Welcome to Wastelandia! The purpose of this blog is to narrate and share my experience in my own personal journey towards reducing my footprint on this planet. There are bunch of different blogs, Instagram accounts and other social media profiles dedicated to inspire and inform people about ways to reduce the production of waste in day-to-day activities. Like everything else, there are those folks who are a bit more hardcore about it, and have adopted a “zero waste” lifestyle. In my own exploration towards a “zero waste” approach, I have realized that having a 100% zero waste life is not only nearly impossible, but it also tends to lean towards an attachment to the idea of living garbage free and therefore, judgment.

In creating awareness towards a kinder approach for the benefit of the planet, I also want to create awareness towards being kind to ourselves. When it comes to ecological and ethical consumption being conscious about how we treat ourselves is key. So, here are my very own 5 principles towards a waste reduction way of life:

1. Do not beat yourself up when you choose a less ecological option. The goal is to be aware of our options and strive to select the more earth and body friendly choices. However, there are times when this won’t be possible.
2. Do what you can within your own means. Sometimes the more ecological options can be expensive but that doesn’t mean we can’t be creative! Being resourceful will always be the best approach.
3. Informed choices are key. Within ecological conscious consumption there are MANY aspects to consider. Be mindful of intersecting characteristics when adopting a new product or activity. Green is does not automatically mean it’s ethical. When choosing a green product do your research and try to find out where it came from,  if it was made under fair manufacturing practices, the overall impact on you and the planet. If a product is, for example, biodegradable, but the making of that product exploits the earth, people, or is not sustainable, is it worth buying it?
4. Avoid greenwashing and be aware of greenwashed products. Greenwashing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product. Just because a product says “Green” “environmentally friendly” or has flowers and trees on the label it doesn’t mean it’s actually a product that’s harmless for the planet. Unfortunately many companies use false claims as a marketing strategy. At the same time, greenwashing can be inadvertently applied on a personal level. There are many trends and fads when it comes to saving the planet. Adopting a temporary ecological measure because it’s trendy, is greenwashing.
5. I’m not an expert and I don’t expect to become one. I make my own choices based on my own research and on what I believe to be true, good for the planet, good for those around me and good for myself. My journey towards a waste reduced lifestyle is my own personal experience.

I hope you find this place helpful and inspiring. I will sharing my findings, reviewing the products I use, and posting practical tips. I will occasionally ask friends to collaborate in the testing and review of products to have different opinions. If you’re interested in participating or would like to share your own tips let me know!

Love,

Tiny Earth Warrior