A few months ago, I was at the peak of my sustainability journey. It’s not that I have stopped caring about the environment, but I realized that instantly eliminating all plastic from my life is depriving myself of too many things at once. I preach that a low waste lifestyle should be gradual, one swap at a time, and only after extensive research, but I wasn’t following that advice.
When I was home this summer, it was easy to avoid directly purchasing disposable or plastic packaged food items. In my hometown, there are no boba and coffee shops within walking distance the same way they are present everywhere in Hoboken, so my friends and I are not in the habit of getting food or drinks out. My parents did the grocery shopping, so I excused any plastic used for my food because it wasn’t in my control. I also gave up going to the mall for fun a long time ago and don’t really have the desire to purchase new clothing or items. This meant that I was purchasing practically nothing and therefore did not need to think about making sustainable choices.
Everything changed when I came to college. Suddenly I was cooking every meal myself which required grocery shopping at one of two stores within walking distance. Unfortunately, neither of the stores has zero or even low waste options, so the majority of my groceries include massive amounts of plastic packaging. It is hard enough trying to cook consistently for the first time, but being a vegetarian is an added struggle. My required Stevens meal plan is also an option when it is time to eat, but it isn’t any better since almost everything from the UCC comes in a single use container. Additionally, I now have the temptation of coffee and boba shops, cute bakeries, and various places to eat on Washington Street. Some of these can be moderately low waste, but many are not. In fact, boba is probably one of the most wasteful options with its plastic cup, plastic sealed top, and big plastic straw, but it is so delicious and the favorite treat of many students.
During the first few weeks of school, I felt incredibly guilty when I would see how much was being thrown into my trash can. It felt like I was a fraud, especially compared to how little waste I created over the summer. After taking some time to reflect, I realized that I was still actively trying to reduce my waste which is more than many people attempt.
So, what do I do now? I am still trying to figure out ways to reduce my waste while grocery shopping. This goes hand in hand with eating more unprocessed foods like loose fruits and vegetables. I also try to limit purchases of coffee, boba, and other things that come in disposable packaging.
I have stuck with many sustainable swaps for personal care items like shampoo/conditioner bars and a bamboo toothbrush because these items are easy to buy once and not repurchase for months. I rely heavily on online shops for these purchases. I recommend checking out https://zerowastestore.com/ and https://www.theplasticfree-store.com/. When purchasing sustainable products online, buy in bulk to reduce the negative impacts of shipping and packaging materials.
Whether you are new to sustainability or have been actively reducing your waste for years, don’t be too hard on yourself. We are all imperfect humans in a society that is not set up to be zero waste. Even making small changes can be challenging and depriving yourself of any plastic-filled items will just result in burnout. Focus on the positive and see the amount of waste you are reducing with your actions.
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