When Less Gives You More: The Journey to a Zero-Waste Life

Sustainability can feel meaningless in the context of our everyday lives until we actually start practicing it. But what does that even mean? One way to live more sustainably is to live a “zero-waste” lifestyle. According to the Zero Waste International Alliance, this can be defined as “conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges [...] that threaten the environment or human health.” Sounds like quite a big task for a single person. But don’t worry, you don’t have to achieve all of this through your personal zero-waste lifestyle. And certainly not alone. Trying to live waste-free is a journey through your own possessions and buying habits. It can help you to live an easier, more satisfying, and less wasteful life - in other words, to live more sustainably.

Ólöf Jóhannsdóttir, the owner of Vonarstræti Eco Store right on Laugavegur, the busy shopping street in Reykjavík, has many years of experience on this journey. She not only runs a beautiful shop with a selection of organic, lower-waste, and local products, but also personally lives a minimalist and zero-waste lifestyle and enjoys sharing her experiences with her customers. She clarifies one important thing right at the beginning: “Don’t think zero waste, try less waste. That is a lot less pressure on yourself.” Ólöf’s personal journey began many years ago. At that time, she was not aiming to live waste-free, but to simplify her life. She wished to minimize what she owned and to use less in general. “I wanted to finally know what I owned,” she remembers. “And the process of going through everything was almost therapeutic.”

A personal milestone for her was traveling for eight months with her husband. They rented out their apartment and had to clear out the space. They ended up putting many of their possessions into storage. Each had one little piece of hand luggage containing everything they needed for months. “When we came home, we realized everything we needed was there – in this cleared-out apartment. I remember we wondered, ‘What on earth is in this storage room?’” After that, their lifestyle started to change more and more. Step by step, the couple went through all their belongings. Once Ólöf knew her own habits of buying (and disposal), she could make adjustments. Little by little, Ólöf became more aware of what and how she was consuming and what could and should be changed. “Owning and buying less makes your life less complicated. And it makes me calmer,” she explains.

Ólöf’s biggest piece of advice? “Changing your lifestyle is a journey. Take it slow, take your time. And don’t be too hard on yourself.” Give yourself some time to study your buying habits and take time to process. You can try to pay more attention to what you are throwing away each week. What and how much food are you throwing away? And why? How much packaging ends up in the rubbish bin?

Zero-Waste Cheat Sheet

For those of you who would like to learn more about how and where to start in Reykjavik, the Student Paper has gathered some tips and reading recommendations.

Practical Shopping Recommendations:

Krónan has quite a good selection of vegetables without packaging and has a section where you can buy food that's about to go bad at discounted prices.
Nettó offers refills of shampoo and conditioner.
Veganbúðin has refillable soap.
Vonarstraeti Eco Store offers students a 10% discount (15% on clothes).

Helpful Links

https://minnasorp.com (Icelandic only)

https://plastlausseptember.is/en/

Facebook Groups

Ruslfrír lífsstíll (Zero Waste) -Iceland: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158949151107877

Áhugahópur um endurvinnslu og endurnýtingu (Interest group on recycling and reuse - mostly Icelandic): https://www.facebook.com/groups/endurvinnsla

You can start by going through your stuff. Ólöf suggests: “Focus on ‘what am I using’ and ‘what am I buying?’ Once you know that, you can start asking yourself, ‘Can I switch to something more zero wasty?’” Do you really need, for instance, a new reusable water bottle? Maybe you or someone you know has an old one they do not need. Go through what you have at home, what your parents have. You can also always ask friends if they can help you out and lend you something. “Please don’t buy anything until you are absolutely sure that you need it!” the shopkeeper says.

If you know what you’re using, you can start thinking about what to change. There are plenty of options for all areas of life. Once you have used up what you already have, you can switch to more sustainable options and focus on products with less or zero packaging. Thinking in personal habits or daily routines can help break down the journey into little, manageable steps. How could your bathroom routine involve less waste? Soaps, dental tabs, refillable shampoos, and reusable steel razors are just a few options here. Are you menstruating? Maybe menstrual cups or period underwear are good alternatives for you. How do you prepare your morning coffee? Why not use a moka pot instead of a capsule machine? How are you packing your lunch? Did you ever consider lunchboxes or beeswax wraps? There are plenty of options to be discovered. And gradually, you will get better and more creative at finding and using alternatives.

For clothing and furniture, start by going to a secondhand store; actually, that is a must. Not only is it good for the environment, but the hunt for special treasures with interesting histories is also great fun. If you must buy something new, Ólöf recommends selecting quality, timeless pieces. Ideally, look for items you can use in more than just one way. With clothes, for example, know your style, think about good and natural materials, sustainability in production, and classic cuts. “In Vonarstræti, I sell clothes made out of hemp and organic cotton for example. The style is classic, not seasonal - jackets, t-shirts, dresses, socks, clothes that you are likely to own for a long time.”

However, all of this will be very expensive, won’t it? Not necessarily, “Overall, you will definitely save money. I am saving money on food I am not throwing away. I am buying quality products that last longer. Some pieces will last me forever, which means I am never going to buy this again,” says Ólöf.

“Changing your lifestyle is a journey. Take it slow, take your time. And don’t be too hard on yourself.”

One very important point has not yet been mentioned. “It is great fun to take this journey and it is healthy for your soul. I was totally shocked how much stuff there was at the beginning, but for me it felt cleansing to go through all of it,” says Ólöf, describing her experience. Hopefully, her story gives you the inspiration to start your own journey to a less cluttered and lower-waste life. A few final words of advice from Ólöf to support you on your way: “Focus on yourself and don’t be too hard on yourself. And please don’t think you have to own some special item to care for the environment. Just do something. Just do what you can.”

Zero Waste Readings:

Please keep in mind that you do not have to buy these books to read them. If possible, try to access them through your local library or borrow them from someone else.

Inspiring Books

Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein
Better Living Without Plastic by Anneliese Bunk and Nadine Schubert
Bad Buying: How Organisations Waste Billions Through Failures, Frauds and F*ck-ups by Peter Smith
Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret by Catherine Coleman Flowers

Instagram

@wastefreesteffi
@plastlausseptember
@zerowastedoc
@wastefreeplanet
@thezerowasteguide

LifestyleMaura RafeltMay 6, 2021