Zero Waste Lent

 

This comes to us from Monica Mueller-Roemer and is used with permission.

Creation Care: Zero Waste Lent – a 35 Day Challenge

 

Many small people, in many small places, taking small steps can change the face of the world.

African proverb

A lot of these challenges are very easy to master, it just takes a little bit of commitment and some spirit of adventure. You don’t have to do everything on this list. Going zero waste is a journey, and a lot of times there is more than one option. And you will see: it is not all that much about sacrifice but about empowering us, getting independent and living our love for creation. And that feels good.

35 challenges

Week 1: simple tasks – yes, we can and it is not all that difficult

1.      Water: say no to water in plastic bottles

2.      Bring your own cotton / mesh bags to buy fruit and veggies

3.      Use soap bars instead of liquid soap

4.      Bathroom tissue : this used to be the big challenge

5.      Ever tried to go vegetarian or vegan? Good for your health, good for the planet

6.      Reusables for on the go

Week 2: eat better food, gain more energy

1.      Regional – Seasonal – Organic

2.      Farmer’s markets and Community Supported Agriculture (SoLaWi)

3.      Find your closest Zero Waste Shops

4.      Use your bicycle instead of your car

5.      Try to avoid palm oil

6.      Don’t buy anything packed in plastic !

Week 3: change your focus – where your treasure is, there your heart is

1.      Reduce – Refuse – Reuse – Repair

2.      Food-sharing and neighbourhood networks

3.      Listen to Spencer Bernard on Christian minimalism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YzZijLr-bo&t=102s

4.      Library cards, Public bookcases, Give boxes

5.      Clothes – organic / produced locally / second hand

6.      Find places that repair broken gadgets (Repair cafés are widely spread in Germany)

Week 4: Only those who act can set an example

1.      Ditch tissues for handkerchiefs.

2.      Avoid domestic flights – even in Europe you can travel to most places quite comfortably on a train

3.      Substitute cling wrap with bee’s wax covers

4.      Lower the temperature in your house by one or two degrees

5.      Use your bike instead of your car

6.      Ask for no straw in your drink order when out.

Week 5: save tons of CO2 - and save money !

1.      Make your own rinse aid for the dishwasher

2.      Super orange cleaner

3.      You can produce all household cleaners with just five basic products – and it’s fun

4.      Re-usable kitchen roll

5.      Make your own body oil – so simple and sooooo good

6.      Deodorant : again, surprisingly easy to produce your own

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