Lauren Singer says she has been living a zero-waste lifestyle for 10 years.

She starts her day with homemade toothpaste, french press coffee, and a walk to a composting bin.

This article is part of "Better Me," a series about improving your lifestyle and helping society through sustainable efforts and eco-consciousness.

Lauren Singer says she's been living a zero-waste lifestyle for the last decade. She shared with Insider how she spends a typical Saturday in her New York City home.

Lauren Singer told Insider she started living a zero-waste lifestyle in 2012 when she realized that her values — caring for the planet — weren't aligning with her actions.

"I thought that caring was enough, but it turns out that my lifestyle was creating harm and contributing to the systems that I was actively talking about fighting against," she said of her decision to create less waste.

In 2012, she started Trash for Tossers, a blog about her experience transitioning to zero-waste living.

Five years later, she founded Package Free, a shop full of products that support a sustainable lifestyle. The products minimize packaging in their design and are made from materials that can either be reused, refilled, composted, or recycled.

That same year, she posted a video on her blog sharing that the last four years of her trash fit into one 16-ounce mason jar.

When she wakes up around 7:30 a.m., Singer brushes her teeth using a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste she made herself.

Singer said she usually starts her day by brushing her teeth with toothpaste she makes herself out of coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oils, a recipe she's shared with her 359,000 followers on Instagram.

Then it's time for coffee. Singer said she buys whole roasted coffee beans in bulk and uses a french press to brew her morning java.

Singer said she buys coffee beans in bulk and grinds them fresh each morning.

While she waits for the coffee to brew, she takes her dog, Rose, outside to use the bathroom.

Between 8 and 9 a.m., Singer drops off her compost at a local composting site.

Singer said she puts her compostables in a paper bag and then puts the bag in a reusable tote before walking to the site.

Then she goes home to get ready for pilates. She goes to a studio that aligns with her eco-conscious lifestyle.

She said that the studio she goes to also uses natural light from huge windows, natural cleaning products, and recycled toilet paper.

After working out, Singer often heads to the farmer's market or grocery store. She goes about four times a week so she always has fresh produce.

Singer said she walks to the market and brings her reusable bags to shop. She said she mostly buys fruits and vegetables as well as the ingredients to make Rose's food for the week.

When she gets home, Singer makes Rose's weekly food using chicken, zucchini, apples, carrots, and potatoes.

Singer said she boils the chicken and vegetables to make broth and puts Rose's food in a stainless steel container that will last a week in the fridge.

Chicken for Rose is the only animal product she buys, she told Insider.

Then it's time to make lunch for herself. Singer said she mostly eats fruits and roasted or steamed vegetables.

Singer added that she likes to make Japanese-inspired dishes.

After lunch, Singer said she loves to go shopping at second-hand stores.

Singer said she has multiple second-hand stores within walking distance of her home, so she often takes Rose for a walk while she shops.

When she gets home, she usually starts her laundry and does some cleaning using homemade cleaners and Package Free products.

Singer uses Package Free products to do dishes and laundry, and she also makes her own cleaning spray using white vinegar and essential oils.

Once the house is cleaned up, Singer starts dinner, which is more cooked veggies.

Singer said she eats dinner around 6:30 p.m. Sometimes she goes out for ice cream after, but she always gets it in a cone instead of a cup to avoid waste.

After dinner, Singer typically takes Rose to the park to play before getting ready for bed.

On weekends, Rose usually has her last walk of the day after dinner when Singer takes her to the park. She said she usually winds down with some TV before bed when she gets home.

Ultimately, Singer said her day-to-day isn't so different from everyone else's. She just makes conscious choices about what she buys and consumes and prioritizes recycling and composting.

Singer said that anyone can implement eco-conscious changes to their lifestyle by considering the areas in their life where their trash comes from and making adjustments to mitigate it.

"The average American makes four and a half pounds of trash per day, so anything to get closer to zero is making a positive impact," she said.

Read the original article on Insider

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