While moving towards a zero-waste lifestyle might seem expensive, confusing, or just entirely daunting, there are small changes you can make in your life that make a big difference for the planet. Often, the problem with making these changes is just knowing where to begin.
Today we’ve listed five Instagram accounts that focus on sustainability. From tips on reducing food waste and consciously shopping for products that are better for the environment to showcasing delicious vegan options, living a sustainable lifestyle has never been easier to achieve or more inspiring.
Lauren Singer | @trashisfortossers
With the mission of making the world less trashy, Lauren Singer is the mind behind the account @trashisfortossers and the founder of The Package Free Shop. Both accounts act as an aesthetically pleasing guide to cut methane, ban single-use plastic, and end oil subsidies. Lauren’s images are all gorgeous and accompanied by approachable, relatable, and downright educational topics. One of her recent posts showcases how jewelry can be highly “trashy,” so she shares ways to cut down on waste, including buying second-hand jewelry. She also shares beautiful products that are zero-waste, and she’s the queen of making sustainability gorgeous and attainable.
THE ZERO WASTE GUIDE | @thezerowasteguide
The Zero Waste Guide beautifully showcases how to trade what you’re used to for something more sustainable and better for the environment. The account often shows one image, titled “Old Me,” and places it next to another image titled, “New Me.” The pics showcase manageable ways to swap out the old, not-so-environmentally friendly items with more sustainable ones. Think of a plastic toothbrush compared to a bamboo toothbrush.
The Zero Waste guide also has hundreds of other posts guiding you to lead a more sustainable life in ways that you might not have previously thought of, like storing an apple with your potatoes to prevent early sprouting. This account shares the manageable yet entirely effective things everyone can do.
Isaias Hernandez | @queerbrownvegan
Hailing from Los Angeles and now living in NYC, Isaias Hernandez grew up facing environmental injustices. But, instead of letting these inequalities knock him down, he spent his time learning about the environment and what he could do to help make a difference. Isaias now runs the Queer Brown Vegan account full time, showcasing topics ranging from veganism, zero-waste, and environmental injustices. His Instagram is wildly engaging and entertaining. I mean, do you know what “Goblincore” is? We didn’t, but now we do, and we’re into it (think Cottagecore but the aesthetic leans more into the dirt and mushrooms aspect.) Follow this account for digestible knowledge.
Waste Free Planet | @wastefreeplanet
Waste Free Planet is an account that will truly empower you to make sustainable choices. While each picture is gorgeous, it’s the captions that genuinely stand out. For example, the extra-large bowl of pasta gets captioned with an entire vegan recipe, the pic of the stunning garden comes with tips on what and how to plant your own, and the low-waste pantry image shares every single detail of what’s inside. There’s no lack of content within this feed, and with over 2,500 posts, you’ll learn the endless knowledge there is to know about sustainability.
Megean | @zerowastenerd
From Kansas City, Megean is on her journey to becoming as zero waste as possible. Inspired to become more connected with food and improve her quality of life, her journey is refreshing and full of passion. Megean’s account shows bite-sized tips, often through fun illustrations. For example, did you know that a person who eats a plant-based diet saves 1110 gallons of water a day? Did you know that thread cotton can get composted? Or how about using carrot tops (not the comedian) to make pesto? I didn’t, but now I do, thanks to Zero Waste Nerd.
