Minimalism and Zero-Waste Living

Anyone else interesting in living a more minimalist/waste-free life? This is something I got into a lot a couple years ago, and then my passion for it kind of waned for a while. But I've been watching some videos and podcast lately and getting pretty pumped about it again.

Anyone else? Favorite minimalist/zero waste youtubers? I like "The Minimalists" and "Living Waste Free." Along with others, but right now those are probably my favorites. Anyone seen the documentary "Minimalism" on Netflix? At least I think it's still on there.

I've always been a pretty minimalistic person anyway, and really organized. But I'm trying to really make some bigger Zero-Waste changes in my life as well. I've already done a lot of the simpler things, like using cloth napkins instead of paper towels and trying to buy things in bulk whenever possible, so they're package free. But lately I've been trying to think or ways I could do even more. I would love to be nearly completely waste free, but I'm sure that's not going to be entirely possible in my lifestyle. I'd also love to start composting, but that's something I need to learn more about first.

 

Haha you sound like me

I reallyyyyy wish we had a bulk store in my town. :/ I have actually strongly been considering opening one myself. It's such a benefit, not just for food but other things, like shampoo and body wash and dish soap and laundry detergent. Basically anything that normally comes in packaging. We have a small bulk section in our regular grocery stores, but generally just for dry goods, like rice and beans and such. And they don't let you bring your own jars. You can use your own cloth bags though, but not jars or other containers.

Yeah, my husband isn't as passionate about it as I am, but he's a pretty minimalist guy by nature, and as long as it's not too much of an invasion or change for him, he's usually supportive of the changes I want to make.

Lol seriously. I've been watching some zero waste meal prep videos lately to see what people eat. Most of them I've found are also vegan, which I'm not, but oh well. I've started looking into how I can make more of my own stuff, so I don't have to buy things already premade in packages. So that's something. And composting would be a huge help, too!

My sister was really into minimalism before me. She recommended the Minimalism documentary by Ryan and Joshua, and I was pretty hooked right away. I listened to like all of their podcasts. Lol and then zero waste just kind of fell in line with that, somewhat. I like to have goals in life, and becoming more waste free is a good goal for everybody. And I'm also pretty frugal and like to save and not be wasteful, in general, so it kind of fits in with how I already live for the most part.

 

That's great! I love the way minimalism challenges one's view of life. It forced me to ask myself what I actually care about, rather than simply doing things because they are what everyone else does. Like, for example, most people have a certain amount of dishes or coffee mugs or silverware or clothes, but if you live alone and don't have guest over, you don't really need all that. And if you don't care much about clothes, you don't need to have so many just because it's what's considered "normal."

 

I must admit i dont know a lot about it. I was, and i am, still a big fanboy of primitivism, is it comparable?

 

Ideally I would live minimalistically, but I also enjoy tactile learning, which is the most efficient. Those two idealogies are mutually exclusive.

 

I wish that some of the businesses around me would practice this. I'm sick and tired of waking up at 4a.m. to the sound of garbage trucks picking up and dropping off dumpsters!

 

I'm not sure what primitivism is... I would have to look into that.

How are they mutually exclusive? Could you explain a bit more about what you mean here? Maybe there is a middle ground.

 

Aw well that's too bad. But at the end of the day, you're responsible for you, so you're still doing something good

Yeah, there's no way my husband would ever be able to be a vegetarian or vegan, but I've kind of been trying to eat less meat and dairy for breakfast and lunches at least. And just eat healthier in general.

 

i do try and live more simply and have been intrigued with the Tiny Home movement and in the past have
seen some amazing you tubes. there have also been some you tube showing folks who
have even sold their homes and retrofitted vans to lead a richer more
nomadic existence.

rarely buy new clothes but when i do i always give away an item
to reuse stores as a way of keeping a sort of balance.

over the last couple years ive slowly been shedding items i dont really need.
difficult but quite freeing.

 

Yes!! I love tiny houses! If I were single, i would totally live in a tiny house, no question. But my husband is sadly not on board with that plan at all. Lol

That's a good idea A lot of people do that with like everything they buy. One thing in, one thing out.

It is, indeed!

 

not sure if this is truly considered minimalist in the context your perhaps thinking but
for a few days a year i spend time on a quite snowy nook
of a lake. wood,water,food,shelter. the greatest joys are late afternoon tea, sun rises/sets, starry night skies, jigging for trout. the smell of cedar,black spruce and balsam fir boughs are so medicinal and intoxicating
(at least to me)

 

So, I enjoy tactile learning. The more patterns your brain associates with a concept, the stronger the retention. Visual, tactile, and reading theories is much more effective than reading alone.

This requires buying materials to actually observe effects that would otherwise have to be imagined.

If I were more vested in living minimalistically, I would only purchase books on the concepts. At the end of the day, both methods will teach you the concept. However, one will actually give you an intuitive sense as to how the concept applies, which is much more effecrive for practicality.

Since I value pursuit of knowledge over living minimalistically, I decide to buy a few extra things that are definitely not needs, but provide plenty more patterns for the brain to absorb to enhance the learning process.

Experimentation is fun.

 

Ah, I see. Doesn't sound anti-minimalist to me, though. One of the things I love about The Minimalists, Ryan and Joshua, is that they emphasize the fact that minimalism is about enhancing your life by consuming less, saying no to certain things, etc, so you can have more time and energy and money and space for the things that are important to you. It sounds like tactile learning is important to you, so it's good for you to continue to purchase whatever things you need for that. I don't think that anyone should embrace minimalism if it means they are depriving themsleves of something that gives them joy, just for the sake of having less things.

 

Sounds lovely!

 

another thing i try to do is repair/rather than replace things.
over the years ive fixed all sorts of clothes and gear back in use.
this past summer i put patches on 3 of my favourite
(sadly discontinued pair of Thorlo socks)
ill be honest i also did buy one replacement of a new brand
as well.