By Jose Guillermo
I never thought much about how much plastic I used, until the day I could not ignore it anymore. It was a sunny Saturday morning, and I was taking out the trash. As I tied up the bag, it ripped, spilling a colorful, tangled mess of plastic wrappers, containers, and bottles onto the pavement.
I stared at the pile, feeling overwhelmed. How could one person create so much waste? Worse, I knew most of it would not get recycled. It would sit in a landfill or end up in the ocean, polluting the planet for centuries.
That was the moment I decided to change. I did not know where to start, but I knew I couldn’t keep living like this.
At first, the idea of living zero-waste felt impossible. I wasn’t ready to overhaul my life, so I began with one simple step: reusable shopping bags. Every time I remembered to bring one, I felt a small sense of accomplishment.
Next, I swapped out single-use plastic bottles for a stainless-steel water bottle. It was such an easy switch that I wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. I realized these small changes weren’t just doable—they were empowering.
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Grocery shopping became a challenge. Everything seemed to come wrapped in plastic—fruit, bread, even organic produce. I started searching for alternatives, like buying loose vegetables or shopping at farmers’ markets.
The first time I brought my own shopping bag to a bulk store, I felt a little awkward. What if people thought I was weird? To my surprise, the staff was incredibly supportive. “We need more people like you,” one cashier said. It was a small comment, but it made me feel like I was part of something bigger.
Think about your daily life. How many single-use plastics do you encounter? Is it the coffee cup you grab on your commute, the water bottle at the gym, or the cling wrap on your leftovers?
What’s one small change you could make this week to reduce your plastic use?
I’ll be honest—there were times I felt like I was failing. I’d forget my reusable bags or end up buying something in plastic because I didn’t have another option. But I learned an important lesson: zero-waste isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress.
Every time I made a conscious choice, no matter how small, I was making a difference. I stopped focusing on what I couldn’t do and celebrated what I could.
As I reduced my plastic use, I started thinking about the bigger problem. I learned that only about 9% of plastic ever produced has been recycled. The rest clogs landfills, pollutes oceans, and harms wildlife.
This wasn’t just about my trash anymore—it was about advocating for systemic change. I started supporting brands with sustainable packaging and signing petitions for stricter regulations on single-use plastics.
Living a zero-waste lifestyle has changed more than my trash habits. It’s changed how I see the world. I’ve discovered the joy of simplicity, like using glass jars for storage or making my own cleaning products.
More importantly, I’ve realized the power of individual actions. Every reusable bag, water bottle, and straw is a step toward a healthier planet.
If you’re thinking about starting your own zero-waste journey, know this: you don’t have to be perfect. Start small. Bring a reusable cup to your favorite coffee shop. Say no to plastic straws. Find one thing you can change, and take it from there.
Together, our small actions can create big change. So, what’s your first step? Let’s break free from plastic—one choice at a time.