The shift to a zero waste lifestyle can seem like a Sisyphean feat, but the most productive and helpful way to approach it is to begin. And if you don’t know where to start, start with taking a look at the items you use on a daily basis and consider the reusable alternatives you could replace them with. Agatha Lee (Agy), textile artist & co-founder of The Green Collective, shares, “You can start by doing an easy swap, bring a reusable cup or bottle when buying your coffee instead of using a disposable cup.” Because at the end of the day the little things add up.
As Charlotte Mei, nutritionist & sustainability and wellness advocate, recommends, “Think about things like reusable napkins. You can buy a set, and you’ll find yourself buying tissues at a much much lower rate. You’ll be reaching for them instead of the tissue paper to clean up minor spills, or to wipe your mouth at the dinner table, don’t we do that at fancy restaurants anyway? Ever since getting silicone bowl covers and food storage bags, I no longer buy cling film or ziplock bags! And with my reusable tea bags, I buy loose leaf tea instead of tea bags and they’re far cheaper. The added bonus here is that when you buy loose leaf tea, you’re cutting short the supply chain, and–I’m hoping–more money ends up in the farmer’s pocket.”
Think of it this way, reusable items are a one-off purchase that will last you years. For some items, the cost might seem higher in comparison to their disposable counterparts, but when you’re buying the latter you’re buying them monthly and those costs add up. Susannah Jaffer, founder of Zerrin, Asia’s sustainable fashion and beauty platform, shared that “In terms of reusables, I think that adopting a zero waste mentality doesn’t ‘obviously’ save you money in the short-term. However, reusable items can save you money in the long run–if you are using them consistently!”
In the long run, you save money by purchasing something once that will last you years. As an added impetus, buying reusables instills a generations-old philosophy to cherish what we already have and care for it better.
