Zero Waste @Home
Save our planet, health & wallet
REFUSE
REDUCE
REUSE
REPAIR
REPURPOSE
ROT
RECYCLE
REFUSE
Say NO to those "free" shopping bags, extra packaging or swag you don't need: Nothing is "free" when resources have been exploited to make it.
REDUCE
Why pay for water and plastic? Use
bar soaps,
powdered detergent or detergent strips (Breezero and Beyond are just two of many brands), and
shampoo and conditioner bars! (#GiveUpTheBottle Ethique bars)
Bring your own (BYO) containers and buy cleaning products at Cleenland in Cambridge.
Avoid unnecessary packaging:
Pick "naked" fruits and vegetables in the produce aisle, without plastic bags, film or trays
Purchase dry goods in bulk
Avoid single-serve products.
30+% food in the US is wasted. Reduce Food Waste is ranked #3 in Climate Action impact by DrawDown.org.
Save rainwater for your garden with Great American Rain Barrel
REUSE
Bring your own (BYO) shopping bag, lunch box, reusable utensil, water bottle, or coffee mug
Host parties with real plates, cups, utensils, and cloth napkins
Purchase products in reusable containers from The Loop Store or Plaine Products
Reuse glass containers
Reuse bags as trash or doggie bags
REPAIR
Instead of buying new, get a favorite pair of shoes repaired, your phone fixed, sharpen a knife, and $ave!
$ave money and support a circular, local economy:
The Village Cobbler, 16 Waltham St. (781) 862-4199
Lexington Shoe and Luggage Repair, 323 Woburn St, (781) 652-0023
Complex IT , 9 Meriam St Suite 1, (781) 879-0075
iFix and Repair (phones, tablets, game consoles, computers, smart watches), Burlington Mall, L1, 781-816-9349
UBreakIFix (phones, tablets, game consoles, computers), Burlington Mall, The Village, (617) 475-5007
REPURPOSE
Besides donating used items to your favorite charities, we need to create demand for secondhand items in a Circular Economy. Have you shared and traded items in online communities?
www.nextdoor.com Free section
Everything Free Lexington MA Facebook Group
Buy Nothing Arlington/ Lexington, MA Facebook Group
Second-hand Fashion stores:
Plato's Closet, 100 River St., Waltham
Garment District 200 Broadway, Cambridge
Growing Up, 443 Common St, Belmont
Poshmark (online)
Used Electronics, Phones, Computers:
Ebay, Amazon, Swappa, Gazelle, and some cell phone network carriers.
Furniture and building materials:
EcoBuilding Bargains by Center for EcoTechnology (CET)
ROT
30-40% of our daily waste is organic. Composting is often the first and BIGGEST step we take on our Zero Waste journey.
You can compost kitchen waste, used napkins, paper towels, soiled pizza box, and more. Compost in your backyard or have it sent to the farmland by a weekly pickup service, it's your choice!
You can also go beyond your own kitchen and be a volunteer and influencer!
RECYCLE
A last resort for items no longer usable. Don't 'wishcycle'! See more about the right way to recycle.
Recycle-Smart-Infographic.pdf
