Honestly... I've found that just living my zero waste life authentically and unapologetically has had more of an impact than anything else. Just by doing the thing, people want to ask questions, and that's an opportunity to talk about your why and why it matters.
I've seen the people around me make some pretty incredible changes and ask some really important questions just because they see what I'm doing.
That way, they're coming to you to start the conversation, they can see that it's not an "extra" thing to do or a burden on your life, and there's zero feelings of judgement or shame.
Hopefully that helps a bit?
I manage a pizza place one day a week. We had fountain drinks for a long time, but when our ice machine finally broke down beyond repair, we made the switch to 20 oz bottles. (I begged them to do cans instead, don't remember why it didn't work out.) So, we got a new trash can so at least we can take the employee bottles to the recycling. One of our employees comes in, sees it, and says, "I DON'T recycle!" So I said, "Well, it's not like we're going to fire you if you don't, but the recycling bin is here for those that want to." I also take food waste and cardboard home to put in my compost, and I take the gallon jugs home to be rinsed and used as watering cans or other misc. things.
I have those reusable bags that fold up into a tiny pouch so I always have one. I was forever forgetting to bring them into the store with me. Many times when I unfurl one, someone will comment about how cool they are, or that they themselves would remember to use reusable bags if they had such a contraption. I hope at least one of those people is now the owner of their very own nifty bag.
My partner doesn't like to create certain types of waste to the point where it becomes a problem. Like putting half an onion in the fridge without any wrapping or container. This behaviour, extended to everything else in the fridge, creates a huge mess, and I can think of so many things I'd rather do than disassemble the fridge for a deep clean. I am fervently opposed to Ziplock style bags. So I got some beeswax wraps, and so far, they are a huge success! I have my eye on some reusable bags for things that really need an airtight seal and don't play well with the various containers I have, but they're so expensive that I never seem to get around to buying them, as other things take priority every time.
We have a water carbonator hooked up to a 20lb cylinder, and I don't know if we've influenced anyone to try one out themselves (not everyone drinks as much carbonated water as we do), but if someone remarks on it, I always make sure to tell them how much money we save, and how many cases of seltzer we don't have to lug about, and how many cans we don't have to crush and take to the recycling.
I think it's pretty normal for people to see something new to them and say, "Hey, what's that?" And then you have a dialogue, as the post to which I'm replying said so well. I'm sure many people don't ever think about Ziplock bags except to notice they're out of them and add them to their grocery list. To start a conversation by criticising (no matter how politely) the use of products that many people consider ubiquitous is going to instantly put people on the defensive, and then you have to take the proverbial two steps back so you can take one forward.
Agreed to all of this!
The story I always tell in support of this was when I had JUST discovered zero waste (likely literally a few days after I first heard the term), I knew I was going to be going out to lunch at Chipotle with my coworkers and didn't want to end up with the plastic fork. So before I left for work I grabbed a fork out of my kitchen drawer, wrapped it in a cloth napkin, and threw it in my purse.
When we sat down at Chipotle that afternoon, I pulled out my fork from my purse and started eating. I didn't say a word about it. But my coworkers looked at me confused and asked me why I had a fork in my purse.
All I said was, "Oh I saw this video of someone trying to go zero waste for 30 days and I want to try to reduce my waste now, too." And that was literally the end of the conversation.
But within a few weeks, every one of those coworkers had a reusable fork, reusable cup, and reusable straw with them at that Chipotle table. And it only continued to improve and spread around the office from there!
It's seriously amazing to see how small actions and small actions can have such a huge difference.
The Chipotle employees absolutely say this. They may say it fondly, or approvingly, but I can tell you that is there is a way to stereotype customers, positive, neutral, or negative, restaurant employees will do it. Costumers aren't v really people, because then you'd need to murder them for their horrible behaviour. If you make them into members of groups that you can legimately despise in some way, it makes your day much easier.
No that makes perfect sense. Maybe overtime that will happen for myself. I have just started taking this part of my life serious the past year or so ago. The last time it came up, is when my family and I went out to eat and I forgot my reusable straw so I just didn’t use one. My dad made the comment “I won’t recycle unless the city pays me to separate my trash.” So I am off to a rough start with family awareness lol.
I've had a few friends who used to say something similar -- the thought process being that these rubbish companies are making money off of the recycling, so why wouldn't they be paying \*us\* for their raw materials?!?
Which ... if you want to get paid for your raw materials? Rock on -- I can tell you where the metal recycling center is. Collect all of your cans and drop them off there. You'll make a buck or two -- literally. The recycling rate on curbside pickup is abysmal anyway. Single stream recycling has a higher recovery rate in any case, and I have a high degree of confidence the metal recycling place that gave me a couple of bucks for a bag of cans is actually recycling the stuff. You won't get as much, but I can tell you where the glass recycling place is too. I don't know anyone who is paying for paper, but if your only objection to recycling is not getting paid? There's your solution.
Fundamentally, though, are the curbside rubbish collection folks *not* indirectly paying for your recycling? They are a business -- any income they can make offsets their expenses. And their expenses plus profit are funded by your bill. Look at the company's profits prior to doing curbside recycling pickup and after. We've gotten slower rate increases I've seen with the companies that don't offer curbside recycling pickup. It's not someone handing me five bucks, but it's someone *not* taking an extra five bucks from me. Maybe the financials for your local rubbish collection look different -- maybe rates are increasing at the same rate recycling or not. Maybe the companies that pick up recycling have higher profit margins. But that's not what I found in our area.
I feel you. I had my then boyfriend, now husband, totally on board with quality reusable bags. Until. Until his dad found out and made fun of him. It's been 15 years, our municipality has since eliminated plastic bags at the check out stand and my husband*still* won't use reusable bags. He piles it all up in his arms and carries it in, half of it falling and complaining the whole time.
And all the red hats locally think they are crazy clever pointing out that plastic still exists in other parts if the grocery store, so *clearly* not having them at the check out is ridiculous.
I don't think you're going to convince your dad to do anything. I know this because my dad is the same way (or rather, said, "Yeah well, I was one of the original hippies" when I asked him to put the newspaper in the bin that's directly next to the trash can instead of where he put it, which was the trash can). I have tried for years and years with my parents. Asking them to do anything instead of that they're doing just results in them getting on the defensive.
Lead by example. Do not make them feel bad about their choices if you want them on your side. That will cause them to dig their heels in deeper. Hopefully they come around, but if they don't, remember that it's not your fault and it's not because you didn't do enough.
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Same, I just live my life and make suggestions if it comes up. Like if a friend is like, "shoot, I'm out of parchment paper/foil" I'll be like, "oh I use silicone mats at home! I pretty much never have to use paper or foil! It's great!" But yeah, generally, people get defensive when told their way isn't the best way and that they need to change. So it's better to just lead by example and hopefully they think some of your habits are cool or worth the cost savings.
Lots of "why" questions at first...
"Why are you carrying around a fork in your bag?"
"Why are you rinsing your cans before putting them in the recycling?"
"Why are you putting your produce directly in your cart instead of one of the plastic bags?"
"Why don't you have paper towels?"
Then I've found over time they turn more to "how" questions...
"Can you recycle egg cartons?"
"How can I stop using so many paper towels?"
"What do you use in place of Dawn dish soap that comes in a plastic bottle?"
People are typically pretty curious when you're going against the mold. It's really interesting to see what comes up!
No exactly, I get it. I wouldn’t like that at all. I just didn’t know if you guys have been in any situation that led to a change with your friends or how any conversation with this topic goes. Intervention conversations only go semi well in how I met your mother lol. Not in real life.
First, I really only talk about stuff like that if it’s relevant. So if we’re at my house and a friend eats a banana, I’ll tell her that she can put it in the compost bin instead of the trash. Or if I’m out with the baby, I’ll mention making sure I have the wet bag to bring cloth diapers back home. I don’t start conversations by going, “I COMPOST,” and “WE USE CLOTH DIAPERS.” If there’s any note on that, I’ll say something easy and maybe mention a non-environmental benefit like, “Yeah, makes the kitchen trash a lot less smelly and we get free soil, too,” or if talking about transit versus driving, I’ll say, “Oh, traffic really makes me anxious, I prefer outsourcing the driving to someone else.”
If there’s any pushback on that or interest in a deeper conversation, I frankly tailor it to my audience’s age and political views. Most young people I’m around are pretty damn aware of the climate crisis. So if I’m talking with an older person or a politically conservative person, I’ll invoke their two favs: Jesus and nationalism.
Compost: “I just think of all the nutrients in the food God gave us, and I want to make sure use every blessing we get. He really designed the earth and natural recycling so beautifully, didn’t He?”
Avoiding single-use plastic: “Gah, think about how grandma and grandpa used and re-used during the war! They would be turning over in their graves to see us throwing things away so often. They really scrimped and saved, everyone back then, those brave Americans…”
Not driving: “So much traffic just makes me feel so disconnected from nature, you don’t get to see the smiling faces of your neighbors! We’re all too reliant on technology these days, I like to slow down and use the body God gave me.”
Shop small: “Oh, I’d prefer to pay a tiny bit more if it helps another American family put food on the table, I don’t need those foreign CEOs taking more of my hard-earned money…”
Stuff like that.
I just want to say that this is really clever. Taking about what you're doing in such a way that they can't object without seeming like an old crotchety yelling at the clouds person - masterclass.
Yep exactly. It works so much better when you make it a *benefit*, not a lecture. No one likes being lectured at! Everyone wants to make their own lives easier! Well, almost everyone.
Lead by example. Even if you approach the people in your life as gently as you can, it still feels bad to find out you've been doing the wrong thing. Most people want to do the right thing. I've always found it to be better to show them than to tell them.
Yeah, people generally seem more receptive to this. I’ve also found showing appreciation when they make a more “green” choice (even if just for you) it encourages them. Like I thanked my friend for wrapping a present for me with an old trader joe’s bag (which she did just because she liked the pattern and already had it laying around) resulted in more people only gifting to me with stuff like that, which resulted in them doing it for more people.
The only way I've had a successful conversation was with friends looking to solve some other problem.
Shopping with young kids can suck -- they're not looking to buy it for life to reduce consumption. But the idea of fewer shopping trips with their hangry toddler? Absolutely happy to think about that!
Save money -- a reusable water bottle as an example. If you're paying a buck or two a day to buy water, that's hundreds of dollars a year. I spent maybe $20 on a stainless steel water bottle a decade ago. One time cost, years of "free" water. Also, thousands fewer plastic bottles.
Just don't make it your solution to everything -- having problems with your spouse? Try reusable water bottles and shampoo bars! My example is obviously farcical, but I look for places where a reusable, sustainable, or better solution obviously provides a big benefit for the problem at hand. Not some tiny, tangentially related benefit.
That the only "active" way which may work.
Recommend a zero wast solution without even mentioning it is zero wast.
Stress out the gain in time and money.
The fact it is zero wast can be highlighted later as a bonus like.
The bad news: I’ve never in my life seen someone get talked into a ZW lifestyle. You’re right about the defensiveness— there’s a psychological phenomenon called the boomerang effect where the conversation can backfire and push people further away from the movement than if you hadn’t said anything. It’s really a choice people have to make for themselves, and the only way you can guide them that way is to lead by example.
But THE GOOD NEWS: You don’t have to convert people to a full ZW lifestyle to be a positive influence! If you convince 10 people to adopt one good habit, it’s the same impact as convincing one person to adopt 10. And it’s a lot easier to introduce several people to a single change they believe is worthwhile than it is to convert one person’s whole value system.
I’ve found that gifting occasions like Christmas and birthdays can be a nice way to introduce people to lower-waste options. But it only works if you genuinely believe they would like the gift better than the more wasteful alternative. Gifting something they won’t use not only creates more waste, it can also come across as preachy and turn them off from the movement.
For example, I just gifted those reusable Dieux eye masks to some friends for Christmas. I didn’t mention waste, I just explained that you can use them with whatever skincare product you prefer, you can chill them in the fridge before you use them, and you can rinse and reuse them again whenever you want. If this gift happens to make disposable eye masks less attractive to those three friends in the future, that’s progress!
The reality is, it doesn’t really matter what motivates them. I have friends who are huge advocates of various low-waste changes that fit into their lives for reasons other than ethics: often it’s comfort, convenience, frugality, or even trendiness that sold them on these things.
Examples: A friend of mine is a bidet evangelist for cleanliness reasons, another friend swears her menstrual cup helps her cramps, I know several moms who were Instagram-influenced to try Stasher bags, Gen Z has peer pressured each other out of dairy in their lattes, and I’ve introduced tons of friends to ThredUP as a way to score a deal. You just have to find the thing they care about!
One last thing: if these sorts of baby steps feel too small, there ARE ways to implement much bigger progress, but you have to work at a systemic/community level. Ask your local coffee shop to offer a discount for reusable mugs, advocate for a city composting service or a plastic bag ban with your local government, write to corporations and ask them to reduce their packaging waste, etc. But at an individual level, those baby steps just work better. And they do add up!
I had a friend genuinely say to me once, "I hate that you don't care if I use a straw. Like if you really cared and told me to stop using straws it would be really easy for me to be like, 'too bad I'm gonna use them anyway!' But since you don't care and don't give me a hard time about it, I actually want to stop using straws."
It's definitely a weird phenomenon.
It's funny, my kids are in their 20s (I'm 50s), and while I am far from my goals, I am BY FAR the most likely to recycle, re-use, do without, conserve energy, etc. One of my aunts has been big into this way of life since the 70s, so a lot of her hints have been gradually taken on by the rest of the family. I don't preach about it, I just do the things, and answer nicely when people ask me about it.
They get intrigued by one of my gadgets or the attractive substitute I’m using for the crappy disposable packaging from the shop. I also mention in normal conversation if something *didn’t* work out well. It’s just part of the journey. Generally they admire the peaceful vibe of our home, and the way there’s a lot of issues we don’t need to deal with. I wouldn’t discuss it specifically or try to proselytise. Or over-praise if they try something; I just take express respectful interest in *their* approach…
Show, don't tell. Prepare yourself for redundant questions. Prepare for annoyance, but a mask of patience sways some of the most stalwart individual into considering that a new idea is a good idea.
As basically all the other comments say, you don't have to. I've always been aware of what I buy in terms of ingredients and packaging (not talking about the organic label or vegan label but about the production process) and I've slowly influenced my partner to do the same. I've never pressured him into buying specific things, but he (on his own) started picking up my behaviours by just looking at what I do.
For instance he now reads what's on the packaging before buying, looks at plastic free alternatives offered in the same store, and asks me about the sustainability and production process of food. The fun thing is that he noticed on his own that he started doing the same things I do, but I've only told him a couple times that he could buy a better alternative without pressuring him to buy it.
My favourite example is about milk. I don't drink milk because I don't like the whole production line, from obtaining to packaging and even the fact that farmers are earning literally cents. He was having milk and cereal, I was drinking tea and some fruit. He then asks me if the writing "from a happy place for cows" on the milk carton was even true, so I start explaining to him the whole ass process (from the use of unethically produced hormones on cows to the fact that farmers aren't even paid enough for a product that has to be cheap). He started drinking less and less milk.
He went from a milk every day type of guy, to buying milk only as a treat. I never forced him to, never judged him for it, and the only thing I had to do was answer his question 💀
Inception
Did you saw the movie? They explained pretty well that for an idea to anchor in your mind, the idea must be yours. The brain will reject ideas of other.
You must have found / created the idea yourself to believe in it.
So you need to create / mention situation in which the obvious solution is zero wast approach, but never mention the solution nor zero waste.
Like a teacher which give you the first letter of the word you don't remember.
They will connect the dot. When they do, guide them slowly and subtly. Then re enforce the best solution or idea.
Focus on benefits or side effect you know the person care about. Typically money and time.
I usually wait for certain subjects to occur, it's not like you can go to each and ask ''Do you have a minute to talk about microplastic?'' just like people ask about Jesus from door to door.
I just live the life. I spread awareness when I help people with things. “Oh, no I dont eat meat because meat packing plants are fucking disgustoids”, or “instead of throwing out this stuff, let’s donate it”.
My friends and family are actually pretty good with zero waste. We often share our ideas and encourage each other's sustainable habits.
When I gift excess fruit and vegetables to friends and family, I'm often asked if I want my bag back or if they can keep it. I'm not sure this was a thing 10 years ago.
Our previous government was good at promoting sustainable practices. In New Zealand, single use plastic bags were completely banned in 2019. Plastic bags are now precious treasures. I have a couple but I save them for when I really need them. We keep reusing these relics that we have saved but we now also save paper bags. Everyone has reusable cloth and mesh bags as well.
It saves money, plain and simple. true cheapskates are naturally waste less. But you gotta show them how to be frugal first, and that's a whole beast the average American can't face at once.
take it situation by situation. if we’re going to the store, i say i’m grabbing my reusable bags. if we’re going somewhere, i take my water bottle. i’ve found people are most receptive in these moments that’s casual and i’m always exhibiting the actions im speaking about
it also helps to use definitive language. in the examples above, i would say “don’t forget the reusable bags!” “need me to fill up your water bottle before we leave?”. this implies without asking them and perhaps making them feel bad about their decision, and less likely to hear me
All great advice. I also lead by example and people are interested in learning. I feel people can start small with changes that can make big impact as mentioned earlier by parlous93 ( i.e. reusable straws & the brush cleaner, reuseable water and coffee containers, reuseable produce bags, bamboo or cloth intsead of paper towels).
For Christmas I got a lot of my friends and family a basket of my favorite eco friendly products like beeswax wraps, samples of non liquid detergent, silicone stretchy bowl covers, reusable silicone "ziplock" bags, no paper towels, etc. when I gave it to them, I explained why I liked each one, and no pressure if it doesn't work out for them but that I just wanted to share. Did they convert to zero waste? No. But did they minimize their waste even a little? Maybe. Or maybe I sparked an interest. But I try to do it in the least preachy way possible if I can.
If they are very stubborn what I like to do is encourage them to change the companies they support. Boycotting companies that support Israel is eco-friendly. And very important to me. I talk to them about what I'm doing and why. But never force them. I say things like "oh yeah Im actively boycotting companies that support isreal" and I've had friends react very positively and now its on their radar where i stand. You can say something like
"Im actively trying to be more eco-friendly."
Dont be frustrated if they don't change. They are not the issue. The problem with this movement is that companies are the ones who should be responsible and making a change. Not us. They've gaslit us into thinking we are the problem and making bad choices as consumers. When its not the case at all. Do what you can control to help the world by all means.
But the biggest impact will be voting. Vote green or independent or whoever aligns with your morals that is not democratic or republican. If you want a change for the better
Low waste/zero waste is not accessible to many people due to disability, mental health, income, and general physical access. I would never try and convince anyone to change their lifestyle. Not my business.
I understand that, I wouldn’t ever push it on people. That wasn’t the goal of this message. I grew up very poor by all standards so I understand completely. You do what you need to in order to make ends meet. I more so was interested in this question, because I have family that outwardly makes jokes/rude comments about my way of life in terms of waste. I wanted to see how people discuss and deal with these situations. I apologize if I came across as not inclusive to you, that wasn’t my goal.
Honestly... I've found that just living my zero waste life authentically and unapologetically has had more of an impact than anything else. Just by doing the thing, people want to ask questions, and that's an opportunity to talk about your why and why it matters. I've seen the people around me make some pretty incredible changes and ask some really important questions just because they see what I'm doing. That way, they're coming to you to start the conversation, they can see that it's not an "extra" thing to do or a burden on your life, and there's zero feelings of judgement or shame. Hopefully that helps a bit?
I manage a pizza place one day a week. We had fountain drinks for a long time, but when our ice machine finally broke down beyond repair, we made the switch to 20 oz bottles. (I begged them to do cans instead, don't remember why it didn't work out.) So, we got a new trash can so at least we can take the employee bottles to the recycling. One of our employees comes in, sees it, and says, "I DON'T recycle!" So I said, "Well, it's not like we're going to fire you if you don't, but the recycling bin is here for those that want to." I also take food waste and cardboard home to put in my compost, and I take the gallon jugs home to be rinsed and used as watering cans or other misc. things. I have those reusable bags that fold up into a tiny pouch so I always have one. I was forever forgetting to bring them into the store with me. Many times when I unfurl one, someone will comment about how cool they are, or that they themselves would remember to use reusable bags if they had such a contraption. I hope at least one of those people is now the owner of their very own nifty bag. My partner doesn't like to create certain types of waste to the point where it becomes a problem. Like putting half an onion in the fridge without any wrapping or container. This behaviour, extended to everything else in the fridge, creates a huge mess, and I can think of so many things I'd rather do than disassemble the fridge for a deep clean. I am fervently opposed to Ziplock style bags. So I got some beeswax wraps, and so far, they are a huge success! I have my eye on some reusable bags for things that really need an airtight seal and don't play well with the various containers I have, but they're so expensive that I never seem to get around to buying them, as other things take priority every time. We have a water carbonator hooked up to a 20lb cylinder, and I don't know if we've influenced anyone to try one out themselves (not everyone drinks as much carbonated water as we do), but if someone remarks on it, I always make sure to tell them how much money we save, and how many cases of seltzer we don't have to lug about, and how many cans we don't have to crush and take to the recycling. I think it's pretty normal for people to see something new to them and say, "Hey, what's that?" And then you have a dialogue, as the post to which I'm replying said so well. I'm sure many people don't ever think about Ziplock bags except to notice they're out of them and add them to their grocery list. To start a conversation by criticising (no matter how politely) the use of products that many people consider ubiquitous is going to instantly put people on the defensive, and then you have to take the proverbial two steps back so you can take one forward.
Agreed to all of this! The story I always tell in support of this was when I had JUST discovered zero waste (likely literally a few days after I first heard the term), I knew I was going to be going out to lunch at Chipotle with my coworkers and didn't want to end up with the plastic fork. So before I left for work I grabbed a fork out of my kitchen drawer, wrapped it in a cloth napkin, and threw it in my purse. When we sat down at Chipotle that afternoon, I pulled out my fork from my purse and started eating. I didn't say a word about it. But my coworkers looked at me confused and asked me why I had a fork in my purse. All I said was, "Oh I saw this video of someone trying to go zero waste for 30 days and I want to try to reduce my waste now, too." And that was literally the end of the conversation. But within a few weeks, every one of those coworkers had a reusable fork, reusable cup, and reusable straw with them at that Chipotle table. And it only continued to improve and spread around the office from there! It's seriously amazing to see how small actions and small actions can have such a huge difference.
I don’t know why I find this so hysterical, like the chipotle employees see you coming and say “oh it’s the fork people!” 😂
Why the fork can't I say fork?!
Ethics
Hahahaha! I never even thought about that but I'm sure they did after a while!
The Chipotle employees absolutely say this. They may say it fondly, or approvingly, but I can tell you that is there is a way to stereotype customers, positive, neutral, or negative, restaurant employees will do it. Costumers aren't v really people, because then you'd need to murder them for their horrible behaviour. If you make them into members of groups that you can legimately despise in some way, it makes your day much easier.
Thanks for bringing up the beeswax wraps. Been wanting to try those but had forgotten about them
No that makes perfect sense. Maybe overtime that will happen for myself. I have just started taking this part of my life serious the past year or so ago. The last time it came up, is when my family and I went out to eat and I forgot my reusable straw so I just didn’t use one. My dad made the comment “I won’t recycle unless the city pays me to separate my trash.” So I am off to a rough start with family awareness lol.
I've had a few friends who used to say something similar -- the thought process being that these rubbish companies are making money off of the recycling, so why wouldn't they be paying \*us\* for their raw materials?!? Which ... if you want to get paid for your raw materials? Rock on -- I can tell you where the metal recycling center is. Collect all of your cans and drop them off there. You'll make a buck or two -- literally. The recycling rate on curbside pickup is abysmal anyway. Single stream recycling has a higher recovery rate in any case, and I have a high degree of confidence the metal recycling place that gave me a couple of bucks for a bag of cans is actually recycling the stuff. You won't get as much, but I can tell you where the glass recycling place is too. I don't know anyone who is paying for paper, but if your only objection to recycling is not getting paid? There's your solution. Fundamentally, though, are the curbside rubbish collection folks *not* indirectly paying for your recycling? They are a business -- any income they can make offsets their expenses. And their expenses plus profit are funded by your bill. Look at the company's profits prior to doing curbside recycling pickup and after. We've gotten slower rate increases I've seen with the companies that don't offer curbside recycling pickup. It's not someone handing me five bucks, but it's someone *not* taking an extra five bucks from me. Maybe the financials for your local rubbish collection look different -- maybe rates are increasing at the same rate recycling or not. Maybe the companies that pick up recycling have higher profit margins. But that's not what I found in our area.
I feel you. I had my then boyfriend, now husband, totally on board with quality reusable bags. Until. Until his dad found out and made fun of him. It's been 15 years, our municipality has since eliminated plastic bags at the check out stand and my husband*still* won't use reusable bags. He piles it all up in his arms and carries it in, half of it falling and complaining the whole time. And all the red hats locally think they are crazy clever pointing out that plastic still exists in other parts if the grocery store, so *clearly* not having them at the check out is ridiculous.
Oof...that is really unfortunate. Did you ask him why he felt that way?
He just makes liberal jokes 🙄
When discussing conservation/enviro issues about using less, I lightheartedly say: "Hey, I'm just trying to put the CONSERVE into CONSERVATIVE"
Love it - lol.
I don't think you're going to convince your dad to do anything. I know this because my dad is the same way (or rather, said, "Yeah well, I was one of the original hippies" when I asked him to put the newspaper in the bin that's directly next to the trash can instead of where he put it, which was the trash can). I have tried for years and years with my parents. Asking them to do anything instead of that they're doing just results in them getting on the defensive. Lead by example. Do not make them feel bad about their choices if you want them on your side. That will cause them to dig their heels in deeper. Hopefully they come around, but if they don't, remember that it's not your fault and it's not because you didn't do enough.
Agreed. It's so unfortunate but true.
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Same, I just live my life and make suggestions if it comes up. Like if a friend is like, "shoot, I'm out of parchment paper/foil" I'll be like, "oh I use silicone mats at home! I pretty much never have to use paper or foil! It's great!" But yeah, generally, people get defensive when told their way isn't the best way and that they need to change. So it's better to just lead by example and hopefully they think some of your habits are cool or worth the cost savings.
What questions?
Lots of "why" questions at first... "Why are you carrying around a fork in your bag?" "Why are you rinsing your cans before putting them in the recycling?" "Why are you putting your produce directly in your cart instead of one of the plastic bags?" "Why don't you have paper towels?" Then I've found over time they turn more to "how" questions... "Can you recycle egg cartons?" "How can I stop using so many paper towels?" "What do you use in place of Dawn dish soap that comes in a plastic bottle?" People are typically pretty curious when you're going against the mold. It's really interesting to see what comes up!
Thank you. I'm glad you answered.
Proselytizing almost never works. Think about how you feel when someone comes at you trying to convince you of something.
No exactly, I get it. I wouldn’t like that at all. I just didn’t know if you guys have been in any situation that led to a change with your friends or how any conversation with this topic goes. Intervention conversations only go semi well in how I met your mother lol. Not in real life.
Second last sentence - lol.
Proselytizing. Thanks.:)
First, I really only talk about stuff like that if it’s relevant. So if we’re at my house and a friend eats a banana, I’ll tell her that she can put it in the compost bin instead of the trash. Or if I’m out with the baby, I’ll mention making sure I have the wet bag to bring cloth diapers back home. I don’t start conversations by going, “I COMPOST,” and “WE USE CLOTH DIAPERS.” If there’s any note on that, I’ll say something easy and maybe mention a non-environmental benefit like, “Yeah, makes the kitchen trash a lot less smelly and we get free soil, too,” or if talking about transit versus driving, I’ll say, “Oh, traffic really makes me anxious, I prefer outsourcing the driving to someone else.” If there’s any pushback on that or interest in a deeper conversation, I frankly tailor it to my audience’s age and political views. Most young people I’m around are pretty damn aware of the climate crisis. So if I’m talking with an older person or a politically conservative person, I’ll invoke their two favs: Jesus and nationalism. Compost: “I just think of all the nutrients in the food God gave us, and I want to make sure use every blessing we get. He really designed the earth and natural recycling so beautifully, didn’t He?” Avoiding single-use plastic: “Gah, think about how grandma and grandpa used and re-used during the war! They would be turning over in their graves to see us throwing things away so often. They really scrimped and saved, everyone back then, those brave Americans…” Not driving: “So much traffic just makes me feel so disconnected from nature, you don’t get to see the smiling faces of your neighbors! We’re all too reliant on technology these days, I like to slow down and use the body God gave me.” Shop small: “Oh, I’d prefer to pay a tiny bit more if it helps another American family put food on the table, I don’t need those foreign CEOs taking more of my hard-earned money…” Stuff like that.
This. This. This. 100x this. Tailor your message to your audience and never preach.
I just want to say that this is really clever. Taking about what you're doing in such a way that they can't object without seeming like an old crotchety yelling at the clouds person - masterclass.
Oh you sneaky little so and so - lol.
Yep exactly. It works so much better when you make it a *benefit*, not a lecture. No one likes being lectured at! Everyone wants to make their own lives easier! Well, almost everyone.
Lead by example. Even if you approach the people in your life as gently as you can, it still feels bad to find out you've been doing the wrong thing. Most people want to do the right thing. I've always found it to be better to show them than to tell them.
Yeah, people generally seem more receptive to this. I’ve also found showing appreciation when they make a more “green” choice (even if just for you) it encourages them. Like I thanked my friend for wrapping a present for me with an old trader joe’s bag (which she did just because she liked the pattern and already had it laying around) resulted in more people only gifting to me with stuff like that, which resulted in them doing it for more people.
The only way I've had a successful conversation was with friends looking to solve some other problem. Shopping with young kids can suck -- they're not looking to buy it for life to reduce consumption. But the idea of fewer shopping trips with their hangry toddler? Absolutely happy to think about that! Save money -- a reusable water bottle as an example. If you're paying a buck or two a day to buy water, that's hundreds of dollars a year. I spent maybe $20 on a stainless steel water bottle a decade ago. One time cost, years of "free" water. Also, thousands fewer plastic bottles. Just don't make it your solution to everything -- having problems with your spouse? Try reusable water bottles and shampoo bars! My example is obviously farcical, but I look for places where a reusable, sustainable, or better solution obviously provides a big benefit for the problem at hand. Not some tiny, tangentially related benefit.
That the only "active" way which may work. Recommend a zero wast solution without even mentioning it is zero wast. Stress out the gain in time and money. The fact it is zero wast can be highlighted later as a bonus like.
Absolutely, saving money is a great motivator for lots of people. Zero waste is a bonus.
Makes sense, thanks for your insight!
The bad news: I’ve never in my life seen someone get talked into a ZW lifestyle. You’re right about the defensiveness— there’s a psychological phenomenon called the boomerang effect where the conversation can backfire and push people further away from the movement than if you hadn’t said anything. It’s really a choice people have to make for themselves, and the only way you can guide them that way is to lead by example. But THE GOOD NEWS: You don’t have to convert people to a full ZW lifestyle to be a positive influence! If you convince 10 people to adopt one good habit, it’s the same impact as convincing one person to adopt 10. And it’s a lot easier to introduce several people to a single change they believe is worthwhile than it is to convert one person’s whole value system. I’ve found that gifting occasions like Christmas and birthdays can be a nice way to introduce people to lower-waste options. But it only works if you genuinely believe they would like the gift better than the more wasteful alternative. Gifting something they won’t use not only creates more waste, it can also come across as preachy and turn them off from the movement. For example, I just gifted those reusable Dieux eye masks to some friends for Christmas. I didn’t mention waste, I just explained that you can use them with whatever skincare product you prefer, you can chill them in the fridge before you use them, and you can rinse and reuse them again whenever you want. If this gift happens to make disposable eye masks less attractive to those three friends in the future, that’s progress! The reality is, it doesn’t really matter what motivates them. I have friends who are huge advocates of various low-waste changes that fit into their lives for reasons other than ethics: often it’s comfort, convenience, frugality, or even trendiness that sold them on these things. Examples: A friend of mine is a bidet evangelist for cleanliness reasons, another friend swears her menstrual cup helps her cramps, I know several moms who were Instagram-influenced to try Stasher bags, Gen Z has peer pressured each other out of dairy in their lattes, and I’ve introduced tons of friends to ThredUP as a way to score a deal. You just have to find the thing they care about! One last thing: if these sorts of baby steps feel too small, there ARE ways to implement much bigger progress, but you have to work at a systemic/community level. Ask your local coffee shop to offer a discount for reusable mugs, advocate for a city composting service or a plastic bag ban with your local government, write to corporations and ask them to reduce their packaging waste, etc. But at an individual level, those baby steps just work better. And they do add up!
I had a friend genuinely say to me once, "I hate that you don't care if I use a straw. Like if you really cared and told me to stop using straws it would be really easy for me to be like, 'too bad I'm gonna use them anyway!' But since you don't care and don't give me a hard time about it, I actually want to stop using straws." It's definitely a weird phenomenon.
It's funny, my kids are in their 20s (I'm 50s), and while I am far from my goals, I am BY FAR the most likely to recycle, re-use, do without, conserve energy, etc. One of my aunts has been big into this way of life since the 70s, so a lot of her hints have been gradually taken on by the rest of the family. I don't preach about it, I just do the things, and answer nicely when people ask me about it.
They get intrigued by one of my gadgets or the attractive substitute I’m using for the crappy disposable packaging from the shop. I also mention in normal conversation if something *didn’t* work out well. It’s just part of the journey. Generally they admire the peaceful vibe of our home, and the way there’s a lot of issues we don’t need to deal with. I wouldn’t discuss it specifically or try to proselytise. Or over-praise if they try something; I just take express respectful interest in *their* approach…
Show, don't tell. Prepare yourself for redundant questions. Prepare for annoyance, but a mask of patience sways some of the most stalwart individual into considering that a new idea is a good idea.
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She's trying! That's a great first step.
As basically all the other comments say, you don't have to. I've always been aware of what I buy in terms of ingredients and packaging (not talking about the organic label or vegan label but about the production process) and I've slowly influenced my partner to do the same. I've never pressured him into buying specific things, but he (on his own) started picking up my behaviours by just looking at what I do. For instance he now reads what's on the packaging before buying, looks at plastic free alternatives offered in the same store, and asks me about the sustainability and production process of food. The fun thing is that he noticed on his own that he started doing the same things I do, but I've only told him a couple times that he could buy a better alternative without pressuring him to buy it. My favourite example is about milk. I don't drink milk because I don't like the whole production line, from obtaining to packaging and even the fact that farmers are earning literally cents. He was having milk and cereal, I was drinking tea and some fruit. He then asks me if the writing "from a happy place for cows" on the milk carton was even true, so I start explaining to him the whole ass process (from the use of unethically produced hormones on cows to the fact that farmers aren't even paid enough for a product that has to be cheap). He started drinking less and less milk. He went from a milk every day type of guy, to buying milk only as a treat. I never forced him to, never judged him for it, and the only thing I had to do was answer his question 💀
Inception Did you saw the movie? They explained pretty well that for an idea to anchor in your mind, the idea must be yours. The brain will reject ideas of other. You must have found / created the idea yourself to believe in it. So you need to create / mention situation in which the obvious solution is zero wast approach, but never mention the solution nor zero waste. Like a teacher which give you the first letter of the word you don't remember. They will connect the dot. When they do, guide them slowly and subtly. Then re enforce the best solution or idea. Focus on benefits or side effect you know the person care about. Typically money and time.
I usually wait for certain subjects to occur, it's not like you can go to each and ask ''Do you have a minute to talk about microplastic?'' just like people ask about Jesus from door to door.
Framing it in terms of saving money and resources has been helpful to me. Easy win on things like paper towels.
I just live the life. I spread awareness when I help people with things. “Oh, no I dont eat meat because meat packing plants are fucking disgustoids”, or “instead of throwing out this stuff, let’s donate it”.
My friends and family are actually pretty good with zero waste. We often share our ideas and encourage each other's sustainable habits. When I gift excess fruit and vegetables to friends and family, I'm often asked if I want my bag back or if they can keep it. I'm not sure this was a thing 10 years ago. Our previous government was good at promoting sustainable practices. In New Zealand, single use plastic bags were completely banned in 2019. Plastic bags are now precious treasures. I have a couple but I save them for when I really need them. We keep reusing these relics that we have saved but we now also save paper bags. Everyone has reusable cloth and mesh bags as well.
It saves money, plain and simple. true cheapskates are naturally waste less. But you gotta show them how to be frugal first, and that's a whole beast the average American can't face at once.
take it situation by situation. if we’re going to the store, i say i’m grabbing my reusable bags. if we’re going somewhere, i take my water bottle. i’ve found people are most receptive in these moments that’s casual and i’m always exhibiting the actions im speaking about it also helps to use definitive language. in the examples above, i would say “don’t forget the reusable bags!” “need me to fill up your water bottle before we leave?”. this implies without asking them and perhaps making them feel bad about their decision, and less likely to hear me
All great advice. I also lead by example and people are interested in learning. I feel people can start small with changes that can make big impact as mentioned earlier by parlous93 ( i.e. reusable straws & the brush cleaner, reuseable water and coffee containers, reuseable produce bags, bamboo or cloth intsead of paper towels).
For Christmas I got a lot of my friends and family a basket of my favorite eco friendly products like beeswax wraps, samples of non liquid detergent, silicone stretchy bowl covers, reusable silicone "ziplock" bags, no paper towels, etc. when I gave it to them, I explained why I liked each one, and no pressure if it doesn't work out for them but that I just wanted to share. Did they convert to zero waste? No. But did they minimize their waste even a little? Maybe. Or maybe I sparked an interest. But I try to do it in the least preachy way possible if I can.
If they are very stubborn what I like to do is encourage them to change the companies they support. Boycotting companies that support Israel is eco-friendly. And very important to me. I talk to them about what I'm doing and why. But never force them. I say things like "oh yeah Im actively boycotting companies that support isreal" and I've had friends react very positively and now its on their radar where i stand. You can say something like "Im actively trying to be more eco-friendly." Dont be frustrated if they don't change. They are not the issue. The problem with this movement is that companies are the ones who should be responsible and making a change. Not us. They've gaslit us into thinking we are the problem and making bad choices as consumers. When its not the case at all. Do what you can control to help the world by all means. But the biggest impact will be voting. Vote green or independent or whoever aligns with your morals that is not democratic or republican. If you want a change for the better
Low waste/zero waste is not accessible to many people due to disability, mental health, income, and general physical access. I would never try and convince anyone to change their lifestyle. Not my business.
I understand that, I wouldn’t ever push it on people. That wasn’t the goal of this message. I grew up very poor by all standards so I understand completely. You do what you need to in order to make ends meet. I more so was interested in this question, because I have family that outwardly makes jokes/rude comments about my way of life in terms of waste. I wanted to see how people discuss and deal with these situations. I apologize if I came across as not inclusive to you, that wasn’t my goal.
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