31-Day Challenge

This month you will spend the first week analyzing where you generate waste and coming up with some ideas about how to reduce the amount of waste.

There are three challenges. Your teacher may assign one or allow you to choose. However, we recommend them doing them in order. If you get super excited, do a different challenge the following month.

Task
Analyze where you create waste in your life and then devise and implement a plan to reduce your waste.

Steps to going Zero Waste
These steps are in the order that they are done. First remember why you are going Zero Waste, and this will help you to refuse things you don't need. Then you can reduce the amount of waste you do create. Note that recycling, which normally gets so much attention, is one of the last steps. Before recycling something, see if there is another use for it.
1. Remember* why is going zero waste important
2. Refuse what you don't need
3. Reduce what you do need
4. Reuse what you can
5. Recycle
6. Rot organic material, such as food waste, paper soiled with food and yard scraps
This list was developed by Bea Johnson of ZeroWasteHome.org. Check out her blog and her book, the Zero Waste Home. Both are excellent resources to help you transition to a Zero Waste lifestyle.

*Remember - If you are doing the Zero Waste Challenge as a class project, it is helpful to have your own motivation for going Zero Waste. This clear motivation will make the habits you change last beyond the month-long challenge. Here are some ideas of "Remembers."

I love the ocean and the ocean is predicted to have more plastic then fish by weight by 2050. I'm not going to buy this.
It took 300 million years to make the petroleum this material is made of, and I would only use it for (time) AND it will be on the planet for several hundred years after I use it. I'll find a plastic-free alternative.
I care about my health and the health of other beings on the planet. I don't need this.

Make up something that works for you!

31 Tips for 31 Days!

Check out these 31 helpful tips to help you with the Zero Waste Challenge. You can download the GoingZeroWaste.com's 31 Day Zero Waste Challenge For Kids! booklet for free!

Zero Waste Ideas

School Lunches

Get hot lunch? Bring your own utensils & cloth napkin.
10 Tips for Packing a Zero Waste Lunch
Plastic-Free Food - a family of 5 goes plastic free for 5 weeks. Check out their graham cracker & Lara bars recipes!
DIY Bento Bag - Make your own bento bag for carrying your lunch or snacks.
What does a zero waste lunch look like?

Make your own...

Yogurt - homemade yogurt is so easy to make, and it's a lot healthier than store bought yogurt, which often contains lots of sugar and additives
Granola - there are dozens of recipes and mix it up and be creative
Whole Wheat Honey Bread - see comments for variations
Found a great recipes? Let us know!

Beauty & Body Care

Basic Toothpaste.

2/3 c. baking soda
1 - 2 tsp. sea salt
10 - 15 drops of essential oils - some possibilities: peppermint, cinnamon, spearmint

You can use the above as a powder or you can add a little bit of water and make a paste. Have a spoon by the container so you apply to brush with a spoon,

15 DIY Hair Products Every Girl Needs to Try
DIY Toothpaste recipe 1
DIY Toothpaste recipe 2 - lots more on the web
DIY Deodorant or just use baking soda with essential oils

Basic Shampoo Recipe

Equal parts of water & an unscented castile soap (like Dr. Bronners)
a few drops of essential oils
Optional: a few drops of olive oil, tea tree oil

Suggestion: Make in small batches until you find a recipe that works for you.
You can also buy shampoo bars - not DIY, but plastic-free and they work great.

Home Cleaning

Turn your parents on to some old-school cleaning products that families have used for generations.
DIY cleaning products - recipes & uses
Basic ingredients to clean most things:

distilled white vinegar - buy in a glass jar
baking soda
essential oils - tea tree, lavender & lemon
castille soap
small rags for clean up instead of paper towels
small rags instead of sponge (Use a clean rag daily. Have a container in the kitchen to throw rags.)

Food Waste

Bring home all of your uneaten food from snacks and lunch. This will help give your parents a better idea of the right size portions as well as food preferences.
At home, start with a smaller portion. If you are still hungry, add a little more to your plate.

Clothing

The clothing industry is the second most polluting industry next to fossil fuels. Your choices on the types of fabrics you purchase and the quantity you purchase makes a difference. Lear about what really happens when you donate your clothes and where they end up.

Visible mending: Learn how to mend your clothes. Doing visible mending techniques can add a flair and statement to your wardrobe.
Care for your clothes: Proper care of clothing can extend their lives. Reducing the amount of times you wash a garment will make it last longer. Pants do not need to be washed after every wear.

Find your style: Don't be persuaded to buy the latest trends. What colors work well with you? What shapes (baggy pants, skinny jeans) work best with your body type? Finding your style will never go out of fashion. You'll look great and save money while you make a difference on the planet!
Create a capsule wardrobe: Identify the main pieces you wear, the colors you love, the shapes of garments you love, and the fabrics you enjoy. Pick a number of items and keep your season's wardrobe within that limit. By setting a limit, it makes you deeply think about every item you add to your wardrobe. There are lots of planners out there. Do a quick search.

Sashiko stitching and boro mending: Learn this beautiful stitch technique from Japan to mend your clothes.
Buy less. Buy quality: If you buy less clothes, this makes a huge difference. When you buy quality, items will last longer and won't need to be replaced.

Recommended Books

Zero Waste Home - by Bea Johnson; Check out her blog too.
Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too - Beth Terry. Check out her blog too.