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

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 30+% food in the US is wasted. Reduce Food Waste is ranked #3 in Climate Action impact by DrawDown.org.

  2. Save rainwater for your garden with Great American Rain Barrel

REUSE

  1. Bring your own (BYO) shopping bag, lunch box, reusable utensil, water bottle, or coffee mug

  2. Host parties with real plates, cups, utensils, and cloth napkins

  3. Purchase products in reusable containers from The Loop Store or Plaine Products

  4. Reuse glass containers

  5. 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:

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?

LexingtonMA ReUseIt io Group

Freecycle Lexington MA

www.nextdoor.com Free section

Everything Free Lexington MA Facebook Group

Buy Nothing Arlington/ Lexington, MA Facebook Group

Craig's List

Second-hand Fashion stores:

Used Electronics, Phones, Computers:

Ebay, Amazon, Swappa, Gazelle, and some cell phone network carriers.

Furniture and building materials:

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