Goodbye plastic: Upping your zero waste game

Annoying, puzzling, weird.

These are just some of the words people use to describe people who refuse single-use containers. Maybe it does take a little bit of crazy and a huge amount of stubbornness to hold on to your beliefs when you’ve made a pact to stick to a zero waste lifestyle.

President of Mother Earth Foundation Froilan Grate can still recall the time when using reusable bags was a novel idea. He used to draw incredulous stares from the supermarket staff some fifteen years ago.  

“In fact, if I insist, they would send a security guard to follow me as I do my grocery. It’s the same story kapag bumili ka ng wet foods. Hindi ka papayagan. They will call the manager, the supervisor. So, sa umpisa, it was really weird for a lot of people.”

These were just some of the “struggles” recounted at the "Waste Not Want Not: Journey to a Zero Waste Lifestyle" meetup.

Hosted by Mother Earth Foundation and GAIA Foundation, the meetup served as a platform for zero waste practitioners like Froilan to share their journey with kindred spirits — people who were either taking their baby steps, or who are just about to begin the lifestyle. 

It starts with thicker skin

A mom, wife and office worker, April Balahan started her zero waste journey two years ago in her own household. She gradually worked it into her office space, too. 

April said that her office mates used to call her "Ms. Basurera", but she just kept doing her thing. 

In her department, she began using paper for the newspaper bin. During celebrations or corporate training, she would insist on bringing Tupperware containers to restaurants to get takeout and she would lug them back to the office.

“Lahat sila pinuwersa ko na 'magdala kayo ng container ha'. Kapag hindi kayo nagdala, wala kayong pagkain. So nagdala naman sila,” April shares.

For April, zero waste means going the extra mile, hassles included. 

Tricky areas

The struggle is harder when it comes to kitchen, bathroom, and battery waste. Lessening these score higher points in the "zero waste game."

Here are simple things you can do to get those points:

Kitchen Waste

• Buy only things you will actually consume, and consume what you have already bought.
• Cook only what is enough for the family. Take note of the food that usually gets wasted and buy less of it next time.
• Compost! About half of household waste is organic. Use old containers to compost vegetable peelings and leftovers.
• Check which food items or products can be purchased without packaging. Opt for plastic-free products.
• Shop in public markets. Most stalls do not wrap produce in plastic.
• Choose alternative cleaning agents for your kitchen. Commercial cleaning agents (soaps) are not only wrapped in single-use plastic, they also contain harmful ingredients. Try vinegar or baking soda, which are safer.

Bathroom Waste

• Reduce tissue use by switching to hand towels. Hand towels are washable and can be used over and over again.
• If you need to use toilet paper, try composting instead of throwing them. Make sure to prepare a separate waste bin for toilet paper and to not mix them with kitchen waste.
• Try dental care alternatives such as baking soda-based toothpaste and bamboo toothbrush. Toothpaste tubes are made from multi-layer plastic packaging and cannot be recycled.
• Opt for personal care products that do not contain microplastics. Personal care products are big contributors of microplastics that turn up in oceans.

Battery Waste

• Use rechargeable batteries instead of single-use (alkaline) batteries. Look for non-battery-operated devices if available.
• Talk to your barangay or city about waste collection for battery waste. By law, cities are mandated to handle hazardous waste.

Upping your zero waste game

Initially, zero waste practitioners start with “Bring Your Own” behavior i.e. bringing your own utensils, containers and shopping bags. It's a definite no to single use plastics, especially straws, which Froilan said is “the most stupid thing invented.”

As you progress, you learn to be more creative and you begin do-it-yourself projects. April, for example, turned her wedding veil into a produce bag. You learn to be resourceful, eventually.

It is quite a struggle, oftentimes prompting other people to ask why they still persist, as Froilan and April relates. There’s just too much waste and human beings, with the rise of commercialism, have become blind to the dire consequences. Being wasteful is the easier recourse, but nothing great ever comes easy.

Fortunately, more and more people are taking up the cause — brazen and weird and all. — AT, GMA News