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The truth is there is that “zero waste” is not really “zero”. To be “zero waste” in today’s society is near impossible. You would need to cut yourself off from modern society and live disconnected; without electricity, technology, a vehicle, or any other daily conveniences. It’s pretty crazy to think that basically anything we do has some sort of waste impact.

I hope you are not discouraged and you will still try to produce less waste. The success of your zero waste journey can depend so much on where you live, how much money you have, what is your education, or what your gender identity is. Remember at the end of the day we need everyone working towards zero-waste imperfectly, not a few people doing it perfectly. My hope is to help you manage your expectations with these pursuits!

1.Location

You might be all excited to start your zero waste journey only to realize that you live in a place where there is no farmers market, a bulk store, or zero-waste resources around. The zero-waste movement is allowing for the expansion of such establishments all over the world but with the pandemic happening, things slowed down. While online resources might be your only option, there are still plenty of DIYs you can integrate into your life to live more sustainably. It just might look a bit different.

2. Lack of support

Lack of support from family and friends

You might have faced this problem if you ever tried to go on a diet. Support from the immediate family and friends is something that can discourage some people from adopting a zero-waste lifestyle. I can say that it was hard for me too. When I started decluttering my home, saying no to things in plastic, getting milk in a bottle, going to the farmer’s market, my husband thought it is a good idea but he was still buying chips in plastic bags. After about a year of me trying really hard to bring in less plastic, my husband changed. He is also more aware of packaging and tries hard to not produce plastic. What I am trying to say is: do not try changing them, just lead by examples. Some people will turn around, some will not. You do your part and be happy and proud about it.

Lack of support from the community

Not the case in PEI, but it definitely happens in other places.

Lack of support from society and big corporations

In my opinion, corporations should be held accountable for the waste they produce and should come up with plans to deal with the waste of their products produce. Recently, Singapore had initiated a sustainability act that asks companies to share responsibility for their waste with their consumer.

Lack of support from the Government

There are no laws that protect the environment to the level where the responsibility of dealing with waste is both on companies and the consumer.

3. Mental barrier

There is this mental barrier created by the fear of being imperfectly zero-waste or being judged when you are using plastic. It is a fear I have struggled with as well. It is ok, nobody should expect to be zero waste in a day, a week, or even a year. We have to lower our expectations but try hard at the same time.

When I decided to go zero waste, it was not all of the sudden. It took lots of reading, lots of exploring, and researching.

I know that you feel overwhelmed and you think that you need to buy more things to go zero waste. It is really not that hard once you establish some rules and some processes. Some things that helped me:

Ask yourself why you are going zero waste

It will be imperfect. Sometimes it will be easy, sometimes you will forget your reusable bag and feel guilty.

I suggest you make a list of the reasons why you personally want to change your lifestyle. Notice how I said “personally”. If you decide to make this change because it is trendy, then it will not last.

Be realistic and honest with yourself

Waste is everywhere around us and it is hard to avoid it. That is why the transition to a zero-waste lifestyle will be slow.

You need to forgive yourself when you slip-up and not compare yourself with other people.

Be prepared for lots of questions (step 1 will come in handy here), some of your friends or fam may not take this change seriously and may not want to participate. Don’t let it frustrate you. You do you and lead by example.

4. Changing habits

Changing behavior is HARD! Do you go to the same store only because you know the layout and you can easily find the product you need? Do you buy something because you are happy, sad, you want to reward yourself?

It is the culture and society we live in. Consumerism is in our nature. Shopping has become convenient and quick. Change is hard, but so is anything that comes good in this life.

Try finding an accountability partner

Whether it be a spouse, sibling, friend, or roommate — we are way more likely to succeed with support. Surround yourself with a community of like-minded people. In fact, that’s sort of the exact reason I started Zero Waste Creative; to build a community around sustainable living and help others starting on this journey. Don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments or my DMs to talk if you need to, I WANT to be in your community!

5. Misinformation and lack of information

Have you seen that documentary on Netflix about social networks? Well, it spoke a big truth. People nowadays live in their information bubble leading to learning only what they want to hear. There is a lot of information you need to gather about sustainability, how things work, about the environment, and what things are made of.

Think for yourself and challenge what you hear

Living a zero-waste life requires knowledge and curiosity. Don’t take everything for granted. Read official websites like the United Nations website, Greenpeace website, NASA, nature.com, etc. I have a news update on my blog every once in a while, check there to see some websites I use. Do not believe everything you see on social media. Brands can greenwash you and people might be misunderstanding things. More on that to come in a later post.

Well, what do you think of these reasons? Are any of them holding you back from a more ethically conscious, sustainable life? I’d love to hear.

Until next time,

— Claudia