How to reduce your waste during Christmas

Read more to learn how to reduce your waste at Christmas.  Zero Waste is the target but not always possible.
Lets learn how to reduce our waste.

Holiday season is almost here, and there is no better time to start a zero waste lifestyle than at Christmas and give zero waste Christmas presents. We know 2020 is not like what we expected, most of our plans are delayed. But because of that, there is a space of time that we can use to do new things. 
“We can’t drive to many places like we used to. That’s a part of us to becoming more eco-friendly.” Yes, because of this pandemic, we can breathe cleaner air, we can see clearer skies, we can see clearer rivers, and many more. Since we are at home, why don’t we take a further step to reduce our waste and try to follow a zero waste lifestyle. 

Giving clothes as presents

Maybe you are not sure if a zero-waste Christmas present will have the same meaning like the ordinary gift. A Christmas present is not about how expensive it was, but the meaning of every gift is more valuable than the price. 

Where to begin with a zero-waste Christmas present? If you like to give your loved ones some clothes and you are in Malaysia, you can go to UNPLUG. The textile industry in Malaysia produces almost 2,000 tonnes of textile waste everyday. These shops refuse and reduce any waste that comes from their clothing lines. They value fair treatment of plants, humans, and animals.  They have unique pattern design and cutting, so they will not waste any fabric.  They also push for Slow fashion. Slow Fashion is where clothes are made to last and not go out of fashion.  Longevity is the key to Slow Fashion and sustainability.  They also focus on fabric which is natural based. In manufacturing and post-consumer zero waste fashion, pre-consumer zero waste fashion reduces waste or what we often term upcycling, giving life expanding to second-hand clothing and reducing waste. 

“What about my old clothes? I don’t want to throw them away.” Yes, don’t throw them away, even if you buy clothes from a sustainable store and still throw away your clothes, you are not joining the zero waste movement. There are plenty of ways you can reduce your waste; recycle, donate, swap, or even make DIY from your old clothes. These stores offer to recycle your old clothes; H&M, Monki,  LifeLine Clothing Malaysia, Icycle Malaysia, Kloth Malaysia, and Korea Wallpaper. 

Donation is a good way to reduce your waste creation, and it can bring joy to many people. But please make sure your clothes are still in relatively good condition and can be used. Jumble Station, The School at Jaya One, Clothes4Dawah bins are at various locations, Salvation Army Malaysia, Mostwell sdn bhd, and Bless shop, you can trust these guys when you want to donate your clothes, old toys, food, and they also accept money. 

Clothes Swaps are not very common in Malaysia yet, but it is one of the ways to get new clothes in the cheapest and a sustainable way. Style swap Malaysia, and The Swap Project are a few more organizations that believe fashion isn’t suppose to harm the earth.  

zero waste packaging ideas

Packaging 

A gift is not only about the present, you can make your own zero waste packaging.  Packing is actually the highest contributor for solid waste globally. It is up to you what kind of gift package you want to make, isn’t it fun?! You can find the all your need in the zero waste shop near you. Even if you live in Kuala Lumpur, or Johor Bahru or Penang, they got your back.

You can consider giving a bag or tupperware box as a gift and inside is a second or the main present.  Think out of the box when it comes to packaging.  No more wrapping paper.

The Dinner

This is probably the MOST important element for christmas. The make or break Christmas lunch.  It is also one of the biggest contributors of WASTE.  Just during Christmas, 2 million turkeys, 5 million Christmas puddings, and 74 million mince pie get disposed while still edible, causing almost 270,000 tons of food waste in total.

What a WASTE.  We could all do with loosing a bit of a weight, so dont cook so much.  If you do cook and have left overs then consider giving your left overs to people you see each and every day, your guards, cleaners or whoever you met regularly.  You can also give to awesome organisations like What A Waste who collect leftover cooked and uncooked food and redistribute to people who need it.   Also what happens to all those cuttings when you prepare the food?  The best option is to compost, watch the video to learn how to compost in a flat.

The next thing to worry about is the packaging for all those veggies.  We suggest you shop at a local farmers market which provides locally grown produce which is normally loose and not covered in bags and bags of packaging. 

For other items check out your nearest Zero Waste Stores and go to this awesome Map made by Zero Waste Malaysia.

Buy our recovered plastic christmast decorations

Christmas Decorations

Christmas decorations are a bane for creating waste.  All that tinsel being swept up and going into landfill. It doesn’t bare thinking about.

So how?

If you are crafty then why not make decorations from natural items.  There are lots of ideas with pine cones, ivy and all sorts of leaves online. Here are five good ideas.

Why not share some of your creations with us via FB and Instagram.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fuze_ecoteer
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FuzeEcoteer/

Additionally you could also check out our Christmas decorations which are made from plastic recovered from the rivers and beaches of Malaysia.  These are recycled and can be recycled again and again into new products.

zero waste christmas tree

Kuala Lumpur

 

If you want to make a skincare gift basket, The Hive, Frangipani Bulk Store, The Mineraw Store are your best friends. They provide various skincare products, so you will not have to worry. If you can’t go to their stores, you also can go to their websites, every product includes description and the ingredients. 

 

Of course it’s not just them, there are many other stores like A Bit Less Bulk Store, Liquid Etc, Zero Waste Earth Store, and many more. They are not only provided skincare products, but their products are from bamboo toothbrushes until pet treats. 

 

Not many people think that if you buy tea, spices and healthy food are a great christmas gift. Let me tell you, a gift is not about the size and the price of the gift, but the meaning of the gift. When you buy tea as a gift, you can make your own tea gift basket. You can add teapot, unique and cute mug, beautiful and elegant glass pitcher or tea infuser cup, and many other. 

 

A fresh and dried seasonal fruit gift basket is always a nutritious solution and a perfect balanced gift idea for the heart. Apples, apricots, berries, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi and peaches are some of the better options. Thanks to the fatty acids, avocados are also particularly good for the heart.


The best nutritious heart foods are nuts. You could eat a big handful of it everyday, either as a breakfast or a pre-dinner snack with a glass of red wine. They are excellent source of proteins, omega-3 fatty acids and fibre. You can make your own nut mix, place them in a jar and tie a ribbon and give it to your friends. Don’t you worry, you can find all of them in these store;  Go Bulk, NUDE The Zero Waste Store, Origin Bulk Store.

Johor Bahru

Now, let’s talk about zero waste stores in Johor Bahru. They have a lot of stores, and each store has their own unique style that you can’t compare to any other store. Stackers is one of the zero waste store in Johor Bahru, you can find a lot of products, like handmade pasta, bamboo toilet roll and facial tissue, dehydrated fruits and chocolate, and chocolate. 

Yes, they have chocolate. These chocolates are made from love, delicious, and sold out really fast, but don’t believe us, go there and try it by yourself. They have a story before selling these chocolates, you can go them out in their blog

Other zero waste store in JB are Minus Zero Waste Store, PYNG Zero Waste, and many others. They bring you nature at the very best way. Minus Zero Waste Store doesn’t only offer our essentials product, but they offer you hand-made pet treats, and natural pet shower. If you don’t or can’t go out of your house, and it’s hard to maintain a zero-waste lifestyle, PYNG Zero Waste  have a solution for you. They offer you home delivery service around JB, or if you want to pick it up by your own, you can! 

Did you know there is a zero-waste grocery store in Johor Bahru? It is, The General Store by Common Goods Market. You can buy your groceries and reduce plastic with their zero waste shopping kit. They also sell a vintage ceramic and glassware called Chuko, and solid perfume called Yama Solid Cologne. 

Although our way of living has been altered by the pandemic situation, don’t let it deter you from pursuing a more healthy lifestyle, the environmentally friendly movement. So if you’re ready for a sustainable lifestyle, come visit Johor Bahru, The General Store By Common Goods Market. 

Penang

Penang is a state in northwestern Malaysia. Given the current Zero Waste strategies, the state has done extremely well for the recycling of materials from the businesses and households. It has the highest recycling rate in Malaysia at 43%, more than twice the state average of 21%.

OWL – Penang Zero Waste Bulk Store, located in Tanjung Bungah. They are an environmental conservation organization that supports people who live in a sustainable lifestyle. Their packaging uses upcycle products, which ensures that food and liquid goods use upcycle packaging materials to prevent damages. Implementing to a modern zero-waste environment isn’t simple, but it helps one to get closer to Nature and appreciate it. Thus, OWL has a very simple elegant interior, much like its tagline, Back To Basics. 

Another zero waste store in Penang is Nak.Ed Farm PG, and they are a workshop place in town. Handmade shops are their best seller, and not only that, they also have sunscreen, face and body scrub, powder and solid toothpaste, and many more. If you want to buy organic produce, Nak.Ed Farm PG is your guy. You can do pre-order from them, and they can deliver it to your door

Not only zero waste store, Penang also has an NGO that does weekly cleaning. They are Trash Hero Penang, their first clean-up for 2020 was the Trash Hero Penang training of members of the Uplands Green Club. They guide them on how to clean up, including a site visit, conducting risk assessment, safety briefing, cleaning and filtering, counting, weighing and tracking prior to the transfer of the trash to the Uplands recycling and waste area. 

They believe that people can conquer any situation when they believe each other and work as a team. They believe anyone can be a changemaker for a more sustainable environment. If you want to join their movement, don’t be shy to contact them. When you’re walking past the street murals and enjoying their delicious food, you can find a lot of thrift shops. You will find Doppelganger Clothing Store, Kyoto Bundle, WWC Value Store, and many more. 

Next time you’re in Penang, go and get familiar with thrift stores that hold exclusive and precious fashion items at decent cost. Buying things for a cause, protecting the world, and avoiding the pressure on your wallet are just some of the reasons why you’re having a lifestyle, even if you’re on vacation.

There is Penang Zero Waste, they want to make their home cleaner, greener, and safer through technology, education and initiatives. If you are wandering, where to recycle old electronics or other things, where is the zero waste store, is there any green project near me. You can go to their website. 

You can easily access Penang’s Zero Waste Network Map to navigate the nearby recycling and repurchase centres near you, modified by Region, City/Postcode, Waste Classification, and Operation Category. Plus, you can stay connected to environmental friendly activities. 

This Christmas could be different from last year, but it should not be a wall for us to reduce your waste and start a zero-waste lifestyle. By giving a zero-waste gift, you already took a step to make a greater future. Like our tagline, A Conscious Buy That Helps Nature Thrive.

Zero Waste Map for Malaysia

Credited to Zero Waste Malaysia go to their website for an interactive and up to date map https://zerowastemalaysia.org/map/

zero waste Malaysia map

References, links and companies to look up

  1. Where can buy sustainable cloth for present or for myself?
    1. The little clothing shop (brand)
    2. Real.m
    3. Munimalism
    4. You can swap cloths
      1. Style swap malaysia
      2. The swap project
    5. You can recycle
      1. Life line clothing malaysia
      2. H&M
      3. Monki
      4. Icycle malaysia
      5. Kloth malaysia
      6. Korea wallpaper
    6. You can donate 
      1. Jumble Station, The School @ Jaya One 
      2. Clothes4Dawah bins, various locations
      3. Pkbb shung fu jb
      4. Korea wallpaper
      5. Salvation army malaysia
      6. Mostwell sdn bhd
      7. Bless shop
  1. Donate old toys
    1. The salvation army
  2. Recycle electronic 
    1. SENHENG e-Waste recycling program
    2. E-Waste Management
    3. Dinkargo Recycle Kuching
  3. Skincare products
    1. – The Hive (Bangsar, Ampang, and Taman Tun Dr Ismail) 
    2. – Frangipani Bulk (Kuala Lumpur)
    3. – A Bit Less Bulk Store (Kepong)
    4. – Seedy Zero Waste Store (Kota Kemuning)
    5. – Liquid Etc (Klang)
    6. – Zero Waste Earth Store (Setia Alam)
    7. – NUDE The Zero Waste Store (Petaling Jaya)
  4. Bamboo toothbrushes, women’s essentials, and other personal care
    1. – NUDE The Zero Waste Store (Petaling Jaya)
    2. – A Bit Less Bulk Store (Kepong)
    3. – The Hive (Bangsar, Ampang, and Taman Tun Dr Ismail)
    4. – Seedy Zero Waste Store (Kota Kemuning)
    5. – Frangipani Bulk (Kuala Lumpur)
    6. – Liquid Etc (Klang)
    7. – Zero Waste Earth Store (Setia Alam)
    8. – Conzerve (Bukit Jelutong)
    9. – Go Bulk (Cyberjaya)
  1. Tea, spices, and other condiments
    1. – Go Bulk (Cyberjaya)
    2. – Frangipani Bulk (Kuala Lumpur)
    3. – Liquid Etc (Klang)
    4. – Seedy Zero Waste Store (Kota Kemuning)
    5. – NUDE The Zero Waste Store (Petaling Jaya)
    6. Origin Bulk Store 
  2. https://analogueapotik.com/pages/about-us – perfume

What to pack for a christmas present?

Johor baru zero waste store

  1. https://www.starkers.shop 
  2. https://johorfoodie.com/the-general-store-by-common-goods-market/ 
  3. https://www.commongoodsmarket.com/home
  4. https://www.facebook.com/minuszerowaste/about/?ref=page_internal 
  5. https://www.facebook.com/pyngzerowaste/about/?ref=page_internal 

Penang zero waste store

  1. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/ten-zero-waste-cities-what-makes-penang-stand-out-in-waste-recycling–67766
  2. https://zerowasteworld.org/wp-content/uploads/Penang.pdf 
  3. https://www.facebook.com/owlbulkstore/ 
  4. http://www.pgc.com.my/2020/zero-waste-network-zwn/
  5. https://thesmartlocal.com/malaysia/thrift-shops-penang/ 
  6. https://www.facebook.com/trashheropenang 
  7. https://www.facebook.com/nakedfarmPG 

References:

  1. https://familyedventures.com/zero-waste-christmas-gifts/ 
  2. https://www.worldinfuchsia.com/zero-waste-christmas-gifts/
  3. https://www.ecoandbeyond.co/articles/zero-waste-christmas-gifts/ 
  4. https://typicallytopical.com/zero-waste-christmas-gifts/ 
  5. https://www.zerowastelifestylesystem.com/zero-waste-christmas-gift-2020/ 
  6. https://says.com/my/lifestyle/zero-waste-stores-in-klang-valley 
  7. https://www.reusablenation.com/zero-waste-living/zero-waste-christmas-decorations-and-gifts 
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