Staying Motivated to Live Waste Free When Your Partner is not on Board

Finding the motivation

One brick wall many of us run into is a partner who is not at all motivated to reduce waste. To be honest, some people simply do not want to put forth the effort. I have found it is best to simply inform, explain the reasoning, and then let it go.

No matter how much you dislike seeing a pile of paper towels go in the trash can. And irregardless of how many times you find the lights on with no one around.  Relationships are more important.

Ideally, in a relationship, partners will share values, however, it doesn’t always work out that way. If you live with someone who is not convinced that waste reduction is worth the effort, just remember this sage advice from my daughter Haley.

you can’t control anyone but yourself and your own actions. You’ll go crazy trying to fix everyone else. Just do your own thing and find peace in knowing that you are doing the right thing.

So, how did I get my husband (and children) on board with waste reduction? In my husband’s defense, he works the equivalent of two full time jobs.

1. I made it easy by setting up systems and making it obvious – for example, I put the recycling basket next to the trash can. Printing a sign that shows which items are recyclable helps too
2. No nagging.
3. Influence by example.

Many times when we talk with our children about the environment, animals at risk, and other scary issues they might feel fearful. It’s best to focus on the positive side when making a change. We can explain that if we drink from glass water bottles, less plastic will end up in the ocean, so the marine life will have a cleaner home. Focusing too much on the negative with children can lead to eco anxiety.

I bet you’ve taught your children to pick up their trash when you take them to the beach. That makes a huge difference. Teaching our kids to care about waste reduction and creation care is making a huge contribution to the environment.