The surplus of waste is becoming a bigger and bigger problem locally and globally with each passing day. The UN estimates that every year, humans generate up to 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste. Waste pollution is becoming a serious problem, as around 2.7 billion people lack access to waste collection.
That’s why we should all do our (however tiny) part in trying to reduce global waste, so we’ve compiled some ideas for you, zero-waste Pandas. From tips and tricks you can use at home to creative ideas in restaurants, supermarkets, and small businesses, we’ve got it all covered. Scroll down and see some ideas on how you can be a little kinder to the planet, one upcycled item at a time.
Bored Panda got in touch with an expert in living the zero-waste lifestyle, Gittemarie Johansen. She’s a Danish public speaker, author, content creator, and zero-waste expert who’s been living sustainably since 2015. She kindly agreed to tell us more about the biggest challenges beginners usually face, shared some tips on how one can begin their zero-waste journey, and contemplated with us the question of why zero-waste isn’t the default yet.
More info: Gittemarie Johansen | Instagram | YouTube | Sustainable Badass: A Zero-Waste Lifestyle Guide
#1 I’m A Quilter Who Saves Every Scrap. I Made This Dumbledore Quilt Using All Of The Tiny Scraps From My Stash
Image credits: exhaustedoctopus
#2 I Work At A Travel Agency, And When We Have To Get Rid Of Our Outdated Maps, I Reuse Them As Wrapping Paper
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 Sometimes Cheap Frames Don’t Come With Hanging Hardware. Tin Can Lids Get The Job Done. Learned This Trick From My High School Art Teacher
Image credits: blabbitygabbity
#4 My Dad Built A Greenhouse Out Of Piles Of Random Stuff He’s Been Saving – Old Windows, Bits Of Flooring, Recycled Straightened Nails, And Off-Cuts Of Steel Roofing
Image credits: rnords
#5 I Made A Bag Out Of Tags
Over 500 tags used, with two fully adjustable straps that can link together to create a longer strap. The tag for the bag is also a smaller bag made of tags.
Image credits: Educational_Target56
#6 My Weekend Project Was Making Use Of A Broken Pot
Image credits: pmolina12
#7 This Supermarket Had Tiny Paper Bags Instead Of Plastic Containers To Reduce Waste
Image credits: treanegno
#8 Had To Throw This Basket Out At Work Because The Side Had Split. I Asked My Boss If I Could Have It And She Said Sure, So With A Little Ribbon It’s Fixed
Image credits: byronfayy
#9 My Grandma Made Her Shopping Bag Out Of Plastic Shopping Bags
Image credits: Icantthinkofaname678
#10 Reusing The Kids’ Playhouse As A Catio
Our kids are getting older and we were facing the need to get rid of their playhouse. We also have a cat that likes the outside but gets himself into trouble. We gave away the slides and swings (the cat didn’t enjoy those aspects) and kept the main house to turn it into a catio. The cat loves it and we didn’t have to buy anything besides the wire and door hooks to convert it.
Image credits: Redaerkoob
#11 These Chairs Made From Old Fire Hoses, Near A Fire Station
Image credits: i_heart_carrot
#12 Old Hair Brush? Attach It To A Leg Of A Chair For Your Cat To Rub On
Image credits: ramblingroze
#13 Someone On My Street Put Two Twin Bed Frames On The Curb. I Made One Into A Trellis
Image credits: briskiejess
#14 Our Local Supermarket Makes Juice Out Of Unsold Fruits. Literally Zero Waste
Image credits: EduKehakettu
#15 Upcycled A Broken Cable Spool From Work Into A Climbing Toy For Our New Kitten, Lady Sif
Image credits: derekghs
#16 An Old TV Was Repurposed Into A Cat Bed For My Cat’s Birthday
Image credits: BrewCoven
#17 I Was About To Throw Away Some Buttons, Single Earrings, And Broken Necklace Parts, But Turned Them Into DIY Cards Instead
Image credits: okaysnowflake
#18 A Coconut Repurposed As A Salt Container That Has Been In My Family For Over 20 Years
Image credits: MarsNirgal
#19 Repurposed An Old Diaper Box Into A Bookcase For My Son
Image credits: kellyc0417
#20 I Patched A Large Hole In My Favorite Overalls Today
Image credits: twin_weenis
#21 Neighbor Built This Neat Greenhouse Out Of Salvaged Windows And Doors
Image credits: kazzmere
#22 Mom Ordered A New Blanket, I Needed A Mini Greenhouse Type Container To Keep My Calathea Humid. Perfect? No, But Saved The Plastic From The Trash, And I Get To Give It A New Purpose
Image credits: santanotsatan69
#23 Upcycling Tip: A Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Container Makes A Great Mini Greenhouse
Image credits: Levangeline
#24 I Made Shelves Using Recycled Thrift Shop Speakers
Image credits: MuchoGrande
#25 I Work At A Hospital Where Employees Eat Every Day With Plastic Utensils. My Solution: Fork And Spoon In An Old Pencil Case
Image credits: yellow_ducks
#26 A Local Shop Gives Leafy Parts From Vegetables That Most People Don’t Eat To Pets For Free
Image credits: nixass
#27 The Components For My New Vacuum Are All Packaged In Paper Instead Of Plastic
Image credits: ChewbaccaExMachina
#28 You Can Plant This Calendar Because It’s Made From Recycled Paper
Image credits: purutiger
#29 My Mom Always Wraps Birthday Presents In Maps
Many years ago, my Granddad worked in a paper factory. My mom visited his workplace in 1994 to shoot a film there. They had thousands of excess sheets of maps that had been printed that were going to be thrown out, so she took enough that we still get our main presents wrapped in them all these years later.
Image credits: conversationchanger
#30 I Make Planters Out Of Old License Plates
Image credits: 3q49gh9q34
#31 You Can Grow Loofahs, Dry Them And Use Them To Wash Dishes. 5 Plants Make Enough For About 2 Years In Our House. Fully Biodegradable When They’re Worn Out
Image credits: scavenger_hobo
#32 Made From A Very Worn Men’s Shirt That Was Headed To The Landfill
Image credits: reddit.com
#33 I Took A Friend’s Thesis Poster That Was Printed On Fabric And Turned It Into A Weekender Bag He Can Use
Image credits: gloryallan
#34 A Small Local Movie Theater Uses Reusable Metal Bowls For Popcorn
Image credits: stevieisbored
#35 Shout-Out To Everyone Who Washes And Reuses Their Food Storage Bags
Image credits: fakeplastictrees81
#36 I Found Myself Buying Makeup Removing Wipes Every Few Weeks, But No More. With Fabric Remnants, An Old Hand Towel, And A Few Hours Of My Time, I’m Saving Money And The Planet
Image credits: RhbJ04
#37 Repurposed Pallets For A Raised Bed. $9 Total, Spent On Fasteners And Hardware, With Half Left Over
Image credits: italianmick1
#38 It Isn’t A Lot, But Me And My Girlfriend Stopped Buying Paper Towels
Image credits: dillrit
#39 My Aunt Requested Crochet Face Scrubbies To Replace Cotton Pads. She Asked For 24, So I Put Them In A Repurposed Candle Container
Image credits: jenntones
#40 A Local Soapmaker Sells Miscellaneous Or Broken Pieces Of Soap Without Packaging At A Discount. It’s Perfect For Trying Out New Scents
Image credits: CharmingtheCobra
#41 First Time Using Food Scraps To Make Broth
Image credits: sisulumme
#42 Using Old Liquor Bottles To Serve Water At Restaurants
Image credits: oceanhigh
#43 I Made Reusable Swiffer Pads! I Have Three Cats And A Dog, And I Get So Tired Of Buying Those Ridiculously Expensive Dusting Pads To Get Up All The Pet Hair
Image credits: HallahFin
#44 This Was A Really Fun Upcycling Project And Saved A Fortune On Glass Jars For My Pantry Shelves
Image credits: Instahome_uk
#45 Upcycled A Broken Bed Frame
Image credits: RayceC
#46 Old And Broken Window Blinds Turned Into Plant Markers
Image credits: llcoolbreath
#47 This Toilet’s Cistern Fills Using A Tap And Sink, So You Can Wash Your Hands With No Waste
Image credits: herzeleid22
#48 Our Brand New Bed Broke. I Salvaged The Wood, And Turned It Into A Planter
Image credits: reddit.com
#49 My Girlfriend Wrapped Her Christmas Presents In Fast Food Bags
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Image credits: 14PulsarsV1
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