Happy New Year! I’m sure there are many of you out there who want to take this as an opportunity to dive into eco living. So, I highly encourage you to check out some ideas for zero waste New Year’s Resolutions. But, for the time being, let’s dive into 20 zero waste swaps for beginners that can help you to have a low waste 2025.

This is part 3, so check out part 1 and part 2 after this for even MORE low waste swaps for beginners.

And before you click away, yes, anyone can use these! Whether you’re starting zero waste today or you’ve been doing this for years, you still may learn something.

Let’s go!

Zero Waste in a Year Guide/Calendar

Want to go zero waste but have no idea where to start? Well, introducing my Zero Waste in a Year Guide and Calendar! This guide is designed to help you go from knowing nothing about living an eco-friendly life to being able to go on your journey on your own in just one year. Every day you get one tip or swap to try to make your life, home, and those around you more low waste. Each month talks about a different topic and the best part of it is that you can start any day of the year! The days are arbitrary so you won’t miss out on anything if you miss a day or a few. You can get the full low-down on what this guide entails here and you can pick up your own copy here. Thank you in advance :)

Qrumbles

I’ve given Stasher Bag the shoutout in this series before, but I think Qrumbles is my all-time favorite swap to reduce plastic in the kitchen! This sheet of silicone is designed to wrap around your items like sandwiches, cookies, wraps, and fruit. Since it is a sheet, it is far easier to wash than a reusable silicone bag, especially if you don’t have a dishwasher! But, they are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe. We use them mostly for hiking but also for packing lunches for work and I have nothing but good things to say about them.

Dish soap

A very easy swap to make that won’t change your life at all is eco-friendly dish soap. This looks different depending on what you have access to. Maybe you take your old plastic bottle to the refill store and simply refill it. Maybe you buy a concentrate from brands like Dr Bronner’s or Clean Cult. Maybe you switch to a solid dish soap block from brands like No Tox Life. Pick the one that works best for you, but it should function just about the same as your usual soap, but hopefully with little-to-no plastic involved. And, your family should be right on board, too since it’s no different!

Napkins/paper towels

This one, though, may take some getting used to. But, it can save you $100s every single year as proven in this post. Perhaps you buy fancy fabric napkins from Marley’s Monsters to use at the dinner table or you simply use old rags and towels you already have to clean up messes. Whichever route you go will determine how much money you save but both have the same effect on the planet: lots of waste savings!

I find they are easy to use, wash, and reuse. This is a great swap for anyone along their zero waste journey and was one of my first swaps. I have never purchased fancy replacements, I’ve been using rags for free for years!

Library card

I may have mentioned this in the past, but I want to really hype up libraries. We all know that they’re famous for letting us borrow books for free, but did you know libraries also offer:

Museum and parks passes
Library of things (you can borrow things like a sewing machine, a drill, sports equipment, etc)
Games
Magazines
E-books and audiobooks right to your phone
Classes, workshops, and children’s programs
Free meeting places for clubs, etc
and so much more!

Now why is this eco-friendly? It’s better that we all borrow this one thing that has already been created instead of everyone buying copies of the same thing. It reduces overall consumption and how much we throw away. Plus, it personally saves me around $2,000 per year JUST in books!

Never stop learning

Here’s our first zero waste habit for beginners but really that everyone can use: never stop learning! For example, I thought I was a recycling pro. It is what I focused my channel heavily on in it’s first years. But, less than a year ago, I learned that berry clamshells really are not recyclable. Since they flatten, machine-sorting often confuses it’s shape for cardboard and can mess up the whole batch. Even as an experienced zero waster who was confident in recycling, I learned this!

So, never stop learning. Keep researching, keep reading, and follow more eco creators. We all talk about different topics and have different things to offer. Here is my list of people you should follow.

Buy Nothing Group

The most underrated gem of the zero waste movement: Buy Nothing Groups. You can learn about No Buy Groups in this video, but in short, this movement was created to divert as much from the landfill as possible. The premise is simple: give away your unwanted items for free and take items for free. It’s a trade economy with your neighbors! I have found amazing things on my groups over the years and given away nice items and also items I deemed “trash” such as dead plants (but the pot and soil were still nice), wobbly shelves, old glass jars, and more. It’s a great way to help one another out and prevent even the most odd items from going to the landfill. And it’s FREE!

Lip balm

Another swap that when you make it, it’s like using it’s mainstream counterpart is eco-friendly lip balm. Once you run out, pick a brand and try it out! My personal favorite here is Sustain Yourself. It’s so smooth, is not too solid, pushes up nicely, and it’s cardboard can easily be composted. But, I have more thoughts on zero waste lip balm here.

Dryer balls

A classic zero waste swap I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned until now. Dryer balls are usually made out of wool making them 100% natural and compostable. And they truly last forever. I bought a set of 6 probably 5 years ago or more and I still use this same set. They reduce the need to use wasteful dryer sheets and can also help reduce dry time since they help fluff up your laundry. Highly recommend!

Poop bags

Sorry this is for pet owners only, but one of the most wasteful parts of having a dog is picking up their waste. So, I like to use compostable bags. Why? No, I’m not composting his waste, but it is significantly less harmful to create and dispose of bioplastics vs oil-based plastics. I like mine from The Kind Pet (use code EMMA10 at checkout). Alternatively, use what you have such as newspaper bags, fruit bags, grocery bags, etc.

Freeze to preserve food

One of the best ways that we can prevent food waste is to preserve the food we already purchased in order to eat it all. But, how can I preserve food? It’s easy if you have access to a freezer! You can freeze just about anything. Please do research about products you are unsure of. But, generally speaking, fruits and veggies are the mostly likely to go bad the quickest and can be frozen. I suggest chopping to your desired size, freezing them on a baking sheet, then adding to a reusable Stasher Bag for further storage. It will change the texture slightly but frozen fruits work great in smoothies or baked goods and frozen veggies make excellent soups.

Shop small

I wish more people started to do this early on in their zero waste journies, to include myself! Shopping small is inherently better for the planet. Why? Smaller stores use less energy. Shopping locally means fewer emissions. They are far less inclined to waste product. It’s also just better to support your neighbor versus a billionaire who exploits their workers and the planet to make a profit. So, yes, shop small online, but I also highly encourage you to shop small locally. Go to your local bookstore instead of Barnes and Noble. See if you have a local craft store instead of heading to Hobby Lobby. Give that small boutique a try before you head to the mall. You get the idea!

Boycott big oil

It’s easier than it sounds to boycott big oil. I know the word “boycott” might scare you if you’re new and maybe don’t consider yourself an activist. But, I think you’re more of an activist than you think and also boycotting simply means avoiding giving your money to them.

So, go as car-free as you can: walk, bike, take public transportation, work from home, carpool, etc. I know it’s impossible to give up a car entirely if you live in widespread areas of the world, but do what you can.

But, you can boycott big oil in others ways than giving up your car such as shopping secondhand, reducing your reliance on plastic (there is hidden plastic everywhere), recycling properly, and encouraging others to do the same. You can learn more about boycotting Big Oil even if you can’t give up your car in this video.

Speaking of encouraging others…

Inspire others

We vastly discount how much of an influence we have. Whether you have 100,000 followers online or you’ve never posted online ever, you can have an influence. Simply by leading by example in your household, your office, or your classroom can make a difference. Bringing up topics and having conversations based off the things you learn when you continue to research can make a difference.

This is why I started my platforms. I learned I was recycling wrong and thought that others may be recycling incorrectly, too, so I wanted to spread the word. I learned about subsidies and why they have led us to this plastic crisis and knew others didn’t know about it so I wanted to spread the word.

Talk to people in your life and lead by example. It doesn’t matter if just a handful of us are living zero waste, we need everyone to reduce their impact and boycott these wasteful brands.

Compostable floss/water pick

Don’t forget to floss! And while you’re at it, don’t forget to make it eco-friendly. I’ll be the first to say that compostable floss is not for everyone. It’s on my list of zero waste swaps that do not work for me. I have tight teeth so my teeth shred it. Once I run out of my plastic-based floss, I plan on switching to a water pick. You only need water and it works on even the tightest of teeth. Both are great eco options but it depends on you and your teeth. Consult a dentist for a better idea of what would work for you!

Natural loofa

A very easy swap for the shower is a natural loofa. Did you know this plant can easily be grown in your backyard? Many of my friends do it to grow free, compostable sponges! Otherwise you can buy them from brands like Earth Hero. These sponges can also be used to wash cars, wash dishes, and anything else you’d use a plastic sponge for. It’s easy to use, feels no different than what you’re used to but it was grown from the ground and can be composted. They’re extremely eco!

Eco cleaners

Another swap that is very easy to make that feels no different from the products you’re used to are eco cleaners. The trick here is that you really only need ONE cleaner: an all-purpose one. You don’t really need a separate kitchen cleaner and bathroom cleaner and floor cleaner and tub cleaner. Just use all-purpose! They’re so easy to use, the whole family can make this eco swap without even noticing. My favorite brands for cleaners are easily from Meliora. But, you can check out my full cleaning routine here for more ideas.

LED lightbulbs

Once your old lightbulbs die, replace them with LED bulbs. I’m sure we’ve all heard that they’re more eco, but why? According to the Department of Energy, “LED light bulbs last longer, are more durable, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting.” They may also use up to 90% less energy than traditional bulbs. This means energy conservation AND money savings.

Patch bandages

Bandages are usually made of plastic and clearly cannot be recycled. Therefore, they’re quite wasteful. So, opt for bandages made out of bamboo from brands like Patch! These bioplastic bandages are less pollutive to create and dispose of than their plastic counterparts. I love them personally! Though I have heard parents say they may not work the best for children since they’re less likely to be careful with them, may get them wet more often, etc. Do with that as you will!

There we have it, 20 more eco swaps for beginners or really that anyone can use! These are easy, save money, and help you reduce waste to have less of an impact on the planet. It seems small for us all to use these swaps. If I was the only one to use them, yeah, that does’t mean much. But since 100s, 1000s, or even 10s of 1000s of us are using them, the difference is adding up!

Just like with boycotting Big Oil, the more of us that boycott wasteful brands and shop these smaller, more sustainable ones, the more we can influence the market. We have power. Let’s use it!

Thank you so much for reading along. I appreciate your time. Best of luck on your zero waste journey! Please reach out with any questions and remember that my Zero Waste in a Year Guide is always available to help guide you.

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma

Zero Waste Swaps for Beginners for a Low Waste 2025