The Benefits of Zero Waste in Times of Crisis

Zero waste in times of crisis. There have rarely been moments when I was so happy to live a zero waste lifestyle. So simply relying on reusable items instead of disposable ones. It started in my 20s with the menstrual cup (no more tampons at home) and continues into my 30s (always cloth diapers at home).

Here I'll tell you my favorite waste savers that save me the trip to the drugstore during the self-imposed quarantine and why you should never throw away old towels:

Menstrual cup instead of tampons, cloth pads instead of disposable pads . You can find reusable pads, tampons and our period cup here. If you don't have one available, you can sew yourself a three-layer pad from an old towel.

Diapers instead of cloth diapers. I recommend getting online advice before you buy. Instead of disposable pads, we use old towels. We also use old, cut-up towels as wet wipes, which we simply wet just before changing diapers. Since you have time and are at home anyway, I highly recommend looking into the topic of "diaper-free" or elimination communication. - Kitchen towels and rags instead of kitchen roll. Simply cut the rag out of old clothes and kitchen towels. Most people have them at home, right?

Cloth handkerchiefs instead of tissues . We have them in the online shop. Or if you need to, you can make them yourself: Simply cut an old T-shirt into 20cm x 20cm pieces. If you have a sewing machine, sew the edges together.

HappyPo saves huge amounts of toilet paper . Simply spray down with water and only use toilet paper to dry yourself. If you haven't managed to get a butt shower, you can simply fill a small bottle with water and rinse yourself with it. You can dry yourself off with a small, old towel. But please everyone use their own.

Photo by Katja Vogt for "Einfach Familie Leben"