An Intro to Zero Waste

At a high level the idea of going zero waste is to follow the 5 R’s in this order:

Refuse (what you do not need)
Reduce (what you do need)
Reuse (what you have)
Recycle (what you can't refuse, reduce or reuse)
Rot (the rest)

See below for examples of each.

Another concept to think about is the full lifecycle of a product- this meme covers it pretty succinctly

We are living in a linear economy on a finite planet. This 20 minute animated documentary called "The Story of Stuff" gives a good overview of how crazy our consumerism has become.

This is also an interesting article which analyses the full carbon footprint of different milk containers, which mentions a lifecycle inventory database which gives a full picture of the environmental impact of a product (need to figure out how to get educational access).

Once you start to look at products by their full lifecycle it's hard to justify purchasing items the way you used to.

Samples of the 5 R's:

Refuse

Out ‘n’ About

say “no” to plastic, disposable bags, straws and cutlery
refuse disposable cups and water bottles by bringing your own

Food Shopping

refuse packaging by bringing your own (bring glass jars for meat, cloth produce bags for fruit and veg, linen sack for bread)

Reduce

Out ‘n’ About

when travelling (either by car or air) bring re-usable water bottle and food container for drinks/snacks along the way
bring a fork, knife and spoon with you wrapped up in a napkin
carry a handkerchief

Food Shopping

reduce packaging by using cloth and / or re-usable bags (added bonus to order these from local shops to reduce transportation costs - I found some at Little Green Shop)
reduce waste by shopping with a shopping list
reduce packaging by buying food/drink at shops that allow you to use your own containers (butchers, farmers markets, wholefood/natural food shops)

House and Home

buy second hand where possible (clothes, electronics, toys etc)
ask for second hand gifts
use your local library for books
buy a tea infuser for loose tea

Reuse

In the Kitchen

reuse existing glass jars for nuts, seeds, oats, spices etc
reuse existing glass jars for drinking glasses
reuse existing tupperware/take-out containers (from before going zero-waste) as containers for your shopping or get stainless steel ones

In the Bathroom

buy reusable sanitary products (moon cup or reusable sanitary pads)
buy toilet roll in paper wrappers or consider installing a bidet (you can get toilet seat add-on units if space is a premium)
make your own shampoo, soap

Recycle

Keeping in mind that the vast majority of energy and waste has already gone into making a product/packaging and further energy will be required to recycle - this is why recycling should be done as one of the last resorts