But what exactlyiszero waste, you ask?
Put simply, its about producing less byproduct (not necessarily zerothats just the goal).
Thats what zero-waste proponents are trying to reduce.
But can you zero-waste grocery shop at popular stores like Whole Foods?
Though wed call it zero-ish waste (sometimes you cant forgo usingeverypiece of plastic or paper at stores).
Thats the only way to know what to avoid and what to replace.
Its an individual thing.
Thats not the best thing to do, its actually quite the opposite.
Instead, simply understand where youre most wasteful.
Buy in bulk
One of the key components of zero-waste shopping is buying in bulk.
No, that doesnt mean buying so much toilet paper that it will line your closets and garage.
It meansbuying foodthats commonly sold in scoopable containers with no packaging.
Fancier stores may have aisles of bulk soaps, spices, or pet food, too.
How does this help reduce your impact?
(If youre worried this will be awkward, let them know youre trying to minimize your plastic consumption!
Glass mason jars are a safe bet, as are cloth bags for produce and fruit, asWild Minimalistrecommends.
Shopping for cheese, bread, meat?
Provide the person behind the counter with your container.
In the case of cheese, they may be able to provide you with a wedge without cellophane wrap.
Manybakery sectionsof grocery stores have unsealed bread in the back, too.
And of course, bring a reusable bag along with you to carry it all.
Keep an extra bag in your car or backpack so youre never without.
Youll reduce packaging and save yourself from a couple of trips to the store, too.
If you want to get even more serious about reducing your impact, trycompostingwith our handy guide.
For more from Lifehacker, be sure to follow us on Instagram@lifehackerdotcom
