5 easy ways to reduce waste (and save money!)

If one of your goals is to reduce waste, you are not alone - we are always looking for ways to lead a greener existence, too!

Here are five easy ways we reduced our waste:

1. Don't throw away food scraps

After hearing that sending food waste to the tip contributes massively to greenhouse gases, I was determined to stop throwing it all away. Sarah has chickens so all of their household food scraps go to them. We also have a compost bin container on the kitchen bench for other food scraps.

2. Use REDcycle bins

Did you know that you can save all of your squishable plastics - think cling wrap, the bags that come inside cereal boxes, bread bags and plastic bags - and take them back to Coles and Woolworths, to be recycled and turned into park benches? It's so cool! We now keep a reusable calico bag in our kitchen and fill it with those plastics throughout the week, then take it to the supermarket to recycle when we do our weekly shop. Too easy!

Plus: since we started giving our food scraps to our friend's chickens, and saving plastics for the REDcycle program, we don't even half-fill our red bin each week, between both Natural Supply Co and our household waste. That is something to celebrate!

3. Say NO to takeaway coffees

This was a big one for me in 2018. If I didn't have my Freskko Cup or Frank Green reusable smartcup with me, I either stopped and had my coffee in the cafe or I waited until I got home to make my own.

4. Buy quality, multi-purpose and reusable products for your family

We grew our plastic-free offering in a big way, to keep on top of the growing demand for zero waste living. Yes, it costs a bit to replace the usual suspects with zero waste options, but ultimately you will end up saving money AND the planet, as you won't need to replace these goodies for years and years to come.

Our 5 zero waste swaps for the home:

- Use a menstrual cup, and save pads and tampons from ending up in landfill. It doesn't take long to save a bucketload of cash with this, either

- Take reusable produce bags to the supermarket, and ditch the plastic ones

- Use washable make up remover pads 

- Take your own reusable coffee cup and water bottle with you when you're out and about

- Take your own take-away container like to TOGO Takeaway Box

5. Take your own shopping bags

We love the Baggu Reusable Shopperthat fits easily in your handbag. If you need an insulated option to keep your things cold, the Project Ten Insulated Shopper is a perfect one to keep in the boot of your car. 

We hope this helps give you some ideas for living a greener life living. If you've got some tips to add, please comment below - we'd love to hear them!