A WOMAN who's committed to a low-waste lifestyle has shared her advice for anyone wanting to live more sustainably.
The mom of one explained that even a few small changes can make a significant difference – such as ditching toilet paper for reusable cloths and a bucket.
Alexandra Hall, 36, spoke to The U.S. Sun about her journey to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
The TikTok star, who is originally from Louisiana, was inspired to "shrink" her waste production after her honeymoon on the Appalachian Trail in 2020.
While hiking the 2,000-mile trek from Georgia to Maine, Alexandra and her husband made a "trade-off."
"My husband carried all the food and I would carry all the garbage.
"So it would be days at a time that I would be holding on to whatever packaging we had and waiting for a trash can," she explained.
During the five-month adventure, Alexandra began to read books on pollution and the environment.
She said: "You have a lot of time to think about things and your pack feels very heavy and you’re sore.
"All I could think about was the garbage I was carrying and how, even in the middle of the woods, this garbage was weighing me down."
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After returning home to Pennsylvania, the newlyweds decided to implement a low-waste lifestyle in their home.
Alexandra even began sharing insights into her new venture on her TikTok page, Tiny Waste.
Her posts gained traction and it wasn't long before she amassed afollowing of over 57K people.
On her page, Alexandra addressed some of the substitutions she's made within her household to reduce waste.
Alexandra and her husband also welcomed a son around 18 months ago, and the TikToker often discusses the additional challenges of living an eco-friendly life with a young child.
However, it was her own personal hygiene choices that brought Alexandra's lifestyle to the headlines.
Her use of reusable cloths instead of toilet paper received a lot of media attention, but Alexandra says people have been more intrigued than grossed out.
"It's funny because the headlines made it sound like people were outraged but, reading the comments, I was pleasantly surprised with how many people that said, ‘This actually makes sense,'" she said.
Although one commenter wrote: "A cloth is still gross!" the vast majority disagreed and said they were considering making similar changes.
Alexandra has previously explained to her followers how she uses a bidet and pieces of cloth instead of toilet paper and saves money doing so.
The influencer showed viewers how she keeps a basket with the cloths, which are made from cut-up flannel pajamas.
She explained: "The situation is you use the bidet. That washes off the majority of the gunk. You wipe with the cloth toilet paper and then put it in the bucket to be washed at a later date."
While Alexandra prefers the cleanliness of a bidet, she shared that her husband usually prefers to use recycled toilet paper from Who Gives A Crap.
"I think that’s a great example of just one difference in our own home. They’re both sustainable options and we’re both using a sustainable choice and it’s okay that it’s different," she said.
The sustainable pro even fashioned her own cloth period pads and has raised her young son in cloth diapers.
Other low-waste household hacks she has shared include repurposing plastic toothbrushes as cleaning scrubs and even creating DIY bamboo straws.
She also showed her followers how to prolong the life of stale bagels as well as giving a DIY deodorant tutorial.
The TikToker opted for her homemade solution after learning that the deodorant industry produces "over 15 million pounds of plastic every year."
She said: "I use four tablespoons of coconut oil, one tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of corn starch with the optional 10-20 drops of essential oil if you’re looking for a scent.
"I use my finger [to apply it], some people use popsicle sticks. If you’re new to natural deodorant, you may have to apply more often than usual until your body gets used to it," the content creator said.
Alexandra constantly highlights the importance of being realistic when it comes to reducing your waste production.
"It’s usually called zero waste but I think that term is unattainable and overwhelming, so I prefer to say low-waste," she explained.
Alexandra recommends implementing the five Rs into your day-to-day life.
While the concept of reducing, reusing, and recycling is often linked to a greener lifestyle, the low-waste pro has two more Rs to live by.
The TikToker introduced the idea of "refusing" to buy anything you don't need, whether it's plastic-packaged food items or "cute trinkets from Target."
Alexandra also suggested adding "rot" alongside recycling when it comes to disposing of your household waste.
"Any [food] that's left over should be thrown in the compost," she explained.
"Remember it's progress, not perfection," she added.
She has also addressed the common misconceptions regarding money and sustainability.
"I try to not only make it known that it’s a possibility but also to make it feel like an approachable lifestyle.
"You don’t have to live in a hut in the woods to be sustainable, you can be a mom with kids and just make small changes.
"For me, the motivation is always that our climate is drastically changing and I want my son to have a great life and to have kids and live on a healthy planet," Alexandra said.
While most people picture solar panels and expensive eco-friendly clothes, the influencer recommends simply being more mindful when you're purchasing new items.
"So much of our stuff, our toys, our clothes, all end up in landfills eventually but there are endless second-hand resources," she said, citing Facebook Market Place as an example.
She pointed out that plastic doesn't break down and permanently becomes part of our landscape when disposed of.
While living a greener lifestyle is often regarded as an expensive alternative to the norm, Alexandra offered another perspective.
She explained: "There is a big overlap in low-waste and lower economic status. A lot of people say that lower-income people are often the most sustainable because they’re not overbuying."
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When asked what advice she would impart to others hoping to live more mindfully, Alexandra emphasized the importance of making little changes to your everyday life.
"We all have a small part in a much bigger problem," the content creator said.
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