Getting Husbands On Board the Low-Waste Train

“Just doing it to keep the wife happy”. How many times have we heard that? And “My husband just doesn’t try / care / help!” How many times have we heard that too?

Photo credit: counselinglongbeach.com

I was recently asked to be a guest speaker on the topic “how to get husbands involved with low waste”. Their people had noticed that often it was the wives dragging hubby into low-waste, with both sides getting frustrated. So I did a bit of research, asked a few husbands (not just my own) some questions and did some thinking.

And I worked out there were four barriers holding those husbands back (and by husbands, I’m also including partners of any gender, housemates etc etc) – and therefore also four ways us wives (or partners) can really help things along.

Fear Of Missing Out

Low-waste must mean low-variety, low-taste, low-fun… right? Those of us already comfortable with low-waste know this isn’t true, but this is a genuine concern for those new to it. So respect that concern, and address it.  Here’s a couple of tips

• Alternatives. Introduce those things that still achieve the same function, but are just lower-waste options – no missing out! eg swap your plastic pegs for metal, plastic cotton buds for bamboo etc.
• Sneaky Substitutions – they don’t miss what they don’t know, right? Make some simple switches, let them run with it for a while, then tell them. They’ll realise that the better option didn’t hurt at all.
• You Get More. When you stop buying individually wrapped portions and start decanting your own into reusable containers for lunches etc, show hubby he can actually choose to have more! More yoghurt, more chips, more chocolate etc than a pre-determined serve!

Show Me the Money

Buying up the reusable sets of things – everything from metal straws to cloth nappies – has an initial cost outlay, and many husbands freak at this. Show them the long term budget data, and how much they’ll save! One husband I interviewed, who understood this info previously, even put ‘saving money’ as his main reason for supporting low-waste! Here’s a couple of examples :

• Ham in plastic packs $30 – $35/kg, ham in BYO container from the deli $14-$18/kg.
• Disposable nappies $2500 per child birth to toilet training, cloth nappies $500 for as many kids as you like.
  

  Cloth nappies and reusable wipes save STACKS of money.

Make It Easy

They understand about the environment and waste, they’re happy to do it, but they want it to be easy (fair enough too!). And that’s both physical AND mental effort.

Make it easy to do:

• Containers for recycling in a convenient location.
• Set of nice, working, low-waste options eg mesh produce bags right there in the car ready to go

Make it involve less thinking:

• Clearly label the recycling containers with everything (pictures!) with what goes in it, and talk them through it.
• Write the shopping list with details – or actually show them what it is you need!
  

  Photo credit: plasticsmakeitpossible.com

And actually point out how low-waste makes life easier for them eg he will never need to be sent on an emergency trip to purchase sanitary pads if you’re using reusables, they won’t need to clean a stinky wheelie bin or chase the garbage truck down the road in their dressing gown etc.

Don’t Want to be the Weirdo

All the men I spoke to brought this up; they don’t want to make waves, stand out, cause a confrontation or be seen as weird. And that’s pretty human!

• Go with them the first time. Show them which shops happily accept your BYO container, what you say to the storekeeper, and let them see the easy way it’s accepted – break down the fear of rejection before you send them in on their own. And encourage the shops that do accept BYO to put up a little sign saying so – it removes all uncertainty for nervous customers.
• Show them what it is. Many people don’t know what e-waste or soft plastics are, let alone where to recycle them. Show them what classifies as that waste, take them to the recycling place and do their first recycling drop-off together. I’ve seen many confused people not knowing where the RedCycle bin at our local Woolies is, and they feel like a dip walking around clutching their softs looking for it. Don’t do that to the people you love!
• Talk about it. We have to normalise low-waste. Post on social media, mention what you’re doing at social gatherings (remember – don’t preach, just lightly mention the little things you’ve seen or do), open up conversations. They more they realise ‘everyones doing it’, the less weird they’ll feel.

While you’re trying to get loved ones or housemates on board low-waste, remember something really important:

Going low-waste (as with any change in mind-set) doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey. Just because you’ve reached your ‘light-bulb moment’, learnt enough to be inspired into action, doesn’t mean they’re there yet. They may simply be at an earlier stage on that journey, and that’s OK – as long as they keep putting on foot in front of the other down that road.

Photo credit: walkinginhisfootsteps.com