Zero Waste: On avoiding obsession

So it's the end of a long week of celebrations. I've just dropped little J off at his chess club and I've got a delicious hour to myself in the lounge of the stunning Angel Hotel, in Bury St Edmunds.

Peace at last eh... one whole hour to stop and pause in the perfect setting, sat next to the glowing embers of the open fire.

Just what I need after the mad rush of yesterday, an opportunity to quietly reflect on the developments of the last twelve months.

Like any other challenge, a zero waste lifestyle requires focus, careful attention and a particular drive to achieve your goal, bringing with it a gradual change of habits. It also demands research and a new learning curve as you explore alternative products that fit your personal needs and that are easy to process through your local recycling system. But above all else a zero waste journey needs commitment if you want to maintain your waste minimisation goals.

Then just like any other learning experience, you suddenly realise that after so much hard work focusing on this, that and t'other, your new lifestyle has become the norm, with new routines, rewarded with unpackaged goods and sustainable brands that suit your needs and your pocket.

It becomes automatic, just like breathing and remembering to clean your teeth.

Now that's a comfortable place to be.

But what about the other side...the other challenge to your zero waste experience?

If you're not careful it can gradually creep up on you and bite you on the bum when you least expect it.

You see, while you're busy changing your ways to reduce what you buy, reuse what you've got and recycle what you don't need, you gradually wake up to the fact that your passion and commitment is benefiting the environment. And every small action you take to save and preserve valuable resources is one small step closer to sustainability.

And that's the real killer isn't it?

Suddenly, you can be left with the burden of saving the planet single-handedly, just you and your bin. And what comes with your new sense of passion is the risk of guilt... the guilt that forgets what you have achieved and focuses on what you haven't.

And let's not forget the deep frustration over situations outside of your control...from the lack of recycling facilities on your doorstep to the unsustainable choices made by certain manufacturers and retailers. Before you know it, you're even following national politics and you may even find yourself glancing at bin bags as you walk along the street, asking don't they know and don't they care?

But beware, because you don't really want your beautiful rays of passion to get lost in the murky world of obsession. And there is a fine line.

Instead you need to keep it real.

You need to keep your passion alive.

And you need to keep perspective.

If things are out of your control, don't worry. If the kids won't co-operate, keep teaching. If there is a lack of facilities in your local area, seek the help of your local council. And if you're not satisfied with a manufacturer's packaging, contact them to find out their plans. Of course, if you're still not happy, vote with your feet and switch products or brands as appropriate.

But then again, you could sit back, relax and wait. There's nothing wrong with that.

You may feel responsible for your actions, but don't feel guilty if you can't resolve everything. After all Rome wasn't built in a day. Just be glad that you've done your best and feel reassured that there are others working with the same goals too. While councils keep focusing on improving targets, responsible manufacturers are continuing to work on their packaging. Changes may not happen as quickly as we would like, but they are happening. Indeed you can follow some of the big names that have officially signed up to WRAP's Courtauld Commitment by clicking here.

And yes I have had my own obsessive moments too, like the time I cried at the Recycling Centre when I saw perfectly reparable bike that had been left when it could have been "freecycled". Then there was the day I happily let a friend take her baby's dirty nappy home with her - at her own suggestion I should add, but still, I could have offered to put it in my bin.

But these days, I'm more cool about stuff. I acknowledge there is too much waste in the world but have trust that the more people who are inspired to reduce it, the more folk they can inspire and so on. And I don't mind if my own bin isn't entirely empty. I could make it slimmer than one small bag a month, but that would mean a lot more work, with time I don't always have. So I just do what I can do and one bag is good enough for me.

So if you start feeling guilty, refocus on what you can easily achieve and if it turns out to be impossible, then don't worry. You are only human after all. Just let the guilt go free and concentrate on enjoying your passion and trust that people will follow your footsteps.

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