Well, hello there. If you’re reading this you’re surely curious about embarking on the Zero Waste Challenge. Maybe you’ve heard how our waste is leading to dangerous greenhouse gasses that are having devastating effects on our planet. Maybe you think it’s unfair to saddle future generations with the problems we’re causing today. Or maybe you’re looking to gain more—more time or more money—and to live with less clutter, eat healthier, and have more resources to devote to connecting with loved ones. If so, you’ve come to the right place! The Zero Waste Challenge will challenge you to audit your life over the course of 30 days, supporting you in wasting less and living more.

Find the online community tackling the Zero Waste Challenge by searching for #ZeroWasteChallenge or #ApolloPublishers on social media. But remember, challenges are extra fun when family and friends join in. Even children can do their part to make a difference!

The Zero Waste Challenge is a 30 day teaser to give you insight into the benefits of zero waste living, and how easy and convenient it is. For more information or guidance on embracing a zero waste lifestyle long-term, check out the insightful—and beautifully illustrated—guidebooks A Zero Waste Life and A Zero Waste Family by the rocket scientist, medical doctor, mom, and eco-warrior Anita Vandyke. For a broader understanding of the issues and what can be done on the personal, local, and federal levels, check out The Outdoor Citizen by world-renowned environmentalist John Judge.

Embarking on the Zero Waste Challenge supports a fantastic Mother Nature-approved cause and can bring serious lifestyle improvements. To challenge someone else, simply tag them on social media with the note “I’m challenging ______ to participate in the Zero Waste Challenge” and share this information packet and a link to the sign-up sheet. Remember to hashtag #ZeroWasteChallenge! You can also challenge someone in person, and A Zero Waste Life or A Zero Waste Family make great challenge kick-off gifts!

It seems you understand the urgency, so let us welcome you to the world of zero waste! Elements of this challenge are borrowed from the books A Zero Waste Life and A Zero Waste Family, in which eco-warrior Anita Vandyke presents easy changes that can radically improve your quality of life while making you a more eco-conscious citizen of the world. Keep scrolling for the challenge instructions.

Kick off the challenge by journaling your goals and intentions, either in writing or as a video. Are you keen to do more to prevent climate change? What would you like to get out of this challenge? What parts of your life do you know could better embrace a zero waste ethos? Save this writing or video and return to it after the challenge. Also review the challenge guidelines. What feels easy to incorporate? What is daunting? As you begin your challenge, make sure to challenge others to join you! Take on a zero waste buddy, so you have someone to share your experience with; choose someone with a positive attitude who will help you stay motivated.

What is the zero waste mindset? It doesn’t necessarily mean producing no physical waste. Instead it means examining all areas of your life and identifying where you can be more efficient. This will allow you to not only create less garbage, but to expend less of your personal resources in everyday life. In short, it means minimizing waste to get the most bang for your buck. The challenge will require you to think about the ways you can simplify: time, materials, money—everything that seems to slip away more than you’d like. You deserve better!

The Zero Waste Challenge asks you to commit to the following for 30 days. Initial beside each to commit yourself. Do the best you can and if you slip up take time to reflect and assess how you can do better. Also consider what you can expand on. Have fun with the challenge!

• Do a trash audit. Get real with yourself about what you’re sending to landfills each month and commit to making composting, recycling, and upcycling your first choice. Check your local services and guidelines, as you may be surprised at just how much can be composted or recycled.
• Join community share organizations. This is a great way to clean out clutter, rehome items you don’t use, or find gently used items rather than buying new. These organizations are wonderful sources of items for children, home goods, costumes, and more. Borrow, lend, buy cheap, or sell.
• Save energy. Commit to turning off lights and heat or AC when not home. Wear more clothing or remove an item rather than immediately going for heat or AC. Only run the dishwasher and laundry machine when they’re full.
• Travel wisely. Cut back on gas guzzling cars and take public transportation, ride share, walk, or bike to destinations.
• Embrace recreational activities that require little or no material or financial investment. Bonus points if it benefits the planet or your community! (Think: gardening or community service.)

• Use what you have before buying new. Shop your cabinets, pantry, and closet before buying more of what you already own, and practice basic repairs instead of defaulting to buying new.
• Shop with intention. Avoid “retail therapy,” and shop only for items you don’t already have. Instead of shopping as a recreation activity, enjoy wheat you already own, spend time outdoors, or enjoy time with others.
• Put yourself on a spending ban for items you don’t immediately need. At the end of the month, see how much you’ve saved and divert that money to a long-term investment.
• Purchase wisely. Avoid buying items with plastic packaging and buy bulk when possible; purchase food from farmer’s markets and organic grocery stores with locally produced items or join farm shares to support local food sources. Buy other goods from second-hand stores, community-owned stores, and local artisans. Shop in person instead of ordering, and remember to bring a tote bag to carry goods home.
• Say no to single-use items, like disposable coffee cups, straws, plastic grocery bags, plastic utensils, plastic dry cleaning covers.

• Cut back on paperwork. Choose digital copies of documents rather than print ones, ask banks for digital statements, and unsubscribe from junk mail or print media you don’t read.
• Clean up your digital life, unsubscribing from unwanted emails, removing ads, and cleaning your computer. Remember, digital junk is still junk.
• Donate, sell, or rehome what’s wasting space. Get rid of clothing you don’t wear, snacks you don’t like, games you don’t play, old movies, CDs, and toys.
• Embrace positive storage solutions so you can see what you have. Commit to putting things away in the right place and selling or donating what you don’t use.
• Lay out your pantry, shed, closet, and other storage spaces intuitively, with your most-used items most easily accessible and other items grouped with like items and labeled.

As you wrap up the Zero Waste Challenge, think about everything you’ve done over the last 30 days. What did you find surprisingly easy? Which changes saved you money and time? The benefits of the zero-waste mindset compound as you go. You don’t have to do everything at once, but small incremental changes will pay dividends over time.

Take your insights with you and continue what works for you to get the most benefit with the least waste. For even more tips and an in-depth guide to optimizing your life, check out Anita Vandyke’s books A Zero Waste Life and A Zero Waste Family. Remember to share your experience online. Inspire others!

For questions about the books, corporate discounts, or to contact the challenge development team, email info@apollopublishers.com or reach out to us on social media.

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