Some Zero Wasters have beautiful mini mason jars of their yearly trash that they take pictures of and post on social media. Working on reducing the garbage I create for over two years now, my weekly trash is on average a pint a week (the average American makes 4.4 pounds or 2 kg of trash a day). I look at all of this as a work in progress and every piece of plastic I avoid is one less piece of plastic to pollute our planet and our bodies.
While these mini mason jars of trash might be daunting to look at, I also think it's something to aspire to. We all have to start somewhere and usually that means taking those first steps of changing one or two daily habits.. The best place to start if you are looking to reduce your garbage is investing in a quality reusable water bottle (I use a Klean Kanteen because it's made from metal and highly durable-which is something I need as I am constantly dropping it. The company is also from my home town!) and a reusable grocery bag. It's amazing how these two small items will reduce so much waste. Get in the habit of taking them everywhere you go and see how much less garbage you create.
In the video below I show how to upcycle an everyday object into a reusable tote:
