How to Perform a Personal Waste Audit

Oh. My. Goodness. EcoWarriors, we MADE IT. We made it through 2020 and I refuse to accept anything less than an upswing from 2021. Are you with me?? 🙋‍♀️

We’ve got a really inspiring thread over in the EcoWarrior Pod Facebook group of wins from the last year. If you haven’t joined us yet, get your tail over to that link! Then drop your win from the year so we can CELEBRATE you!

In honor of the new year, let’s start with the very beginning. The one thing that will really kickstart our sustainable journeys - whether you’re just getting started or you’re a veteran EcoWarrior.

A waste audit.

Now, hear me out. A Google search for “how to do a personal waste audit” will get you tons of results for complex waste audit templates, or audits that require tarps and scales and personal protective equipment. Let me tell you - that’s completely unnecessary.

But before we get into the how, let’s chat about why a personal waste audit matters.

Here’s the thing. We all want to do our part to protect our home. But sometimes we don’t know where to start.

This is where a waste audit comes in.

A waste audit helps us better understand our waste - what we’re throwing away, and more importantly what we’re throwing away the most. This gives us a starting point. We can start to make small changes that will have the biggest impact in our life.

Because sustainable living is a highly personal journey. No two journeys will look the same. You need to do what works for YOU.

But before we can reduce our waste, we have to understand our waste.

I’ve created a super-handy personal waste audit template for you, my friend. This is the same template I use when I do my waste audits. I like to do them a couple times a year. It helps keep me on track and focused on my efforts.

This template is designed to be easy-peasy, to help you get the most out of your sustainable living journey, without overwhelm or guilt, and especially without digging through your trash can.

Remember, a waste audit always and no matter what comes without guilt. We aren’t judging ourselves for the trash we create, we’re simply trying to better understand it so we can make positive changes. Give yourself grace, friend. You deserve it.

✨ Get The Waste Audit Template ✨

Happiest of new years, EcoWarrior. I can’t wait to see all the good you do this year.