1.0Melbourne Magazinehttps://magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.aurich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content"><a href="https://magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au/inspiration-from-a-zero-waste-expert/">Inspiration from a zero-waste expert</a></blockquote> <script type='text/javascript'> <!--//--><![CDATA[//><!-- /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(d.addEventListener)e=!0;if(d.wp=d.wp||{},!d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(t)if(t.secret||t.message||t.value)if(!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){var r,a,i,s,n,o=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]');for(r=0;r<c.length;r++)c[r].style.display="none";for(r=0;r<o.length;r++)if(a=o[r],e.source===a.contentWindow){if(a.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(i=parseInt(t.value,10)))i=1e3;else if(~~i<200)i=200;a.height=i}if("link"===t.message)if(s=l.createElement("a"),n=l.createElement("a"),s.href=a.getAttribute("src"),n.href=t.value,n.host===s.host)if(l.activeElement===a)d.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),d.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(!o){o=!0;var e,t,r,a,i=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),s=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11\./),n=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content");for(t=0;t<n.length;t++){if(!(r=n[t]).getAttribute("data-secret"))a=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),r.src+="#?secret="+a,r.setAttribute("data-secret",a);if(i||s)(e=r.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute("security"),r.parentNode.replaceChild(e,r)}}}}(window,document); //--><!]]> </script><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au/inspiration-from-a-zero-waste-expert/embed/" width="600" height="338" title="“Inspiration from a zero-waste expert” — Melbourne Magazine" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe>https://magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/01_MN_OctDec19_Cover_Erin-th.jpg384344Six years ago, Erin Rhoads ate plastic-packaged takeaway food and shopped online for fast fashion. Today, she can fit all the waste she creates in a year in a single jar. From simple cleaning solutions to planning a zero-waste wedding, Erin shares everything she’s learnt on her journey through her blog, books, and at events like Melbourne Knowledge Week. We asked Erin to share a little about how she lives waste-free in Melbourne. What inspired you to embark on your zero-waste journey, and how has it changed your life? I was inspired to try the zero-waste lifestyle after I watched The Clean Bin Project and took on the challenge to reduce my plastic use. There were many unexpected benefits, such as eating healthy food, saving money, supporting my local community, finding joy in moments instead of things,  enjoying a slower paced life, and of course not taking the bin out. At the beginning it was hard to give up junk food. I had no idea how much processed food I ate until I tried to reduce my packaging waste. Over time it gets easier to live without Tim Tams and chips, then one day it’s not missed anymore. Now I prefer to visit a bakery or local maker for a treat, using my own containers or bags. What would you say to someone who wants to create less waste? Where’s a good place to start? Up to 40 per cent of what we put into our bins is made up of food scraps, leftovers and forgotten food. This organic matter doesn’t break down in landfill as it’s not exposed to air or the microorganisms needed for it to decompose naturally. Instead it creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Sitting down to write a shopping list is a great first step …