Have you been interested in becoming closer to a zero-waste vegan? In this blog article, we share our tips and insight on how you can make this happen! 

When first becoming a vegan, it starts with one specific reason being your “WHY”. This reason for becoming vegan usually falls into a few categories: health, animal cruelty or environmental.

It all begins somewhere! 

I always advocate for people to start slow and transition with time because changing everything overnight is not for everyone and can be discouraging when things don’t go as planned. 

Changing your diet, clothes, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies all at once is overwhelming. Honestly if you’re that person – kudos to you! 

But, I think most of us will opt to transition with time.

On your vegan journey, you will discover all the other amazing benefits of living a vegan lifestyle and will most likely start shifting to wanting to live more consciously overall. Which brings us to our concept of becoming closer to a zero-waste vegan.

When we look at the facts we know that we can expand our impact with a zero-waste vegan lifestyle. 

Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. – Robert James Goodland

Only about 9% of this plastic has been recycled, 12% has been burned and the remaining 79% has ended up in landfills or the environment.-Green Peace

How do we become closer to a zero-waste vegan?

Follow these tips to start transitioning your lifestyle.

If you’re new to veganism, I would suggest checking out a few other resources before implementing these tips.

Check out the list below:

Plant Ahead Program 

The Differences Between Plant-Based and Vegan 

Free Weekly Meal Planning Chart 

Oil Free Cooking Guide 

Vegan Meal Prepping on A Budget 101

Do your research.

There is a ton of information out there when it comes to the environment and creating sustainable habits! That is why doing research on the impact zero waste living has on our environment is an excellent first step. 

Empowering ourselves with knowledge will help make this transition be more manageable and establish a bank of trusted resources. 

I’ve rounded up a few that will help you get started…

Green Peace Website

True Cost on Netflix

Bag It Documentary 

Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things 

No one is too small to make a difference by Greta Thunberg 

Global Citizen Website

Audit your current lifestyle.

This will be the first step you will take to moving closer to a zero-waste vegan. Now, you’ve done the research and are ready to take action.

I would start by writing a list with the following categories…

  • Kitchen
  • Bathroom
  • Bedroom
  • Living Spaces
  • Personal Items
  • Misc 

For each category, take an audit of which items you will be looking to transition to a zero-waste or more sustainable option. 

You see, you might think that just starting from fresh and getting rid of everything that doesn’t fit the zero waste vegan lifestyle is the most natural solution, but it’s not the right one. 

We don’t want to create more waste, right?! So fill each category with the items that fits under these specific criteria. 

Reuse – Simply put, reuse items as much as possible. If you have plastic cups hanging around your kitchen, don’t just toss them – use them until they can’t be used anymore. Also, you can find different functions for items that once had a different purpose.

Shop reusable! 

There are so many options out there, and remember, making the switch can’t happen overnight. Purchase reusables that eliminate the need for single-use plastic items, such as reusable cutlery, coffee mugs, and so much more! 

Replace – When items are worn out or don’t serve a purpose for you any longer. (plastic containers, water bottles, clothing, makeup, cellphones etc.) If possible, try to donate the items that still have a life before heading to the last resort, trash or recycling. Ensure you are checking where to properly dispose of these items if they are not salvageable in any way. 

When replacing these items, look for options that fit a zero-waste vegan lifestyle. Which will require the product to be eco-friendly, vegan and cruelty-free. 

Recycle – The main idea for going zero waste is to create no waste and not send anything to landfills. Make recycling the last option. 

Lastly, ask yourself, what can you change easily and what will take you time to transition? This will lessen the urgency to make changes all at once and plan on what steps to take first. 

I hope that you are now feeling more confident in transitioning to a zero-waste vegan lifestyle. It’s not a race, it’s a journey and the goal is not to be perfect. 

While you are here, check out our other helpful free resources for reducing your waste: 

How to Reduce Food Waste

How to Regrow Vegetables From Scraps 

The Best Eco-Friendly Meal Prep Containers