I thought I knew what I was doing when I decided I’m never making trash again! at the very start of my zero waste journey in 2015. Uh… that’s not how it works. I went all in, telling myself I’d never make trash again, and got really discouraged when I just kept making trash.

I failed. Hard.

Because I was trying to research information, make changes, and – you know – live my own life in every area of my life all at once. No method, just madness.

When I finally admitted to myself I wasn’t going to switch to a trash-less life in just a few days, I took a step back and looked at the situation critically. Cultivating a meaningful, sustainable zero waste lifestyle is a long, ongoing process.

After several years of practice, wins, fails, and a lot of education, I’ve found the way I wish I’d looked at zero waste in the first place: through twelve different, but interconnected zones of life. By segmenting the idea of zero waste, it gets a little easier to tackle. The goal of “I’m going to audit my bathroom cabinet and swap two products” is so much more realistic and manageable than “I’m never making trash again!”.

The twelve zones don’t cover all aspect of your life or zero waste, but are super applicable to everyone. And – let’s face it – covering the basics and a bit beyond is more than enough work as it is!

Find out more about the twelve zero waste zones below:

• Zone 1: A Waste-Free Kitchen. From food waste to packaging to water waste, the kitchen is a minefield of potential excess. Take the Zone 1 crash course now!
• Zone 2: A Waste-Free Bathroom. The bathroom is full of many items we can choose to not repurchase, DIY, or find non-disposable alternatives for. How I got rid of the trash can in my zero waste bathroom
• Zone 3: Green Cleaning. Toxic chemicals, plastic packaging, and expensive prices. Why do we buy so many cleaning supplies again? The big list of zero waste cleaning recipes
• Zone 4: Zero Waste IRL. The most underrated piece of advice about practicing zero waste outside of the home is this: be prepared with a zero waste kit.
• Zone 5: A Low-Waste Workplace. Everyone can do is focus on reducing the ways they make waste at their work and gently guide co-workers in the same direction. The 5-step guide to creating a zero waste office
• Zone 6: Minimizing Mindfully.  Avoiding the landfill while minimizing is possible, but takes some mindfulness during the process. Ten tips for avoiding the landfill while minimizing
• Zone 7: Your At-Home Garden. Creating your own garden and feeding yourself is so important to becoming more aware of our food habits.
• Zone 8: De-Trash Travel. Having a small plan is an important way to reduce the waste you create while in an unfamiliar place. How and why to buy carbon offsets for travel
• Zone 9: All About Composting. Reducing food waste and diverting organic matter from the landfill is one of the most critical aspects of a zero waste lifestyle. A comprehensive guide to composting at home
• Zone 10: An Ethical Wardrobe. A zero waste wardrobe is a closet in which nothing (or very little) will go to the landfill once your clothes have reached the end of your life. I’ve been wearing the same thing for a week
• Zone 11: Community Action. Individual exploration of zero waste is critical to the success of a bigger change, but only if we turn individual action into community action. 4 simple zero waste workshops for your community
• Zone 12: Zero Waste Holidays. What better way to reduce your impact on the planet than by eschewing presents bought just to fill up the space under the tree? The big list of zero waste gift ideas

Find out even more about the zones with The Essential Zero Waste Blueprint! If you’re ready to get started, use code 10OFF for 10% off the course listing!