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45 ‘Zero Waste’ Tips And Tricks For Anyone Who Cares About The Environment, As Shared On This Online Group
Interview
I know that most of you Pandas care about the environment and Planet Earth very deeply. After all, it’s not only our home but also where all those desperately cute animals we love to feature on Bored Panda live. From cats and dogs to every single wild floof that we’d adopt at the drop of a hat if only we could.
However, the climate crisis continues to ravage the planet. As politicians are calling for a global green deal, Europeans are reeling from the floods that devastated Germany, Belgium, and are now shifting to Austria. While we know that laws, international agreements, and changes to how major businesses operate are the main driving force in the fight against climate change, each of us also has a personal responsibility to move away from a wasteful life to one that has less of an impact on the environment.
That’s where the r/ZeroWaste subreddit comes in. The online community is dedicated to sharing everyday tips and tricks that help protect the environment and raise awareness about how we can all do our bit. Inch by inch. Step by small step. The end goal is to make sure that all discarded materials are reused. Ideally, absolutely nothing would be sent to landfills.
As you scroll down, remember to upvote the lifehacks that you found to be the most useful. We’d also love it if you share any of your own environmentally-friendly tips and tricks with all the other Pandas in the comments. Intrigued by a low-impact lifestyle? Thinking of joining the r/ZeroWaste community? Good on you! But first, you might want to check out their in-depth wiki. It’s incredibly informative.
I had a friendly chat about the subreddit's history, community, and how to convince people who are on the fence about doing more to protect the environment with moderator Inasaba. "/r/ZeroWaste was created in 2013, and I have personally been a part of the community since 2016, back when we only had around 5,000 subscribers. The sub really started growing in 2018, hitting 100k subscribers by the end of that year. The growth recently has been amazing!" they told Bored Panda about the subreddit's growth towards the 577k members it has now.
You can find the full interview below. I also reached out to the Greenpeace team for a few insights into how to tackle plastic pollution and move toward a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. You'll find their insights below, too.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Christmas Tree Rental
RELATED:
#2
Instead Of Polluting The Planet With Confetti, Hole Punch Leaves! Fully Biodegradable
#3
My Christmas Present To My Mother In Law. (It Looks Like Her Dog.) I Used All Donated Scrap Fabric. I Throw Away Nothing When Trimming - I Keep Even The Tiniest, Weirdest Pieces When I’m Quilting My Big Quilts, Because You Never Know When Something Is Going To Need A Shadow, A Collar, Or A Nose
#4
Libraries Are So Vastly Underappreciated
Carmen Sandiego 5 years ago
I friggen LOVE libraries. The smell of books! Beautiful classics! THE MANDATORY SILENCE! Did I mention the vast abundance of BOOKS!
#5
This Awesome Moroccan School Security Guard Wasted No Quarantine Time And Restored, Free Of Charge, These Benches That Were Supposed To End Up In The Trash So That They Can Be Reused This School Year
#6
Recycling Old Picnic Coolers For Stray Cat Shelters
Tassenküchlein168 5 years ago
I love this one! Such a great idea to use the insulating ability of the boxes to make a comfortable sleeping place for strays. ❤️
#7
Turkish Garbage Collectors Open A Library For All Of The Books Citizens Discard In Their Trash
#8
Italian Brand Barilla Removed The Plastic Window From Their Boxes (UK)
#9
Toothbrush With Replaceable Bristles So You Don’t Have To Keep Buying A New Handle
#10
This Was Enough For Me To Finally Kick Starbucks For Good
#11
I Just Finished My Latest Art Made Solely Put Of Recycled Wine Foils
#12
Sunnybee, A Farmer's Market And Store In Chennai, India, Has Begun Wrapping Their Produce In Banana Leaves. Makes Me Glad That My Country Is Thinking Forward Like First World Countries
Mazer 5 years ago
Want to go a couple of steps further go get a set of “ToGo Ware” bamboo utensil set, add a set of bamboo straws carried around with you and refuse the plastic straw and utensils they give you with takeout. Bamboo is fast growing and renewable. Get yourself a set of metal Tiffin containers and ask the restaurant to put your takeout in the Tiffen containers or pack your leftovers yourself at the table
#13
My Shopping Bag Has A Printed Holiday Pattern So It Can Be Reused As Wrapping Paper
#14
This Week I Will Hit My 8000th Bag Of Trash Cleaned Up. I Love My Life, And I Encourage Others To Try This
#15
This Is Completely Out Of Season And I Did It Four Years Ago, But I Work In A Bakery In A Health Food Store And This Is How I Evaded Throwing Away Broken But Otherwise Perfectly Fine Cookies That Didn't Make The Cut For Platters. Injure Bread Men!
#16
A Few Weeks Back I Put A Box Of Empty Candle Jars Out On My Verge For Giveaway - I Didn't Want To Throw Them Away - And Today I Found A Lil Box Of Candles In My Doorstep With Some Of The Jars Refilled With Lovely Scented Candles
#17
A Library That Rents Cake Pans!
Joanie 5 years ago
Wonderful! At the library in my hometown, one can borrow cake pans, fishing poles, strollers, Halloween costumes and others! They also have a free seed catalog. People donate heirloom seeds from their garden for others to plant and enjoy. The library provides small paper packets for the seeds. It is a small library with a big heart!
#18
Picked Up A Used Cardigan That Turned Out To Look Much Better In The Picture Than In Person, So I Turned It Back To Yarn And Crocheted The Yarn Into A Cat Bed
Softsquatch 5 years ago
thats so clever! i love knitting and crochet and spend tons on yarn but never thought to reuse my old jumpers. will definitely be using this.
#19
We Need More Coffee Shops To Do This
#20
You Can Grow Loofahs (They Are In The Cucumber Family), 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
#21
For Anyone Out There Who Has An Old Trampoline And Isn't Sure What To Do With It
#22
My Dad Built A Green House Out Of Piles Of Random Stuff He’s Been Saving In The “You Never Know When It Will Come In Useful” Pile. Old Windows, Bits Of Flooring, Recycled Straightened Nails, And Off Cuts Of Steel Roofing. Only Had To Spend $40 On 8 Large Bolts. So Proud Of Him!
#23
Old Spice Has Plastic-Free Deodorant
bryguy 5 years ago
But why do you more than triple the price of the product when you are taking away plastic and using recycled paper? The plastic container costs roughly 17 cents to the manufacture. The paper container costs roughly 28 cents. So why is the price going from $3.47 for the plastic one to $10.99 for the paper one? (CAD in my area) You also end up with less product inside, 2.0oz for the one in paper 2.575oz for the one in plastic. They took away product to re-coop the cost of the packaging but are charging 3X the price for no reason.
#24
Bulk Frozen Vegetables In Romania! First Time I've Seen Somethibg Like This
#25
Sometimes Junk Store Frames Don’t Come With Hanging Hardware. Tin Can Lids Get The Job Done. Learned This Trick From My High School Art Teacher
#26
My Boyfriend Wrote A Paper On How Superworms And Mealworms Can Digest Styrofoam Into Biodegradable Waste At A Fast Rate. We Expanded It Into A Project At School This Year. This Is A Farm That I Started A Week Ago. It's Simple And Low Maintenance. Please Try It Out!
#27
Our Local Supermarket Makes Juice Out Of Unsold Fruits. Literally Zero Waste
#28
As A Truck Driver I Am So Tired Of Seeing Garbage Everywhere Left By Other Drivers. So I Decided To Be The Change That I Wanted To See In The World
#29
My Drugstore Just Got A Refill Station For Laundry And Dishwashing Detergent!
#30
Decorating My New Apartment My Updating The Furniture Left Behind
#31
I Built This House Almost Entirely Out Of Dirt And Reclaimed Materials!
#32
Can't Believe A Zero Waste Shop Opened Up Only 15 Minutes From My Rural Village In Scotland!
#33
Today I Collected 8 Bags Of Garbage From Nature... We Try To Justify Our Ignorance In Front Of Ourselves And We Will Say "It's Not Mine", But We Are No Longer Entitled To That Nowadays. Nature Is Our Collective Responsibility, And This Sense Of Responsibility Motivates Me To Clean Up The Forest
#34
Somebody Made Homes For Street Cats To Take Shelter In Out Of Water Jugs
#35
My Eldest Daughter, 13, Started Doing Embroidery After She Saw Some Videos On Instagram. Yesterday She Surprised Me With This Beautiful Flower That She Stitched Over A Hole In My Favorite Jeans!
#36
The Paper Didn't Reach
#37
A Friend And I Have Started Doing Weekly Trash Walks Around Our Neighborhood In La. This Week We Filled Two Whole Trash Bags Going Less Than Two Blocks. We’re Hoping To Keep Growing Our Little “Club” And Maybe Inspire Some Others To Start One Too!
#38
I Sell Clothing Online And Finally Mastered Zero Waste Mailers! Made 100% Of Discarded Plastic And Sealed Shut With My Sewing Machine
#39
A Local Soapmaker Sells Miscellaneous / Broken Pieces Of Soap Without Packaging At A Discount. Perfect For Trying Out New Scents!
#40
George Kent Using His Own 64oz Nalgene Bottle Instead Of The Single Use Plastic Bottles Provided At The Impeachment Hearing Today
#41
With An Axe And Two Knives, I Carve Spoons From Freshly Fallen Wood Picked In My Forest. Spoons Are Everyday Tools That Have Been Used Since The Beginning Of Humanity
#42
Office Goes Zero Waste And Gave Everyone One Of These
#43
Diyed A Soap Dish Out Of Unused Takeout Chopsticks, Glue, And Thread
#44
I Used Bird Seed For My Graduation Pictures Instead Of Glitter/Confetti!
#45
A Knit A Sweater Made Entirely Of Old /Scrap Yarns I Had Lying Around
Paisley Nougat 5 years ago
may be "old school" but new school to me. very nice. thanks for the post.
#46
So Someone On My Street Put Two Twin Bed Frames On The Curb. I Made One Into A Trellis
#47
I Work At A Hospital Where Employees Eat Everyday With Plastic Utensils. My Solution: Fork And Spoon In An Old Pencil Case
#48
It's Not For Everyone, But I Do Get A Lot Of Compliments On My Decorating. My Secret Is That Everything Is Second-Hand, Preferably From Curbs And Dumpsters (Including Cats)
#49
My Local Dump Has A Thrift Store In It So That Not Everything Goes To The Landfill
#50
A Cat Tree I Made A While Ago. Still Doing His Job
#51
India Is Slowly Moving Away From Plastic Milk Packets To Self- Serve Byo Container Vending Machines For Milk. Accepts Digital Payments Too! When A Country Of More Than A Billion Makes A Small Change, It Has A Greater Impact. It Has Reduced Prices To Discourage Plastic. I’m Proud We’re Trying
#52
My Toilet Has A Built In Sink To Help Reduce Water Waste, Flush Your Toilet With The Water From The Sink
#53
My Friend Was Going To Throw Away A Torn Sheet, So I Rescued It, Made It Into "Yarn," And Crocheted Myself A Basket! I Added A Bit Of Color With Rags Pilfered From My Mom's Bin. I'm So Happy With How It Turned Out
#54
In An Effort To Have Less Water Waste, I Started Keeping This Pitcher On My Counter. Water From Leftover Drinks, Sippy Cups, Ice Cubes, Etc. Gets Dumped In Here And Then I Use It To Water My House Plants
#55
My American Boyfriend Says These Aren't Common, I Had No Idea Because I Have Never Owned A Dryer And Most People In New Zealand Dry Their Clothes On Racks Or Lines
#56
"Food In The Nude" Concept In New Zealand Supermarkets Stripped Vegetables And Fruits From Plastic Wrapping And, As A Consequence, The Sale Of Spring Onions, The One Vegetable On Which They Tried The Concept At First, Rose To About 300 Percent
#57
Got Permission To Share This Ladies Amazing Work! A Mat Made Of Hoses!
#58
I Read That A Lot Of Donated Clothes End Up In Landfills Anyway, So Started Saving Our Old Fabrics/Textiles That Didn’t Seem Nice Enough For Resale. Finally Used Them To Make This Pet Bed!
Ninn Kynok 2 5 years ago
In some places all donated clothes are used somehow ... even if just shredded for low value re-use.
#59
My Mom Knows I'm Trying To Reduce My Waste, So For My Birthday She Made Me Homemade Body Soap, A Peeling Bar, Shampoo And Conditioner!
#60
I Convinced My Friend To Not Throw Away His Old Fencing And Let Me Build Him Garden Boxes. How Do You Think They Came Out?
#61
Today I Retired My 13 Year Old Cardboard Box
#62
Found My Dad’s Unused 1982 Planner Yesterday. And The Days Of The Week Line Up With 2021!
#63
A Coconut Repurposed As A Salt Container That Has Been In My Family For Over 20 Years
Julia Atkinson 5 years ago
I recently started using some condiment containers that belonged to my great-grandparents. It seemed silly to leave them in a display cabinet when they could be put to practical use
#64
My Search For Zero Waste Milk Is Over! Local Milk And I Get $2 When I Return The Bottle!
#65
Psa: Don’t Buy “Zero Waste” Cutlery Sets. Just Use Cutlery From Home Or Buy Some Second-Hand, And Wrap Them In A Tea Towel Or Cloth Napkin. You Can Even Sew Your Own If You Like!
#66
I Possibly Found The Best Ever Pencils. After Using Them You Can Plant Them In The Soil And Then A Sapling Will Grow From The Green Bottom!
#67
Couldn't Get Rid Of This Ugly Stain Right In The Middle Of The Shirt, Used Some Old Die To Make A Cool Patchy Shirt Instead!
#68
Learnt To Weave To Make 100% Biodegradable Bags, Made From Flax (Native New Zealand Plant)
Swamparella McJudgeface 5 years ago
Harekeke! Phorium tenax...not flax. Ataahua mahi kete ( beautiful basket work)
#69
Found This Deflated Balloon On A Hike, So I Used It To Wrap My Best Friend’s Birthday Present
#70
A Plastic-Free Store In Slovenia
#71
My School Gave This To Every New Student So We Wouldn’t Use Disposable Cups. I Graduated In ‘96, And It’s Been My Work Water Cup Ever Since
#72
My Local Kroger Finally Carries Cherry Tomatoes In A Recyclable Package! (Bonus That They’re From A Local Farm Devoted To Sustainable Practices!)
#73
Finally Striving Towards A Zero Waste Period
#74
Repurposed This Bear For Dish Duty
#75
It’s Frustrating How Many Tissues I Go Through During Allergy Season, But This Year I’m Prepared. Made Some Reusable Tissues From An Old Duvet Cover
Jayne Kyra 5 years ago
I am shocked at how few people use handkerchiefs these days. Especially when one is at home and nobody will see them (some expressed embarrassment over putting a snotty cloth in a bag/pocket.)
#76
Been Buying Whole Chickens Instead Of Individual Cuts And Whole Veggies Instead Of Precut And Bagged Ones. Saved The Bones/Scraps For 3 Months In The Freezer And Decided To Make Chicken Stock!
#77
I Make As Many Of My Daughter's Toys As I Can, W/ Salvaged Bits As Often As Possible. I Made This Kitchen Set Out Of Old Cardboard Boxes, Bottle Caps, And Cds That I Scrounged From The Trash At Work. I Then Decorated It W/Paper
#78
Using Old Liquor Bottles To Serve Water At Restaurants
#79
Our Brand New Bed Broke. I Salvaged The Wood, And Turned It Into A Planter
#80
Just Discovered A Shop In Atlanta, Ga, That Allows You To Bring In Your Old Candle Jar And Get A Refill For 1/2 Price!
#81
The New Supermarket Near Me Has Frozen Prepared Foods In Bulk
Eglė Bukauskaitė 5 years ago
I know how people work in warehouses and my view on this concept - EWWW
#82
Restored These Thrifted, Super Old Dr. Martens For A Present
#83
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/Any Packaging I Receive...anything At My Disposal!
JennyLaRue 5 years ago
I reuse these for my pottery business, saves me in packaging supplies. (There's also no way the pouches would be big enough for my dogs deposits!)
#84
I’ve Got Nothing But Cloth, Thread, And Time. Free Hand-Sewn Makeup Remover Pads, Just Pm Me!
#85
Made A Lamp For My Desk Out Of An Old Camera, A Broken Lamp And Some Driftwood I Found
#86
When You Forget Your Reusable Bag But Remember To Bring Your Wife
#87
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!
#88
Made Some Shorts, A Bucket Hat And A Bag All From One Old Jacket
#89
Does A Waste Of Space Count?
Mazer 5 years ago
Unfortunately there are some places in the world where does just won’t work and we have to considered disabled people as well. Best public transportation I’ve ever been involved with was in Hawaii on Oahu. The Bus was efficient and one rarely had to walk more than a half a mile to get to a bus stop. Where I live public transportation as a joke and most of the bicyclists on the road are hazardous
#90
Dumpster Diving
#91
I Took A Friend's Thesis Poster That Was Printed On Fabric And Turned It Into A Weekender Bag He Can Use
GirlFriday 5 years ago
My local animal shelter took all of their old plastic and fabric banners from past fundraisers and events and turned them into shopping bags, weekenders, computer bags, etc and sold them. I have two of them. It was a great way to upcycle and raise money for the animals.
#92
From Ruined Jeans To An Area Rug
#94
I’m In College And Got This Foldable Cup As A Replacement For Those Classic Red Solo Cups! Yes, It Was A New Purchase, But It’s Helped Me Divert So Much Waste And Also Made My Friends Think More Consciously About Theirs!
#95
I Made Candles From The Old Unusable Wax In The Bottom Of Store-Bought Candles! They Have... Personality
#96
Made My Own Celery Salt By Drying Out Celery Leaves I Would Have Otherwise Thrown Out, Crushing Them, And Adding Salt! Tastes Wayyyyy Better Than The Store Bought Kind, And I'm Using All Of The Celery!
#97
Up Marketed This $5 Chair With My Mum Instead Of Buying New
#98
I Used The Traditional Japanese Art Of Kintsugi To Repair My Cracked Toilet Seat Instead Of Throwing It Away
#99
Mango With Label Stamped Into It Instead Of Having A Sticker
#100
Man, Screw Paper Towels
#101
First Time Reusing Food Scraps To Make A Broth!
#102
I Needed A Travel Pill Container For A Big Trip. Rather Than Buying One, I Made One Out Of An Old Altoids Tin And An Old Plastic Membership Card
#103
Colgate Have Released A Recyclable Toothpaste, Both Tube And Packaging! (UK)
#104
My Local Shop Just Introduced A Refillable Oat Milk Station - I’m Very Pleased
#105
I Had A Pair Of Pants That Were Far Too Long So I Cut Off The Bottoms And Turned Them Into A Crop Top And A Mask, Matching My New Culottes!
cassiushumanmother 5 years ago
I'm short and i give my jeans bottoms to my dog after making some knots, free chewing toy.
#106
My Aunt Requested Crocheted Face Scrubbies To Replace Cotton Pads/Balls. She Asked For 24 So I Put Them In A Repurposed Candle Container
#107
Started Taking My Nail Polish Off With A Shirt That Had Icky Armpits Instead Of Cotton Balls. Looks Kinda Cool Now!
#108
Getting There With My Zero Waste Kitchen
#109
Beer Made From Leftover Strawberries That The Supermarket Rejects
#110
I Use Panty Hose Filled With Husky Fur To Deter Rabbits From Snacking In My Garden. No Chemicals, Much Less Chicken Wire, And I Don’t Have To Keep Buying New Plants
#111
Was Going To Buy A Rug But Tried Making One Instead After Seeing Some On This Sub. Used Old Fabrics+clothes+fringe I Had Lying Around
#112
Love Seeing Restaurants Encouraging Their Patrons To Go Zero Waste!
M O'Connell 5 years ago
I asked for a to-go cup for a rootbeer I ordered at a bar, and they told me to just take the glass home and bring it back whenever!
#113
I’m Sure This Is Not New But It Blew My Mind A Bit
#114
Who Says Philly Doesn’t Know How To Recycle?
#115
A Roll Of "Un-Paper" Towels I Made For Our Kitchen
Sonia Reddel 5 years ago
I use cloth in my house, made out of old fabrics, but would never want to snap them all into a roll or layer in a tissue box. It might look smart for a photo but who wants that extra work!
#116
Today I Found Out That You Can Reuse Those Little Plastic Thingies From Olive Oil Containers As Barista Gadgets For Alcohol Bottles
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What do you think ?
No you didn't 5 years ago
Small deeds indeed. I'd prefer to see a post about how we force corporations to take responsibility for the environment over celebrating senators for using a reusable water bottle.
Yara Balabanova 5 years ago
I agree that large corporations should be held accountable for their environmental impact, but it's not like large corporations are solely responsible, it's a two-way street. Consumer demand has been asking for convenience for years, so this results in lots of single use (plastic) packaging.
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Kate Fei 5 years ago
In the apartment I've bought there was a set of two old lamps covered in layers of paints by previous owners. I wanted to throw them away but then on a lazy Sunday I chose to refurbish them instead. They came out great I think (old on the left, refurbished on the right). 218498528_...3b81a1.jpg 
ChickyChicky 5 years ago
Wow they look really good! I have some lamps that are somewhat similar, you've inspired me!
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No you didn't 5 years ago
Small deeds indeed. I'd prefer to see a post about how we force corporations to take responsibility for the environment over celebrating senators for using a reusable water bottle.
Yara Balabanova 5 years ago
I agree that large corporations should be held accountable for their environmental impact, but it's not like large corporations are solely responsible, it's a two-way street. Consumer demand has been asking for convenience for years, so this results in lots of single use (plastic) packaging.
Load More Replies... Kate Fei 5 years ago
In the apartment I've bought there was a set of two old lamps covered in layers of paints by previous owners. I wanted to throw them away but then on a lazy Sunday I chose to refurbish them instead. They came out great I think (old on the left, refurbished on the right). 218498528_...3b81a1.jpg
ChickyChicky 5 years ago
Wow they look really good! I have some lamps that are somewhat similar, you've inspired me!
Load More Replies... 
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