Could you fit an entire year’s-worth of garbage into a two-litre jar?

It sounds like an unattainable goal for even the most dedicated environmentalist, and certainly not one that a whole family could accomplish.

But two Saanich mothers have done just that – and they’re now sharing their secrets to success.

“It certainly is doable,” says Tara Smith-Arnsdorf. “You have to look at your consumer habits and look at what’s important to you.”

Smith-Arnsdorf and her friend and neighbour Katelin LeBlond pledged to drastically reduce their garbage output on Earth Day last year.

“Each of our families was producing a big black garbage bag a week, so the idea of going from that to nothing felt like a formidable challenge,” says LeBlond. “It pushed us out of our comfort zone initially, but now, it’s not a big deal at all.”

The women say they’re mindful of how they shop by avoiding single-use plastics, instead shopping in the bulk section with their own containers.

They follow five “pare down” rules that they say are the keys to a zero-waste lifestyle.

Those are refusing anything you don’t need, reducing what you do need, reuse anything you can, recycle what you can’t reuse and compost the rest.

Both women also make a lot of their own products, including baking soda toothpaste – used on biodegradable toothbrushes, of course – and deodorant.

Trading in a garbage can for a glass jar won’t appeal to everyone, but the friends hope they’ll inspire others to reduce their trash – including their kids.

“With this lifestyle, we’re creating new traditions for our kids. A new way to look at things,” Smith-Arnsdorf says. “ It’ll be something they grow up with and it’s all they know.”

Even though the jars are full and their year-long experiment is up, the women say they’ll continue on with the zero-waste lifestyle because they can’t imagine going back.

The women have tracked their progress on their website, which also contains tips on how to reduce your own household’s waste output.

With a report from CTV Vancouver Island’s Travis Prasad