptop and I use tree-less notebook as well as pens made from bamboo.
In the afternoon:
Habit #12:
Every week I meal prep all my lunches and dinners to avoid food waste and the temptation to order food. I use reusable glass containers to individually store my meals for each day.
Habit #13:
I try to grocery shop every week instead of every couple of weeks. This makes it easier to eat things fresh and avoid things going bad quickly. (especially produce)
I also try to shop all of my fruits and veggies package free and buy whatever else I can in bulk. Read my zero waste grocery shopping guide here.
Habit #14:
I’ve been really good at bringing my reusable bags to the grocery store. I’m actually so proud of myself, I haven’t forgotten in a very long time. I use the ones from Baggu because they fold up really small and fit in my purse with ease so I never forget them!
Habit #15:
Whenever I need something like clothes, dishes, or electronics, I always try to find it second hand. I’ve become an avid thrifter and am usually pretty successful in finding what I need second hand.
Habit #16:
When it comes to doing laundry I don’t wash my clothes very frequently. Unless something is specifically dirty or a little smelly, I usually don’t wash it after only a couple of wears. When I do wash my clothes I use a homemade laundry detergent made with bulk ingredients. (You can find the recipe here)
Habit #17:
When I do wash my clothes I like to hang dry as much as I can. Dryers are very energy-intensive and wear out our clothes very fast. I like to preserve my clothing and save energy by hanging my clothes to dry.
Habit #18:
I try to do at least some daily cleaning. To do this I use reusable rags that have either been crochet by my grandmother or some cut up towels I found at the thrift store. I don’t use single-use paper towels.
I also make all of my own cleaning supplies from bulk ingredients using reusable bottles. Frind all of my cleaning recipes here.
In the evening:
Habit #19:
Along with meal prepping my supper as well, I also try to eat seasonally and locally. I have a whole blog post about the importance of that here, but basically eating seasonally and locally helps to reduce food’s carbon footprint and the use of unnecessary resources to grow food out of season.
Habit #20:
My evenings are usually pretty quiet and uneventful (just the way I like it) but I have gotten into the habit of reading a chapter of a book daily. Most of my books have been purchased second hand in an effort to use less paper.
Habit #21:
For removing my makeup at the end of the day, I use reusable cotton rounds that I made myself from an old towel. I also use my DIY micellar water to melt away makeup and cleanse my skin. You can find the recipe here.
Habit #22:
Skincare is very important to me. One of my favorite brands that I use daily is Derma E. They are an ethical and sustainable skincare company that uses very minimal plastic in there packaging and only uses clean ingredients.
Find more sustainable skincare brands here!
These are just some of the zero waste habits and products that I use on a daily and weekly basis. Having been on this journey for a few years now, these things are like second nature to me. I hope this gives you a little sneak peek into a “zero-waster’s” day.
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