How to Convince Others to Live Zero Waste: Do’s and Don’ts

I get asked all the time: How can I convince other people in my life to live zero waste, too?

The short answer is that you can’t force anyone to do anything. But the good news is that you CAN influence them over time.

Here’s the thing: no one wants to be told what to do, when to do it, or feel like you’re judging them or guilting them. Is that how you learn and change your mind on things? No!

People are most likely to make these changes on their own terms.

All that said, I do have some advice on this topic, so let’s chat!

DO: lead by example

Subliminal messaging is powerful. If someone who is using a lot of plastic suddenly sees everyone else using a reusable water bottle, they will notice and perhaps want to make that change themselves. If someone who eats meat attends a dinner with their vegetarian friends, they may be more willing to change their diet for that meal, too.

Not to mention, it wouldn’t make any sense for me to tell someone to use a reusable water bottle if I didn’t do it myself. Plus, the water bottle can be a discussion piece. I may get asked why I use a reusable water bottle, how long I’ve been using one, and if it saves me money. Using swaps in public, around the people you want to influence, can be a great natural way to have these conversations.

Which leads us to…

DO: talk about these topics

It sure is important to recycle and compost around your wasteful counterparts, but it may not do any good if you’re not explaining things. For example, I started recycling programs while I was in technical school and also at my second workplace in the Air Force. It went okay at first, but it really took off when I talked to people. If I saw someone at the bin, ready to place something in it, I saw that as a good opportunity to approach them and discuss the recycling rules, my sorting methods, and the importance of recycling.

But…

DON’T: force the conversations

It would have been very weird and ineffective for me to go up to someone’s desk while they were working without a thought of recycling in their minds and interrupt them to talk about recycling rules. That isn’t going to change anyone’s mind. In fact, it may make them resent me and the whole idea of recycling and living an eco life even more.

This may also be why people think you are naggy about these topics. I get that in my comments a lot that people have these conversations with others, and they feel like they’re being naggy. Of course, there are plenty of people who never want to have these conversations, no matter how natural it feels to you. But, there are a lot of people who DO want to talk about this, but you have to be mindful of time and place.

DO: Talk with people who are already curious

I also find it most effective to talk about these things with people who already have a little interest in low-waste living. If I went up to my grandpa, an old-school farmer, and told him to give up meat? Yeah, he’s not going to be interested, and that conversation will likely just be a waste of time for everyone involved. But if I talked to a friend who is already open to eating vegan and vegetarian foods with their vegan and vegetarian friends about how they might be able to incorporate a vegan diet into their own home, that is much more likely to have success.

You’re not going to convince anyone to suddenly believe climate scientists, but for someone who already trusts science, they’re probably much more willing to reduce their own waste and emissions.

But…

DON’T: be rude, condescending, judgmental, or mean

No one is going to change their life around if you’re belittling them. No one is going to try a vegan burger or a bamboo toothbrush because you judged them. No, kindness works!

I think we all know this in real life, but please remember this online too. I get so many nasty comments and see them thrown around at others, too, for producing a little waste. Your mean comment isn’t going to make me give up my meds in a plastic or my kombucha bottle that has a plastic label on it.

In fact, I get a TON of comments about how people started their zero waste journey thanks to my non-judgmental approach! Kindness and acceptance, and meeting people where they are is what works, not harshness. You’re not perfect, so why would you expect that of someone else, especially a beginner?

DO: Share resources and educate

Plenty of people are already aware of climate change and plastic waste, and emissions, but maybe they just need a bit more evidence to push them over the edge and into the zero waste world fully. That certainly was the case for me. It took me seeing poor recycling practices and massive amounts of litter with my own eyes to change my wasteful habits. Maybe that’s the case for someone in your life, or maybe they just need a good book or podcast.

So, if you see a good YouTube video or infographic online, share it with them! Read a good book that opened your eyes to an eco issue? Recommend it to a friend! Suggest a list of people they can follow to get inspired. You get the idea. Here are my lists of books, movies, podcasts, and people to follow.

DO: do stuff together and help them

Remember where you were when you first started your eco journey? Probably overwhelmed with the amount of information, yet still having no idea where to start. That sure was me. So, be hands-on with the person you’re trying to help kickstart their zero-waste life. Build a compost bin together, research recycling rules so that you both get a refresher, take a trip to the refill store together, and learn the rules on how it works. You get the idea. It’s much more fun to do it with a friend, and it can feel so much less daunting to have someone guiding you along the way.

DO: Start small

And, bonus tip, start with easy swaps. For example, it’s going to be hard to convince your household to try something “weird” like reusable toilet paper, but it’s probably very easy to buy recycled toilet paper and offer that for everyone to use since it’s so much like “normal” TP. It’s going to be much easier to switch to an eco soap or laundry detergent than it will be to get everyone on board using hankies and line drying their clothes.

Remind people that they don’t have to go big, that they don’t have to implement every single swap on the market, and that they don’t have to do it all. No one has to do it all. If they want to start with just one swap and call it a day, that is still better than using zero swaps. Let this be a reminder to you, too, to celebrate their small steps and not put that pressure on them to match you where you are overnight. You didn’t get here overnight, and they won’t either, and that’s okay.

DO: start with the people closest to you

It’s much easier to influence your spouse, friends, household, or roommate than it is a stranger. Start small and start with the people who trust you the most and are in closest proximity to you. People often ask, “How in the world did I convince my husband to get on board with all of this?!” And, I didn’t. No convincing was needed. I just started small and made swaps that really did not affect our household.

I swapped to bamboo toilet paper and eco detergent and silicone baking mats and eco shampoo and he really didn’t care as long as he had something to wash his hands and do the laundry with. Sure, some of the bigger swaps required some conversations, such as building a clothesline together, but by that point we were like 4 years in so it wasn’t weird at that point.

But, of course, this doesn’t mean you can FORCE people that are close to you to do anything.

DO: find their “why”

Everyone has a different reason for living an eco life. Maybe it’s to save the animals. Maybe they want clean water and clean air. Maybe they’re sick of microplastics. Whatever it is, ask them and talk about it! This can make people feel seen and heard. And it can also help you be a good leader now that you know where to start.

If someone’s biggest concern is microplastics, they probably won’t feel too excited about trying a bidet or starting a compost. But they may be very excited to try the refill store or a bamboo toothbrush.

And this can also be a great conversation starter for those who are not eco-minded at all. If someone doesn’t care about the planet, give them a selfish reason to go zero waste. Zero waste saves me $1000s every single year. That would encourage people on a budget to go low waste even if they don’t care about the planet.

DO: celebrate wins and be encouraging

Yes, even when they make mistakes. Again, judgment gets us nowhere! If someone recycles something incorrectly, correct them to prevent future wishcycling, but be kind about it. Serve up the complement sandwich:

“Hey, I see you’re trying to recycle more, that’s amazing!”

“But, unfortunately, our rules here state that we cannot recycle Styrofoam, so that will have to be moved to the trash.”

“We all learn at different times, it’s not a big deal. Just keep learning and move forward!”

But, this also goes with true wins, too. Maybe they’re excited to show you their new eco toothpaste they’re trying, be their hype person! Maybe you catch them bringing a reusable coffee shop on your next cafe date, hype them up! Encouragement goes a LONG way!

DON’T: spread doom and increase eco-anxiety

Yes, even if you are eco-anxious yourself. Sure, fear may be a good motivator for some people, but it can also really deter others from ever trying. I find it best to focus on positive things, such as emphasizing that our small actions matter and that we still have a lot of power even as little guys in this system.

Yes, you can share facts, even scary ones. But it’s one thing to share an alarming statistic, and it’s another thing to claim that this means it’s the end of the world. In fact, Hannah Ritchie talks about this a lot in her book, “Not the End of the World.” We shouldn’t shy away from sharing facts just because the facts are scary, but that doesn’t mean we have to blow them out of proportion and become the world’s biggest pessimist.

Let this be your reminder to quash this online, too. If you see this rhetoric, kindly correct people and refrain from sharing this type of content. It gets us nowhere.

I’m sure there is more where this came from, so let us know your tips below for how you inspire others to live a sustainable life!

I hope this helps! It is SO important for us to encourage and uplift one another and continue the traction for the zero waste movement. I think inspiring others to join is one of the best things we can do as individuals for the planet.

Good work to you for wanting to inspire others. It’s not easy, but it’s so worth it to get comments like these!

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma