These zero waste myths are ruining the movement...let's bust them!

There are a lot of misconceptions about the zero waste movement. I even used to believe a lot of them years ago before I started my social media journey. So, let’s bust them today!

I do this mostly for folks who are new to the movement or who still don’t consider themselves to be zero waste. Perhaps it’s because of these myths. But, it’s also for those of us who have been zero waste for a long time. It can be easy to perpetuate these stereotypes and it’s important that we don’t in order to welcome new folks in.

So, let’s start with the first one that I think we can all get too caught up in…

Myth 1: You have to be perfect

I get comments probably every day about how I’m not zero waste enough because I’m not perfect. Or, inversely, people saying they can’t join the movement because they’re not perfect. Well, do I have good news for you! You don’t have to be perfect to be zero waste. Here’s the full history of the zero waste movement to include the definition, but in short, zero waste is simple: reduce as much as we can from the landfill. If you want to get technical, some definitions include the number 90% meaning that you should aim to avoid landfills 90% of the time. Even the most strict definitions of zero waste include 10% landfilled.

So, yay, you don’t have to be perfect! Then what’s the goal? The goal is to think before you throw away: upcycle, mend, repurpose, recycle, reduce what you consume in the first place, sell, donate, repair, compost, and so forth.

To me, zero waste also includes emissions. So, I also focus on things like water conservation, energy conservation, walking instead of driving, and things of that nature.

Myth 2: Zero waste is expensive

From day 1, I’ve tried to prove that zero waste is inexpensive. My earliest video is from 2020 which launched my series “Zero Waste on a Budget.” This series now has nearly 400 tips to live zero waste totally for free. In 2024, I started a new series all about how much money zero waste can save you.

Because I get it, it CAN feel expensive when you buy a bidet attachment, a new reusable water bottle, and period underwear. But, the good news about reusables is you only have to buy them once. Therefore, they do save you money over time. Yes, I know, not everyone can afford these upfront which is why swaps have never been a main talking point for me and my channels. But, if you do buy swaps, they will save you money over the years (nearly $10,000 in fact).

The key to living zero waste is not about buying swaps, but using what you have. Plus, there’s so much more to an eco life than swaps! It’s about recycling, composting, getting creative with food waste, turning off the lights when you leave the room, shopping secondhand, and so much more. When you focus on other ways to live an eco life besides just buying more and more stuff, you’ll quickly see how it is not expensive unless you purposefully make it that way.

Myth 3: Zero waste is all about individuals

Just like the carbon footprint, zero waste was actually created for businesses and corporations! But, at some point in its journey, zero waste was either pushed onto or co-opted by individuals. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it has had its consequences. We often blame each other for plastic-waste, emissions, and climate change. But, we’re not the ones at fault here.

Of course, it’s important to be mindful about what we consume. We should not overconsume and our actions matter. But if you see an individual using plastic, that is no place to shame them. People use plastic for a number of reasons: money, ability, time, access to other options, or maybe they simply don’t know the full story about plastic and how it affects the planet.

Sure, educate people and do your best to reduce your own waste, but remember that no one is perfect. If you’re going to let go of that restraint on yourself, you need to do so for others, too. Remember who is at fault, not us!

Myth 4: Zero waste is too time-consuming

Another part of my ethos since the early days has been proving that zero waste can be easy. Even back in 2019 when I first started my blog, I wrote posts that were titled something like “how to go zero waste without changing your whole life.” I didn’t want to change my whole life around and I knew that others felt the same way. And, it’s still true to this day!

My zero waste life looks very similar to my wasteful life. My daily routines are the same, my hobbies are the same, and so forth. What’s the difference then? I make little swaps here and there. Instead of buying cow’s milk, I buy soy milk. Instead of toilet paper made from old-growth forests, I opt for recycled toilet paper. You get the idea. The items I use regularly are the eco alternatives. It costs no time to make these swaps.

Now, I’m not going to say that zero waste is perfect here. It depends on what you implement and what you don’t in your personal zero waste journey. For example, two of the biggest ways that I reduce plastic in my kitchen are shopping at the refill store and making sourdough. Both of these do take some time and effort, but you don’t have to do these things. You can live zero waste in ways that don’t bog down your time!

Other things I do that may take a bit of time out of my day include mending, composting, and walking instead of driving. But, I do these exclusively when I have the time to spare. If my schedule it bogged down, I’ll save my mending for later when I’m bored. If I’m too stressed, I’ll probably hop in my truck.

Let’s bring it back to the myth of perfection: don’t stress perfection here either!

Myth 5: You have to do a lot of weird things…

You hear zero waste and might think about period underwear and reusable toilet paper and bidets and reusable diapers and think, “nope, I’m out!” Fair. Some zero waste swaps are weird (here are my weirdest ones). Great news, yet again: you don’t have to do these! Do what works for YOU!

I guess a bonus myth within this myth is thinking that everyone has to live zero waste the exact same. Nope! Do what works for you and I’ll do what works for me. Some people LOVE beeswax wraps and I simply don’t. I also hate toothpaste tabs among other zero waste swaps. I love period underwear and bidets and you may hate those. That’s okay!

Take what works and leave behind what doesn’t work. You don’t have to do stuff that’s too weird for you.

Myth 6: you have to give up everything you love

Oof…this myth had me living a sad, sad life for about 3 years. I gave up my hobbies, my favorite foods, and I avoided social gatherings like the plague. Why? It was all wasteful, of course! But, this led to extreme burnout. In 2021 I had an epiphany: I could implement some of the “wasteful” things back into my life and be about 80% zero waste or I could give up zero waste completely. I chose the former. I thought it was better to be slightly more wasteful yet happier than to be 100% wasteful.

And, good news, you can eco-fy your hobbies really easily!

Keep the joy in your life. The world is scary and sad enough, don’t give up the little things that bring you joy even if there’s a small amount of waste involved. For me, it’s crocheting, reading, video games, chocolate, and hitting up local bakeries. All come with some form of waste but I make them eco by shopping secondhand, shopping small, and opting for no packaging where possible.

Myth 7: My actions don’t matter

I get this ALL the time: my actions don’t matter so I might as well not even try. To be fair, we did just discuss how climate change is not my fault. So, seriously, should we even be here trying? Absolutely! Why?

Our actions influence the world around us. Where we spend our money matters if we even spend it at all. Shopping at small, eco businesses matters. It might seem meaningless for me to give one business $20 over another business, but what if we all do it? We have to look at our collective action. It seems meaningless for me to reduce 365 water bottles per year, but what happens if 1 million people take the same action. You can start to see how a seemingly small action can make waves!

Plus, if my small action to call my representatives doesn’t make a difference, oh well. But what if that small action does make a difference? What if the one small thing you do today is THE thing that changes everything? You never know what might happen.

The moral of this myth is, our small actions matter, absolutely, but they matter the most when we do them consistently and repeatedly and they matter even MORE when we get other folks to join us.

Myth 8: perfection also means you can’t “mess up”

If you end up using a piece of plastic, that doesn’t make you NOT zero waste. So, don’t let that be the thing that makes you give up! If you forget your reusable coffee cup or reusable grocery bags, that’s not a means to give up. You’re still zero waste and you’re simply human. Find ways to help you remember next time! For me, I place my reusable grocery bags next to my grocery list so that I have no choice but to grab them at the time time. I also put stars next to the items on my list that I’m buying at the bulk store so that I don’t forget my jars.

You’ll adapt to what works for you to help yourself remember these little things. But, if you get a spontaneous coffee with a friend in a disposable cup, that doesn’t make you a bad environmentalist. Keep trying your best and keep moving forward!

I hope that this list leaves you inspired and ready to take on zero waste! If this is your first time hearing about zero waste (or you’re just new-ish in general) I suggest this video after this. I know, we just talked about how swaps aren’t the end all be all of the movement, but we do need stuff like toothpaste and toilet paper so it might as well be the eco version.

And, you’d probably LOVE my Zero Waste in a Year Guide. You can buy your copy here or read this post first to learn more about if it’s right for you. It will take you day by day in the first year of your zero waste journey providing you with a new habit or swap to try every single day. It’s complete with more people to follow, books to read, and sources.

Thank you so much for reading along and best of luck on your journey. If you stumble, that’s okay, don’t give up! Keep going. Every little action matters and one piece of plastic you use or one trip in the car you take does not negate the good you’re doing. Keep it up.

Thank you for the support, as always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma