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Is Living Zero Waste Expensive?

Looking at the Financial Side of Living Zero Waste

Apart of zero waste that I was truly interested in researching was looking to see if it was more or less expensive to live a zero waste lifestyle. Disclaimer, this is not a full research report on whether its is economically beneficial to live zero waste or not. This post compares everyday box store items to biodegradable or zero waste options. The grocery store used to find the prices of the box store items was a Super Savers. This grocery store was chosen because of the bulk food section. This purpose of this post is to inform on the alternative zero waste options for everyday items.







Quaker Instant Oatmeal vs. Bulk Organic Quick Oats













The Quaker Instant Oatmeal sold in individual 1/2 cup servings (serving per container is 10) is $2.98. 1 pound (10 servings of 1/2 cup) of Organic Quick Oats from the bulk section at Super Savers is $1.68. To make purchasing the bulk quick oats zero waste don't use the provided plastic bags, bring your own container or jar. In conclusion buying the Organic Quick Oats is less expensive as long as you already own a container. By bringing your own container and purchasing in bulk you are eliminating paperboard and packaging that would end up in the landfill. In this case zero waste and bulk wins this comparison. 

Plastic Toothbrush vs. Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrush





















At Super Savers the least expensive plastic toothbrush cost $0.78. Since I was unable to find a Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrush that was sold in stores, I turned to good old trusty Amazon. There is a four-pack of Biodegradable Eco-Friendly Natural Bamboo Charcoal Toothbrushes sold on Amazon for $5.99. The seller claims that these four toothbrushes will last a person one year, but I found a blog post gives some tips on how to make it last longer. In order for a bamboo toothbrush to be ready to be composted the bristles need to be removed. How to Care for a Bamboo Toothbrush gives tips on how to do this. Financially, purchasing a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush is more expensive, but if you consider the environmental benefits it outweighs the cheaper price of a plastic toothbrush.

Suave Body Wash vs. Plaine Products Body Wash Subscription

The least expensive body wash that I could find at Super Savers was Suave, which cost $1.88 a bottle.  There are a number of zero waste alternatives for body wash; such as bar soap. I choose to compare the store bought body wash to Plaine Products Body Wash Subscription because I found it to be the more zero waste and eco-friendly option. Plaine Products is a company that offers a subscription service of organic and vegan products. For the purpose of this comparison I chose a 2 month frequency for the subscription. That comes to a total of $27.50 (not including shipping) every two months.








Reusable Water Bottle vs. Disposable Bottled Water

The zero waste option wins this comparison. Purchasing a quality reusable water bottle is far less expensive then continuing to purchase disposable bottled water. A high quality stainless steel water bottle from Amazon. The one chosen for this comparison is a high quality 16 oz plastic free water bottle. This case of 16.9 oz Nestle Bottle water is $7.50 on Amazon. To learn more on why you should stop purchasing disposable bottled water, check out Items to Kickstart Your Zero Waste Lifestyle.










Conclusion and final thoughts

Through this little experiment I have come to the conclusion that buying in bulk at the grocery store can save a few dollars here and there, but when it comes to the price of non-food products it is more expensive to purchase the zero waste option. I feel as if the reason for why some zero waste products are more expensive is because they are not as widely sold, produced and consumed compared to the non-zero waste options. I predict that the cost and availability of zero waste options will continue to grow as more and more people accept the fact that these purchases are a necessary step in bettering the environment. Initially there can be upfront costs, but if high quality products are purchased they should last longer and be worth the initial cost. I personally think that spending the extract money is worth it.



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