6 Advantages:- The obvious one: Feeling good about helping the Earth
- Inspiring others to join in
- Being healthier: Bulk foods are in general healthier than packaged or processed foods
- Being more creative: In finding the supplier for the packaged goods you miss, in making the table pretty with what you have, in coming up with different ways to reuse your leftovers… by the way, foraged moss in lieu of toilet paper does not work for everyday use.
- Not dealing with the smell of trash (compost is odorless), and not having to take it out to the curb (what a motivation for our kids to go Zero Waste!)
- Adopting a more meaningful life with less, one that is not based on consumerism (stuffff)
6 Disadvantages:- My husband misses canned tuna sandwich (I keep reminding him… who needs mercury and MSG’s in their diet?)
- Malls and the middle aisles of grocery stores make me nauseous
- Having to turn down wine at a party because it is served in a disposable cup (my own fault, I should always remember to bring my collapsible stainless cup)
- Having to run past food samples served in disposables (finger foods are OK) when I make the mistake of going grocery shopping on an empty stomach
- Sometimes having to pay more for unpackaged: At Whole Foods, potatoes cost less in a plastic bag than bulk
- Realizing that people you care about are unwilling to sacrifice the present (change their current habits) for a better future
Hi Bea,
ReplyDeleteI read about you in the New York Times yesterday, and I wanted you to know how inspirational you are! I am about to graduate from college in June, and I will be moving to another city to begin working in August. Since I have always lived with a big bunch of roommates in rented houses by campus, I do not own much cookware or household items of my own. I would like to start buying bulk, etc. from the beginning - it seems like the perfect time for me to go zero-waste. I will begin looking for things such as cloth bags at my nearby grocery store. (Here in Seattle, we have wonderful co-op grocery stores with local produce; I am sure these stores will have some of the kitchen items you've mentioned.) Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for sharing your experiences online!
Best,
Liz
Liz: You're right on track! simplifying is definetely the 1st step to going Zero Waste!
ReplyDeleteBea! Unfortunately I don't live in the area and can't utilize your oh so helpful lists for bulk buying, but your effort is outstanding! I've have been trying to live sustainably and minimally, but you're WAY beyond me hands down. It's sad and amazing when a trip to Goodwill turns into a shopping spree, and while it helps people I realize later (and with much guilt) "Yeah, I didn't need all that." (Lots of it can become gifts at least?)
ReplyDeleteALSO, I found it interesting too that you get nauseous in malls! The continuous aisles of same clothing and fluorescent lighting and amount of clothing and people make me light headed and sick to my stomach too!
Yes, Persephone: Aren't thrift shops so thrilling? they can even be addicting. I only shop for clothes twice a year, and boy do I look forward to it... You never know what you're going to find there, treasure hunting...
ReplyDeleteBea,
ReplyDeleteI also found out about your blog in the New York Times. What you're doing really is inspiring! I don't know if I'll ever be able to be that dedicated, but what you've posted has shown me where to start. Well done!
Bea,
ReplyDeleteI read the article about you in the Times the other day. Loved it! Two things: I would love to see more pictures of your gorgeous clean minimal white home. Also, what do you do about the papers kids bring home from school?
Hi Lauran: ...Will post more pics of our house when the articles call for it. But thanks for your flattering feedback ;).
ReplyDeleteFor the school papers, I mentioned it in "Zero Waste #1 rule": Refuse.
At the beginning of the year, I talk to my kids teachers to request less paper and they have been most cooperative! It's a hassle for themselves to have to distribute so much extra curricular paper anyways. I hope that in the future, our school will adopt an opt-out option for all parents at the beginning of the year to save everyone time.
As for the necessary paper that does make it home, we reuse the single printed paper for scratch or notepads (with a clip). I make paper with the paper that is printed on both sides and give it back to the teacher at the end of the year in the form of a stationary set. They love it.
Bonjour Béa,
ReplyDeleteje vis au Canada et je me demandais ou vous avez trouvé cette tasse en acier "rétractable"?
ça m'empêcherait de finir complètement déshydratée quand j'oublie ma bouteille d'eau et qu'il n'y a que des verres de polystyrène autour! merci!
julie
Bonjour Julie, Je l'ai achetee sur Ebay.
ReplyDeleteMerci!
ReplyDeleteHi, Bea.
ReplyDeleteI really admire your posture. I live in Brazil and you wouldn't believe how HARD it is to even TRY to live a more natural life, consuming less, wasting less. People think it's not worth the effort. It's too much labor. And whoever tries it (like me) is annoying, is a freak. And, although I can rest my head on the pillow at night and KNOW for a fact that I have actually improved my quality of life by consuming and wasting less, I still feel that the worst disadvantage is to have no one close to share my experiences with (expept my husband and sometimes my parents, although they tend to think i'm an extremist sometimes). It's a lonely path down here. It's like you have to defend yourself everyday, because people don't seem confortable around someone who cooks everything from scratch and refuses to eat at McDonald's. That's why I'm so glad I've found your blog. It's nice to see someone who's not only trying, but succeeding. :) I'd love to know how other people treat you. Is it different where you live?
Congratulations on the excellent blog! :)
Ana
Hi Bea
ReplyDeleteWhere did you find the collapsable stainless steal cup? What a great travel item!
Thanks
Amazing... trying to glean ideas and inspiration from y'all. (I'm Southern... gotta say "y'all")
ReplyDelete:)
Anonymous: Collapsible stainless cup in blog store.
ReplyDelete"Malls and the middle aisles of grocery stores make me nauseous" this disadvantage made me laugh because it is very similar to one of mine. When I first learned about zero waste I had a nightmare about over-packaged food. I know that is a little extreme. I think this dream is just pushing me toward zero waste. Now I am disgusted by all of the over-packaging I see.
ReplyDeleteIt's striking how many people identify with your blog. I don't know that we could truly achieve zero waste in our home but I will definitely try out a lot of your techniques, and love the reminder you put out there that "planting a seed" in someone's mind is a valuable and worthy act, even if you aren't single-handedly saving the planet.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people feel very alienated and lonely when they try to live a cleaner, less wasteful and prepackaged life, and a blog like this gives a little extra added courage and inspiration! I will definitely keep reading and see what I can incorporate into our lives :-) Thanks!
Have you considered further reducing your impact on the environment and adopting a vegan lifestyle? Given your passion for doing good for the earth, living well, sustainably, and healthy, it seems the next logical step is to cut out the waste caused by animal agriculture (even small, local farms have lots of waste), as well as cut down on the resources used to raise animals for food (loads more than raising plants). Ecologically, it's the only way to live truly sustainably, and I would love to see more people getting informed on the subject.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought. Love what you guys are doing. <3
Hi B
ReplyDeleteI am far from a zero waste house but I am ready to make an effort. I have started by making a list of the things that I can do without and a list of stuff that I don't want to do without right now. So far this is what I have: no more tissues, Q-tips, paper towels, produce bags, plastic shopping bags or baggies. The stuff that I don't want to do without at this time are: toilet paper, sanitary napkins (I just don't think I'm a diva cup kind of girl) baby wipes, regular toothpaste and regular deodorant. Who knows, over time I may change my mind.
Hi Bea:
ReplyDeleteI'm actually making a bit of progress now in the feminin hygiene department. At first I thought there was no way I could go for a Diva cup and cloth pads, and I still can't get my head around the Diva cup but I did purchase two thin Luna pads which can be uses as panty liners. So far I really like them and will purchase a few more so that I do not have to do laundry too often. Who knows, maybe I'll get my head around the thick pads and the Diva cup someday.