Are you quite mad? A Zero Waste journey in Bangkok? …..

It’s been quite over a year now, that I started to aim for a Zero Waste Lifestyle in a city of over 14 million inhabitants – Bangkok. I still get the odd looks and questions why I would even think of something like that, when life could be lived so much easier… And I agree that it sounds mad, but it has become one of the most rewarding journeys in my life.

Here goes my story….

I have always considered myself quite “green” taking my reusable bag and bottle with me everywhere. (“I must have been hallucinating”…) I remember that going on vacation with friends and hubby last year to Koh Pangan was the first time, I took a closer look to what I found on the beaches and roads around me. Of course, I have seen the waste issues around Bangkok many times, but never really questioned it until I was on vacation that time April, 2015. I guess, it really opened my eyes and made me think. How plastic or wasteful had my life become?

Taking a closer look at my own waste – September 2015

I was blown away by my own waste production… Packaging of all kinds (food packaging, cleaning products, beauty and menstrual items, etc.) I was part of this ever-growing consumer circle not realizing the impact of my own carbon foot print. This is when I started to re-evaluate my life again:

• Plastic bottles, bags and Straws had already been banned for as long as I can remember!!!!!!
• Packaged food items: I banned Styrofoam from my home knowing that this is one of the worst pollution items as we cannot upcycle or recycle it!! This required a re-thinking process for both of us, but it was an immediate change we could implement right away.
• Local food markets replaced packaged fruit and vegetable items… I couldn’t believe that I had developed such a bad habit. Living in Bangkok, we have plenty of local food markets, where one can shop without plastic wrapping, if you bring your own bags..
• Bathroom: The Oil Cleansing Method replaced my endless supply of facial cleaners with a few simple steps… It was amazing to discover how much money I spent on chemical cleansers and moisturizers and now I wouldn’t go back…., Homemade toothpaste and deodorant, Shower gels were replaced by Bar soaps, Shampoo (still struggling to find a better solution), Conditioner – Apple cider vinegar, which has so many different uses, Sanitary towels by a menstruation cup, Plastic toothbrushes became Bamboo toothbrushes, …..

• Household Cleaning Materials: All non-sense cleaning products in plastic containers were replaced by the old and common recipes from the past, … Vinegar, baking soda and lemons have been doing an amazing job, Soap nuts have become my new best friend in the laundry department and the list continues…..

Of course, all these changes didn’t happen overnight. Its been an adaptation process over this past year and a lot more has happened/ changed, which I am proud of.

So I want to finish my post today with a quote from from Bea Johnson (Author “Zero Waste home):

“Start small. Start anywhere. It feels good because it’s the right thing to do – and that’s contagious.”