There is no such thing as waste in our garden (and yours, too!)

Hey there readers. I know it's been a long time (two weeks felt like forever!) since my last post.

I've had this idea for a new blog post, but I had to park it for a while due to work commitments. This next topic profoundly interests me, so this post will be super fun to write.

In this world of a disastrous combination of obsessing over owning new things and thinking that we have an endless supply of resources and indestructible planet earth, we need a great awakening. Because we all know where they go next – they end up in landfills where they release pollutants and a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

This was how we used to be, and we thought we would be like that for as long as we can. But when the bin keeps piling up with one garbage after another, we realised we are better than this. Because we all deserve to live on this beautiful planet as much as any other creature. And it is never too late to stop messing up and tearing it apart, starting with improving the way we deal with our mounting waste problem.

Here is how we do it. Every time we buy something, we always think of how we can reuse, recycle, and reduce "waste." Because everything is and can still be useful, we ask ourselves – how can we repurpose them? The answer is always apparent: we can breathe new life into used items, starting in our tiny balcony garden.

We are still far from the ideal zero-waste lifestyle, but as a common saying goes, any transformative change takes one step at a time. Moving to this circular economy way of living and thinking is not hard. The truth is, it takes a little inspiration and creativity (not to mention our commitment to lowering our environmental impact) to turn these seemingly useless objects into useful tools.

Here are a few that make up my favourite list. My DIY skills are still somewhat rough in the edges, so don't expect to see fabulous upcycling ideas here (lol).

Have fun with the humble STICK

Are you looking for the perfect soil cultivator and more? Especially for small potted plants, I use free materials like used barbecue sticks or chopsticks to mix in compost, make a small hole in the soil when I am sowing seeds, or as plant supports.

Plastic SPOONS, KNIVES, and FORKS are more than just utensils

Buying reusable utensils is always a better option, but in case you have those pesky plastic utensils from take-outs, don't toss them to the trash bin just yet. Just like the humble stick, these little ones get the soil cultivating job done.

Rethink before tossing a PLASTIC BOTTLE into the bin

With little effort, we can repurpose plastic bottles into useful garden assistants. Whether as a water sprinkler, self-watering planter, or plant protector to seedlings, there is no shortage of ideas for recycling/upcycling these bottles in fun and creative ways.

Boba up the garden with MILK TEA CUPS

If you're struggling to cut back on your bubble tea cravings, at least let's make our gardens love the teacups (and the sinful tapioca balls lol) as much as we do. While you are on it, choose the ones with matching saucers.

Throwing away plastic FOOD CONTAINERS is wasteful

Let's get our hands dirty and creative with occasional (hopefully!) takeaway food containers. From planters, seedling starters, to saucers, luckily for me, incorporating these babies into gardening makes our projects cheaper – not to mention better for the environment.

Juice and milk BOXES: What are they for?

Well, you can, of course, use it for several different purposes. Made of plastic, paper, and aluminium foil, these waterproof boxes are perfect materials for constructing low-cost housing (lol) for our edibles.

Leftover embroidery strings for one-of-a-kind plant hanger

Those knotted string hanging planters are way too expensive! Why buy when you can make one from scratch and recycled materials, right? With a little bit of help from tutorials' scores online, I managed to pass macramé class with almost flying colours, literally (lol).

Eggshells and banana peels – our DIY fertilizer

All you need are eggshells, Epsom salt, banana peels and a partner who can't get enough of them (minus Epsom salt, of course, lol). This DIY paste called CAMP (calcium, magnesium, potassium) has been our go-to natural fertiliser for our edibles. A fellow gardener said it looks like a "bowl of very thick Chinese medicine" lol. It may not look delicious for us mortals, but our plants seem to love it.

A crafty little wicking set up is super easy with GARTERS

There are simple ways to keep our green babies watered while when we are out of town. Let's complete our recycled self-watering juice boxes with a wick cord. I found something that works, and you know what, it's free: garters from old clothes and undergarments (lol).

We can do more, and we should

This post and our shared experiences show that we can save our hard-earned cash and, more importantly, do our bit to protect the environment.

Of course, we should not limit this way of thinking to just garden activities. We can make a difference in every aspect of our lives every day. Whether at home, in the office, in schools, or the community, we can positively impact global sustainability efforts. The possibilities are endless.

It matters because we know too well that our future and other generations' hinges on what we do now. Our gardens are one of the best places to start this incredible journey.

What about you? Inspire us by leaving a note in the comments.

#DIYprojects #zerowaste #gardeningatitsbest #circulareconomy