MOVING FROM "ZERO" TO LOW WASTE
Рет қаралды 10,844
7 жыл бұрынMoving from zero to low waste. I've been on my reducing-ones-waste-journey for a little over a year now and in today's video, I'll share a little update with you all!
#MinimalWaste #ZeroWaste #LessWaste
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MORE VIDEOS
MINIMALISM: goo.gl/LO74CH
ZERO WASTE: goo.gl/YIJITc
VEGANISM: goo.gl/ty3a12
MORE: goo.gl/2K6Ct4
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ABOUT
Welcome to The Minimalist Ninja! I am Nina and I am currently living in New York City. I am thriving on minimalism, love being vegan and try to reduce my waste where I can. I want to spread the word about all the good stuff and wanna take you all along with me :) Feel free to get in touch, I'd love to hear from you :)
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FAVORITE PERSON: / thejuliaalt
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GEAR
camera: Canon 600d
tripod: Manfrotto Compact Action Black Travel Tripod
mic: RØDE Camera and Audio VideoMic with Rycote Lyre Mount
@cruztastrophe 7 жыл бұрын
The only way to truly be zero waste is to build a home from down trees in the middle of the woods and grow all your own food. That's not feasible for 99% of people in this day and age. Working towards low/zero waste is important, but being a member of society and having expenses (rent, insurance, etc) means that our lives aren't always as "unwasteful" as we'd hope. I'm glad you are bringing up that fact. It seems like a lot of health&lifestyle gurus on youtube like to pretend they're perfect.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
it's also that even when we are buying in bulk, there is still waste down the line. it has to be distributed somehow which in most cases is in plastic. so true! that unfortunately wouldn't work though because as you said, you gotta live! The name of the movement itself is a bit misleading since there is no such thing as "zero" waste, there will always be waste somewhere. It might not be in one's home, but it's going to be there.
@cruztastrophe 7 жыл бұрын
Rowan Hagen Exactly, it's the accumulation of many small changes.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Beautifully said!
@dAuriaVlogs 7 жыл бұрын
I loved this! Honesty about doing *our* best.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
absolutely! :)
@earlgreyrooibos1 7 жыл бұрын
Life isn't black and white and nor is zero waste. I think I accepted from the start that our family wasn't going to be absolute in terms of the waste we produce but just do the best we can, weighing up the options and making compromises, it's what I hope to encourage on my channel anyway! Hurrah for low waste lifestyles :-) ...and love to you from back here in London xx
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for saying that! Absolutely! It's about doing what we can, which of course differs from person to person and is dependent on more factors than just location. woop woop! :) love from nyc!! :)
@AshlynneEaton 7 жыл бұрын
I absolutely love this video! I agree that for a lot of people "low waste" is a lot more sustainable in the long run than "zero waste." I'm sure this was a tough decision, but I'm glad you're doing it wisely. Ultimately, you are still being responsible in this choice. Proud of you!
@AshlynneEaton 7 жыл бұрын
Also, I'm definitely trying to reduce my waste! Already made great progress, but there is definitely room for improvement!
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
I am so happy to hear about your progress! It's the little steps that will make a huge difference! Absolutely, I do what I can and right now buying most things in bulk wouldn't be sustainable! :)
@lizzie9970 7 жыл бұрын
I totally get this... I started zero waste last year, then discovered veganism and that became my main focus and I ended up buying a lot of packaged vegan food. Now I am trying to move back to eating only Whole plant foods, but it is still hard being zero waste when it comes to cost... I gets frustrating when hardcore zero wasters say it's cheaper etc, when honestly in my experience it's not. Except maybe when buying oats lol... I buy a 50 pound bag of rice from an Asian grocery store to last months, and always try to buy everything without packaging when I can (like fruits and veggies) but I am tired of beating myself up when I buy something in plastic... I still hate it, but I just can't afford not to sometimes...
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
OATS! You're so right! They are one of the only items I can think of that are SO much cheaper in bulk! Plus they usually carry all different kinds! For me everything in the bulk aisle has doubled in price. I am used to paying £2 per kilo for rice/oats, you name it. Now I'd be paying roughly the same but for a pound. A pound is not even 1/2 kilo which means I'd be and am spending 50% more. I find that a bit frustrating haha! I feel you! I used to refuse to buy ANYTHING in plastic, but upon reflecting on it, being vegan is so much more important to me. While I do like eating a simple and clean diet, I don't want to miss out on all the good stuff that makes being vegan SO much fun :)
@TheDarlingM 7 жыл бұрын
it's all about balance, isn't it?. I struggle similarly -- I started trying to be zero waste, minimalist, vegan, etc. basically all at once, and I haven't "achieved" any of them by some standards. I just constantly tell myself THINGS HAPPEN SLOWLY OVER TIME. so sometimes that means focusing so you can make one of the areas work, and perhaps you'll get around to a different one in the future... much love! and of course to +Minimalist Ninja for a thoughtful video!
@ngonigriffith8856 6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for changing from zero waste to low waste! I have done several things since watching the videos last year: I am recycling more, so less products go to the landfills. Also, I used to dump out my trashcan every 2-3 days, now it is every 2 weeks. I do laundry every 2 weeks instead of every week. Now I am working on reducing so I am working on buying a water filter to get rid of the plastic water bottles and I am trying to cut down my toiletry usage from around 25 products to hopefully half of that. It's a work in progress.
@theminimalistninja 6 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for sharing your progress, that's absolutely incredible!
@theminimalistninja 6 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for sharing your progress, that's absolutely incredible!
@CamilaNels 7 жыл бұрын
Having to step back in never easy, but like they say, you gotta take one step back to two forward... So I completely support you and hope everything works just fine! :)
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
thank you so much for saying that! I just watched your recent video and it so resonated with me! :)
@Dualesinthecity 7 жыл бұрын
Yesss! Im starting to low waste also! Cause its so hard to do zero waste!! Im making pita bread at this moment. Will try to make wrap. Your such an inspiration for me!
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
I just need to prioritize convenience and saving money over spending top dollar. I still love the zero waste movement, I just think that "zero home waste" would fit better because in essence, this is what it is. awesome that you are making your own pita bread! I used to make my own in london and loved it! thank you so much :) I am flattered!! :)
@FREETOFAMILY 7 жыл бұрын
Some communities definitely make it harder. Low waste is still such a big move...so much better than just giving up right? I can totally relate:) Great video! xoxo
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
It used to be absolutely fine where I was living back in London. I was spending very little on food and was able to get most things unpackaged. The issue with bulk here is that I am paying the same amount of money, but for way less product. For the price of 1LB (0.4KG) I used to get 1KG for. Big difference! Especially when it comes to my staples :/ thank you!! :)
@janetlynne4783 7 жыл бұрын
I have also found that some things are quite a bit more expensive at the bulk store. I think zero waste is a misnomer. There is always some waste involved even if we don't bring it into our own homes. I am far from zero waste, but I have been making some changes for the better...thanks to videos like yours. I don't think we have to be perfect to make big changes overall.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Absolutely! I think so too. What I found to be surprising is this: What I used to pay for a kilo (= not even 2 pounds) at my bulk stores I pay now for not even 1/2 kilo. basically, everything I was used to buying is now double the price. which makes it no longer sustainable for me. only oats I found to be cheaper in bulk. I think what would describe it better would be, like bea's book, "zero waste home", because that's what it really is. down the line there will always be some waste involved, as you said. that is awesome! I think that people may become discouraged when hearing the term "zero waste", it can be misleading. it's the little changes that can, over time, not only make big changes but influence other people to do the same :)
@slamarwl 7 жыл бұрын
Didn't know that about daves killer bread! Thanks for including.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
It popped up at my bodega and reading their story warmed my heart :)
@sandracarter3774 7 жыл бұрын
I love the way you move from place to place. I sometime think I would like a life like that. Good luck on saving for your next destination. How do you decide where to go because the world is full of so many options?
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
I always dreamed of moving to London, I just never thought I'd do it and NYC was one of those places that always fascinated me. Thank you so much! I would go wherever I would be legally allowed to work :)
@MyMinimalistBaby 7 жыл бұрын
I'm I'm a similar situation here too. on top of that the last few months I've had to let my husband do all our shopping while I studied and he does his best but doesn't put the same priority on zero waste as me so that created more waste too
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
I feel you! My main struggle is that I used to pay f.e. £3 per kilo of beans. Here I'd be paying roughly the same but for a pound, but a pound is not even 1/2 kilo which means I'd be spending 50% more. I think, with everything else in life, it's about balance and prioritizing. It also requires a lot of planning and while I am still all about it, I am not willing to pay that much for it. It's the little things that we all do and that's all that matters! :)
@cindyjones4190 7 жыл бұрын
i wish things were ideal, and that there was enough time and resources to have the healthiest, least impactful, most economical lifestyle. but, i, too, find that one often conflicts with the other. other than being vegan, i think that the lowest impact practices are buying locally and using natural cleaning products--not always easy. thank you for outlining the struggles we all face!! 😀
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Absolutely! Being vegan is what I am ultimately passionate about. I do care about reducing my waste, but I am not willing to spend top dollar on it. Everything in the bulk aisle here is 50% more expensive. Prices are roughly the same, but while I would pay X amount in the UK for 1kg, I am paying the exact same amount for 1LB which, which is not even 0.5kg. The struggle is real! :D
@melissamenchaca9121 7 жыл бұрын
Everybody has their hiccups to becoming zero waste. For us, we have two small children and asking him to give up his processed food is like asking him to give up air. I've tried to make these things for him but aside from pizza he simply won't eat them. He'll grow out of it. In the mean time we still can, make our own peanut butter, bring our bulk bags. Whatever we can do.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
It's just that even when we buy in bulk, the bulk goods still reach the store in massive plastic bags. if anything it's "zero home waste". Down the line will always be waste, it's just that it may not reach someone's home. I think buying in bulk is great, it's just inconvenient and pricey to buy staples that I eat a ton of each week, in bulk. That's unfortunate! I am sure though, as he grows older he will learn to appreciate those homemade goods more and will crave the processed foods less and less.
@melissamenchaca9121 7 жыл бұрын
The Minimalist Ninja oh I know. I hear you about the plastics that fill the bulk bins. I have watched the employees refill the bins before, however, and noticed only about 25% of the items are in plastics, the rest are in paper. So there's that. We also buy our rice at Costco. We are trying to save for a house so we are very aware of where our money goes. Do you have a Sprouts near you? Very good prices on bulk and veg.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Melissa Menchaca That's awesome! I mostly noticed plastic bags at my wholefoods, but I didn't see them filling it up all too often! :) if you are saving for a house, every dollar counts! I don't have one near me, but I go to a local store that's a 20 minute walk away and they have the best prices on veg! :) thank you for the tip though, I'll make a note of it! :)
@LisaZhatkina 7 жыл бұрын
Hey, great and honest video! I'm currently living in London and finding it a bit hard to find places where i can buy things in bulk. Perhaps you can talk more about the places you used to visit/go to here, perhaps in some other video or shoot me an email or just write here in the comments? That'd be so-so useful! :)
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
I loved going to Wholefoods on Kensington high street - their section is fantastic! bulk teas, spices, grains, legumes - and so much more! The dry goods store in west london is awesome too, small, but has pasta and lots of other foods in bulk that wholefoods doesn't have. hope that helps! :)
@Villekullarr 7 жыл бұрын
hi, can i ask you for what you save so much money? lots oft love from germany :) you are great :)
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
I can't disclose that just yet unfortunately! I will in due time though! :) lots of love from nyc! thank you!! :)
@JaciniaPerez 7 жыл бұрын
Awesome, this is hopeful for me. But I have officially freezer composted this month and we give our scraps to an urban garden near us. We also started recycling everything that we possibly can. And for the things we can't we will work on alternatives for those (which I don't think this will officially happen until august) Anyway there's my update. LASTLY, I want to ask my landlord if we can recycle in the building (if I get the balls to ask) Still doing research on this, want to make it an easy and free process so she can't say no.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
that's awesome! If you don't have recycling in your house I'd definitely ask! Is it not a legal requirement anyway? At least it's in some places if I am not mistaken. They have to provide the bins etc. :)
@JaciniaPerez 7 жыл бұрын
I'm unsure I live in Newark NJ we aren't required to recycle in houses or apartments, and there are barely bins around. Pretty sad being that this is a very overpopulated city and it's hugeee!
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Ah, I didn't know that! As far as I am aware it's a requirement in my area. My house got a fine a couple months ago because the lid of the trash can fell off and the trash was "exposed" haha! I had no idea that they aren't required to recycle! I hope you will be able to get those bins and will be keeping my fingers crossed!!
@SCN_Adventure 7 жыл бұрын
In Copenhagen there are now two shops called wefood. They collect food from shops which have food they can not sell because of minimum durability. Wefood sell it cheep and the surplus is going charity.
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Can everyone purchase food their? That sounds absolutely incredible!
@corajohnston22 7 жыл бұрын
It's too bad that living zero waste is more expensive. If it was cheaper I feel like more people would live a more Zero Waste life
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
It was OK priced in London. The issue is just that I would f.e. get rice for 1.70/kg in London and here it's the same, but 1.70/lb. 1lb is roughly 0.4 kg meaning that I pay more than 50% more for bulk here in nyc then I used to. It's not just that though, I eat so much rice, I had a hard time dragging it home on the tube every week after work. Buying a big bag of it is not only cheaper, but allows me to get groceries other than just rice haha :)
@corajohnston22 7 жыл бұрын
The Minimalist Ninja That's too bad. I can't imagine carring that big bag would be easy! Hopefully you can find something that will work better! :)
@theminimalistninja 7 жыл бұрын
Cora Johnston These days I buy MASSIVE rice bags online and love it! :)