I don’t come from an environmental background. I’m originally from Peru, and it wasn’t until I came to the United States that I learned about the zero waste movement. 

I was introduced to the permaculture movement in 2016, and it’s a set of principles and ethics that really resonated with me. The 3 ethics are People Care, Earth Care, and Fair Share. One of the principles of permaculture is to Produce No Waste. That was the first time I was introduced to the concept of a circular economy. 

To me, zero waste living is about living in harmony with the Earth and people. When you become conscious of the waste you are producing and how to reduce it, you start to realise the impact that you have on the planet as an individual. Personally, I love reusing old items and turning trash into treasure. I love being creative in how I circumvent the use of single-use items! For example, by making my own reusable mop pads, or sewing my own facemasks. 

The goal for me isn’t perfection and to have a Mason jar trash can. In fact, that goal for many is unattainable depending on the privileges they have or don’t have. It’s more important to have lots of people working towards reducing their waste than having a handful of people doing it perfectly. And beyond that, it’s even more important to enact meaningful change at the governmental and corporate level. I take a holistic approach to low waste living, meaning that it’s just one piece of the environmental activism puzzle. 

Love Cristina💕

Connect with Cristina here @permacrafters

and also have a look at Permacrafters Eco school 

Learn about

Articles - Zero waste lifestyle

Articles - Whole food plant based lifestyle

All delicious recipes