5 Reasons Why You Can (and Should) Go Zero Waste

1. Our World Can’t Handle More Waste

If we were to put all of our trash into one massive landfill and fill it for 100 years (with a growing population of garbage contributors), we would end up with a landfill covering 160,000 acres, or 400 feet deep and 250 square miles wide. 

That’s a lot of trash. It’s not just space that we’re worried about, but all the junk that’s being added by the truck-load to landfills every day. Many items take hundreds—or thousands—of years to degrade, and they also release dangerous chemicals in the process.  We may live in a take-make-dispose world, but Earth deserves better. 

2. Every Material Has Value

When we toss a package or product in the trash can, we likely don’t give it a second thought. But that item was made with valuable resources that deserve our attention. 

Considering that every item has been made with precious materials, we can realize that sending it to a growing landfill or destructive incinerator isn’t the best use of resources. 

Adopting a zero-waste lifestyle helps us see that those natural, man-made, or human labor resources are worth something—something far more than 15 minutes of use before a quick trip to the dump.  

3. Less Waste = More Money

While a zero-waste lifestyle may seem hard and time-consuming, simple changes can end up having a pretty big impact on our wallets. 

Let’s take just one example: plastic water bottles.

Every year, Americans spend around $16 billion on bottled water. 

Sure, that $22 reusable water bottle might seem like quite the splurge, but when you consider how much you save over time, it’s the clear winner (our oceans think so, too).

With a little thought and some up-front purchases, you’ll begin to notice a dent in your spending—and while she’s not a financial planner, Mother Earth is a big fan of your savings!

4. A Zero-Waste Lifestyle Helps Us Think About Our Impact

Just as zero-waste practices help us realize the value in each and every product we use, it also helps us recognize our larger impact on our planet. 

It’s like your favorite candy—once you start thinking of ways to cut down on your waste, you can’t stop.

Once you realize that you use enough paper towels to wrap around our planet several times, you might realize that you also leave the water running while wiping up—which reminds you of those dishes you have to do, and the plastic scrub brush that needs to be replaced…

You get the picture. Before you know it, you’re more aware of your footprint, and steps you can take to improve it. 

5. Zero-Waste is Easier Than You Think

This brings us to our last point. The idea of zero-waste seems like an impossible challenge, but when we look at it another way, we see that it’s only because the opportunities to cut down on our impact are endless!

In fact, it’s these smaller changes that can kick off your zero-waste journey and make a big difference. That endless roll of paper towels we mentioned? Replace it with reusable Tough Sheet plant towels and you’ve already cut 60 rolls out of your life! 

We’re here to help. Check out our new Zero collection. Try out a few sustainable kitchen swaps and let them inspire you to create not just a cleaner home—but a cleaner planet, too.