Setting an example- A zero waste household

Meera Shah, a 31-year-old physiotherapist and Mumbai resident has succeeded in adopting a zero wastage lifestyle and is an inspiration for many. Her initiative has also encouraged her parents-in-law who stay with her and the family of four realized that it didn't need more than 50% of the things in the house. To lead a zero-waste lifestyle, it is imperative to first stop generating garbage. Meera gives an example of packing leftover food in a restaurant. The food is generally wrapped in a foil and put in a plastic bag. Meera carries her own utensils to pack leftover food, thus avoiding the plastic and foil paper. She asserts that carrying own utensils at all times ensures that they don’t contribute to plastic waste. Her banker husband Nirav has not only encouraged but also embraced her lifestyle. Meera, who runs a physiotherapy clinic in Mumbai decided to do her bit when she read a news report about the municipal corporation spending a hefty amount on solid waste management. Meera realized that half of the waste can be avoided if we simply stop to generate it. It is then she decided to lead a zero-waste lifestyle. The family stopped buying things that they felt was unnecessary. They also disposed of the things that were not required but were just lying around and soon they realized that their house had ample space for everything. The best advantage, according to Meera is that it is very easy to keep the house clean. There is no denying the fact that in today’s times, plastic cannot be totally avoided. Meera sells the milk pouches and empty shampoo bottles to the raddiwallah. Other plastic items, such as medicine strips, are given to NGO Urja Foundation that deals in renewable energy solutions. Meera hasn’t shopped for clothes in a year. She says that earlier, she would wear her best clothes to work. Now, she is comfortable repeating her clothes and has no qualms in wearing old clothes to work. The family also started wet waste composting at home. There is a container in the kitchen where wet waste is collected, which is then put into a composting bin which contains decomposition culture.Clipped nails, dust gathered after sweeping the floor, remains of vegetables, and even haircut at the saloon are gathered and dumped in the composting bin. Meera collects dry leaves and puts them in the bin. She says that the last layer of manure is used for the plants grown in the terrace with outstanding results. Meera is also a part of the Facebook group called ‘Zero Waste Lifestyle India’ad has spread the word among friends and relatives to inform her before discarding stuff. She urges people to follow the way our ancestors lived. They wasted nothing and the concept of recycling was very much existed back then. Meera Shah is a socially aware and responsible citizen and by emulating her ways, we too can lead a zero-waste lifestyle contributing to the betterment of the society as well as the environment.