Zero Waste and Sustainability go hand in hand.
Waste free living can be beautiful, aesthetically pleasing and is a genuine way to help cut down in the waste that we generate as a population every day.
The zero-waste movement has made the lifestyle look and feel very beautiful and has become desirable for more people, this is something the environmental community has struggled with for many decades, how do you make the Zéro Waste Movement more desirable for the world as a whole?
Thanks to platforms like Pinterest and Instagram the Zero Waste Movement has picked up many followers and believers over the years. Some of the most popular searches on Pinterest are Zero Waste Aesthetics and some of the most beautiful and environmentally green pictures you will see on the platforms involve people pantry’s completely redone with mason jars, glass bottles and cotton bags. Not only are you cutting down in waste in your home and breathing new life into something old, you are also decluttering your home, organizing your cupboards and doing something beautifully green for the environment.
Cast Iron is making a come back along with the vintage ceramic bowls from our grandparents time.
Zero-waste living is helping people live more sustainably by reducing their overall household waste. With Zero Waste Living there are still some areas of sustainability that can be worked on and we can work on that together as a community and make a greener world together.
Take for instance your carbon footprint: We are burning huge amounts of carbon creating a greenhouse effect in the atmosphere and warming our planet.
Your carbon footprint is the carbon you use based on your daily activities. This can include the energy used to warm or cool your home, the energy used in making and transporting the items you are purchasing and if you drive, this also includes the gasoline your vehicle consumes in your day to day activities or work commuting.
Even if you are creating less waste in your home, you could still be creating a lot of greenhouse gas emissions. Think about driving less (in areas where you can take public transportation), consuming less overall, be it buying clothes, purchasing gasoline for your car, entertainment, etc. Take to nature and go for a bike, walk or run. Cutting back on meat or trying to support your local butcher is another alternative. We all have the opportunity to make these small changes in our lives and when done together they can all add up to one big change in our carbon footprint and emissions.
Support your local economy whenever possible, this can also help in reducing your carbon footprint. It’s also important during these times of COVID-19 as so many thousands of small business in Canada have had to close their doors due to lockdowns. If you have a Zero Waste store in your local area, take advantage of that because you know the items are local and|or provincially and sustainably sourced.
Look for food that has been responsibly grown, many areas, cities, towns, have a local farmers markets, this gives you the opportunity to speak with the growers of the food you are purchasing, most are organically grown and offer a wide variety of fruits and vegetables depending on the season you are currently in.
It also comes to you in less packing, if any packaging has been used at all. It has the smell and taste of vegetables and fruits fresh from the garden and I think we all crave that taste. You have the opportunity to ask where it was grown and how it was grown, something you’re not able to do in big chain supermarkets.
Natural and homemade products are also another way of reducing your carbon footprint and are also good for sustainability.
At Monsieur Vrac we offer a wide variety of cleaners that are both environmentally friendly and biodegradable, as well as concentrated so you end up using less actual product. Our products are sourced from within Canada and in future Blog Posts you will be given the opportunity to learn more about our suppliers.
In each one of our stores we also support local suppliers and vendors. We love working with the community and supporting local.
If you are into DIY projects and would like to learn how to make your own cleaning supplies that are environmentally friendly and cost effective, this is also something that we will be covering in future Blog Posts.
The key to Zero Waste Living and Sustainability is to work with your local businesses as much as possible. This will lower your overall carbon footprint and in lowering your carbon footprint you are helping create a greener, more sustainable world.
Imagine if everyone only purchased from local producers for one day? Imagine if we didn’t all drive for one day?
There was a study that came out after the lockdowns ended last year – remember when we were all shut inside because of the ongoing pandemic?
Greenhouse emissions actually went down, our carbon footprint actually went down, pollution and waste went down. Yes, there were areas that ran out of toilet paper, but overall the world benefited from us being unable to go to work for three months (and we know for some it has been longer) our hearts are with you.
Imagine if we could duplicate those benefits the lockdown had on the world, but still carry on with our day to day lives, that’s something to think about.
Environmental toxins are also an issue in our day to day lives. Try and be mindful of everything that you bring into your house and try to choose those items, like furniture, bedding, kitchen items, etc, with the lowest level of environmental toxins.
Here at Monsieur Vrac we emphasize the use of natural bristle brushes, bamboo (toothbrushes or straws) glass and stainless steel straws, reusable cotton pads, beeswax wraps, naturally based and environmentally friendly and biodegradable products, locally, naturally and Canadian sourced.
Living zero-waste is an important step in addressing the day to day waste and plastic pollution we deal with on a daily basis, it goes hand in hand with other values that form the basis of sustainable living.
