Author Megean Weldon, aka The Zero Waste Nerd, gently guides you on an attainable, inspirational, mindful, and completely realistic journey to a sustainable living lifestyle.

Find tips, strategies, recipes, and DIY projects for reducing waste in this approachable, beautifully designed and illustrated guide.

What is zero waste living? Although the practice has been around for generations out of necessity, it is making a comeback as concerns grow about the fate of our environment. To put it simply: it is attempting to send no waste to landfills. Although you may have read or heard about zero waste, sustainable, or green living, the concept can sometimes seem too complicated, the author's tone a bit self-righteous, or riddled with advice geared for people with 5 acres of land in the country with dreams of raising livestock and homesteading. This is not that book.

Could not download this book to give feedback.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

An Almost Zero Waste Life is a great place to start if you want some tips on how to live a greener life.

While I know that I will never be able to go completely waste free, I enjoyed reading this book to get some ideas of places where I could make some quick, easy decisions that could impact the waste that I create. My husband and I are big on recycling and compost, so I know that we are in a good spot, but I appreciated that this book showed room by room places where waste is high and can possibly be decreased.

I’m not sure why, after more than 20 years of trying to be an environmentalist, and trying to live as sustainably as possible in the broken and destructive capitalist system we live in, I still try to read books like An Almost Zero Waste Life. Because here’s the thing: I keep hoping I’ll learn something new. Something I somehow hadn’t already learned about yet, that will help me do my part even more. And I didn’t really have that experience, but that is not the fault of the book. I’m probably not the intended audience.

I assume this book is more for those more recently interested in sustainable, low waste living. This is a lovely book, charmingly (if not sturdily) bound and illustrated, full of tips and tricks for those who are aspiring to sustainable living, but don’t have a grasp on it yet. Some of it seems very obvious. For instance, stop using disposable items, whether utensils, paper towels, facial tissues, personal care products, etc.–when you can use reusable ones instead. There’s a lot of simple recipes for cleaning and personal care products as well as food, like toothpaste and almond milk and eyeshadow and laundry powder, that look relatively easy to assemble and use. I’m especially intrigued by a facial scrub made with used coffee grounds, coconut oil, and brown sugar.

However, some of the tips, especially some of the ones involving bathroom or diaper needs–seem a little….gross and/or a hassle. Some suggestions definitely seem like the kind of tasks only someone who doesn’t work full time would have time to do regularly. There are sections about the kitchen, the bathroom, toiletries, children, pets, housekeeping, home maintenance, holidays, and various sorts of shopping. Then the book culminates with a list of 30 steps that the reader can take to attain zero waste (or close to it) living. Throughout the book the author maintains a gentle and encouraging tone. While maybe some of the goals seemed unrealistic or extremely onerous to me, I never felt berated or shamed if I didn’t try them. As the title suggests, the author admits that at best we may achieve an ALMOST zero waste life, but encourages the reader to get as close to that goal as possible.

Overall a pleasant read that would be a good resource for someone new to the subject. Be gentle with the book, though, if you get a physical copy. The presumably eco-friendly binding and cover don’t seem especially sturdy. Or, better yet, get a copy from the library, as a way to be even closer to zero waste.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Quarto Books for sharing a free #advancecopy of #AnAlmostZeroWasteLife with me. I’m sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it (thanks, pandemic reading slump!). This review is based on both the PDF advance copy I received and a physical copy I borrowed from the library.

This book has given me so much to think about. I’ll reference this for years to come. I’ll think before I buy something.

We are different people than we were in 2019. Like the generation that survived the Great Depression, I'm not sure we'll ever really get over the pandemic-inspired germophobia that has emerged. I can't imagine shaking anyone's hand ever again. So some of the suggestions here don't exactly fit in our current world--cleaning with baking soda and old toothbrushes or eating family style out of a big pot. But there are a lot of other good ideas here--some you might recognize from your Depression-era relatives' habits, even.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

An Almost Zero Waste Life was written by Megean Weldon.

This is a great beginner book for those that would like to live a greener lifestyle.

It is full of helpful tips, tricks, recipes, and statistics in order to arm readers with ways to reduce waste in their daily lives.

My Thoughts: I started my journey along a greener path last year. I had implemented several of the author’s suggestions previously.

I am definitely not an expert by any means, but I was able to nod in agreement with many of these ideas.

However, there were still quite a few things I had not thought about in regards to waste. This book was a good reminder of how much more I could be doing.

I liked the author’s soft approach to beginning the process-use up what you have, don’t just throw it away and create more waste. Then, do better next time. I definitely agree with this approach, and it helps make the ideas seem more manageable too.

Already I have purchased a reusable coffee filter (something I did not even know existed), and copied down some recipes I would like to try.

I found this to be a very helpful book, and an easy read. I would recommend it to anyone looking to create less waste in their lives.

I would like to thank Quarto Publishing Group for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Beautifully laid out, and the information is so helpful. I have taken concrete tips from this that are helping me simplify and lighten my footprint.

An Almost Zero Waste Life inspires as it educates. Written for everyday families, its message is important and the format is clear, organized, and appealing. The book will help readers to develop habits that support a greener, less wasteful lifestyle.

This is a beautifully produced book that gives ideas about how to move towards a zero waste life. It’s aimed at ordinary people living in ordinary homes so you don’t need to have a huge garden in order to start following some of the suggestions in this book, which I really appreciated. There are a lot of pretty illustrations throughout the book, which makes you keen to keep picking this book up and reading a bit more, it didn’t feel like I was being lectured at any point. I did know a fair bit of what was in this book already but this book made for a really good motivator and a reminder that I need to be aware of what I bring into my home and how I dispose of rubbish. I’d recommend this one to anyone who wants to learn more about living a zero waste life!

This book gave me great ideas on how to lower my waste, I like that it's not about being perfect, it's about doing what you can. I especially enjoyed the section on children and pets. I also liked the simple steps the book provided.

Unable to download as kindle option not available so unable to give any kind of review for this title at this time.

Megean Weldon shares her story of going almost zero waste in hopes of inspiring others to transition even slightly to make the world a better place. She discusses helpful ways to feel productive and meaningful while encouraging people to not feel overwhelmed or the need to be perfect.

I would like to thank Quarto Publishing Group - Rock Point for providing me with a free – temporary – electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley. Although I’m auto-approved with them, the decision to read this book is my choice and any reviews given are obligation free.

For those of you keep track of when I read something, vs when I post the review – I’ve just finished reading this book last week!

‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’ was an interesting and informative read. My family and I have been moving towards a more zero waste lifestyle for some years now, so this isn’t a new topic for me. But I did love how Ms Weldon is of a similar mindset to us when it comes to zero waste. Which is: do what you can when you can. Zero Waste shouldn’t be seen as a fad where you need to throw out everything “bad” (plastics, etc) and immediately replace it with high end “good”. It’s not about being a minimalist… though you can sort of become one. It’s about looking at what you use, as a consumer, and how you get rid of the waste your consumerism creates. Oh, and I hate to break it to you, but we’re ALL consumers.

And I think this whole attitude of “do what you can, when you can” really clicked with me and made the book an enjoyable read. We’re all perfectly imperfect… but as long as we try to improve on lessening our waste, and ensuring we try to become more conscious and responsible consumers, we can do this. ‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’ isn’t judgy, preachy, or trying to get you to join some clique set. It is down to earth, open and honest, and speaks to the reader as an equal. THIS is what we need in resource books like this!

What I also love about ‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’ is it tries to cover EVERY aspect of our lives – warts and all, so to speak. The chapters go from room to room in a typical household, and covers items some people might not have thought of being an issue… even those usually unmentionable ones, like *gasp* “feminine hygiene” items. And, as those who follow my blog know, I’m a cloth pad wearer, I’m very pro reusable products like this, and yes I DO openly talk about menstruation products and their effect on our environment. So I really do love that Ms Weldon tries to cover EVERYTHING.

Throughout the book there are handy hints and tips to help encourage the reader to replace wasteful shop bought products with homemade. This includes many recipes for household items such as cleansers, soaps, make-up, beauty products, and then some. What is great is the book doesn’t demand you make them, or sound judgy if you don’t… instead it has a great light and easy attitude of “hey, if you’d like to try and make this item, here’s a few ideas”. No pressure, no sales gimmicks, no brand names. Just some helpful hints, recipes, and ideas.

Now, I want to say that I feel ‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’ has everything covered from house, clothes, shopping, food, babies, pets, seasonal moments, travel, etc… But I’m sure there would be someone who spots something they feel is missing. So, instead I will say it is an extremely comprehensive resource book that tries to cover everything, and one I feel does a pretty amazing job.

At the end of the book there is a great 30 day challenge to help to and ease the reader (and their household/ family) into a more zero waste lifestyle. Each day is just one more basic step on how to change our habits. Again, there is no pressure, gimmicks, or brand name dropping. Just some encouraging ideas to help the reader on their way.

AND, geeky book nerd moment, I love the fact that the last part of the book is a list of reference material pointing to other books and places to help the reader learn more about specific subjects – all touched upon within ‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’.

The formatting was good – very easy to read, follow and jump to from the front index, or read from cover to cover. I loved the style and graphics too, my sort of “thing” and so I feel the formatting and layout were done well, as they help attract the reader to the subject, and encourage them to read on.

Would I recommend this book to others?

What do you think? ;-) Of course I would! Yes, okay, so I’m a bit biased as I’ve been trying to become more zero waste for over a decade now. But I really do find ‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’ an incredibly thorough reference book to help others take a similar approach to life… without being a heavy, hard to read, burden of a book. So, if you’re serious at wanting to improve not only your own life, but that of your house, family, and the environment – I highly recommend this book to you.

Would I buy this book for myself?

You know, as critical as I am of buying/ owning books of late (eBooks and paper books), I think I would like to have an eBook copy of ‘An Almost Zero Waste Life’ in my Kindle library. I think it is a very useful resource book and, even though I know a lot my own zero waste living tips and tricks, I can still see myself wanting to turn to a copy of this book to try and gain new ideas for every days consumerism. The only reason I haven’t bought a copy of the eBook already is it would cost me over $30 AUD on Amazon Australia right now. And, yes, I find it a great practical guide and all… but I also have a budget, and paying over $30 AUD for an eBook has never been in my budget. So I’ll just have to wait for a special sale day, or for the exchange rate to improve. I’m not just someone striving towards a zero waste lifestyle, but I’m frugal with it. ;-)

In summary: A very comprehensive, and useful, handbook to those seeking a more zero waste lifestyle.

Loved this for some interesting ways to make my lifestyle more zero waste. This is definitely a pressing concern and can feel a bit unattainable and daunting, but this book broke it down into some accessible ways that didn't feel overwhelming!

The Corona Virus, flatten the curve and stay home survival guide. How fortuitous to have been able to read this book heading into times no one saw coming, but times for which we can be prepared to make do with the perspective of possibility.

I received this book through NetGalley for an honest review, and I consider this to be one of the all=time best books that I have ever received through NetGalley. Hands down, it over-delivers on its promise to inspire and educate, and it brings forth so many useful and REALISTIC ways to go zero-waste while not sacrificing lifestyle or making life a drudgery. I found myself trying these tips, slowing down my reading in order to really absorb the ideas, and I felt like I was being taught by a real, approachable leader in the field. There's no shame here, no guilt, no mockery (as I have seen in other books' attempts at humor.) Weldon is a pro, and I'll look for all of her other books and her blog so that I may stay this inspired.

The author wrote not only an extremely useful resource for those that want to live a zero waste life, but stresses the importance of not being too hard on yourself if you don't utilize all of the steps The approach of knowing that every little thing done makes a difference and that all of these small steps do make a big impact. I found this to be inspiring and will be utilizing tips from this!

A great introduction to a more conscious lifestyle.

If you have already started your zero waste journey,you might be familiar with most of the tips inside of the book, however I did find the tips very helpful and clear and the pictures very beautiful. Simple,easy,accessible.

A great idea for a gift!