Man oh man, when I decided that our last month of this installment of 6 More Months of Zero Waste (the series where we tackle problems in our everyday lives to become more sustainable, more practical, use less plastic and create less waste) I had no idea I would hit it so on the nose.
In these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to live and create the world we want. When we all emerge from quarantine, the world may be a very different place than when we left it. And it may not be for the better. It is clear that our convictions to reduce waste, reduce plastic consumption, lower our impact on our fragile world, take care of ourselves, others, animals, and do more good than harm, are well founded and completely necessary. But everyone may not see it like that. To have the world we want when this is over, we need to continue to create the world we want now.
Growing your own food may seem, and indeed sounds, daunting. But I am not suggesting that you grow enough to feed your family of four (at least not to start!). Growing just a bit of fresh mint or chives to brighten your meal can be revolutionary. To have a bit of fresh veggies might be a welcome change over long weeks in isolation. And there is nothing quite like a home grown tomato. Growing a garden will be a very important skill to have and it’s a great way to mindfully connect where our food comes from and how we get it. There is a way that just about anyone, any where can do this. How much you grow will depend on your situation. But here are a few easy starter and more advanced garden projects you could try:
Grow an herb
Herbs are super easy to grow, and can be grown inside or with very limited space. Seeds can be bought at many local shops. Often grocery shops, bodegas, hardware shops, and other mom and pops often have seeds in the spring time. Some also have seedlings. You can also buy seeds online at many places. Buy a pot and dirt at those places, or just use what you have (a yogurt cup and the park?).
Regrow a scallion
There are many tutorials online on how to take a scallion end, lettuce butts, sprouted onions or potatoes. But the basic idea is, put your scraps in water and light and they will grow.
Make a pot garden
If you have more time and space, plant a few herbs or veg in pots on your fire escape, porch, or backyard.
Make a raised bed
Have even more time and space? Make or buy a raised bed. This is like a mini farm! They are easy to make, and produce more food.
Join a community garden
If you have no space, but you have time, a community garden might work for you. Many places have gardens you can join. Usually you don’t get your own plot right away, but you can help in the garden and reap some of the benefits. This is a great way to find a gardening community and learn from others.
Make a community garden
Can’t find a community garden to join? Maybe you need to make one! Making a public community garden is an advanced step, so more research is required. But maybe you can make a private garden one with a friend or two. Use a back yard or front yard and share the work and the proceeds.
Make a food forest
If you can put a few beds in your yard, maybe you can plant the whole yard! Food forests are giant full yard gardens or spaces where everything works together. Rob Greenfield has a lot of tips for this. Again, this is an advanced step but perhaps something to work towards.
Besides learning an important skill, and having something fresh to eat, gardening can have many other benefits. Getting outside a bit, bringing the outside in, caring for (guarding?) something alive, metal health and exercising, etc… Are just a few benefits of raising plants Treehugger wrote an article about it recently.
Whether you start small or go for gardening in a big way, this is something everyone should be doing now. Do you garden? Are you finding it an even more important skill now? Share your tips and tricks or experiences in the comments!
We’ve come to the end of another 6 More Months of Zero Waste! Catch up with what we’ve done previously here:
In 2019 we started a monthly journey towards a more zero waste lifestyle. Each month you can follow along. Here is what we have done so far:
January 2019 - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February 2019- Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March 2019- Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April 2019- Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May 2019- Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish) for at least one day.
June 2019- No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.
July 2019 - Plastic Free July!
Go plastic free this month!
In late 2019, we continued our journey to becoming more zero waste. The current list has changed a little since the beginning. See the list below to follow our progress:
November - Zero Waste Kit
We created a zero waste kit to help us be more zero waste in our day to day life.
December - No Gifts
We took Dec to give no gifts and get no gifts.
January - Clothing and Fast Fashion
This month we explored what fast fashion is, and how we can stop buying it forever.
February - Use Mass Transit
The shortest month seemed like a good time to explore alternatives to driving our cars.
March- Bathroom Make-over
You’ve swapped out a few items to more sustainable choices around the house. It’s time to tackle a full room.
April - Grow Your Own Food