Zero Waste Living in a Van
Zero waste is the goal…here are some ideas to help you get there.
We have been busy this summer compiling all our favourite tips, tricks and swaps for your Van, Motor home or RV to help you reduce the waste you create, the chemicals you use and plastics that end up in landfill, and sometimes sadly, the ocean.
It’s an easy 16-page eBook with a quick reference guide and some in-depth tricks for the maintenance of the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, water tanks in your van. We talk about shopping zero waste and cooking zero waste.
We also included a bonus recipe from our first eCookbook, for Skillet Pizza with Carrot Top Pesto, a #zerowaste recipe you can make today!
Dive in below and claim your guide - it’s FREE because we love to share good ideas :)
What is Zero Waste?
What actually is Zero Waste, I hear you ask?
Zero Waste simply means to not produce any garbage. To live without sending anything to landfill, without throwing anything in the trash. Changing to a mindset where you make mindful decisions regarding your general consumption, thinking about the end of the lifecycle of an item before you buy it be it food, chemicals, packaged goods, clothing, electronics and refusing unnecessary items along with practicing up-cycling, recycling and composting.
In short: do without, choose less, waste nothing.
It means that you can, in theory, throw your trash can, well, in the trash.
Living in a motor home (RV) or van, and the nature of #vanlife means we cannot always locate or house the resources we need to achieve 100% ZERO waste, but moving towards a zero waste lifestyle is all about taking back control, and taking responsibility for everything you buy, everything you throw away, and acknowledging the true cost of those things. It also feels especially good to live a sustainable lifestyle when you live so close to nature and spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying clean, natural environments, the connection is perhaps easier to make than it is for city dwellers. Although we encourage everyone to look for ways to move towards zero waste in their own living situation.
We made this guide to illustrate practical ways of reducing or eliminating waste as a part of being a responsible motor home or van dweller. Part of a larger global picture, food waste, single-use plastics and non-sustainable domestic practices in the home are having a dramatic effect on our climate, complex ecosystems and human health.
It's time for action. Let's do this.
Here’s a sneak peak from the eBook…
From: 11 Quick Tips for a #zerowaste Van
Tip #8
Buy cleaning products in bulk and package free:
use refillable bottles, natural bristles, wooden handles, sea sponges…
We use biodegradable soap for the kitchen and washing the van, bought in bulk using recycled lemonade and soy sauce bottles!
We use a natural bristled bottle washer, pot scrubber and just started using a sea sponge we picked up in Croatia for wiping surfaces and washing the dishes.
Tip #4
Buy ugly and unwashed vegetables:
they are better for your gut and dramatically reduce #foodwaste and plastic.
Wash your own veggies, they are cheaper and chemical free!
Ugly fruit and vegetables taste great but usually end up being tossed, show them some love!
Find out what these 11 quick tips for zero waste in your Van or Motorhome are in our latest eBook!
Click here to download your copy.
Got something to add?
We would love to update this guide from time to time and make it a really good resource for all vanlifers, heck anybody, to use.
Get in touch or leave us a comment below!
Peas & Love,
Vanya & Enrique xx