Zero Waste rules of thumb
9 daily habits of zero waste people
How to live zero waste
Alcohol
Can beer be zero waste? What’s best out of wine, beer and spirits?
Appliances
Are bread-makers good or bad for the environment? Where to repair in Auckland?
Arts and Crafts
What’s going to happen to your art at the end of its life? Here are some zero waste art ideas.
Bags for shopping
Learn what to look for in reusable shopping bags; Find out where to buy reusable fruit and vegetable bags in nz.
Baking
Zero waste crackers, muesli bars and other treats can be made at home without any plastic at all.
Batteries
Are rechargeable batteries good for the environment? And how can you dispose of batteries in nz?
Bedding
Is it possible to avoid plastic packaging with new bedding?
Bin liners
What is the most sustainable bin liner? It is not what you think!
Biodegradable Plastic Packaging
Biodegradable plastic can seem like a great alternative to standard plastic products. However, there is a lot of controversy and confusion over PLA, “compostable” “degradable” etc.
Blu tack, glue, sellotape…
Here are all of the ways I can think of to stick things to walls and together, in order of awesomeness:
Books v eBooks
Make the most of your library and local book swapping programmes. Thanks to Nicola for suggesting we check out Good Books. Based in Ponsonby, Auckland, nobody working there gets paid and 100% of the profits go to support projects in collaboration with Oxfam! By partnering with the Paperback Shop in the UK they can supply over 4million…
Bread
Best thing on this whole website is right here. Life hack DIY bread.
Breakfast cereal
Zero waste breakfasts: oats, cereals, muesli, weetbix…
Building, renovating, demolition
When it comes to building and renovating there are a lot of forces at play encouraging you to tread down the well worn path of mass produced, easily accessed, quick to install materials, which in the case of renovations, usually means the ripping out everything and sending it to landfill.
Bulk food stores (bins)
To buy bulk foods you need to know where to shop and you need your own bags and jars at home…
Bulk oil, vinegar, detergent etc
Get yourself some glass bottles, or any bottles…
Butter v maragine
Hard to beat butter…
Cartons – milk & juice cartons
The problem with this type of packaging is that it is a mixed material of paper, foil and plastic bonded together which makes it difficult to recycle.
CD, DVDs, videos
All of this out dated technology is almost always landfilled. You might be lucky enough to live somewhere where an environmentally friendly recycler is accepting them
Cheese
Buying from a specialist cheese monger often means they are cutting your cheese off a larger round and therefore it can be put in your own container.
Children
Have you got a “Rubbish magnet” or an “Earth defender”?
Cleaning
We use a dishwashing brush from eco-store. It is a reusable wood and metal handle with a disposable wooden head with natural bristles.
Cling film (gladwrap)
Surprisingly we didn’t find it that hard to stop using cling film. For left over’s we either just put a plate over them in a bowl, or use Tupperware or ice cream containers.
Clothing
When shopping consider what will happen to your clothes at the end of their usability. Non-natural fibres won’t break down for hundreds of years. Consider buying organic cotton,
Coffee
t is now really quite easy to get great tasting coffee that is fresh, organic, fair trade, and with sustainable packaging which is awesome.
Composting
The easiest, most dramatic way to reduce the amount of material going to landfill is to deal with food and organic waste at home.
Computers & e-waste
According to Green Guide 1.6 tons of raw material are required to make a single computer.
Containers – single use, plastic containers
Check the bottom of the containers for a number, generally in a triangle from 1 – 7. Depending on where you live depends on what numbers your Council accepts for recycling
Dental Floss
Couple of options, Do Gooder, sell a pure silk floss, and The Eco Brush sell The Eco Floss.
Deodorant
Thanks to Peter for letting us in on his secret recipe for deodorant, which having met Peter personally I can assure you works just fine!
Fruit & Vegetables
Fruit and vegetables is easy! But its amazing how often plastic and other packaging is involved…
Furniture
When purchasing try and go for natural materials as much as possible such as from these designers. Buy the best quality you can afford for durability…
Gardening
If you have the space, gardening is a great compliment to a rubbish free lifestyle…
Glass
Why can’t you recycle window glass in the recycling bin? Can you recycle broken window glass in nz?
Health & beauty products
It all looks too good to be true, but then, maybe we have been a bit sucked into thinking we need to buy the best stuff…
Herbs & Spices
Take your own containers or bags to a bulk food store…
Ice blocks and ice cream
Totally essential! But I find it so hard to enjoy plastic wrapped treats…
Kitchen utensils & appliances
When buying stuff for the kitchen we…
Laundry
Comprehensive guide to zero waste laundry in NZ
Mail & Courier packages
More and more courier and mail services are offering an alternative to plastic courier bags…
Meat & fish
Why are we still using all those styrofoam trays for our fish and meat…
Medicine & supplements
Occasionally an easy alternative can be sourced, for example subbing…
Sanitary products
For menstruation, incontinence and babies!
Milk
Refill your glass bottle. If only! you say. Well…
Parties
Finding out balloons aren’t sustainable is the ultimate downer…
Pegs
Purchase wooden pegs so that when they break they can be either composted or burnt.
Pens, pencils, highlighters etc
The humble pencil is simple genius…
Printing
Before buying a printer it would be worth contacting Cartridge World. They are able to refill…
Pets
Can dog poo be safely dealt with on your property? How to build your own composting dog poo toilet.
Recycling
To recycle at kerbside you need to know what is accepted in your area. Every major council in New Zealand…
Shampoo & Conditioner
In order of easiness…
Shaving & Waxing
Avoid disposable razors and electric razors by buying a quality double blade shaver…
Take-a-ways
Although your arteries might disagree, from a rubbish point of view there is no problems fish ‘n chips and pizza as the paper or box can be recycled, composted once shredded, or burned. For Chinese, Thai, Indian etc take your own container, maybe even reusing one they gave you originally, and pass it over when…
Tea & coffee
We get loose leaf straight from our local organic refillery…
Toilet paper & tissues
Green Cane and smartass both home deliver a big box of toilet paper…
Toothbrush & paste
A New Zealand company, Go Bamboo, is producing bamboo toothbrushes…
Yoghurt & Sour cream
There is an incredible way to make yoghurt and sour cream…
