Living the Zero Waste lifestyle

by Doua Ben

My name is Doua and I live a Zero Waste lifestyle.

What is Zero Waste, you ask?

It’s about living entirely waste-free: free of plastic, free of chemicals and simply a more sustainable and healthier lifestyle than the one a lot of us are sadly used to.

It all started when I watched and saw all these videos and images that went viral on social media: those birds’ guts filled with lighters and bottle caps, these whales filled with flip flops, and plastic bags. Wait, what? Plastic bags ? FLIP FLOPS ? How did this end up there? Why? How can we put a stop to this ?

Then there were two quotes, that got me thinking:

‘By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.’ –

‘How can I look my grandchildren in the eyes, and say I knew about this, and did nothing?’

These two quotes, combined with the graphic and shocking images, were it for me. There was no way I could contribute to this problem anymore. I then saw so many pictures about Bea Johnson, founder of the zero waste movement, and it got me thinking: Wow! How?! She truly is my daily inspiration.

Finally, the fact that I am a mother helps too, as I feel entirely responsible for the world I would be leaving to my son. I am happy that he will never get to know what plastic is, because to him, grocery shopping with containers will be the norm, refilling your jars for spices as well, or simple things like drinking without a straw.

Throughout my journey, I came to realise that a lot of people around me did not understand why was I living this way, and why they should bother joining me. Well my question back to them is: ‘How long do you want to live?’

It’s simple: if the world continues using plastic the way we do now, there will be no place for us to live. There will be no oxygen for us to breathe.

With all these questions I was being asked, I just figured I should do casual talks in my community in order to raise awareness. I kept wondering: what was the problem? Did people not know about plastic pollution? Or did they just not know how to face up to it and put a stop to it? I quickly realised it was both.

See, it’s one thing to see these graphic images, but it’s an entirely different story when you have to change your lifestyle and find a solution to it.

I wanted to change the misconception of being Zero Waste in the UAE. Why were people thinking it’s impossible? Or too difficult? Or inconvenient? My message to people through my sessions is: We have a problem, and we have to act yesterday.

And guess what? I’ve managed to live a zero waste life, in just one year, right here in Dubai!

My talks focus a lot on the concept of Zero Waste, and how I do it here in the UAE. I want to spread awareness and knowledge to people that all the plastic alternatives are available here, and that we no longer have an excuse not to act.

The UAE itself has so many amazing initiatives to be Zero Waste: from shops introducing reusable bags, or produce bags, to launching the Waste Shark pilot. The country is heading in the right direction to offering a more sustainable life to its residents.

I always mention that every effort we make counts. It is not just a drop in the ocean. And while it may seem like one at times, if it’s done by all eight billion of us in the world, it will become the ocean, and save it.

After having done several Zero Waste talks, and when I got people to understand about the Plastic Pollution, another problem arose. Where can I find these alternatives? How do I do it here?

I started inviting local entrepreneurs that have themselves helped me in my journey, and the audience responses was absolutely amazing: they were delighted to know that they existed.

That’s when the idea popped up: why not help these entrepreneurs get the exposure they so deserve, and get things delivered to people’s home.

To this end, I launched the first and only Zero Waste collective in the UAE, which supports all the local start-ups offering the alternatives needed to live a Zero Waste lifestyle. Why bring in more competition to them, when they are already doing such fantastic work?

I wanted to support them, and give them more exposure and acknowledgment of all the work they’re doing. I also want to tell people: what’s your excuse now?

The Zero Waste Collective helps you find all the products you need to be Zero Waste: from cloth produce bags, to reusable straws, menstruation pads for women, shampoo bars, and much more… delivered to your door step, hassle-free !

We call it a journey to zero waste for a reason: it takes time and baby steps.

The best advice I can give people to reduce their waste is to choose one alternative they’d like to change.

One swap at a time: master it, make it a habit, and move on to the next one.

Every Zero Waste journey is unique. While some people might want to start with the kitchen and their grocery shopping, others will find it easier to switch to a shampoo bar.

Find your biggest plastic consumption, combined with your daily priorities and routine, and start there!

I am hopeful that with all the work we do to have a better tomorrow, we will be able to live in a world free of pollution; where oceans are clean and marine life can reproduce; where no species is endangered because of humans; and where we do not feel the threat or fear of losing our world’s ecosystem.

I would like to have a world where shopping plastic-free becomes the norm, and where corporations and governments around the world act responsibly, thinking of the consequences for current and future generations.

It’s the little consistent changes that have the biggest impact. So, let’s keep going. ■

Sustainability

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