When I say that, people think that I'm crazy, or that I'm lying,

通常我這麼說的時候其他人覺得我瘋了，或我騙人

or they'll ask me questions like:

或他們會問我：

"Hey. So, how do you wipe your butt?"

「嘿，那你怎麼擦屁股？」

I live a zero waste lifestyle,

我過著零垃圾的生活

and I have for the past 3 years.

而且我已經這樣生活三年了

Now, zero waste, that's a pretty big idea. Right?

零垃圾，聽起來是個很籠統的想法，對吧？

So let me define it for you.

讓我解釋給你們聽

To me living zero waste means that I don't make any trash.

對我來說，零垃圾生活就是不製造任何垃圾

So no sending anything to landfill, no sending anything in a garbage can,

不送任何東西到掩埋場、不丟任何東西到垃圾桶

and no spitting gum on the ground, and walking away.

不吐口香糖在地上然後走掉

Right? No trash.

對吧？沒有垃圾

This is a big concept, and this all started

這是很宏觀的概念，而這一切開始於

when I was an environmental study student at NYU.

我在紐約大學主修環境研究的時候

My senior year, I was taking a course called:

大四那年我修了一門課，叫做：

"The Environmental Studies Capstone course",

「高等環境研究實務課程」

which is the culminating course that all environmental study students need to take

這是所有主修環境研究的學生都必須修的課

in order to go out into the world, and make it a more sustainable place.

目的是要我們在世界各地散播理念以及致力讓世界變得更永續發展

Well, there was a girl in this class,

班上有個女生

and every class she would have this big plastic bag,

每次上課她都會提著大塑膠袋

with a plastic clamshell full of food,

裡面有裝滿食物的塑膠瓶罐

a plastic fork and knife, a plastic water bottle,

塑膠刀叉、塑膠水瓶

and a plastic bag of chips,

還有塑膠袋裝的洋芋片

and she would eat all of this,

她會把這些全部吃掉

and then class after class, would just throw it in the trash.

然後每次都直接全部丟進垃圾桶

This was really frustrating, because here we were

這讓我覺得很失落，因為我們身為

these environmental study students trying to make the world a better place,

環境研究的學生，我們應該要努力讓世界變得更好

and there she was, throwing all this stuff into the garbage.

但是她卻這樣不斷把這些東西丟進垃圾桶

One day after class,

有一天下課後

feeling still particularly upset about watching her throw everything away,

看著她再次把全部塑膠製品丟到垃圾桶，我感到特別難過

I went home to make dinner,

我回家準備做晚餐

and I opened my fridge,

我打開冰箱

and noticed something that I had never seen before.

發現我從沒注意過的事情

Every single thing in my fridge was in one way or another packaged in plastic,

我冰箱裡的每一樣東西都用各種塑膠包裝著

and I couldn't believe it.

我難以置信

You know I was getting so mad at this girl for making so much plastic trash,

我剛剛還因為那個製造很多塑膠垃圾的女生而生氣

and it turns out that I was just as bad.

但實際上我跟她做的事是一樣的。

I was that girl, and so I made a decision in that moment.

我就是那個女生，所以我當下做了一個決定

I was going to stop using plastic.

我不要再用塑膠了

Well, quitting plastic --

恩，戒掉塑膠...

not so easy of a thing. Right?

不是件容易的事，對吧？

When you think about your everyday life,

你想想看自己的日常生活

when you wake up in the morning, go into the bathroom, and you brush your teeth.

早上醒來後走進浴室開始刷牙

What is your toothbrush made out of?

牙刷是用什麼做的？

Plastic.

塑膠

What is your toothpaste probably packaged in?

牙膏是用什麼裝的？

(Audience) Plastic.

(觀眾說) 塑膠

Your face wash, your moisturizer, your contact solution.

洗面乳、乳液、隱形眼鏡藥水

So many things that are in our everyday lives come packaged in plastic,

我們的日常生活中有這麼多東西用塑膠包裝

and so I realized that if I was going to move away from plastic,

所以我發現如果我想要遠離塑膠

the only way that I was going to be able to do that

唯一可行的方法就是

was to learn how to make my products myself.

學會自己做這些東西

Well, I don't know about you,

恩，我不知道你們會不會

but I certainly didn't know how to make deodorant.

但我完全不知道怎麼做除臭劑

I didn't have the recipe just hanging out in my back pocket,

我口袋裡沒有現成的製作方法

and so I realized that I had to do some research,

所以我發現我必須先做一些研究

and while I was doing research online, I came across a blog called

我在網路找資料的時候看到一個部落格叫做

the "Zero Waste Home" started by a woman named Bea Johnson

「零垃圾家庭」，是由一名叫貝雅強森的女性建立的

who is a wife, and mother of 2 kids, out in Mill Valley, California,

她住在加州密爾維利，不僅是妻子，也是兩個孩子的媽

and the 4 of them live a completely zero waste life.

他們一家四口過著完全零垃圾的生活

When I learned about Bea, and her family, my mind was completely blown.

我進一步了解貝雅和她的家庭之後，我如夢初醒

I thought that I was doing the best thing for the planet

我以為不用任何塑膠就是

by not using any plastic.

對地球最好的了

But the idea that I didn't have to produce any trash,

但是我不用製造任何垃圾的這個想法

was so empowering, and so inspiring,

太強而有力，太令人雀躍了

and it made perfect sense. Right?

這很有道理，對吧？

Because I was this Environmental Studies student,

因為我是環境研究的學生

I cared about the environment, studied sustainability,

我在乎環境，我研究過

talked about sustainability, protested for sustainability.

與人討論過永續發展，也為此抗議過

But I realized, that I wasn't actually implementing any of those values

但我到那時候才發現，我其實沒有在我日常生活中

into my day-to-day life, and so I made the decision to go zero waste.

真正實現其中的任何一項理念，所以我決定開始零垃圾生活

Let me break it down for you, and tell you some of the things

我會一部分一部分說明，告訴你們一些

that I did in order to make this transition a little easier.

我已經做過的事情好讓想開始零垃圾生活的人生活轉變時更容易些

The first thing that I did was I stopped buying packaged food.

我做的第一件事就是不再買包裝好的食物

So instead of going to the store, and buying things packaged

我不再去商店買包裝好的東西

in paper, and glass, and plastic, I started bringing my own jars,

不論包裝是紙、玻璃還是塑膠，我開始帶自己的罐子

and bags to the store to fill with bulk, or package-free items.

還有袋子去店裡裝東西

I also started buying my fruit, and vegetables from the farmer's market.

我同時也開始自己到農產品市場買水果還有蔬菜

So, package-free.

這樣就免除包裝了

The second thing that I started doing

第二件事情是

was I started making all of my own products.

我開始自己製作所有的生活用品

Before I started living this lifestyle, my boyfriend at the time,

在我開始這個生活方式之前，我當時的男朋友

used to brush his teeth using baking soda,

用小蘇打刷牙

and I thought he was probably the grossest person in the entire world. Right?

我當時覺得他應該是世界上最噁心的人，對吧？

There's no way that you can get your teeth clean

用小蘇打這種東西根本不可能

using something like baking soda, it's gross.

把牙齒刷乾淨，這太噁心了

Well fast-forward, and it turns out that the first product that I made

然而後來，我做的第一個東西就是

was toothpaste, made with baking soda.

用小蘇打做的牙膏

So overtime I started making all of my own products.

我慢慢開始製作我需要的全部日用品

When I would run out of something, instead of going to the store,

我用完其中一項東西的時候，我不會去商店

and buying a new one, I would learn how to make it myself.

買新的，而是學會自己製作

So when I would run out of lotion, I learned how to make it myself.

乳液用完的時候，我學會自製乳液

Run out of deodorant, learn how to make it myself.

除臭劑用完的時候，我學會自製除臭劑

Over time, all of the things I had previously purchased,

日復一日，我以前購買的所有東西

were now, ones that I made myself.

現在都換成我自製的了

The third thing that I started doing, was shopping second-hand.

第三件事情是逛二手店

So instead of buying new clothing,

我不再買新衣服

and putting new waste into the waste cycle,

或對廢棄物循環增加新垃圾

I would buy things that were totally recycled, second-hand.

我轉而買回收的、二手的東西

So not making any new trash.

這樣就不會製造新垃圾了

The fourth thing that I did was I downsized.

第四件事是輕化生活

So I focused on having only the things that were truly necessary,

我只留下真的必須

and that I really needed.

或需要的東西

Well this was really, really hard

這真的真的很難

because I'm the kind of person who's really sentimental,

因為我是非常感性的人

and I can tell you as to why a toothpick needs to be in my life.

我可以告訴你為什麼一隻牙籤必須在我的生活中

But after I really got through that process, and I completely downsized,

但我真的經歷這個過程之後，我完全輕化我的生活了

I realized that I had so many fewer things in my life,

我發現我生活中少了好多東西

my home was less cluttered, and everything was easier to clean.

我的家變得更整齊，而且全部的東西都更好清理了

And when you have fewer things

擁有較少東西的時候

you realize that you take better care of them. Right?

往往更能用心照顧這些東西，對吧？

So, when you take better care of your things you don't have this mentality like:

如果你更用心照顧你的東西，就不會有這種想法：

"If I don't want this anymore, I'll just throw it out and I get a new thing later."

「如果我不想要這個了，我可以丟掉再買新的。」

No, I only had a few things and so I took care of them,

不，我只有這些東西，我要好好照顧他們

and wasn't sending anything to the landfill.

我不會丟掉任何一樣

All this must sound pretty difficult. Right?

這些聽起來都很難，對吧？

I assure you, it's not that hard.

我跟你們保證，沒有那麼難

I'm just an average, lazy person,

我是一個懶惰的平凡 人

and I wouldn't live this lifestyle if it was difficult.

如果這種生活方式很難，我就不會這樣做了

In fact the benefits of living this lifestyle

事實上這種生活方式的好處遠比

far outweigh any of the negatives that you can imagine.

你可以想到的壞處多

The first benefit is that I save money.

首先，我因此能夠存錢

So I save money when I buy my food,

我買食物還有商品的同時就在存錢

and the products, and when I make my own products,

還有我自製生活用品的時候

because I'm not paying for the embedded cost a packaging,

因為我不用支付包含在商品價格中的包裝費

so things are cheaper.

這樣一來東西變得更便宜了

I'm also saving money by shopping completely second-hand,

同時，逛二手店也是我可以存錢的原因

because second-hand clothing is usually less expensive than new clothing.

二手衣物通常都比新的便宜

I'm also saving money because I've downsized.

而輕化生活也能讓我存錢

I don't go shopping all the time now

我現在不常逛街

and you know just buy things on impulse.

也不會衝動購物

I only have what I really need.

我只有我真正需要的東西

The second benefit is that I eat better.

第二個好處是我吃得更健康了

When I go shopping now I don't have the option to buy processed food products,

現在我每次買東西的時候，我不會考慮要買加工食品

package-free, and so now my diet consists of things like fresh fruit and vegetables,

或是未包裝商品，所以我的飲食現在只有像是新鮮蔬果類

or bulk greens, and nuts that I buy with my jars and my bags.

或是大量葉菜類、堅果類等等我能用我的罐子和袋子裝的東西

And so when you eat better, you feel better.

吃得健康就會活得健康

Over these past few years, I've noticed that my weight has stabilized,

過去這幾年來我發現我的體重趨於穩定

I have more energy, I need less sleep,

我更有精神，也不需要大量睡眠補充體力

and when you're eating better, and you feel better,

吃得健康就會活得健康

and you save money, you're happier.

這樣不僅能存錢，心情也會變好

But besides those things I'm happier, because for the first time in my life,

但排除這些不說，我感到開心的原因是我人生中第一次

I'm living in direct alignment with my values.

完全與我的價值理念為伍

And why is this important? Right? Waste.

為什麼這很重要，對吧？垃圾

Well, waste is a really big problem.

垃圾是個很大的問題

In fact the average American person

其實一般美國人

produces approximately 4.4 pounds of trash per person per day.

平均每人每天製造出大約4.4磅的垃圾(大約2公斤)

Over the course of a year, that's like taking 8.5 of your best friends,

一整年下來，就是像把8.5個好朋友

and throwing them in the trash.

丟到垃圾桶裡

Don't do that, it's not nice.

不要這樣，這樣不好

So, if you care about your friends, and you don't throw them away,

所以如果你在乎你的朋友，你不想把他們丟掉

and you think that it's possible for you

而且你認為自己有可能

to reduce how much trash you're producing,

減少多少正在製造的垃圾量

I have 3 simple steps for you.

我可以給你三個簡單的步驟

The first step is to actually look at your trash, and understand what it is.

第一步是實際去觀察你的垃圾，了解都是些什麼東西

Because you can't solve a problem of having a lot of waste

除非你知道你的垃圾裡面有什麼

until you know what is it.

不然你沒辦法解決製造很多垃圾這個問題

So when I did this exercise,

我這麼做的時候

I realized that I had 3 main sources of trash.

我發現我的垃圾主要有三個來源

The first was food packaging,

第一個是食品包裝

and so I learned how to shop in bulk or package-free.

所以我學會不買包裝好的食物

The second was product packaging,

第二個是日用品包裝

and so I learned how to make all of my own products.

所以我學會自製日用品

And the third was organic food waste, and so I learned how to compost.

第三個是廚餘，所以我學會堆肥

And just by identifying those 3 sources of waste and eliminating them,

光是分析出三種垃圾來源並日漸減少它們的量直到幾乎沒有

I have reduced my trash by about 90%.

我就已經減少大概90%的垃圾了

The second thing that I'd like to suggest is picking at the low-hanging fruit.

第二步，我建議先挑可以輕易達成的事情做

So doing little things, one-time changes in your everyday life

也就是做一些小事情，從日常生活中慢慢一小步一小步改變

that have a large-scale, and long-term positive impact.

其實卻有巨大又長遠的正面影響

This includes things like using a reusable bag instead of a plastic or paper bag.

就像是不用塑膠袋或紙袋，改用可重複使用的袋子

Or using a stainless steel, or glass water bottle,

用不鏽鋼或是玻璃製的水瓶

instead of buying plastic water bottles.

不要買塑膠瓶裝水

Over the course of however long, you realize that these little changes

長期下來，你會發現這些小小的改變

actually add up, and make a big difference.

其實會日積月累，讓生活變得非常不一樣

The third thing that I'd like to suggest is the DIY

第三步是DIY

or actually learning how to make your products yourself.

或真的去學怎麼自製東西

Now I absolutely love doing this because when you go to a store,

我真的很愛做這些東西，因為當你進去一間店

and you have to buy products you kind of have to settle,

你需要買東西，但是常常必須屈服

and accept them as they are. Right?

被迫接受商品的樣貌，對吧？

If you don't like the way they smell, too bad.

如果你不喜歡它們的味道，那很糟但沒得選

If you don't like the way they feel, sorry.

如果你不喜歡它們的觸感，很抱歉但也沒的選

If you don't like what they're packaged in, you don't have a choice.

如果你不喜歡它們的包裝，那也沒辦法

But for me, since I make all my own products,

但我呢，自從我自製所有的東西之後

If I don't like the way they smell, I change the scent.

如果我不喜歡它們的味道，我可以改變它

If I don't like the ingredients in them, I change it.

如果我不喜歡它們的成分，我可以改變它

If I don't like the packaging, it's my choice.

如果我不喜歡它們的包裝，我完全可以選擇其他容器

And so by making my own products I have complete control

所以自製東西讓我可以完全控制

over what I'm putting in my body.

放進我體內的東西

Now I started living this lifestyle while I was still in college.

我從大學時期就開始過這樣的生活

And when I graduated, I had a real job, a real-person job in sustainability,

畢業後，我有了工作，是一份促進永續發展的真正工作

which is exactly what you'd think I'd want to be doing. Right?

就是你們覺得我想要做的那種工作，對吧？

Well, at the same time I was still running my blog: "Trash is for tossers"

同時我還是繼續經營我的部落格：「Trash is for tossers」

and I noticed that I was getting a recurring question,

我發現常常有人問我一個問題

and it went something like this:

像是：

"Dear Lauren, I absolutely love the products that you're making,

「親愛的蘿倫，我真的很喜歡你做的東西

and I too want truly natural products.

我自己也很想要純天然的用品

But because of life, family, friends, blah, blah, blah, blah,

但是因為我的生活、家庭、朋友OOXX

I just don't have time to make them myself.

我真的沒有時間製作

Do you have any product that I can buy that are equivalent?

你有沒有可供購買的產品呢？

Thanks for your help. Lots of love. Person XYZ."

感謝你的幫忙。祝安好。路人甲敬上」

So I went to stores, and I started looking at products,

所以我到一間店裡，開始觀察各種產品

and while I found that they were beauty products

我發現它們跟我自製的那些類似

that were reminiscent of the ones that I was making myself,

不過有華麗的包裝

I didn't notice the same trend for cleaning products.

但我沒注意到清潔用品的某種趨勢

When I looked at the ingredients of cleaning products,

我看到清潔用品的成分的時候

even the "natural" cleaning products

即便是標榜「天然」的清潔產品

contained ingredient that were really harmful.

也含有真的有害的成分

Things that were carcinogenic, and endocrine-disruptive.

像是致癌物或影響內分泌的成分

You know, when I looked into it further,

我對此狀況更深入調查之後

I learned that cleaning product manufacturers

我發現清潔用品製造商

aren't even legally required

依法並不需要

to disclose the ingredients of their products

在包裝上明列出

on the product packaging,

產品成分

and so when we go and buy a product,

所以我們購買產品的時候

we're at the complete mercy of the company,

我們是用對製造商慈悲的心情購買

hoping that they have our best interest in mind.

希望他們內心有我們最美好的良善