5 DIY Zero-Waste Ideas You Should Try Today

The amount of garbage generated globally is at an alarming 3.5 million tons a day. And now we are all home more than ever. As responsible humans working towards a zero-waste lifestyle is literally beneficial for our kids and the future of their kids. 

First to start, think of the word REUSE for your everyday life. Why? Reusing plays a big part in achieving zero-waste.

You might be familiar with the “reduce, reuse, and recycle” slogan. But you might have not noticed that there is a reason why the word “reuse” goes before the word “recycle”. The purpose here is to reuse certain items to avoid dumping more trash into the landfills.

Reusing is the best option before making use of recycling. And if you haven’t known it already, recycling has its faults. 

Here are 5 DIY zero-waste ideas you should try today.

1.Reuse and Repurpose Old Clothing and Fabric

If you have a ton of old clothing and fabric that are taking up space in your room, you can repurpose or reuse them in ingenious eco-friendly ways.

Having trouble thinking of DIY zero-waste ideas? Here are some ways you can reuse or repurpose old clothing and fabric. 

Used pieces of clothing make an awesome substitute to napkins and towels. Instead of throwing stained shirts or dirty bed sheets away, you can turn them into homemade dish towels and reusable napkins.

Also, you can turn old t-shirts into tote bags without the need for sewing. DIY tote bags are excellent alternatives to reusable bags from your local farmers market. These homemade tote bags are durable even if they’ve been dragged along by your kids who want to “help” unload your groceries.

2.Take Your Cutlery With You When Dining Out

While we are still waiting to dine in again -there is still outside dining in NYC. This DIY zero waste idea has something to do with the changes you need to make when dining out. But in an eco-friendly way. 

Every year, we have been throwing billions of single-use plastic utensils. As of the moment, there are about 6 billion tons of plastic waste and counting.

Moreover, many people believe all our trash ends up in the landfill. Yet, about 80 percent of those trash ends up in the ocean. This is a huge threat to the 700 species of marine life, which could face extinction if we don’t make serious changes right now.

This is why bringing your cutlery with you while on-the-go can make a huge impact in saving marine life and promoting a zero-waste campaign.

Keep in mind that this DIY zero-waste idea only works for local traveling or on your lunch break at work. Metal cutlery can’t pass through airport security checkpoints. Still, you can get wooden cutlery set from sites like Etsy if you travel by plane.

3.Use Glass Containers Instead of Plastic

This is one of the easiest DIY zero-waste ideas you should try today. Although it’s more like a case of a mental shift.

For instance, when buying peanut butter at the store, opt for the version sold in glass jars. You can do the same for any grocery product you can think of. 

Grocery products sold in plastic jars may be cheaper than glass ones but it’s worth paying for if you know you can reuse the glass jar afterward.

4.Opt for Reusable Over Single-Use Razors

The old safety razors are making a comeback as more and more responsible individuals are joining the Zero-Waste movement. Safety razors were the thing before those junky little disposable plastic razors came along. 

Metal zero-waste razors function the same way as disposable plastic razors but they last longer. This makes metal razors worth having, both financially and environmentally.

Reusable razors are the best addition to your zero waste bathroom essentials.

5.Use Eco-Friendly Q-tips or Cotton Swabs

Audiologists and physicians don’t recommend cleaning your ears with cotton swabs or q-tips. Doing so can damage your ear canal especially if you get too aggressive with your rubbing or if you push too deep. 

Besides, using disposable cotton swabs end up in the ocean, and make up about 1-6% of the 8 million metric tons polluting the oceans each year! 

A picture of a seahorse with a cotton swab on its tail, instead of the usual seaweed that it plucks, is itself a very strong statement about ocean pollution.

Rather than contribute to the 1.5 million disposable swabs that add further to garbage, you can use Last Object’s Reusable Swab. It is an eco-friendly alternative to single-use q-tips or cotton swabs. 

The Bottomline

We can each do our part in achieving garbage reduction with zero-waste ideas. 

One cool zero-waste product you can try today is the zero-waste q tips from Last Object. You only need to clean this product with soap and water. 

Using it is equal to using 1000 single-use cotton swabs, and is also the best example of promoting zero-waste.