2021: My journey towards Zero-Waste
A letter to myself to commit to new habits
This isn’t some «New Year New Me» kind of tale. I’m dead serious about my commitment for 2021 (and beyond). I’m not perfect, nor am I able to position myself amongst the greats (even within my circle) when it comes to living sustainably. This year, I want to try not just for me but for us all.
*Disclaimer: I do not claim to be living a “perfect” zero-waste life, nor to be an expert in how to do so.
BACKSTORY
December has been a month of severe reflection.
I have received shoulder surgery that kept me out from work and sports for 4 and a half weeks — 35 days to be exact. I was mostly living it in lockdown, navigating out of boredom and repetition from the bathroom to the bed to the couch to the bed and so on. Living at home 24/7 for that long exposed me to a harsh reality: I was able to really observe myself on how I was conducting my own home-life. The result was depressing.
I was throwing carton, can & paper in the general waste bag out of laziness, letting the water run while shaving, doing laundries with 3/4 items only, mass-ordering from Amazon products that I wasn't even sure I needed just because I had upgraded to Prime, going to cheaper supermarkets to bulk-buy, frequently having expired food products in my fridge ending up to waste, witnessed street littering and did nothing, used the toilet trash-can for a 5-in-1 container…and many more examples.
Have YOU ever done the same too?
I sat down with discontent and thought to myself: ”What happened to the Claudio Corti that had this big project in 2020? The one that was Plogging back in 2019? The one that wanted to protect animals in 2018? The one that keeps calling out climate change in a satiric and negative context?… Where did he go?”
REFLECTING BACK
2016 was a starting point where I had helped organize the Erasmus Sustainability Days: We stressed the need for Sustainability to the Erasmus University Rotterdam students. I got to learn so much, which I ended up putting in the back of my brain and continue business as usual.
2018 was a revelation point — I was absolutely disgusted by animal brutality I decided to commit to fair-trade products, a better diet and part-take on a project with WWF-Belgium to protect Elephants. The project had me so excited, but even after that had ended I carried on business as usual.
2019 was a progressive point — I was frustrated with the amount of trash I kept seeing on the streets I decided to merge Running with Trash pick-up together with a dear friend. Still now I can remember the enthusiasm and energy Plogging gave me. What was my excuse then? Mental health happened. After completing the journey with a chapter in Norway, I went back to business as usual.
Don't get me wrong, I have tried really hard to make myself believe I was actually conducting a sustainable lifestyle (at least at home). Yet, I did very little changes to my daily life — I recycled throughout 2020 more than I ever did before and became Vegetarian. I was giving myself too much of a hard time, which wasn’t really helping either. Speaking of 2020 — it was the cancellation point: it got me back to square 1. I had so many ideas and projects in line that I had simply let go of for personal reasons — pushed them on the back of my head and left them there. Well, thank you December 2020 for being the turning point,
One of the upsides of pure boredom was that I could also nourish myself with knowledge — something I had a habit to complain about not doing enough. I’ve put 2 & 2 together, and not only was I able to quantify how much I was wasting, consuming and offsetting but come to understand on how to change for the better. I’ve deliberately forced myself to slowly add or change a few habits and preferences in various areas — Food & Nutrition, Electricity Consumption, Shopping, Travel Methods, Water, Plastic, Sports & Health.
THE TURNING POINT
I look back 5 years in time, and recognise how drastic the change our planet has been enduring. I recognise how this phenomenon has had an impact on some of my personal decisions and overall well-being. That's exactly why 5 years ago, when I first became aware, I took my first decision and commitment towards "wanting" to take action — with the organisation of the Erasmus Sustainability Days at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
Nonetheless, in these last 5 years I can credit myself with doing only "press-work" rather than committed actions of change. Sure, I have been deeply aware of our global issues and the theme of sustainability. I took some initiatives, but got demotivated very fast and lacked a sustain phase. I had tested new waters, but lacked the confidence to push further to ACTUALLY commit to these changes.
One-time-off initiatives made me so enthusiastic. It gave me a purpose, energy, a sense of knowledge sharing and contribution to society, and most importantly a feeling of self-accomplishment (which came evident during my last collaborated initiative — Stache'Keteers). However, these emotions were very much temporary and un-sustained.
I need my cure to my own climate anxiety, and one-time off initiatives isn’t cutting to become my antidote but simply a temporary painkiller. Hence, my commitment.
THE COMMITMENT
I can’t say with confidence that it has been easy nor that I have been successful this far. Nonetheless, the more I set myself to do it the easier it is getting. Below, find my focus areas and pledge to a more attentive and sustainable 2021.
For myself, daily:
- Food & Nutrition:
What I buy; where I buy; where does my food come from; how I eat; how I recycle; Vegetarian to Vegan diet. - Electricity:
Unplugging cables; leverage daylight; turn lights off when not needed; use candles as a substitute. - Water:
Stick to a 5-minute shower; attentive to water usage for dishes & teeth-brushing; water-filter; decreased clothes washing & dishwasher usage. - Travel:
Avoid using the car or other motored vehicles when not needed; decrease less than 2-hour flights frequency; taking the train instead of the plane when possible. - Consumption:
Decrease my fast-fashion addiction to 1 sessions x month; reduce my Online Shopping to needs and gifts only; leverage food delivery for necessities by trusted local stores; Shop from B-certified companies / 1% for the Planet (More info on Earth Hero). - Everyday products:
Replace most of my every-day products with more sustainable solutions with the aim to reduce plastic waste and cadence of re-purchase. - Plastic:
Opt to reduce my plastic recycling requirements to a minimum by purchasing and consuming less plastic (non quantifiable yet due to lack of benchmark); opt for sustainable solutions that capture micro-plastics during washing; plogging twice a month during solo/combined runs; become more aware on how to re-use plastic as a source of personal circular economy. - Health:
Daily 5-minutes meditation; at least 30 minutes daily sports; 30 minutes daily walks in the nature.
For YOU, monthly:
- Podcast venturing:
I have tested the waters of Podcasting in 2020 with a solo run, and appearing as a guest with others. I shall be talking with EXPERTS from the above mentioned areas to discuss what can be done to do more. The podcast episodes shall share my learnings with you in an interview format. Coming soon. - Tips & quick wins:
I want to write more. My learnings will be documented and shared in the form of articles capturing what I've learned / what I've done. Expect more Medium stories. Such tips could be where I do my Online Shopping that has a more sustainable impact to our environment (e.g. — Earth Hero). - Youtube Series:
I love creating content, especially with a spoon of fun.
I want to document my progress on the zero-waste lifestyle to show the successes & unsuccessfulness, hoping to inspire others to adopt a few habits themselves. Example of content: How I re-use my own plastic consumption, what I buy, or documenting my Plogging runs, etc…
January will be a trial month. On January 31st I will release my first produced content. Stay tuned.
THE METHODOLOGY
How am I tracking my offsets & habits?
- I use Klima to track my daily offsets.
- I use AWorld to check-in on my daily habits.
- I use a personal App to remind me to complete such habits.
- Every failed habit results in a $0.50 that shall be collected in a crowdfunding pot. The total sum accumulated on 31.12.2021 shall be equally split to support 12 NGOs. You are free to join by adopting the same habits, and apply the same logic in the same pot.
CONCLUSION
I want 2021 to be the foundation year in a journey that leads me to a zero-waste attitude & mindset and I want YOU there with me along the journey. I am dedicating myself to learn more to become always closer and closer to living a zero-waste lifestyle (keeping it as realistic as possible and pressure-free). Some good things ahead to look forward to that have brought that enthusiasm & will to make a change back into my life.
I thrive to find that spark that gave me the fuel to get going, that gave me a sense of self-accomplishment and a contribution to society. May this letter inspire not just me, but you there reading. May this help you make some changes and take action. More on this coming on the 31st of January.
