The concept can be summarized by the 5 R's rule:

Refuse: say no to useless, disposable products such as free goodies, straws, plastic bags....

Reduce: reduce the amount of waste we produce. We buy in bulk and we avoid overpackaged consumables.

Reuse: instead of throwing away, we find a new use for our products and their packaging. For example, we can keep the glass jars to do our shopping in bulk.

Recycle: sorting our waste correctly allows us to give it a second life.

Give back to the earth: compost your organic waste to give back to the earth a little of what it gives us.

But how is the 0 waste life when you travel in a van?

In fact, it's not much different from everyday life! To make the most of your trip while being responsible, all you need to do is develop a few habits and plan ahead.

The concept can be summarized by the 5 R's rule:

Refuse: say no to useless, disposable products such as free goodies, straws, plastic bags....

Reduce: reduce the amount of waste we produce. We buy in bulk and we avoid overpackaged consumables.

Reuse: instead of throwing away, we find a new use for our products and their packaging. For example, we can keep the glass jars to do our shopping in bulk.

Recycle: sorting our waste correctly allows us to give it a second life.

Give back to the earth: compost your organic waste to give back to the earth a little of what it gives us.

But how is the 0 waste life when you travel in a van?

In fact, it's not much different from everyday life! To make the most of your trip while being responsible, all you need to do is develop a few habits and plan ahead.

In the bathroom, you won't need much. Indeed, for the most daring, Aleppo soap will do the trick on many points! Made of olive oil and bay laurel oil, it is good for the skin and for the planet. It can be used for hand washing, as well as for body and face washing. It can even be used as toothpaste. Yes, yes, it can do everything!

The goal of zero waste is also to leave no trace of our passage in nature. You can also use a solid shampoo, with as many plant-based ingredients as possible, so as not to throw harmful waste into nature.

Don't use disposable products, let alone single-use ones. Think about washable cotton pads, oriculi, washable menstrual pants and sanitary napkins, solid toothpaste and wooden or bamboo toothbrushes (with interchangeable heads, even better).

And of course we do not forget the biodegradable toilet paper!

Let's move on to the kitchen corner! And, plot twist, we will talk about Aleppo soap again. Indeed, it can also be used to wash the dishes and avoid rejecting water that is harmful to the environment.

We store all our food in glass jars, which we will reuse when we go shopping in bulk. If we are dry, we look for stores that sell in bulk around us. If we don't find any, we buy food packaged in recyclable packaging, and we prioritize fruits and vegetables, which don't need to be packaged. In addition, these purchases without packaging take up less space in the fridge!

You will also think to take your gourd, not to buy a plastic bottle. We put ceramic pearls at the bottom of the gourd, to neutralize all the negative agents in the water (limestone, nitrates...). On the other hand, you have to clean regularly the gourd and its pearls with vinegar to remove all the microbes.

If you have leftovers that need to be covered, opt for tupperware or bee wrap, which replaces cellophane and can be reused for years.

For the household, we use white vinegar, which cleans without polluting.

If you really have waste, there is still one solution: the trash can. After sorting through cans, cardboard and glass, you still have food waste. Find a large insulated box that can be stored in the car. Make sure it is well closed to avoid odors and spills. Don't forget to empty and clean it when you come across a public trash can.