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I think that these days, most people try to avoid conflict when possible. We have so much flexibility in our lives, that when the going gets tough, it's much easier to throw things out and start over. I know I've been guilty of that. And other people seem to have the same idea, too, as evidenced by skyrocketing divorce rates [cite].

But sticking with someone through a tough conversation is how you make progress. In some cases, sure, it's not worth it. Both parties need to be willing to stick with the conversation. But let's examine our threshold for giving up and see if it makes sense.

We've definitely argued about waste, but we keep it productive. I'll admit that I'll get irritated if Josh orders food from a restaurant that uses styrofoam containers, or if he forgets to compost his leftovers and instead empties his plate into the trash can. At the same time, I fully appreciate that Josh has made so many readjustments to his lifestyle simply because of me. I'm lucky that Josh is willing to join in on my journey, and that is not something I take for granted. Please try not to shame your friends and family for generating waste. We've come so far since we started this journey together which is certainly something to celebrate.

It just seems hard to celebrate small progress when the road ahead looks so long. But having these difficult conversations and holding each other accountable has helped us get to where we are – and it inspires us to work harder and have a good attitude as we move forward in our journey.

When navigating a low-waste lifestyle that includes your loved ones, be non-judgmental and lead by example. Unless you make every move perfectly, you are just going to have to throw stuff out once in a while. Take note of these moments and commit to fixing it in the future, but try not to dwell too much.

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