Hello everyone. This is my first post on the Kirei blog, actually my first blog post in my life. It's incredibly exciting to be able to share something with you and to know that if someone reads these posts, I can touch their lives in some way.
What is zero waste? Is it really possible to live zero waste?
I would like to share with you examples from our own lives and transformation process as well as my sincere thoughts.
When it comes to zero waste, it can sound a bit frightening because of its name. ''Zero''. Doesn't it seem a bit strict to you? Actually, it is not. Everyone can live zero waste. Even if not in every field, we can achieve this. Zero waste essentially means reducing consumption, avoiding unnecessary consumption, being able to transform and use what is available without consuming resources again, participating in recycling activities, being a conscious consumer of nature and natural life. In short, it is not as difficult and scary as it sounds. We were also scared at first because if you have an idealistic nature, you drown in the details too much.
We no longer live in caves and hunt. We have very complex lives and jobs. Therefore, we have very complex needs. With the development of technology day by day, in addition to fulfilling many needs that are beneficial to us, the system also imposes many needs on us to consume more and faster. I think this is the first thing we need to think about. Do I really need this? If we think about it for a while and shape some of our needs according to the answer you give, it means that at this point we start to get involved in the process. This is actually a small awakening within you and just the beginning of the beginning.
Now we come to the second question we need to ask. How much damage will I leave behind when I fulfill this need? How can I reduce it? Voila! Now you are zero waste. Zero-waste starts with awareness and then implementation. None of us can leave our whole life aside and be fully involved in this process. Great changes start with little steps.
Our involvement in this process started one day when we came home tired from work and ordered food from outside. We finished our meal, we were full and happy, until we noticed the garbage left after only 2 people had eaten. At that moment we looked at each other in silence and we were thinking the same thing: Why? A lot of garbage would be a burden on nature as a result of an action that we had consumed in just 15 minutes and that we had done with the sole purpose of filling our bellies. That's where this question came in. Do I really need this? Yes, I do. We need to feed ourselves in a biological sense. Couldn't we do it in a different way? Couldn't we prepare it at home? But we were too tired at work, we had an excuse. We don't eat out now, but during our transition, when we had to, we contacted the restaurant and described what we wanted and how we wanted it, and as a result, the garbage left over from the food that came to us in packages was reduced by 75%. A few months later, the restaurant owner contacted us and thanked us, saying that they were now doing all their packaging this way, that their costs were down, that they were telling their customers about it and that their customers appreciated it. Believe me, this feeling is indescribable. We had started this process somewhere and had touched someone in the way.
In short, this consciousness can develop collectively. If you initiate change, the places where you buy services and products will transform to meet your needs. You will set an example for other people around you. The small step we started to change has now taken us to a completely different adventure, but that is probably a topic for another article. However, I can summarize that we can now produce without using renewable energy and water, and we can be involved in a waste-free life at very large points in our lives. Please feel free to share your story with me. I wish you days full of health and love.
Zero waste and fundamental steps for beginners in our next article...
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