The surplus of waste is becoming a bigger and bigger problem locally and globally with each passing day.The UN estimatesthat every year, humans generate up to 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste. Waste pollution is becoming a serious problem, as around 2.7 billion people lack access to waste collection.That’s why we should all do our (however tiny) part in trying to reduce global waste, so we’ve compiled some ideas for you,zero-wastePandas. From tips and tricks you can use at home to creative ideas in restaurants, supermarkets, and small businesses, we’ve got it all covered. Scroll down and see some ideas on how you can be a littlekinder to the planet, one upcycled item at a time.Bored Pandagot in touch with an expert in living the zero-waste lifestyle, Gittemarie Johansen. She’s a Danish public speaker, author, content creator, and zero-waste expert who’s been living sustainably since 2015. She kindly agreed to tell us more about the biggest challenges beginners usually face, shared some tips on how one can begin their zero-waste journey, and contemplated with us the question of why zero-waste isn’t the default yet.More info:Gittemarie Johansen|Instagram|YouTube|Sustainable Badass: A Zero-Waste Lifestyle GuideThis post may includeaffiliate links.

The surplus of waste is becoming a bigger and bigger problem locally and globally with each passing day.The UN estimatesthat every year, humans generate up to 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste. Waste pollution is becoming a serious problem, as around 2.7 billion people lack access to waste collection.

That’s why we should all do our (however tiny) part in trying to reduce global waste, so we’ve compiled some ideas for you,zero-wastePandas. From tips and tricks you can use at home to creative ideas in restaurants, supermarkets, and small businesses, we’ve got it all covered. Scroll down and see some ideas on how you can be a littlekinder to the planet, one upcycled item at a time.

Bored Pandagot in touch with an expert in living the zero-waste lifestyle, Gittemarie Johansen. She’s a Danish public speaker, author, content creator, and zero-waste expert who’s been living sustainably since 2015. She kindly agreed to tell us more about the biggest challenges beginners usually face, shared some tips on how one can begin their zero-waste journey, and contemplated with us the question of why zero-waste isn’t the default yet.

More info:Gittemarie Johansen|Instagram|YouTube|Sustainable Badass: A Zero-Waste Lifestyle Guide

This post may includeaffiliate links.

I’m A Quilter Who Saves Every Scrap. I Made This Dumbledore Quilt Using All Of The Tiny Scraps From My Stash

Many of us know that the planet is in a pretty rough state. We no longer needBill Nye to tell usthat. We asked Gittemarie Johansen, who educates people about the benefits of a zero-waste lifestyle, why the movement isn’t more popular under the circumstances. “I think there is a big disconnect between our actions and our impact,” she says. “Climate change is still a very distant phenomenon to many consumers, even though we can see it with our own eyes every day.““Through years and years of marketing and advertising, consumers today have also learned that we have the right to all types of convenience at any time we want. Both the fast food and the fast fashion industries are examples of this. In many ways, I think we’re putting our own flee[t]ing pleasure above what is beneficial to the planet or our local communities.““I think we’re often led to believe that our individual actions won’t matter – that’s all about the big corporations, and don’t get me wrong, they have a massive impact. I have found the zero-waste movement to be a great way to prevent hopelessness, which is easy to fall into today. But actually doing something, zero waste or not, is just so massively important.”

Many of us know that the planet is in a pretty rough state. We no longer needBill Nye to tell usthat. We asked Gittemarie Johansen, who educates people about the benefits of a zero-waste lifestyle, why the movement isn’t more popular under the circumstances. “I think there is a big disconnect between our actions and our impact,” she says. “Climate change is still a very distant phenomenon to many consumers, even though we can see it with our own eyes every day.”

“Through years and years of marketing and advertising, consumers today have also learned that we have the right to all types of convenience at any time we want. Both the fast food and the fast fashion industries are examples of this. In many ways, I think we’re putting our own flee[t]ing pleasure above what is beneficial to the planet or our local communities.”

“I think we’re often led to believe that our individual actions won’t matter – that’s all about the big corporations, and don’t get me wrong, they have a massive impact. I have found the zero-waste movement to be a great way to prevent hopelessness, which is easy to fall into today. But actually doing something, zero waste or not, is just so massively important.”

I Work At A Travel Agency, And When We Have To Get Rid Of Our Outdated Maps, I Reuse Them As Wrapping Paper

Sometimes Cheap Frames Don’t Come With Hanging Hardware. Tin Can Lids Get The Job Done. Learned This Trick From My High School Art Teacher

Gittemarie says that sometimes people misunderstand what zero-waste actually is. “There might also be a misrepresentation of what zero-waste is – chances are, you’re already doing a lot of zero-waste actions. It’s not about being 100% perfectly zero-waste; that’s impossible in a society not designed for it, but it’s about being mindful of how we consume and use materials and products. We need more people to see the connection between the small actions and the big picture.”

“Trying to live as sustainably as possible, of course, has its own challenges. My biggest challenge has been my expectations of myself and how ‘zero’ waste I can be,” Gittemarie tells Bored Panda. “It took me a while to realize that it’s not about perfection but simply trying.”

My Dad Built A Greenhouse Out Of Piles Of Random Stuff He’s Been Saving - Old Windows, Bits Of Flooring, Recycled Straightened Nails, And Off-Cuts Of Steel Roofing

Over 500 tags used, with two fully adjustable straps that can link together to create a longer strap. The tag for the bag is also a smaller bag made of tags.

I Made A Bag Out Of Tags

My Weekend Project Was Making Use Of A Broken Pot

Another interesting thing Gittemarie discovered when she started living the zero-waste lifestyle was that our physical trash doesn’t fully represent the impact we have on the planet.“Packaging only accounts for a very small part of a product’s impact. What the product is is much more important than how it’s packaged. As such, beef bought in bulk still has a bigger negative impact than lentils or veggie protein in a plastic bag,” Gittemarie explains. “And it’s important not to hyper-focus on the small stuff and continue to look at the bigger picture.”

Another interesting thing Gittemarie discovered when she started living the zero-waste lifestyle was that our physical trash doesn’t fully represent the impact we have on the planet.

“Packaging only accounts for a very small part of a product’s impact. What the product is is much more important than how it’s packaged. As such, beef bought in bulk still has a bigger negative impact than lentils or veggie protein in a plastic bag,” Gittemarie explains. “And it’s important not to hyper-focus on the small stuff and continue to look at the bigger picture.”

This Supermarket Had Tiny Paper Bags Instead Of Plastic Containers To Reduce Waste

Had To Throw This Basket Out At Work Because The Side Had Split. I Asked My Boss If I Could Have It And She Said Sure, So With A Little Ribbon It’s Fixed

My Grandma Made Her Shopping Bag Out Of Plastic Shopping Bags

For those looking to start their zero-waste journey, Gittemarie advises people to look at the bigger picture. “I would love to give three tips, like use a tote bag, bring your water bottle, and say no to straws, but I have a slightly different approach. Reduce what you buy, limit your spending to what is necessary, and look for preloved, second-hand options before buying from new.”

Our kids are getting older and we were facing the need to get rid of their playhouse. We also have a cat that likes the outside but gets himself into trouble. We gave away the slides and swings (the cat didn’t enjoy those aspects) and kept the main house to turn it into a catio. The cat loves it and we didn’t have to buy anything besides the wire and door hooks to convert it.

Reusing The Kids' Playhouse As A Catio

These Chairs Made From Old Fire Hoses, Near A Fire Station

Old Hair Brush? Attach It To A Leg Of A Chair For Your Cat To Rub On

“Sustainable living doesn’t have to be perfect to be valid,” Gittemarie says. “And no one is perfect anyway, so there is [that]. Simply doing anything has a positive impact. Start thinking about reusable things instead of relying on disposables whenever possible. Remember that the most sustainable products are what you already have; being zero waste doesn’t mean running out and buying tons of cute swaps; reuse what you have for as long as you can,” Gittemarie advises.

Someone On My Street Put Two Twin Bed Frames On The Curb. I Made One Into A Trellis

Our Local Supermarket Makes Juice Out Of Unsold Fruits. Literally Zero Waste

Upcycled A Broken Cable Spool From Work Into A Climbing Toy For Our New Kitten, Lady Sif

An Old TV Was Repurposed Into A Cat Bed For My Cat’s Birthday

I Was About To Throw Away Some Buttons, Single Earrings, And Broken Necklace Parts, But Turned Them Into DIY Cards Instead

A Coconut Repurposed As A Salt Container That Has Been In My Family For Over 20 Years

Repurposed An Old Diaper Box Into A Bookcase For My Son

I Patched A Large Hole In My Favorite Overalls Today

Neighbor Built This Neat Greenhouse Out Of Salvaged Windows And Doors

Mom Ordered A New Blanket, I Needed A Mini Greenhouse Type Container To Keep My Calathea Humid. Perfect? No, But Saved The Plastic From The Trash, And I Get To Give It A New Purpose

Upcycling Tip: A Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Container Makes A Great Mini Greenhouse

I Made Shelves Using Recycled Thrift Shop Speakers

I Work At A Hospital Where Employees Eat Every Day With Plastic Utensils. My Solution: Fork And Spoon In An Old Pencil Case

A Local Shop Gives Leafy Parts From Vegetables That Most People Don’t Eat To Pets For Free

The Components For My New Vacuum Are All Packaged In Paper Instead Of Plastic

“From experience, I can attest that it only is for a few weeks,” Johnson said. “That is until you have learned to not reach out when something is handed to you, and you have found your go-to refusal sentence.”

You Can Plant This Calendar Because It’s Made From Recycled Paper

Many years ago, my Granddad worked in a paper factory. My mom visited his workplace in 1994 to shoot a film there. They had thousands of excess sheets of maps that had been printed that were going to be thrown out, so she took enough that we still get our main presents wrapped in them all these years later.

My Mom Always Wraps Birthday Presents In Maps

I Make Planters Out Of Old License Plates

Companies may claim that their products are compatible with a zero-waste lifestyle, “biodegradable,” “plastic-free,” or “plastic-neutral.” However, a lot of times, these claims can be dishonest and justplain greenwashing.

You Can Grow Loofahs, Dry Them And Use Them To Wash Dishes. 5 Plants Make Enough For About 2 Years In Our House. Fully Biodegradable When They’re Worn Out

Made From A Very Worn Men’s Shirt That Was Headed To The Landfill

I Took A Friend’s Thesis Poster That Was Printed On Fabric And Turned It Into A Weekender Bag He Can Use

A Small Local Movie Theater Uses Reusable Metal Bowls For Popcorn

Shout-Out To Everyone Who Washes And Reuses Their Food Storage Bags

I Found Myself Buying Makeup Removing Wipes Every Few Weeks, But No More. With Fabric Remnants, An Old Hand Towel, And A Few Hours Of My Time, I’m Saving Money And The Planet

Repurposed Pallets For A Raised Bed. $9 Total, Spent On Fasteners And Hardware, With Half Left Over

It Isn’t A Lot, But Me And My Girlfriend Stopped Buying Paper Towels

My Aunt Requested Crochet Face Scrubbies To Replace Cotton Pads. She Asked For 24, So I Put Them In A Repurposed Candle Container

A Local Soapmaker Sells Miscellaneous Or Broken Pieces Of Soap Without Packaging At A Discount. It’s Perfect For Trying Out New Scents

First Time Using Food Scraps To Make Broth

My Local Coffee Shop Uses Old Milk Cartons As Takeaway Trays

Using Old Liquor Bottles To Serve Water At Restaurants

I Made Reusable Swiffer Pads! I Have Three Cats And A Dog, And I Get So Tired Of Buying Those Ridiculously Expensive Dusting Pads To Get Up All The Pet Hair

This Was A Really Fun Upcycling Project And Saved A Fortune On Glass Jars For My Pantry Shelves

Upcycled A Broken Bed Frame

Old And Broken Window Blinds Turned Into Plant Markers

This Toilet’s Cistern Fills Using A Tap And Sink, So You Can Wash Your Hands With No Waste

Our Brand New Bed Broke. I Salvaged The Wood, And Turned It Into A Planter

My Girlfriend Wrapped Her Christmas Presents In Fast Food Bags

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Family thinks I’m frugal, I just like to think I’m helping the environment. Saving money is a plus too.

Any Time I Get Sealed Air Bags I Make A Slit On One Side To Put My Hand Through And Pick Up My Puppy’s Waste. I Do This For Almost All Packaging I Receive

Sewed These Beach Bags Using My Old Shower Curtain Instead Of Throwing It Out

Clever Way To Use Old Rags In This Hotel

Neighbors Threw Away A Book Case. I Took It, Drilled Some Drainage Holes, Snagged The Towns Free Compost And Now I Have A Place For 20 Pepper Plants

I probably used about 30 sheets of notes to make these 15 pieces of paper. They’re surprisingly sturdy too.

At The End Of Every Year I Have A Bunch Of Notes And Books From School, So This Year I Recycled Them Into More Paper

I Have Had The Same Laundry Basket My Entire Life. One Of The Handles Has Been Cracking More And More For A Few Years. Rather Than Buy A New One, I Made A Crochet Handle To Hold It Together

Made A Fox From Old Clothes. The Filling Is Made From Shredded Scrap Fabrics

Grabbed A Trader Joe’s Popcorn Tin Out Of The Trash, Poked Drainage Holes, And Made It Into A Planter

I Made A Tote Bag Out Of A Canvas Print Someone Threw Away

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My Coffee Cup Is Edible. Tastes A Bit Like A Tough Ice Cream Cone, But Overall It Was Pleasant To Eat

My Wife Took Seeds From Our Fruits And Vegetables Last Month Then Used Some Old Milk Jugs And Egg Cartons To Start A Little Indoor Garden

My Old Bed Frame Broke Into Pieces, So My Partner Helped Me Use The Pieces To Make A Planter

The Restaurant I’m Eating At Has Etch-A-Sketches For Children Instead Of Wasteful Paper Menus Or Coloring Pages And Crayons

A Roll Of “Unpaper” Towels I Made For Our Kitchen

Thoroughly Enjoyed Loading Produce Into This Crochet Drawstring Bag Instead Of The Plastic One. Hope These Become More Popular

My Bank Uses An Eco-Friendly Envelope That You Can Put In The Ground, And The Flower Seeds Within The Paper Will Grow

This Honey Container From My Hotel Breakfast Buffet Is Edible

Been Buying Whole Chickens And Whole Veggies Instead Of Pre-Cut And Bagged Ones. Saved The Bones And Scraps For 3 Months In The Freezer And Decided To Make Chicken Stock

It is a lifesaver for rinsing lentils, beans and rice, perfect for straining homemade broths and is a champ at making large batches of sun tea, just to name a few uses.

Realized Today That I Have Used This Filter From A Broken Coffee Maker Almost Every Day For Years Now

I Make Pots For Plants From Old Paper And Cardboard

Repurposed Two Clear Pouches From A Recent Pillowcase Purchase To Store My Stationery

Turned My Old Bath Loofa Into Produce Bags

Carlsberg Beers Glued Together With Environmentally Friendly Glue To Reduce Waste

My Parents Have Been Refilling This Bottle Of Sunlight Dish Soap For 25 Years

In An Effort To Have Less Water Waste, I Started Keeping This Pitcher On The Counter. Water From Leftover Drinks Goes In Here And Then I Use It To Water My Plants

I also double-checked with a friend’s measuring cup to make sure it’s accurate. It is!

My Glass Measuring Cup Fell And Shattered. Instead Of Buying A New One, I Started Using An Old Pasta Sauce Jar

Brown Paper Grocery Bags Make Excellent Wrapping Paper For Gifts

Flat Rock As A Soap Holder, Will Last A Lifetime And Beyond

My Wife Put Giant Googly Eyes On Our Trash Can As A Joke, But It’s Actually Working For Our Zero Waste Goals. Now I Feel Shame Every Time I Toss Something, It Looks Horrified

I Turned A Ripped Sheet Into Reusable Disinfecting Wipes And “Unpaper” Towels. Stored In Containers I Already Had

This Is Brilliant

My Milk Bottle This Morning Really Shows The Power Of The “Reuse” Part Of The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Principle

My Neighbor Used Plastic Bottles To Create Miniature Greenhouses

This Paper Cup Has No Plastic Lid

Upcycled Kitchen. Cabinets And Countertops Are Built From Our Own Floorboards, Doors From Old Windows, And Countertops From Tile Scraps

Cardboard Rings For This Six-Pack Instead Of The Plastic Ones

My Coffee Shop Puts Ground Coffee In Their Planters

Didn’t Want To Waste A Perfectly Good Rice Bag

Made My Own Solid Shampoo And Conditioner

My Local Foodland Has Bread Ties That Are Made Of Cardboard Instead Of Plastic. One More Small Step

Instead Of Styrofoam Peanuts, This Package Came With Cardboard Pyramids

When You Forget Your Reusable Bag, But Remember To Bring Your Wife

My Father Recycled An Old Plastic Ketchup Bottle Into A Shampoo Dispenser For His Shower

Shower Shelf Made From Collected Takeout Chopsticks And Raffia Cord That Came With Valentine’s Day Flowers

Upcycled My Empty Aldi Candle Into A Planter

Holiday Wrapping Paper Made With Grocery Bags And Colored Pencils

I keep a bin in my kitchen to separate these out and wash when full with hot water, detergent and bleach.

About 6 Years Ago I Ditched Paper Towels And Switched To Cotton Shop Towels. I Bought 150 Off Amazon For About $30. They Have Been Life-Changing For Staying Frugal And Eco-Conscious

Used The Crate My Shower Door Came In To Make Some Shelves

Whenever I Get A Dish Sponge That Is Past Its Lifetime For Washing Dishes, I Always Cut It In Half And Then Retire Those Sponges For Household Cleaning Around The Dirty Areas

These Chips Are Made From Rejected Potatoes To Reduce Landfill Usage

A Supplier Of Ours Now Fills His Packages With Air Cushions Made Out Of Paper Instead Of Plastic

It’s Always Package-Free If You Grow It Yourself

My Hotel Room Requires That You Insert Your Keycard Once You Enter To Have Power, As A Way To Reduce Waste And Expenses

Instead Of Carving Pumpkins I Started To Draw On Them With A Marker. I Can Still Use Them For Cooking After

An Edible Coffee Cup Made From Oats And Grains

My Neighbor Fixed His Trash Bin Rather Than Ordering A New One From The City

Noticed Cardboard Hangers Instead Of Plastic Ones While Working On My Shift

My Starbucks Hot Chocolate Lid Came Apart And Revealed A Reused Car Wax Container That Had A Printing Error

Repurposing A Damaged Frying Pan. With A Bit Of Paint It’s Now A Cool Decorative Bowl

I Found Another Way To Reuse And Reduce With These Cardboard Boxes

Resealable Cans At My Local Shop In The UK

My Local Cafe Uses Old Milk Containers As Cup Holders

I Turned An Empty Ink Pot Into A Mini Scented Beeswax Candle

Instead Of Buying Plastic Bobbins For My Embroidery Thread, I Cut Up Cardboard And Takeout Containers

An Environmentally Friendly New York Fries Cup With A Built-In Lid

My Local Coffee Shop Reuses Milk Containers As Carrying Trays

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