ZERO WASTE

Plastic-Free July is here again! I know what you’re thinking – you have enough on your plate right now, thank you very much. But as much as zero waste is the ultimate goal, that doesn’t mean you have to either go all in or throw in the towel – every little bit helps.

- CAROLINE PETERSEN

AS drastic as it may sound, the zero-waste movement is not an all-or-nothing commitment – it’s a goal to collectively work towards, explains husband and wife team Dom and Sam Moleta, owners of zero-waste grocery store The Refillery.

‘The idea is to create no waste,’ says Sam. ‘After you eat or use what you purchase, there should be nothing left.’ Having said that, both Dom and Sam know that this is not quite as simple as it sounds – after, all we live in a society that demands convenience over sustainability, often at the expense of the planet.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dom and Sam have also had to add home-schooling to their list of everyday tasks, which means zero-wasting can feel daunting. ‘Our favorite quote that we as a family live by is, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero-waste perfectly; we need a billion people doing it imperfectly,”’ says Sam. ‘We’re not perfect but we’re always trying. We have solutions for some things and we’re still searching for others.’

Dom’s main piece of advice is to take the pressure off yourself. If you mess up, it’s no big deal. ‘It’s like starting a new diet. Just because you had a slice of cake on Tuesday doesn’t mean you throw your whole diet plan out the window!

Nobody is perfect, and anybody who says they are is lying,’ he says, laughing. ‘This is a journey and there will be hiccups, but if you can strive towards the bigger picture, then that’s the best place to be! Tuesday mornings will happen.’