7-Day Challenge to Reduce Your Trash

Did you know that the average person generates 1.5 kg of trash per day? This equates to more than 500 kg per year, contributing to ocean and landfill pollution. This 7-day challenge will help you drastically reduce your trash through simple and effective changes. Transform your habits in a week!

Day 1: Analysis and Awareness

Objective: Identify what type of trash you produce.

• Activity: Store all the trash you generate in a clear bag. At the end of the day, analyze:
  • Which items are most common? (plastics, organic, paper).
  • Which are avoidable?
• Key fact: 60% of household waste is recyclable or compostable.

Day 2: The 3 Rs Revolution (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)

Focus: Prioritize in this order.

• Reduce:
  • Say “no” to plastic bags and bring your own reusable bags.
  • Avoid overpackaged products.
• Reuse:
  • Use glass jars to store food.
  • Turn old t-shirts into cleaning rags.
• Recycle:
  • Learn how to separate properly (paper, plastic, glass, organic products).

Day 3: Smart Shopping

Strategy: Buy in bulk and choose sustainable products.

• Where to buy:
  • Local markets and bulk stores.
  • Products with compostable or reusable packaging.
• What to bring:
  • Cloth bags for fruits and vegetables.
  • Airtight containers for meats and dairy products.

Day 4: Zero Waste Cooking

Key: Make the most of your food.

• Techniques:
  • Composting: Make compost with fruit and vegetable scraps.
  • Stocks: Use vegetable peelings to make nutritious stocks.
  • Preserves: Take advantage of seasonal surpluses.

Day 5: Zero Waste Personal Hygiene

Sustainable Alternatives:

• Solid soap and shampoo: Avoid plastic packaging.
• Bamboo toothbrushes: Biodegradable.
• Reusable towels: Replace disposable cotton pads.
• DIY Recipe: Toothpaste with baking soda and coconut oil.

Day 6: Eco-Friendly Home Cleaning

Natural products:

• Vinegar and baking soda: To clean surfaces and disinfect.
• Neutral soap: Diluted in water for multiple uses.
• Loofah sponges: Natural alternative to synthetic sponges.

Day 7: Reflection and Planning

Evaluation:

• How much waste have you managed to reduce?
• What habits can you maintain long-term?
• Set goals:
  • Reduce your trash by 50% in one month.
  • Incorporate a new zero-waste practice every week.

Challenge Benefits

• Environmental: Less waste in landfills and oceans.
• Economic: Savings by buying in bulk and avoiding single-use products.
• Health: Natural products reduce exposure to toxic chemicals.

Additional Tips

• Community: Join local zero-waste groups to share tips and resources.
• Education: Involve your family in the challenge to multiply the impact.
• Innovation: Explore new ways to reuse waste (e.g., make recycled paper).

“The best waste is the one you don’t create.” — Bea Johnson, pioneer of the zero-waste movement.