Welcome to Gippsland Unwrapped! I’ve added this directory to my website to help you find relevant blog posts. If I haven’t written a specific blog post about a topic, you may find my solution mentioned here: Our Plastic Free, Zero Waste Family Home, or on my social media channels. There’s also a key word search bar and search by category bar in the right hand column, or you can just ask in the comments section at the end of this page.
Let’s get started…
What is the zero waste movement really about?
Many people have now heard of the term ‘zero waste’ and of people with jars filled with their whole year’s worth of waste. But what exactly is the zero waste movement?
The zero waste movement focuses on maximising resources and minimising waste. The goal is for no rubbish to be sent to landfills, incinerated, or littered in nature, and is guided by the waste hierarchy of Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot (compost) – in that order. ‘Zero wasters’ care more about refusing, reducing and reusing than recycling or composting because it has a much bigger positive environmental impact.
Striving for zero waste is a way of changing attitudes towards consumerism and our shared resources to create a better system, for example, moving away from a linear (take, make, dump) economy to a circular economy where everything is a potential resource for something else, there is no waste. It’s a protest against a throw-away society, a demonstration that we don’t have to tolerate mindless consumption or the environmental, health and social ramifications that come with it.
Striving for zero waste is not about individual perfection, it never has been. Most zero wasters know this and repeat it often. Instead, it’s about caring and effort, it’s about doing something because doing something is always better than doing nothing. And to quote Oprah “doing your best in this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment”. Before you know it, you will have made plenty of small changes that add up to make a big difference.
Everyone is just at a different point in their journey which is heavily influenced by skills and knowledge, circumstance and privilege. Some people may never be able to participate and that is exactly why those of us who can, should.
The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter if you have a waste bin or not, as long as you consume and use resources mindfully and intentionally, and/or advocate for change in business and policy, you are part of the zero waste community and you are helping to drive societal and systemic change.
You are an activist making a difference by being the change you want to see in the world, and that creates the conditions necessary for others to follow suit.
Budgeting
Start Living Plastic Free Without Spending A Cent
Is a plastic free lifestyle expensive?
Community Action
This Plastic Free July I’m Focusing On Food Businesses In My Community
PSA: Telstra Lies about free accessories, adds to the growing e-waste problem and hurts families
Volunteering, Making a World of Difference
What The Law Says About Using Your Reusable Containers
Giving To Reduce Consumption And Waste
An Open Letter To Business Managers
Ask Businesses To Take Responsibility For Their Waste
How to Help Environmental Awareness in 2019
You Have An Opportunity To Demand Product Stewardship & End Planned Obsolescence
You Know You’re A Zero Waster When…
Fundraising That Reduces Waste And Much More
Landcarers Join The War Against Waste
8 Feel-Good Ways To Use Your Excess Food (No Cooking Or Preserving)
Plastic At Wilsons Promontory, How You Can Help
Hitting The Garage Sale Trail For One Big Day Of Good Stuff
Plastic Free July Changed My Life, It Could Change Yours Too
Latrobe City’s Top Five Recycling Contaminants Will Leave You Wondering Why
Re-Home Your Baby Items At Olivia’s Place
Tips For A Successful Garage Sale
Goodbye Polystyrene, Hello WoolCool!
The Facts About Supermarket Soft Plastic Recycling
Give Food The Love And Attention It Deserves. Give A Fork!
Convenience Is A Lame Excuse. Ban The Bag.
Palm Oil
Orang-utans Need Your Help NOW, Here’s What To Do
Palm Oil Free: The Hidden Benefit Of Reducing Packaging
Craft
Craft Like A Zero Waster, Whatever Your Age (Materials List Included)
Paper Making: Recycle Used Paper Into New Paper
This Discovery Lit My Fire, Literally. DIY Fire Starters
Garage
Recycle Your Old Paint and Paint Packaging
Tips For A Successful Garage Sale
Garden
Garden Tools – Buy Less, Choose Well, Make It Last.
6 Easy Ways You Can Have Package Free Plants
9 Ways To Make Garden Fertiliser At Home Using Waste
Compost
Extreme Composting For People Who Don’t Like Waste (Or Lists Of Don’ts)
Dig And Drop Composting And Free Range Worms Are For Me (And How To Do It)
Hiking / Camping / Nature
Zero Waste Hiking: Sealers Cove
Using a Menstrual Cup While Camping
Zero Waste Hiking Food And Drinks
Can You Use Out Of Date First Aid Stock?
10 Ways To Reduce Your Waste At A Music Festival
No Nature-Deficit Disorder here
Holidays
Avoiding Disposable Bottled Water When Travelling, The Most Effective Method of Water Disinfection
9 Lessons Learnt From Our Zero Waste Family Holiday
Low Waste Holiday: Phuket, Thailand
My Stay At The Sustainable B&B That Beth Built
Home
Our Plastic Free, Zero Waste Family Home (Your Complete Guide)
How Disability Has Impacted My Zero Waste Lifestyle
Seven Smart Ways You Can Reuse Every Day
6 Ways To Move House Zero Waste
A Year Of Simple Sustainable Living
3 Guidelines For Successful Plastic Free And Zero Waste Living
Bathroom
Contact lenses:
You Can Now Recycle Used Contact Lenses And Their Cases
Deodorant:
First aid / Medication:
14 Easy, Zero Waste Remedies To Alleviate Cold And Flu Symptoms
Everything About These Zero Waste Bandages Is Compostable
Can You Use Out Of Date First Aid Stock?
How To Keep Unwanted Medicines Out Of Landfill
Hair washing:
Hair styling:
Menstruation:
Modibodis And Menstrual Cups – Reusables For A Zero Waste Lifestyl
Moisturiser / Cleanser / Makeup / Lip balm:
Shaving:
Toilet paper:
Plastic Free And Tree Free Toilet Paper
Toothbrushes:
Compostable Bamboo Toothbrushes
Finally A Toothbrush With Plant-Based BIiodegradable Bristles
Waxing:
Sugaring, The Waste Free Alternative To Waxing
Cleaning
Clean Bottles With Crushed Egg Shell.
How To Make Washing Soda And Why.
3 Easy DIY Mop Sponges For The Zero Waste Home.
My Zero Waste Spring Clean: An Opportunty To Rehome, Repair, Repurpose, Recycle & Rot
Clothing and Accessories
How to Give Your Clothing and Accessories a New Life
The Rebel In Me, Rejecting Fast Fashion
Review: The Very Good Bra (It’s Zero Waste)
Sunglasses Made From Milk Bottle Tops And Beer Keg Caps
Fabulously Frugal Hair Bands Made From Upcycled Clothing
Use Your Razor To De-Pill Clothing
Old Bra To New Bathers (And More)
Giving new life to old clothing with the waste from pickled beetroot
Decluttering
The Things You Save, You Waste The Most
6 Life Lessons Decluttering Can Teach Your Children
11 Areas To Digitally Declutter
What To Do With Kids’ School Papers and Art Work
What To Do With Unwanted Trophies
My Zero Waste Spring Clean: An Opportunty To Rehome, Repair, Repurpose, Recycle & Rot
There’s No Conflict Between Minimalism And Zero Waste
Kitchen
Baking paper and aluminium foil:
Your Zero Waste Solution To Disposable Baking Paper And Aluminium Foil
Butter Wrappers Better Than Baking Paper
Cling wrap:
Never Use Plastic Cling Wrap Again With These Reusable Alternatives
Food and drink:
3 Ways To Get Zero Waste Stock / Bone Broth
Real Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar
Plastic Free Icing Sugar And The Perfect Packaging To Store It In
Three Weeks Of Zero Waste (And Plastic Free) Winter Meals
Homemade vanilla extract for your zero waste kitchen
No Bulk Brown Sugar, No Worries
I made kombucha and we all love it!
Plastic free chocolate – it is possible!
Food and drink away from home:
Simple Tools For Waste Free Lunches
DIY Cutlery Holders Made From Scrap Material
How not to suck! Skip the disposable straw and save a sea turtle
Choose Tap, There’s An App For That
Food shopping:
Waste Free Bread And How To Make A Loaf Bag
Plastic Free Meat Do What You Can
Growlers and Squealers for Local Zero Waste Beer and Cider To Go
Five Significant Ways Reducing Packaging Leads To Reduced Food Waste
What The Law Says About Using Your Reusable Containers
How To Shop Plastic Free At The Farmers’ Market
5 Ways To Get Plastic Free Cheese
Your Guide To Living Zero Waste Without Bulk Stores
Food storage:
Simple Zero Waste Ways To Store Food
Zipzicles: Reusable Ice Pop Molds
The Best Way To Remove Stubborn Odours From Jars
Landfill bin:
Why You Don’t Need A Plastic Bin Liner
Is Newspaper Really A Good Replacement For Plastic Bin Liners
What Does Your Garbage Reveal About You?
Zero Waste Family Reveals Six Months Of Waste And Recycling
9 reasons we’re keeping our landfill in jars in 2016
Laundry
A Tour of My Zero Waste Laundry Room
Pegs You Will Pass On To You Children
Office / Study
Recycled Paper Whiteboard Markers
Refillable Whiteboard Markers, Penfill not Landfill
Have You Tried Highlighter Pencils?
Why local news matters and how you can get it zero waste
Toys
We built this cubby house from salvaged and second hand materials
Zero Waste, Reusable Water Balloons
Pets
Special Occasions
Birthdays
Celebrating Alby’s birthday with experiences
Christmas
14 Circular Economy Inspired Christmas Gift Ideas
10 Tips for a less wasteful Christmas
Easter
Wellbeing
5 Ways My Low Waste Life Is Low Tox