a zero waste life needs a zero waste kit. giveaway enclosed.

we live in a disposable society. from plastic bags at supermarkets, the disposable water bottle we buy at the convenience store, the straw we use to drink our green smoothie, the coffee cup we use for our daily coffee – every one of these items, all used for less than fifteen minutes, will sit in our landfill for hundreds of years. quite simply, the math just doesn’t add up.

luckily there is a solution, firstly we can simply say no to these disposable items. secondly, we can replace these items with reusables. here are some of my favourite brands that are good quality, well priced and most of all, live up to their sustainable ethos.

the zero waste kit i have put together consists of five items that make up an alarming majority of our landfill. by bringing this simple zero waste kit with you wherever you go, and you will drastically reduce your plastic consumption.

contents of the zero waste kit:

1. fold-up reusable bag – having a fold-up bag with you means there’s no excuse for single-use plastic bags! i love @baggu bags, as they look chic and fold up neatly into a portable little square.

2. stainless steel drink bottle (glass and metal drink bottles are better options than plastic ones as they can be recycled infinitely) – invest in a quality drink bottle and it’ll pay itself back in just a handful of uses. my favourite is @kleenkanteenau.

3. reusable coffee cup – get one with a good seal so it’s spill proof. not only are they great for coffee or tea, but you can also use them to store snacks like nuts on the road. no need to pay for an expensive nut bar wrapped in plastic again! i love a collapsible keep cup from @stojo.  

4. stainless steel straw – straws are one of the major pollutants. a handy tip is to say “no straw please” when you order, make sure you do this before the drink arrives. you can also bring your own straw or even better, just use your mouth and go without one! my favourite are from the source bulk foods @thesourcebulkfoods.

5. reusable produce bags for small items. my favourite is from @onyalife.

other items i like to add to my zero waste kit includes:

• a cloth napkin to replace paper napkins: i like to make my own from vintage cotton material, or you can easily source them from secondhand stores like the salvosstoress.

• a reusable cutlery kit – spoon, fork and knife (or the ever-useful spork), my favourite is from paddy pallin.

if you don’t have a zero waste kit with you, go back to basics: use your mouth instead of a straw, ask for cardboard box instead of a plastic bag, drink straight from the bubbler instead buying a plastic bottle. another easy tip is to choose the sit down option. many disposable items are created for convenience, but does it really take that much longer to sit down and drink your coffee in a café? choose the eat-in option instead!

my favourite zero waste products are always the ones already in your home, if you do need to buy something new, buy from quality product makers that aligns with your ethos. make sure you choose items that are well made, made to last and also made by people who care about people and the planet.

anita vandyke is a qualified rocket scientist and medical doctor (bachelor of engineering – aeronautical space and doctor of medicine) and, most importantly, mother to vivian. she was born in guangzhou, china, raised in australia, and currently splits her time between sydney and san francisco. her first book, a zero waste life: in thirty days, won gold at the nautilus book awards in 2019 and has been translated to seven languages. anita writes about motherhood, zero waste living and minimalism on instagram, at @rocket_science, or at anitavandyke.com.