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Ingrida Jasiukevičiūtė

50 Times People Saw Such Creative Zero-Waste Ideas They Just Had To Share

The surplus of waste is becoming a bigger and bigger problem locally and globally with each passing day. The UN estimates that 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-waste Pandas. 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 little kinder to the planet, one upcycled item at a time.

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

Image credits: exhaustedoctopus

#2 I Work At A Travel Agency, And When We Have To Get Rid Of Our Outdated Maps, I Reuse Them As Wrapping Paper

Image credits: reddit.com

#3 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

Image credits: blabbitygabbity

We as the human species are putting more and more effort into safeguarding our planet by opting for more sustainable lifestyles. In fact, people born between 1997 and 2012 are the most eco-conscious generation yet. They have been taught from a young age that we are in a climate crisis and that physical pollution contributes to it directly.

Lately, governments are taking more action to decrease global pollution. In 2022, 175 UN member states voted to adopt a Global Plastics Treaty by 2025. What's the use of it, you ask? The treaty would aim to hold countries to a higher standard regarding plastic consumption and pollution. That includes banning single-use plastics and excessive packaging and implementing specific design requirements for plastic items.

#4 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

Image credits: rnords

#5 I Made A Bag Out Of Tags

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.

Image credits: Educational_Target56

#6 My Weekend Project Was Making Use Of A Broken Pot

Image credits: pmolina12

The World Wildlife Organization, together with other organizations, has urged leaders to come up with a united strategy for many years. They claim that 9 to 14 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans each year. What's worse, if we go at this rate, it will most likely triple by 2040, ushering in a serious plastic pollution crisis.

Some might say that tackling this problem at a national level might be more effective. Governments can cater to their country's needs better and are more familiar with the extent of pollution. Yet the data says otherwise. The WWF claims that national and voluntary actions have increased by 60%, but plastic pollution has still continued to increase by 50%.

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

Image credits: treanegno

#8 Reusing The Kids' Playhouse As A Catio

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.

Image credits: Redaerkoob

#9 My Grandma Made Her Shopping Bag Out Of Plastic Shopping Bags

Image credits: Icantthinkofaname678

These are, of course, commitments by governments and transnational organizations. But there's a bottom-up approach, too: consumers can try to be more pollution-conscious. That's where the zero-waste movement comes in. It's about reducing the waste that you produce as a consumer and minimizing your carbon footprint.

#10 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

Image credits: byronfayy

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

Image credits: i_heart_carrot

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

Image credits: ramblingroze

Bea Johnson, the author of the bestselling book and blog Zero Waste Home, popularized the 5 Rs, which have become the pillars of the zero-waste movement. The 5 Rs stand for Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot. They have replaced the previous 3 Rs that we were taught to live by: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The zero-waste movement, in turn, emphasizes minimalism and decluttering.

#13 I Patched A Large Hole In My Favorite Overalls Today

Image credits: twin_weenis

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

Image credits: briskiejess

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

Image credits: derekghs

That's why "Refuse" is at the front of the motto. Johnson told The Zero Waste Collective in an interview that even by adopting the three Rs, lots of waste was still coming into her home, like freebies, samples, and junk mail. So, "Refuse" might be the hardest principle to implement in your everyday life.

"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."

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

Image credits: okaysnowflake

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

Image credits: BrewCoven

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

Image credits: MarsNirgal

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 just plain greenwashing.

For example, companies just slap a recycling symbol on their packaging, even if their product is not accepted by recycling facilities. The truth is that only 9% of plastics ever produced have been recycled, and 19% have been incinerated.

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

Image credits: Levangeline

#20 Repurposed An Old Diaper Box Into A Bookcase For My Son

Image credits: kellyc0417

#21 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

Image credits: santanotsatan69

Let's also look at the "plastic-neutral" claim. It's like "carbon neutral," but instead of planes, it's for plastic bottles and packages. It means that the manufacturer is paying another company to offset their plastic production. The problem is that a company can be "plastic neutral" and still be the biggest plastic polluter in the world. Like Nestlé, who, together with Unilever, has been named the top plastic polluter in the Philippines.

#22 Neighbor Built This Neat Greenhouse Out Of Salvaged Windows And Doors

Image credits: kazzmere

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

Image credits: yellow_ducks

#24 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

Image credits: scavenger_hobo

The term "biodegradable" sounds like the saving grace of this plastic pollution nightmare. But we still have to put our thinking caps on while looking to buy products in such packaging. Personally, I learned my lesson the hard way with doggy waste bags. As I was reading up on which bags I could put into my home compost bin, I found out that there was a huge difference between "compostable" and "home compostable."

#25 I Made Shelves Using Recycled Thrift Shop Speakers

Image credits: MuchoGrande

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

Image credits: EduKehakettu

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

Image credits: nixass

A lot of products made from "compostable plastic" can only degrade at industrial facilities. This type of plastic requires high temperatures, UV exposure, and a controlled environment, so a simple home compost bin might not cut it. Only products with the label "home compostable" can you compost at home. The WWF also warns that "many commercial composters don't accept compostable plastic items even if they are certified as compostable."

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

Image credits: ChewbaccaExMachina

#29 You Can Plant This Calendar Because It's Made From Recycled Paper

Image credits: purutiger

#30 A Small Local Movie Theater Uses Reusable Metal Bowls For Popcorn

Image credits: stevieisbored

Refusing, reducing, and reusing stuff is your best bet when it comes to producing as little waste as possible. And don't get discouraged if you can't commit to a fully zero-waste lifestyle, Pandas. You can start out small by DIYing produce bags from old clothing items and take it from there. If you've been living a zero-waste lifestyle for some time now, let us know in the comments what tips and tricks you would give beginners!

#31 I Make Planters Out Of Old License Plates

Image credits: 3q49gh9q34

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

Image credits: fakeplastictrees81

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

Image credits: gloryallan

#34 My Mom Always Wraps Birthday Presents In Maps

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.