Unsustainability is a load of rubbish

Ilmira Murni rushes around her kitchen searching for her most prized possessions. After a few minutes of loud clunking she brings out two beaten up cookie tins from M&S, they have rice inside them. Asked why she doesn't get new containers, she says: "This was my first step into my zero-waste journey, they remind me of how far I've come and how much more I have to do."

 

Murni is a 23-year-old masters student at UCL studying pharmacy. Growing up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Murni had eco-conscious parents. Her mum is a keen gardener and her dad always composts. When she is not busy in labs or writing up reports, she volunteers at a community garden. She says: "I enjoy planting and seeing new life come from my hands, it makes me feel closer to my mum even though we are thousands of miles apart."

 

The zero-waste movement involves reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfill sites and encourages re-using products again. Murni believes this should be changed, she says: "It's harmful to sell it as zero-waste because people might be put off by the thought of never producing waste again. Even I don't do that." The only waste she produces comes from her food, she has recently become a vegan and this food packaging cannot be recycled.

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Her zero-waste lifestyle began three years ago, after seeing a video by zero waste blogger Lauren Singer showing off a mason jar containing all the plastic and unrecyclable waste she produced in the last four years. She says: "I thought wow that's so crazy how do I get into that? Now I can't imagine going back to how I used to live."

 

She lives with her sister who does not live zero waste, seeing their old comfort food was a challenge. Murni was strict at first, shunning the plastic-wrapped chocolate bars, now she is more lenient. She says: "It's about your total impact on the environment rather than just one snack you have on a bad day."

 

When it comes to personal hygiene and beauty products, Murni uses brands that either take back their own packaging or do not come in any at all. Lush is her personal favourite since it is student budget-friendly.

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Murni feels that living zero waste has enhanced her student life. She says: "When you change your life for a cause, it makes you part of something and it gives you opportunities." One of these being joining Extinction Rebellion. After being inspired by friends from Sweden who took 24 hours travelling by ferry and train to protest in London, Murni started to look at the invisible waste we produce- carbon emissions.

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Her advice for students who want to go zero waste is to take it slow, use things you already have and always remember why you want to do it. She says: "You don't need to buy anything new, if you do you have to think are you just doing this for the trend?"

Her three essentials for beginners are: a refillable water bottle, Tupperware and being crafty. She says: "It's not enough to just be dedicated, you have to be strategic."

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Murni does not buy anything new, she either visits charity shops or goes on the app Depop to buy second-hand clothing. She also sews and re-styles clothes from family and friends. When it comes to gifts, she makes them herself or buys products that help the receiver live zero waste. The best present she's given a friend is a menstrual cup. She says: "It was like a gift that keeps on giving. A small step into living a less wasteful life."

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There is a myth that going zero waste is expensive, Murni believes it is achievable on a student budget. She says: "Zero waste doesn't have to be gentrified, you don't need a kitchen with the latest containers to start." Regular visits to bulk food and farmer's markets have helped her bank balance. A two-week supply of rice from these stores costs her £5.

 

To Murni the zero-waste movement is about being mindful about how we live and taking steps to reduce the waste we put out. She says: "It's more important that a lot of people do zero waste imperfectly than one person doing it completely."