The First Step

When I first made the decision to transition to a sustainable lifestyle, I had no idea where to start. I was excited and motivated to make the world a better place by reducing my trash and learning to live sustainably. But when I took a look around, I realized my world was completely engulfed by trash. All the items in my fridge and pantry where packaged, my bathroom cabinets were filled to the brim with products and my laundry room was packed with every cleaning product known to man. I was overwhelmed. That's when I decided that my first step, and possibly the most important step, would be to change nothing at all. I would continue living my life the way I always have.

I know that sounds counter intuitive, but hear me out. Living in a society with a consumerist culture, the lines between wants and needs are extremely blurred. We tend to buy things based on the impulsive feeling that we need  it and our life will significantly improve once we have it. So, step number one was figuring out what I really needed. For the first couple of weeks, I just lived my life normally, except during this time I paid close attention to everything I used and how many times I used it. To say this was eye opening is an understatement. I could not believe how many things I owned that I hardly ever used. Once I had identified the things that I need, the hard part began. Research. I had to figure out how to obtain all of my food and products while producing little to no waste. This is a process and I will be exploring the stages of this process over several posts.

Living mindfully and identifying the things you are consuming is something I highly recommend as a first step to reducing your waste. Even if you have no interest in going zero waste, by identifying the things you use and only purchasing what you need, you will be greatly reducing your carbon footprint and on your way to living a sustainable life.