What's in my trash jar - January 2018
I started January pretty positive with a small mason jar, determined to only fill that and not increase the size of the jar... that didn't happen. I was so annoyed at myself and ashamed that I had produced so much waste when my trash back in previous months was much less. However I then remembered that last month I became pretty obsessed with minimalism videos and decided to have a massive clear out of my stuff.
One of my dreams is to build myself a tiny house and I currently have WAY too much stuff to live in one, so better to start now right?! I sorted through paperwork that dated back to 2014 and gave items I no longer wanted to my local charity shop. I also went through boxes of holiday cards and random junk that I had hoarded for many years. This resulted in half of my jar being filled with materials that were purchased or used before my zero waste journey. I have decided to share what is in my trash jar with you all so I can analyse the type of stuff I am throwing away and to show you that it takes time to use up items you previously owned. I want to set an example and prove to you all that i'm not the perfect zero waster and that I still create trash every day but a few small changes can make a massive difference in the long run.
So here is my trash from January:
Craft
Items:
- Cutoffs of cards that cannot be recycled as they contained glitter
- X2 plastic films from sticker sheets
- Black glitter material and foam from my 2017 diary
- Stamps book
- Plastic sealant strips from envelopes
- empty tipp-ex pen
Beauty and hygiene
Items:
- Floss
- Plastic packaging from makeup sponges
- Blister packets from medication
- Small bags from a homemade body scrub kit I got for christmas.
Mail packaging
Items:
- One bag from a sent christmas gift
- X2 parcel bags from items I ordered at the beginning of January despite emailing and asking for no plastic
Food Packaging
Items:
- Packaging from wild rocket and watercress
- Vegan turkey packaging
- X2 packets of crisps
* One because I wasn't prepared with food when I went out!
* One which was going to be thrown out at work but unopened
- Last packet of quinoa
_ Last packet of irish cream coffee
*Now buying in a glass jar
- Vegan meatball packaging
- Top strip of plastic from xylitol bag
- 3 plastic lids from the last of my ketchup and choc shot packaging
- LOADS of stock cube wrappers which I have hoarded for too long as I told myself I would use them for craft (such a lie)
Random items
Items:
- Broken charger
- Old festival wristbands (I have the memories)
- Unknown plastic packaging
- Public transport tickets
- Old recipts (they cannot be recycled!!)
- Sticky labels
- Fabric labels
- Balls of tape
- Bikini bottom plastic insert
- Plastic cap from a bottle of prosecco and metal cork covers from wine
- Old membership cards
- Old and broken bus card holder
- Plastic envelope inserts
- Plastic clothing tags
- Foil from a dehydrator
- Yankee candle wax melt packaging
- Staples from all the old paperwork
- Candle wick discs
- Cotton bud tips with makeup on them (Compost the paper sticks)
- Plastic tags
So there is my trash.... hopefully next month will be much better :)