A streamlined, clutter-free, minimalist home. No plastic in the kitchen. A year's worth of trash that can fit into a mason jar. Healthy, delicious food - enough to feed the family, mind - without throwing away any leftovers. Oh, and a reduced carbon footprint (aka helping the planet have some much-needed breathing space). In case you need reminding about why any of this matters: according to the Environmental Protection Agency, 40% of US greenhouse gas emissions come from either making, using or throwing away 'stuff'.

So, yeah. 

Going zero-waste is kind of a big deal.

While some haters may latch onto the fact that those embracing a 'zero' waste lifestyle very rarely produces virtually no waste at all, it's pretty damn impressive just how close we can get to minimizing our trash to almost nothing. And anyway, haters gonna hate, right?

But for some, the idea of radically changing our consumption habits is nothing short of terrifying. It's unchartered territory and taking that leap of faith - no matter how good the intentions - is daunting. And so, in response to calls to urgently change our lifestyles to help reduce our negative impact on the environment, many of us simply smile and nod only to go back to our old wasteful ways. 

Thankfully, these 12 amazing bloggers are guaranteed to give you the reality-check kick in the backside you need, all while keeping you seriously inspired by gorgeous photography, incredibly practical day-to-day waste reducing tips and much more.