I recently had an a-ha moment that I want to share with you. Zero-waste is not a realistic goal for me.  

Like many of you, I am a busy mom with a full-time job and interests that don’t involve scrutinizing what’s on my curb on garbage day. 

Is zero-waste realistic?

Why am I writing about this? Because I don’t believe a zero-waste lifestyle is achievable for most of us. The more I read and learn, the more I realize that if I wanted to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle, I would need to quit my job and spend all day cooking, baking from scratch and creating my own cleaning supplies which I probably wouldn’t use because I’d be too busy to clean!

I don’t know about you, but that is not an option for me. I am just a normal person with a busy life who cares about the environment and wants to make changes.

In my first blog post, I fully admitted that I am not perfect when it comes to waste reduction. The more I think about it, the more I realize that it’s about progress, not perfection.

What does progress look like?

What does progress look like? It’s about each of us adopting new habits. Experts say it takes 28 days to form a new habit. Pick one thing to change and when that becomes a habit, choose another one. Over the course of a year, you’ll have developed a dozen new habits. That’s progress!

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Three simple ways to get started

If you’re just getting started on your waste reduction journey, relax. We’ve got this. Here are 3 simple things you can do today that will have a big impact…

1. Buy a refillable water bottle and ditch the plastic.
2. Say no to plastic shopping bags – keep reusable bags in your purse, backpack or car so they’re always handy.
3. Use your own mug for your morning take-out coffee. Even better, save money by making your coffee at home or work.

Don’t get discouraged if you slip up. Just make a mental note and tell yourself you’ll do better next time!

So, now I’m rephrasing my goal as waste reduction and eliminating single-use plastic. Now that feels doable!

What will you be doing in 28 days? Share your thoughts below.