Day 30: 30 days and counting

How does it feel to have made a change these 30 days? 

I think it has been a rollercoaster, at first I thought it would be easy, but there are so many situations in daily life where you get packaging/waste without having any control over the matter. I didn’t eat much meat before, but this process totally cut meat out of my diet (unless I was eating out). I am quite proud of having made it the 30 days, halving waste each week until this last week, in which I produced no waste.

What have you learnt about yourself?

I have learned that I produce more waste than I thought I did. I think because I was recycling I wasn’t really worrying about how much packaging I was producing. But of course it is better to have no packaging than having the carbon of recycling packaging. Looking how much waste I, one individual, produced in a week shocked me a little at first. Since then I have changed several behaviours: no more takeaway coffees (even when I thought I desperately needed one!), no more takeaways (didn’t get too many of these anyway but, they always come with so much waste!), less caffeine, no more using the car for short journeys when I can cycle. I have also had to think more creatively about my cooking, I love food, but when so much of it comes wrapped it meant having to create certain things from scratch, incredibly time consuming, but if I made the time for it then actually enjoyable and cathartic. Namely I have cut out cereal boxes (refillable cereal stations at world matter and I pack it out with fruit), tetra milk packs (I now make my own oat milk (so much cheaper!), and no more tinned goods! Amidst all this I have re-discovered my lockdown love of bread baking, sourdoughs, foccacias, the lot! 

What do you deeply care about for yourself and others?

Be kind. Be humble. Small acts of kindness. Be forgiving. Treat as you would wish to be treated. Take care of the planet. Family. Friends. Teaching and Learning. Outdoor education. Equality and Inclusivity. 

Will you continue you with your challenge going forwards. 

No, I’m not sure how to half zero waste! But I will be taking the mentality forward. This process occupied a significant amount of working memory and energy, which I hope to invest elsewhere. I would like to try some of the other ideas too, and so will create space for that, e.g. an hour each day in nature without technology. 

Thanks for the wonderful journey, the on-going support and your collective shared wisdom and enthusiasm. 

Best of luck everyone! 

Reuben.