Best Books For Zero Waste and Sustainable Living
Years ago, when I first started learning about the zero waste lifestyle, I could only find one book on the topic. You might have heard of it, “Zero Waste Home” by Bea Johnson. Luckily, these days there are new books on sustainable living being published all the time! Just within the last year, I’ve noticed a surge of books released on this topic. I’m hoping this means the movement is gaining interest and more and more people are wanting to learn how to support Mama Earth! I have a list here for you of the best books for zero waste and sustainable living. I’ve attached links to Amazon for convenience but be sure to check your library/support local book sellers when possible. You might also want to read my post on zero waste reading!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
If you’re super new to zero waste, I’d recommend checking out Bea Johnson’s book first. She really is a pioneer to the movement. She continues to travel to speak at events about reducing waste and living more sustainably.
Simply Living Well
Julia Watkins’ book, Simply Living Well, is hot off the press! She released her book only a few months ago, in April actually. Her book title shares the name with her super popular Instagram account, Simply Living Well. On her Instagram feed and in her book, you will find the most beautiful photos capturing her simple and sustainable home in Chicago. The Simply Living Well book contains recipes, tips, and projects for living more sustainably. In it you will find recipes for making ketchup, hummus, and nut milk from scratch at home, as well as checklists for plastic free swaps around the house.
Zero Waste: Simple Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash
Shia’s book is another really wonderful resource for anyone looking to reduce their household waste. She shares extremely practical and actionable tips in her book. Her book contains information that you can put in to action right away. She really makes going zero waste and living more sustainably seem doable and not nearly as intimidating as it often seems for beginners. I think this book would be especially helpful for a zero waste newbie.
An Almost Zero Waste Life
Before picking up this book, I recommend heading over to Meagan’s blog, Zero Waste Nerd! Just from browsing her site a bit, you can see how knowledgeable Meagan is when it comes to sustainability. She is an excellent zero waste educator! Meagan has a thirty day zero waste challenge on her website to help you get started. She also has many really wonderful blog posts all about helping Mama Earth. I don’t doubt you’ll love her teaching style and want to snag her comprehensive guide to reducing waste, An Almost Zero Waste Life.
The Less Waste, No Fuss Kitchen: Simples Steps to Shop, Cook, And Eat Sustainably
Lindsay Miles is now the author of TWO phenomenal books all about plastic free and sustainable living! Her first book, Less Stuff: Simple Zero Waste Steps for a Joyful and Clutter-Free Life, doesn’t only cover reducing waste in your household, but also focuses on removing the clutter in your home in a sensible way–not just sending your excess straight to the landfill! Her new book, The Less Waste, No Fuss Kitchen, focuses on your journey towards a more sustainable kitchen. It’s a simple handbook with tips to help you reduce food waste in the kitchen and decrease the amount of plastic packaging in your pantry.
The Zero Waste Vegan Cookbook
Of course, I added my own book to the list! If you’re new to the Tiny Yellow Bungalow website, I’m Jessie Stokes, author of The Zero Waste Vegan Cookbook. Two and a half years ago, after my son’s birth, I found myself struggling to prepare healthy, plant based, low waste meals for my family regularly. We ended up eating out often and ordering take out. I realized what I needed was a set of trusted simple recipes I could use regularly. I created a month’s worth of easily adaptable and quick recipes, and compiled them into a cookbook to share with my pals! The cookbook even has grocery lists and meal plans for the four weeks of meals, making it super easy to eat healthfully and without all the waste.
Give a Shit
101 Ways to Go Zero Waste
Oh man oh man, Kathryn started blogging around the same time I created the Tiny Yellow Bungalow blog and I have so enjoyed getting to follow along with her on her zero waste and eco journey. She is the zero waste blogging QUEEN so I was not at all surprised when she released this fabulous book last year! In this book, Kathryn shows that it’s all about making better choices. I love her positivity! This is a really wonderful read for zero waste beginners, and again another great gift idea!
Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too
What are some of your favorite reads all about zero waste and sustainable living? Any I should add to this list??