The Zero Waste Home

Yvonne's Story

2012-01-25T18:45:00.000-08:00

Yvonne's story is a great supplement to last week's post ;) And I love your picture, Yvonne! Thanks for sharing with us.

"One Modern Day Woman's Journey Towards Zero Waste

Recently I was introduced to Bea’s blog. Like many others, I poured over every entry, amazed at the lifestyle of this family of four in Northern California. I considered myself “Eco-friendly.” I drove a fuel efficient car, recycled, minimized power usage by turning off lights, took short showers, etc. I thought I was doing my share. Seeing the lifestyle of a nearly Zero Waste Home, however, felt like removing blinders from my eyes. The Johnsons had shown that it was possible in modern day America. If we view the Earth as a biosphere, it becomes easier to see that resources are finite, and this country’s habits are not sustainable. And if we, like the Iroquois, were to consider the impact of our actions on our seventh generation descendants, we would all start living like the Johnsons. So I decided to try.

My first project was my overflowing closet. It was really helpful for me to think of donating my unused items as good for the environment, since it allows others to acquire it and reuse it. I began a daily process of evaluating each article of clothing. If it was weather and occasion appropriate, yet I was still reluctant to wear it, it was donated. It also became easier to see what items I desired, and I would acquire it at the local Goodwill. I discovered that I was able to find clothes that I liked for a fraction of the price of a new item. In this manner I have halved my wardrobe, yet increased the number of wearable things.

I have to admit, the decision to try to achieve Zero Waste was due to eco-conscience, but the drive to continue stemmed from the improvements to my clutter. Once the benefits of Zero Waste was evident in my closet and wallet, it began to build momentum. I expanded my efforts. I began to examine my trash and view each piece of garbage as a problem to be solved. It appealed to my intellect. Doing so has had some significant benefits. I now have healthier eating habits and improved cooking skills because cutting out food packaging meant learning to cook things from scratch and decreasing the amount of preprocessed foods and chemicals. My knowledge in generally “handy” things increased. In order to cut down on the most frequent item in my garbage, soy milk containers, I learned how to make soy milk and do so weekly, immediately cutting our trash output by a third. I found it to be an easy and fast process, negating the need to haul heavy boxes from Costco, and it was more cost effective. I researched and started vermicomposting, reducing both the odors of our kitchen trash and the need to empty it frequently. Installing a dual flush device to decrease the amount of water wasted with each toilet flush led to me learning how toilets work. Each waste problem solved led to an increase in knowledge and capabilities. Shockingly, once I put some habits in place, the Zero Waste lifestyle has been sustainable on a day-to-day basis, leading to choices that are more healthful, efficient, and economically sound. The feeling is ironic, of course, since “sustainability” was the whole point of starting this journey.

I look at my world with different eyes now. Rather than mindlessly buying products made to be discarded, I have made “Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” a life philosophy. I ask, “How can this goal be achieved with less waste?” and try to think out of the box, if necessary. It won’t be as convenient as the neatly packaged item on the store shelf, at least not at first. But most things worth doing are hard at first. When we examine Zero Waste in a historical context, it truly is tragic that to really put those four words into effect in modern day America, one must be resourceful. 100 years ago, people wouldn’t have dreamed of one time use products, a cup simply thrown away after taking one drink. To this day still, in some countries, it is a matter of routine that groceries are bought using your own reusable containers, and places don’t have trash service because the people produce no trash that needs to be hauled away. Zero Waste is not a new concept, it is an ancient one that we must re-embrace. I still have a long journey towards Zero Waste, but already I feel so much more productive, knowledgeable, useful, and sustainable. And my house is cleaner.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead "

Mini-Wardrobe Fave: The Striped Shirt

2012-01-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

I LOVE fashion.

The Striped Shirt.

As you already know, I do not condone fashion's ephemeral reputation, or "fast fashion"'s environmental impact. But I do get excited about finding new ways to rethink my (mostly used) wardrobe season after season.

The Zero Waste lifestyle is about re-training ourselves to consume intelligently, just as it is about letting creativity bring excitement into everyday activities, including fashion!

I used to think that each season, trendy clothes needed to be purchased in order to have "style". I now believe that style is something that we (already) own, pair with flair and wear with dare (confidence). Women are often afraid to pare down their wardrobes by fear of losing options, yet they also complain of having closets full of "nothing to wear". I have come to learn that only decluttering makes options clear and easy.

Need a creativity boost? Fashion magazines aim at inciting new purchases, but if you can diligently "read between the lines", they provide an incredible source of fresh ideas and pairings for a mini-wardrobe (they are available at libraries and thrift stores).

I am halfway to April 15th and I did recently add a brown leather belt to tie me over ($1 at the thrift store) but I must say, I am having great fun with my wardrobe this winter. And to prove to the skeptical that a minimal wardrobe is the opposite of "constricting" or "boring", I played stylist and photographed some of my favorite "tried and tested" looks. I had so much fun doing this that I decided to start a series called Mini-Wardrobe Fave, which will showcase 10 outfits designed around a favorite item of my simple, cross-seasonal and versatile wardrobe!

Today, I am sharing my love for: The Striped Shirt. It adds visual interest and goes with literally all of my bottoms (6), dresses (3), jackets (4) and a sweater (see below). Now, please do not ask me for the brand of the shirt: That is not the point of this exercise. Just like oatmeal is oatmeal in the bulk aisle, a striped shirt is a striped shirt in the closet: Who cares what brand it is ;).

1. Under a long blue sweater (used here as a sweater dress)

2. Under the "family blazer", with grey shorts and lacy footless tights.

3. Over a red strapless dress, and accessorized with Scott's chunky scarf

4. Under an LBD (sheath)

5. Under a maroon vintage leather jacket and over grey skinny's

6. With flare jeans and chunky heels

7. With a short skirt and chunky sweater (made by moi!)

8. Under a denim shirt dress

9. Under a long-sleeve tee shirt dress and paired with leggings or tights or both (depending on exterior temps)

10. The dressier version: Tucked into a leather skirt.

No, I won't be wearing this outfit this winter, but I could not resist including it... it's a rainy day and I dream of sailing the Turkish coast...

Do you wear stripes?

Sandra's Story

2012-01-17T16:12:00.000-08:00

This week Sandra talks about the benefits that she too has discovered in the Zero Waste lifestyle. Thanks for taking the time to write about it, Sandra!

"In a February 2010 issue of The New York Times, I read about a family that did not own a trash can, and thought, “That’s impossible, how could someone live without a trash can?”

Managing the trash was an unfortunate necessity in my household. Filling the trash bin, bagging it, and hauling it to the curb: this was a routine I thought could never change. It was the first of many assumptions I had about zero waste that would ultimately prove to be untrue.

Friends laughed when I told them about my plans to zero waste my home. Out of all of us, I was the last person you would consider to be environmentally friendly. After all, one of my favorite activities was shopping at the mall, not hugging a tree or saving a whale or eating granola. (Silly misconceptions about zero waste advocates, I admit, and ones that were quickly dispelled. I even learned that I like granola.) But, I had recently moved across the country and experienced the horror that is the moving process. Yes, packing up everything we owned into boxes and hauling them into a moving truck was a tedious endeavor, but it did leave a strong visual impression. I had a nice image of just how much random stuff my family and I had accumulated over the years. Half of the items I packed up I do not even remember purchasing, or using, for that matter. I started to look for a better way, and the article on the Johnson family’s efforts arrived at just the right time.

I started applying Bea’s zero waste tips to my household, at a pace that my family and I could adapt to. Our first steps were grocery shopping with reusable bags and jars, and paring down the number of items we already owned. I worked the zero waste concepts in room-by-room, tackling the kitchen first, as this was where we produced the most trash. It was easy to see how much excess we had: three sets of measuring spoons, a junk drawer filled with expired coupons, two rice cookers that took up valuable counter space. I quickly filled up a moving box with stuff and donated it.

Grocery shopping with reusables proved to be less arduous than I had thought, especially after I learned to contact customer service about the store’s bring-your-own container policy. Once I had the store manager’s okay, it was easy to ask the counter service employees to fill up my glass jars with meat, cheese, etc. I even got a store credit for each bag or container I used.

I learned that going zero waste did not mean deprivation, as I had feared. If anything it has actually opened up more opportunities. Healthier meals, more time to spend with the family, a home that feels uncluttered and comfortable to live in, money savings, learning to buy smart instead of buying a lot. More importantly, it has taught me that the choices I make each day do add up to a difference. Naysayers may discourage my efforts by saying one less plastic cup will not save the environment, but they are missing the point. Making the choice everyday to not produce unnecessary waste shows me that I can shake up my old routine, that change is possible, that I can live with less waste. Each time I refuse a plastic straw or ask that my beverage be served in my travel mug, I am standing up for what I believe in and taking action. Working on zero waste in the home has awakened my interest in the larger environmental issues at hand, whether it is reading up on food and agriculture policy, questioning ingredients in personal care products, or getting involved in my community’s recycling practices. It has even opened up my eyes to the amount of waste that I produce at work and inspired me to get involved with a waste reduction committee at my workplace.

What has kept me going with zero waste for more than a year and a half is that it is not just about reducing trash. It has helped me reevaluate what is most important to me—my family and friends—and given me time to spend with them instead of going on an endless shopping spree. I now have more happy experiences to share with my family, a growing interest in the environment, and, thankfully, fewer things to pack up on our

next move."

Wow, what a day!

2012-01-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

People p78

What a day we had Friday!
An article about our lifestyle came out in People magazine and we went live with solar! The solar installation looks great (although you can't actually even see the panels from the street). The process was flawless, and the Solar City staff were super cool. We could not be happier with our decision.

Solar City managed to find parking on our street...

Wiring the converter...

Solar Panels unpacked...

and getting carried

from one roof-line to...

the next.

Panels installed on our super steep roof.

I think they forgot something... ;)

A personal view on the ideal Christmas

2012-01-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, my holiday traditions consisted of the following steps.

Each year, shortly after Thanksgiving, I would kick start the season with a trip to the art supply store for fancy paper and scrap booking elements to hand-craft the best greeting card ever. The elaborate design had to out-do my previous ones; the forty duplicates would take a week to complete and had to be mailed the first week of December. My schedule also included adding Christmas lights to our existing collection and ensuring that our house out-shined all the neighbors. We would buy the tallest tree we could afford and fit on the car (given the fact that our living room had a 14 ft. ceiling), and each year I would accumulate new ornaments to decorate it. Weekends were spent shopping for gifts, and included a stop at the Dollar Store for stocking stuffers. I spent hours paper-wrapping countless presents; I planned feasts and outfits for both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Advent was basically filled with activities aimed at psyching us up for the “big day”. Mall parking and a quest for unbeatable excellence was source of much underlying stress, extending far beyond the month of December. But I considered myself a dream-maker and worried about meeting expectations; expectations that I had created for myself, I now realize.

My holiday season no longer consists of participating in such activities or aiming for perfection… yet, I experienced the most “perfect” Christmas this year.

We opened the season with Scott using up air miles to surprise his mother with an impromptu visit (an early gift), while I stayed home with the kids, planning the “Holiday Cheer”. An afternoon of baking (eight types of cookies) went a long way. Scott brought some to work, Leo took some to a school event, and we filled jars for the kids' teachers’ gifts. But that week, I also used the cookies as treats for an afternoon cocktail with my girlfriends, a coffee hour with my walking group, a mulled-wine evening with the neighbors, and spiced-cider play dates for the kids, all through which I felt pure "Holiday Cheer". We also used the pretext of Advent to volunteer at the food bank (I discovered a real taste for the line work ;), and Leo had fun designing our family’s "Holiday Greetings" video.

We wasted no time at the mall and a week before Christmas (previously synonymous with high stress), we left for Hawaii, a trip fully funded by renting our home during the Holidays. Keeping it a surprise from the kids until departure time was the tough part.

"Public Recycling Bin" by Leo

Soon after landing on such small and pristine land surrounded by turquoise ocean, the question: ”Where is away?“ (“as the term throw“away” suggests) instantly hits you and makes you wish for speedy Zero Waste regulations and implementation, especially considering the amount of Styrofoam used on the island (a sad sight I had long forgotten). Residents can recycle cardboard, newspaper, glass containers, plastic bottles and cans at local Recycling Centers, but Zero Waste is not easy: Bulk at the local organic store was pre-packaged in plastic bags, and the farmer’s market mostly sold packaged products (in #5 containers). That said, our cloth bags (mainly for coffee, produce and loose buns) and containers (the rental’s Tupperware for buying cheese and deli) were happily accepted everywhere we went. We concentrated our efforts on buying produce (especially the great fruit! we love the rambutans!) and local products, which always offer a way to avoid packaging or at least alleviate its carbon footprint. I did not see any liquid in bulk, but fresh coconuts there provide the ultimate eco-friendly drink ;)

"Coconut Cutting" by Leo

Don’t blame me for not visiting the local landfill to investigate... On vacation, my time was carefully spent snorkeling with turtles, foraging guava fruit, zip-lining with the kids (an experience gift from grandma), barbequing with friends, drawing sunsets with Max, sharing “pupus” with the locals, blowing the conk shell at sundown, stringing popcorn and cutting out scrap paper to decorate the condo’s artificial palm tree into a Christmas tree.

On Christmas Eve, we went to mass in a small chapel. The window seals lined with candles that flickered with the flow of the ocean air,we sang carols in English, and carols in the native Hawaiian tongue. Some even danced the hula ;) At the end of the service, the power went out, and as we found our way out by candlelight, home-baked star cookies were handed out. This was a magical mass I won’t forget.

"Sunset" by Leo

For dinner, we went to a restaurant on the beach and the next morning, Max and Leo found a handful of presents in their shoes (the French substitute to stockings), none of which generated even the smallest amount of waste (just a few thrift store items), and the promise of more family activities together. We then spent the day boogie boarding in the waves and snorkeling.

I came home refreshed, grateful to have renters afford us such a lovely trip. I feel like I have taken the unbeaten, scenic detour through the holidays. Next year, I hope to able to travel the same path. The season used to feel like the slow removal of a Band-Aid. Today, it felt like a pleasant massage.

How did you do?

Ratna's Story

2011-12-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

Ratna's Chicken Supplier

This week, Ratna shares her experience with Zero Waste in China. I always enjoy getting a point of view from far, far away;) Thanks for sharing with us, Ratna!

"I am from Bali but have been living in Beijing for almost 12 years. I have seen how bicycles are replaced by cars, aluminum containers by plastic ones, water thermos by bottle water, home style cooking by McDonald, traditional snacks by packaged biscuits, reusable chopsticks by disposable wood ones, traditional market by Carrefour, saving food by wasting food and early morning Tai Chi by late noon hangover. I have also read about the rise of diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, heart attacks and other life style related illness. In Bali I have seen the river and beaches filled by plastic, more of them every year.

Then I came across you in Second Act and I thought wow… that is kind of extreme. I have always thought that our household is quite environmental conscious. We only take the car for groceries shopping to the market and one of the days on the weekend to take the 3 kids to their gymnastic class. During the financial crisis we had to forgo the taxi (privilege 1 in Beijing) and it is normal now to take the bus and subway or simply walk. We are never keen on shopping, which is limited at the change of season if the kids outgrown their clothes or when ours are getting too discolored (from black to grey). What 10 years old girls can wear we try to pass to our 5 years old son the rest we donate. We always take our bags to the market, our part time helper (privilege 2) cooks most meals. We limit boxed fruit juice and cookies, we don’t eat canned food. We only fly twice a year to visit family (in France and Bali) I fly more for more work. I thought that was pretty good.

After I watched your video and checked on your blog via VPN (all blogs are banned in China) I started to look at what we already do and try to do better. So for the course of a few months now we have gone back to soap bar for washing but still have shampoo & conditioner bottles, toothpaste, deodorant and cosmetics (for work only). I started to take my Tupper ware that are usually sitting in the cabinet to the market and put the meat as well as cheese, bacon, croissant from deli/bakery in them. I made clothes bag from old Halloween costume for the rice, egg (carefully) and beans. I use the Nutella jars for the nuts. Kids refuse to forgo Nutella for now, but we agree to limit the amount we consume monthly, let me know if you have the recipe. Clothes that are no longer appropriate to be donated became rag to clean floors and counters. I am using soap nut when I do the laundry on the weekend, I still can’t convince my helper to do so during the week days. I am now checking on how to make jam as we have a lot of jars from those strawberries and blackberries jam and getting those spray bottles for green cleaning solutions.

My husband and I are taking it one step at the time; we change a few of small habits and make sure the new one is becoming a habit instead of an effort. I can’t for now commit time to jar tomatoes, making jams and other things as I am working full time, but I am making an effort to bake more cookies on the weekend, kids are having fun and love the taste.

There are a lot of obstacles to do zero waste in Beijing as it is embracing consumerism. Second hand clothes shops are uncommon (and not allowed by government), buying in bulk for vinegar, soy sauce and liquid things is not easy. Dry ingredients are easier to buy in bulk. As we are not sure of the quality of the milk, we have to stick to milk in bottles or brick. We can’t refill our wine bottles, so have to recycle them. We still have lot of paper, books, crayons etc, but we are committed not to buy anymore crayon until they are all done with. It is a process and we are trying.

I just came out of the closet to my friends here, received a lot of surprises face and comments like “See how long you gonna last”. I am hoping that by showing that reducing waste is not that painful maybe they will follow suit. The other day in the market some of the other shoppers took notice of my container and said, “ That is a very good idea, we should bring ours too’. Thank you for your weekly story, they remind me on the goal and keep me motivated."

Frustrating yearly tally, cheered up by Solar

2011-12-01T14:25:00.001-08:00

Yep! By the look of the blog, you’ve guessed it! We are getting solar!

Solar has been on our wish list for years but with Scott quitting his job in 2008 to take on a sustainability start-up, our financial priorities have laid elsewhere (mostly survival and mortgage) and our dream put on the back burner. But the incredible cumulative savings that this lifestyle offers, has finally afforded us a solar installation! And I am so excited about it.

It comes at a perfect time in our ZeroWaste journey.

I looked at our yearly landfill tally last month and realized that we hit a plateau. Compared with the previous year, our solid waste reduction is no longer dramatically getting smaller – and thankfully, not getting bigger either ;). There are things we simply cannot refuse, reduce, or find used. There are things that create waste simply from maintaining a house and tending our bodies.

Our tally this past year (Oct 2010-Oct 2011), comprised of:

State Farm car insurance cards (laminated paper).
Five tiny paint rollers and masking tape from a fall paint project (stripes in living room)
An 5-year old plastic toothbrush that I have used/worn-out for cleaning grout.
Packaging of home repair/ electrical items
Plastic cork wrapper of some wine bottles
Photo (from a birthday party invitation)
Backing of postal stamps
Plastic sealers from Scott's contact lens solution
Couple of itchy clothes tags
Plastic tie from a pair of shoes
Plastic hanging straps from a dress
Plastic casing from Romex wire used in an electrical repair
Scotch tape bits
Plastic"size" strip from a new pair of jeans
Plastic warning tag from an electrical cord
Plastic wrap from a friend's leftover dish (could not refuse her generous lasagna gift, am weak!)
Plastic price tag ties from clothes
Some fruit stickers (from occasionally missing the farmer's market, where I can avoid them)
Few bubble gums from guests
Tiny other things that do not really have names ;) The bulk of it being soft plastics from home maintenance.

As with our previous tally (which Sunset took away in October last year), the jar obviously does not include the "active discards" of the few things that I have sent back to manufacturers with a suggestion letter, or the occasional candy wrappers (including 10 from last year's Halloween) that people have given our kids and I have sent to Terra Cycle (TerraCycle, Inc, Attn: Candy Wrapper Brigade, 121 New York Ave, Trenton, NJ 08638).

Apart from State Farm insurance cards (who have switched to cardboard cards since our last complaint!), much of our waste is recurrent and will undoubtedly recur. As we all know Zero Waste today is not technically feasible, and I can say that my family is definitely stuck on this plateau. Plateauing is a natural part of the process, I guess. But energy efficient transportation and solar offer ways of improving other types of waste and provide me with much continued waste reduction satisfaction! ;)

We had heard that solar had dramatically dropped in price, and so with our finances in recovery, we took estimates from two different providers last month. Both considered our current and future energy consumption, our finances and space available for the panels. One of them repeatedly mentioned the “free” included Ipad2 as a sales pitch, the other offered a better financial deal given our parameters. Guess which one we chose? Refuse, Refuse, Refuse. Shopping is voting. And I love it when my refusal is rewarded by financial savings from choosing the opposing option.

We are just in the beginning phases (I found out that solar is not an overnight installation), but I already dream of eliminating TP!

Becca's Story

2011-11-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

This week, Becca shares her journey with us. I love her writing style and how she and her family have evolved in the past year!

"thanksgiving 2010, while visiting my aunt, i picked up a magazine and began to thumb through it. my eye caught a glimpse of the type of decor i love, minimal, clean and modern. i choose to read the article and my first thought was these people are crazy! i handed the article over to my husband whom also loves that type of decor and his thought was the same, beautiful home and crazy lifestyle. on our drive home we started talking about how we should start to get rid of all our junk, that slowly turned into trying out as best as we could at living this lifestyle. we knew all of it wasn’t for us but we tried to began to change. we were a “leave the lights on in all the house, let the water run forever, never recycled type of family.” soon we were making our own dishwashing and laundry soap, bringing all our containers, veggie bags and grocery bags to the grocery store.

i was in process of learning how to sew before finding this article and now really have a passion for up-cycling or refashioning clothing. this is someone who would never set foot in a goodwill (i couldn’t handle the smell).

i find myself actually thinking about things before i throw them away. can i reuse it? should i of even purchased it in the first place? did i really need a bag inside my bag? can someone else use this?

i was so excited for living this way that i thought i should start blogging about it. by the time i got a blog together my zero waste lifestyle was more like a little less waste lifestyle. i decided not to blog about it because i felt like we failed.

my husband was not going for the handmade laundry soap and many times we would forget our bags when we headed to the grocery store.

even though my kitchen does have a few plastic bags in it, i realized we really haven’t failed. my mind set has completely changed. we are not a “leave the lights on, let the water run forever, never recycle type of family.” i think about refusing and sometimes i do. i think about reusing and sometimes i do. i think about recycling and sometimes i do. sometimes is better than never.

we have no desire to live in a big house. we have been fine with one car and hope to get my husband a nice bike. keeping our house clean has been so much easier. my desire to have a clean minimal home has happened. our kids don’t need anymore toys than what fits in their toy box, we too just want to share experiences with them more so than things. i can’t believe it but i actually don’t feel like i need a closet packed full of clothes. i don’t hold on to all my girls art work and church crafts, we take pictures of it.

we really have changed! thank you for your inspiration! if we can change anyone on can!"

Zero Waste can save and make you money this holiday season!

2011-11-21T17:48:00.001-08:00

Long before I ever heard about the term, businesses adopted Zero Waste to make their processes more efficient and financially wise.

Graphics by Leo Johnson

In the home the same is true. I have mentioned the monetary benefits that this lifestyle has afforded my household before, but I want to go into specifics, on how it can save money, and even make a profit this holiday season! This time of the year can be a source of financial stress during these trying economic times, but ZeroWaste can afford relief. Here are concepts that I introduced in earlier posts and how they translate to holiday savings and potential revenue.

Zero Waste will save you money this holiday season by:

Curbing consumption: Using what you have is obvious, but I know how tempting the holidays can be! The best waste prevention is not spending at all, and not spending at all offers instant savings! Use a potted plant as a Christmas tree, and yard clippings or edibles as table decorations. You probably do not need new ornaments either…
Focusing on activities vs. stuff: You can offer your expertise or services (i.e., your time) as gifts. Usually older people need a hand, more than they need stuff. Hold on to your dollars and offer your creativity, cooking, manual skills, mobility or time instead. Offering repairs or beauty care will please the elderly, for example.
Buying used (if you must buy): Thrift stores, rummage sales and online secondhand markets (Ebay, Etsy, Craigslist) undeniably offer affordable gifts and decorations.
Buying groceries in bulk: Since bulk is generally cheaper, celebratory meals for company will cost you less.
Eliminating disposables (keep your money out of the landfill): Reusable gift bags and Furoshiki squares offer cumulative savings over the years. No need for wrapping paper or tape.
Turning your waste into useful gifts: You can make lemon bars, marmalade, lemoncello with excess lemon harvest, turn junk-mail or kids artwork into stationery, melt bits of old candles, soap or crayons into new shapes, use corks for a bath mat and sew rags (i.e., worn-out clothing) into gift bags. I will be making the latter for family and friends.
Reducing activities that support consumption: Avoiding the mall and decreasing media exposure (tv, and magazines) will ease the shopping temptations and spending binges as well.
Reducing your paper output: E-mailing your Holiday card or video you’ll be saving material, shipping, and printing costs. This year, our kids will be “elfing” themselves for a comic custom video.

Zero Waste can even make you a profit by:

Participating in collaborative consumption, i.e., sharing seldom used assets: You can rent your dwelling (through VRBO or Airbnb) and car (through Getaround or Relayrides) this holiday season and make a profit. We take full advantage of this aspect as mentioned here and on Twitter. The process is evidently easier once you have decluttered, but the potential revenue is HUGE!
Sharing unused resources with others (see post on decluttering): It offers an opportunity to not only re-gift (instead of buying new) but also, and preferably, sell these items for a profit. And the holiday season, is the best time to do so, since Ebay, Amazon and Craigslist can bring you many more buyers than the rest of the year. Green shoppers looking to buy used hope to find your unused items in the secondhand market!
Recycling and composting: The holiday season also usually means more consumable consumption, which increases recycling in the home. Why not save your recyclables, and take them to the recycling center for redemption after the holidays instead of throwing them in the curbside recycling bin? Instead of costing you money, recycling could make you money!
Controlling clutter: If you get a gift that does not fit your needs, relieve yourself from the gift guilt. Don’t let anything that you do not need or love, take root in your home, let others use it: Sell it!

ZeroWaste has taken the financial stress out of my holidays. It did not remedy my anxieties overnight, rather over a couple of years as we slowly implemented and understood the full advantages of the lifestyle, but today it engages my creativity and pays back! Now that’s one advantage we did not foresee when getting into this.Can you think of other ways that Zero Waste will save you money this holiday season?

Chevanne's Story

2011-11-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for your submissions, and please keep them coming!

Our first guest is: Chevanne.

Coincidently, Chevanne posted one of my favorite comments a while back and that comment is what motivated me to host guest posts!

Needless to say more, other than: Thank you Chevanne for participating!

________________________________

Zero waste means discovering
new ways to enjoy my community.

"Approaching Zero" by Chevanne S., NJ

In February 2011, I read an article on Huffington Post about a family that produced less trash in six months than most people did in a day. Impossible. I mocked the whole idea after seeing a picture of their six month trash tally that could fit into the palms of my hands. Just another crazy set of hippies on their high horse. The cacophony of the "green" movement was all the same junk. Soon I forgot about it.

I can't deny though, that I was intrigued by the concept. A few months later, I revisited the idea of zero waste by asking myself a simple question: Is it possible to produce no waste? Theoretically, yes, but this modern society is full of things we must throw away and the trappings of luxury we've become accustomed to would be difficult for anyone to shake. I'm a woman of science and logic before all and decided to be charitable. I began to read all the articles posted on the ZWH blog, but was still relatively unconvinced. I got ahead of myself and like others, judged the language as condescending and the tone, annoying casual.

Then I started to think a bit about the context of the message and play devil's advocate against my own judgments, shifting my focus in order to look at both sides of the argument and find slivers of truth. I found that most of the objection to zero waste was a matter of perspective from a cluttered life. The issue of time commitment kept coming up and I realized the lost potential in days spent stocking our cupboards with food we will never eat, reorganizing things we don't need and still buying more stuff. It was also a false perception of cost. I realized I had learned that a long time ago. I found a recipe for scones and could make them for pennies, instead of buying them for $4 a piece. I never bought another again. Why are we so afraid to admit what we already know is true?

I became a believer in the zero waste journey when I decided to clear out my cupboards. I threw away about $100 worth of expired food, finally realizing what terrible shopping habits I had. I didn't even know what food was in my house and I piled on more. After that experience, there was no turning back, but in order to make the changes, I had to start phasing out a life of waste. I also started thinking about donation. It was an unnerving prospect at first, but an essential part of decluttering my life. I went through old clothes that still had tags on and wondered why was I making space in my home to keep junk. Over the next few weeks, I donated one third of my clothing.

I was still fumbling through the process when I had a revelation. In math, there is what's called an asymptote. It's a curve that infinitely approaches zero, but never gets there. That was the secret. It's about getting as close as you can to zero and posing the question over and over: Is it possible to produce no waste? From then on, every challenge I met was treated like an experiment beginning with that same question. It has spurred a host of small experiments all over the house. I decided on a transitional strategy of observing, weaning and replacing. Examine the routine, try out less wasteful solutions and replace wasteful products when they run out. I have come to know what exactly is in my cupboards with no duplication of products. I am phasing out use of plastic containers and replacing them with glass or reusable bags. There have been no paper towels for months. I'm even toying with homemade facial scrubs. It's almost as if this journey has been a exercise in logic and so far everything I'm doing makes sense.

There is a bigger picture we don't see which keep us focused on our own silo, forgetting that each one of us makes an big impact, good or bad. We really have to start thinking about what choices we make and keep heading toward zero. I've changed the way I think because I've altered my perspective, seeing truly the consumerist machine for what it is. It takes a while to realize what you really need and week by week, month by month, letting everything else go. It's like shedding your skin and you are all the more free and liberated because of it.

Despite my failures and setbacks, I know I've come a long way. I recently ordered reusable sandwich bags and the website offered a free gift with my purchase. I happily refused.

Share with us!

2011-11-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

There I was yesterday (my scheduled blog day), in a strapless dress, sitting on the sunny deck with my computer, squirrels and hummingbirds hopping and chirping all around me. I did not want to be blogging, I just wanted to celebrate and enjoy the most beautiful day of fall (maybe the last) with them.

Want to take my place writing?

Ever since I started this blog, you have shown a great deal of patience and understanding reading through my posts of frustrations, growing pains, and self discovery.

Sometimes you relate to my stories, sometimes you do not, but through the comments we connect, and support each other. Yet, comments only offer a glance at your personal journey.

I invite you to share further with us by submitting your story (zerowastestory at gmail dot com) of 750 words or less in the body of an email (no text attachment please), with a picture attached of you, or whatever would illustrate your words. Let us know what got you started, what keeps you going, what your biggest challenge is (or was), or all of the above. The possibilities are infinite.

I'll alternate my posts with guest articles each week.

Inspired?

A word on Heirloom Guilt

2011-10-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

My grandmother's pot inspired
my home's orange touches

"For you, [Bea] you are on a different level, 'Zero waste' means you have to eliminate even mementos and pictures. To each their own, but it's not a road I am willing to go down." - Sam.

Come on now, let's not exaggerate, I have reduced mementos, but have not eliminated them, and especially not pictures! I cherish them so much that I have even scanned most of them to keep them safe from deterioration and loss.

What I did eliminate from my life though, is heirloom guilt, that is the guilt associated with letting go of heirlooms by fear of:

Forgetting our ancestors,
Disappointing our ancestors,
Not conforming to the tradition of passing down,
Erasing a family story,
Lowering one's financial worth ("I can't sell it for what it is worth").

I believe that we do not need things to remember our lost ones. But everyone is free to do what feels right. I feel right having chosen not to hold onto anything that belonged to my grandpa, even though I loved him dearly. I get reminded of him everyday when I get lost into the blue of Max's eyes, when I see Leo's "derriere" that sticks out (a family trait), and when I wear my boots with metal heel plates (he wore them too and I can hear my grandpa walking in my shoes).

As with everything else, I applied the 5R's to guide the way I deal with heirlooms:

Refuse: Say no while you can. Being proactive is a big part of our lifestyle. Thinking of outcomes and addressing them before the time comes (in this case a family death) is key: My living parents already know that I am not interested in inheriting their stuff. I have just what I need and I like what I have. End of story. A hundred years ago, it might have made sense to pass down a good set of china to support a struggling young couple. But with today's consumerism, that same set of China no longer supports, it clutters.

Reduce: Stick to one box per family member. Letting go of the pieces you can part with, helps keep the amount under manageable control. Sell the coin collection and take a trip with the proceeds. Wouldn't your mother agree? In the hospice, dying people do not mention regretting leaving their coin collection behind, they regret not going after their dreams (Bonnie Ware, who worked for years nursing the dying, wrote about a great article on "5 Regrets of the Dying"). Maybe their unfulfilled dream can fund or kick start yours!

Reuse: Use Your Heirlooms. I do not need to store my grandmother's pot, I can actually use it (it even inspired my home's orange touches!). I think my grandmother would be happy to know that I have not let the pot clutter my life (stored for safekeeping somewhere, using up expensive real estate), she would be thrilled to know that I am actually using it. After-all, it is not the stuff that she left behind, but the memories and the stories that we share, that matter.

"The last thing I want is for someone else to have to throw away my junk! I'd rather leave only memories and skills behind" - Anonymous.

Recycle: Turn worn-out items into something else; make bulk bags out of an old sheet for example or plant flowers in your grandfather's boots. All my kitchen towels are made from an old linen sheet from my grandmother. I am using her thrifty ways (a skill that I did happily inherit from her) to use every inch of it.

Rot: If I run into another lock of hair, it's definitely going into the compost!

I can affirm that for me, the biggest advantage of living a lifestyle of voluntary simplicity has been a great improvement in quality of life, but also freeing myself from heirloom guilt. I believe that when parents pass something down, they do not mean to burden us or instill guilt, they just want to make a gesture that they think is mandatory. But once it’s yours, it’s your choice to do whatever you want with it. It's a free country, right?!

Do you feel burdened by heirloom guilt?

Quince: the perfect Zero Waste Fruit

2011-10-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Open Garden Project, a weekly garden exchange. I love the concept. I brought a couple of jars of homemade pickles (one of the jars was that of the vinegar mother) and came home with quince fruit.

Ah Quince, the mystical fruit.

Cored whole quince

The woman who brought them to trade, had a full tree at home but did not know what to do with them. I was happy to take them off her hands and work on the delicacies my mom used to make for us. It's amazing how much you get out of the (whole) fruit and cannot bear keeping the following recipes from you;)

QUINCE JELLY

Wash and quarter the entire quince (I used 4 this time) Do not peel or core
Cover with water generously (the width of a couple fingers as my mom would say)
Cook until tender
Stain over a bowl and let stand for 12 hours
Weigh the strained juice and mix with equal amounts of sugar (putting aside the cooked quince for the recipe below)
Add the juice of a lemon (optional)
Cook until it gels
Pour into sterilized jars (my four quince yielded the 2 jars pictured).

Strained cooked quince

Quince jelly

QUINCE PASTE

Remove and compost the seeds from the above cooked quince
Weigh the cooked quince and mix with equal amounts of sugar
Blend using a hand blender
Cook until thick (scraping the bottom of your pan will leave a line in the paste)
Spread into plates (I used our picnic plates because they are deeper than my everyday ones)
Let dry for about a week, flipping them a couple of times
Cut and enjoy with Pecorino style cheese or roll in sugarfor a sweet treat
Store in air-tight containers.

Quince paste drying

Quince Paste rolled in sugar

Both make great presents.

What seasonal delicacy are you working on?

Auto Pilot

2011-10-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

Some might think that we are obsessed with Zero Waste. Although it is an eminent part of our lifestyle, I do not consider it an obsession... anymore. It might have started as such, but as I mentioned before, Zero Waste for us is now more than just garbage reduction. With the logistics on Auto-Pilot, we can fully enjoy its financial, health, and time savings benefits. I realize that our success with the lifestyle relies mainly on organizational skills applied to shopping, so I thought I would share my Friday routine with you.

GROCERY AND ERRANDS LISTS

We have grocery and errands lists pinned to our wall in the laundry room (adjacent to our pantry). Both lists are made of strips of reused, single-side printed, school paper, clipped and tied to a refillable pencil. We use the sheets from bottom up, so we can tear just the portion used.

When one of us empties a jar or notices butter running low, we make note of it on the GROCERY LIST. The whole family adds to it. Leo once wrote, "10,000 bananas", out of frustration with our local produce ;). I also jot down items needed for special occasions (e.g., extra cheese for a potluck). The GROCERY LIST includes items available in the grocery store that I visit on a weekly basis, which I selected based on its bulk selection, convenience / location, and on-premise bakery. By now, I have built a relationship with its employees and look forward to seeing them every Friday (the day that also coincides with the local farmers' market).

When we feel the urge to get something from another store, we write it on the ERRANDS LIST. Usually, by the time Friday arrives, I have eliminated and/or found a reason not to purchase many items on the list. A great money saver. I also use the ERRANDS LIST to jot down such items as donation drop-offs or specialty bulk items from a different store/town (such as pasta, shampoo, conditioner, Castile soap, dog food, cooking oil, and dishwasher detergent).

Grocery and errands lists seem like obvious must-haves, but through my consulting business with other families, I was surprised to see that more than 3/4 of households, do not have an on-going list, resulting in frequent (sometimes daily) grocery runs and impulse buys.

TOTES

I have three large totes (no need for more): Two GROCERY TOTES, and one FARMERS MARKET TOTE .

I keep the FARMERS MARKET TOTE (containing produce mesh bags) and one of the GROCERY TOTES (containing bulk bags, crayon, bread pillowcase, bottle carrier and baguette bar code) in the trunk of my car.

In the house and next to the lists, I keep the other grocery tote (KITCHEN GROCERY TOTE) handy to fill during the week with: Washed bulk bags, empty jars, empty containers to be returned for a deposit refund (milk and yogurt), empty egg cartons, and empty produce bags, along with ERRANDS ITEMS, such as finished library books/movies, and items to be taken to a repair shop or friend's house for example.

ROUTE

On Friday, I take the tote down to the car with both lists, making sure that I have a minimum of five jars to fill. I number my ERRANDS LIST by stops, starting with the furthest errand and maximizing right turns (better for gas mileage;)

I put the GROCERY LIST in one of the GROCERY TOTES, and pull ERRANDS ITEMS out of the KITCHEN GROCERY TOTE to lay them on the passenger seat, for easy access and quick drop-offs. I also transfer the egg cartons and produce bags in the FARMERS MARKET TOTE.

Then I work my route, crossing out the errands on my ERRANDS LIST as I go. My last three stops are the farmers' market, the grocery store and the library.

At the farmers' market, I take the FARMERS MARKET TOTE, go straight to my favorite veggie stand (veggies at the bottom), then my favorite fruit stand (usually softer than veggies...), and finally the egg stand to get my cartons refilled (the most items fragile on top...).

Then at Whole Foods:

I load a cart with both GROCERY TOTES, and make a first stop at the customer service to return deposit jars for a refund (I wrap the refund slip around my credit card, so I don't forget to use it during checkout) and occasionally get a tare on a jar or bottle (we use the bulk crayon to write it on).

I then head to the bakery to order “Ten baguettes, no packaging”.

I proceed to the salad bar (mostly for grated cheeses at a low price), the olive bar (for the appetizer items like capers, cornichons and olives), and the deli, meat, and fish counters.

I’ll grab some milk while my jar gets filled at the cheese counter.

I get my fill in the bulk aisle, writing the item number on the cloth bag with the bulk crayon before filling it (easier) and sometimes fill a jar/bottle at the nearby liquid counter (e.g., honey or olive oil).

I sometimes also stop in the produce section for a specific item that I would have not found at the Farmers' Market (e.g., loose spinach) or the wine section for white, or the bakery bins for some croissants.

My loop ends back at the bakery counter, where fresh out-of-the oven baguettes get placed in my pillowcase, giving me much needed warmth (I get cold in grocery stores) and filling my senses with childhood memories, as I make my way to the checkout stand.

I unload jars first (because heavy items will need to go into the totes first), then bulk and bread. I pullout the baguette bar code (cut from an old wrapper and glued onto a piece of cardboard) and remember my deposit refund slip wrapped around my credit card, as my totes get filled. I say “no” to the store receipt and head home with a quick stop at the library.

Once home, I unload the car, refrigerate cold items, fill storage jars with bulk, (make a sandwich), cut in half and freeze the baguettes, store veggies in the produce keeper of the refrigerator, replenish the fruit bowl, put dirty bulk bags on the washing machine, recycle my lists and put the totes back in place: Two in the car, one in the home. Ready for use the following week…

How do you automate your Zero Waste Shopping?

Happy Spooning

2011-10-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

Little things make me happy.

On a Tuesday evening a month ago, Scott and I were kid-less. We contemplated going to the local theatre for Comedy Night, but opted for a downtown stroll and a stop for dessert instead. With Zizou, our Chihuahua, ecstatic at the sound of his leash, we knew we had made a good choice - little did I know that Dana Carvey would make the theatre roar that same evening! The night was chilly, and with much haste, we made our way to the town's organic gelato place, tied the dog to the tree outside and headed straight for the colorful lit display of the handmade delicacy. After a couple of minutes perusing our options (decisions, decisions!), it was time to deliver our words of choice. Since my heart was torn between Fior di Latte and Honey Lavender, I let Scott decide. He too hesitated, and asked for a taster.

As I finally took my eyes off the display, I looked up and there they were! That's when I noticed the reusable stainless tasting spoons that the store had recently adopted . "Yes! They did it!", I yelled. The sight of these little tasters made my day. Yep, that's right, as meaningless as it seems, this small change makes me happy.

Last year, as part of an Earth day event, my kids and I picked up trash around town. Not that picking up garbage was a first (we had participated in such events as Coastal Cleanup before), but this time was different. It was not about picking up the floating plastic bag that might have come from some faraway place, it was about picking up the waste that my own community would dare discard on their own city streets. The items we found also said a lot about the business practices taking place downtown Mill Valley. And from the amount of "biodegradable" plastic spoons and single serve cups that we found, I concluded that our gelateria, was the main source of street waste on its block. I found out "Looks ( Flavors) are not everything". An organic business ought to know that Tater Ware spoons do not simply "biodegrade" (as mentioned on the spoons) or disappear from the street.

I believe that it is not only up to residents, but also businesses to show care for the environment and lead by example. And as you already know, I strongly believe that one must "Refuse the things that we do not need or do not want to support in order to be sustainable". Along with a few words of explanation, I brought the found spoons back to the gelateria and discussed solutions with the owner. I boycotted for a year the practices that I did not condone, but let my kids enjoy a cone when Grandma offered.

The fact that the business is organic and uses local ingredients, shows interest in being sustainable. I am really happy that they took their sustainability further by offering reusable stainless taster spoons, and will support their business going forward. I thank you, Noci, for the new spoons, and applaud your efforts. At least until the cups that I still find on the ground, get me back on the boycott ;-)

Salt packed anchovies

2011-09-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Every summer, I learn a few new things from my mom. While the kids learn french, I learn homemaking. I even dream that these new tricks will eventually "offset" the carbon emissions of my trip over time ;).

Last year, my mom showed me how to salt pack (cure) anchovies. Under her direction, I proudly prepared my 1st jar of anchovies. A few weeks later, Scott was flying back to the US, the salt packed anchovies carefully wrapped in his undershirts, which I now understand to be a "no-no" for US customs. Once home, a nice surprise awaited him upon unzipping his suitcase ... You guessed it: The juice from the anchovies had leaked all over (and I was not there to wash my hubby's clothes).

This summer around, I turned down the anchovies at the fish market, realizing that my frivolous ideas tend to annoy my sweet husband. But a few weeks upon my return, I went to Fish, a local fish market, looking for them. The store happened to have just cleaned a whole bunch and did not object to filling my mason jar: I came home with the biggest smile on my face and went right to work recollecting my mom's teachings.

INGREDIENTS:

Anchovies
Coarse sea salt (I also had Himalayan, so I mixed them)

RECIPE:

Remove the head and guts of the anchovies and rinse
In a jar, pack alternate layers of salt and anchovies (start and end with a thick layer of salt).
Seal and refrigerate for three weeks before consuming (some of the salt will melt and turn into brine)
When ready to eat, reach for an anchovie, peel its flesh off the bone under running water (compost the bone and ~~water your plants with the collected water~~) and soak until de-salted to your taste (a few minutes). We like them in our salads or on our pizzas.

That's it!

As you know it, I love recipes that call for only a couple of ingredients. I have found that homemade anchovies are not only easy to make, they also save on the transportation and recycling of the store-bought kind, avoid our exposure to BPA from lined cans, support local / sustainable business, and easily transfer the homemaking knowledge from my mom to my kids. Something, that is sadly getting lost through consumerism and our disposable society.

How to Get Started

2011-09-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote an article for Yes! Magazine, which included 10 tips for a Zero Waste Household. I thought I would share them with you. These tips happen to summarize the lifestyle perfectly and are a great (and much needed) "How to Get Started" for the blog. It's a good review for those of you who are already well down this path too.

____________

The zero in "zero waste" makes it sound scary and hard to achieve. It is actually not as as hard as it seems, and it is as simple as following these Five R's, in order:

Refuse what you do not need.
Reduce what you do need.
Reuse by using reusables.
Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse.
Rot (compost) the rest.

Refuse
1. Fight junk mail. It's not just a waste of resources, but also of time. Register to receive less at dmachoice.org, optoutprescreen.com and catalogchoice.org.
2. Turn down freebies from conferences, fairs, and parties. Every time you take one, you create a demand to make more. Do you really need another "free" pen?

Reduce
3. Declutter your home, and donate to your local thrift shop. You'll lighten your load and make precious resources available to those looking to buy secondhand.
4. Reduce your shopping trips and keep a shopping list. The less you bring home, the less waste you'll have to deal with.

Reuse
5. Swap disposables for reusables (start using handkerchiefs, refillable bottles, shopping totes, cloth napkins, rags, etc.). You might find that you don't miss your paper towels, but rather enjoy the savings.
6. Avoid grocery shopping waste: Bring reusable totes, cloth bags (for bulk aisles), and jars (for wet items like cheese and deli foods) to the store and farmers market.

Recycle
7. Know your city's recycling policies and locations—but think of recycling as a last resort. Have you refused, reduced, or reused first? Question the need and life-cycle of your purchases. Shopping is voting.
8. Buy primarily in bulk or secondhand, but if you must buy new, choose glass, metal, or cardboard. Avoid plastic: Much of it gets shipped across the world for recycling and often ends up in the landfill (or worse yet, the ocean).

Rot
9. Find a compost system that works for your home and get to know what it will digest (dryer lint, hair, and nails are all compostable).
10. Turn your home kitchen trash can into one large compost receptacle. The bigger the compost receptacle, the more likely you'll be to use it freely.

And remember: You're not alone. Come here to share your experience with like-minded individuals, check out the tips page and post your questions in the forum's page.

Thank you for being open to change!

Progress!

2011-09-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

I have had a very satisfying 10 days and I thought I'd share them with you. Over the past couple of weekends, we adopted a few sustainable ideas (I tweeted about them) that have been on my mind for a few years. Tackling them, feels so good.

Homemade Vinegar:

Since embarking on Zero Waste, I had tried and greatly failed at making fruit scrap vinegar (a cheap way to make it). I have therefore been solely relying on vinegars available in bulk. But when I tried my brother's yummy homemade wine vinegar this summer, I realized, that it was time for me to give it a try and make my own using a foolproof vinegar mother upon my return home. Last week, Scott bought a "mother of vinegar" from San Francisco Brewcraft on his way back from work, I was ecstatic to find out that they sell in a reusable mason jar, and got the concoction started immediately. Since we do not have a convenient/nearby source of bulk vinegar and we have extra wine (from our wine bottle refills), making wine vinegar at home, makes a lot of sense for us. I'll have to keep you posted on its taste when it's ready, in a couple of months.

Down to one car:

For the past three years, I have bugged Scott to sell his Mini Cooper to go down to one car. After all, we moved to a downtown to be close to amenities and use the car less - and we mostly walk or bike around here. We loved the versatility and cargo capacity of the Mini but it could no longer transport the four of us comfortably (the kids would sit with their legs crossed on their seats). Scott used it the to go to work a couple of times a week (he works from home the remaining days). I used my sedan for consulting work and once a week for errands/grocery shopping. We also used it for the longer family trips (including camping). It seemed that one, if not both cars, always sat in front of the house, and that with some planning we could share just one.

For the reasons mentioned, it made sense to keep the sedan. At the same time, Scott was reluctant to give up his beloved Mini, but with mounting repair bills (fly-wheel / transmission problems), last week he finally decided to take it in. Little did we know, that we'd end up trading both our cars for a used hybrid, giving us the comfort of my sedan, with even better cargo capacity (hatch-back) and gas mileage than the Mini (and one less insurance payment). The dealer even wrote us a check to make up for the difference ($12 ;) . We immediately created and shared a "car" calendar. It's only been a week, but Scott and I are super happy with our decision.

Bee Condo:

With the bee population decreasing, many sustainable organizations suggest building a bee condo to provide native bees a place to raise young bees. The first time I heard about the concept was three years ago at my friends launch party for Open Garden Project, and it had been on my mind ever since. With Max showing an interest in city planning and power tools, the project seemed perfect for him. I bought scrap wood for $2 at the hardware store and provided him with drill, drill bits, salvaged screws and hanger, and the simple online instructions. It took a couple days - he said he needed breaks;) but Max is very proud of completing his first ever building. He pointed out to one of the holes and said: This one will be the office;). He will be monitoring the bees' activity closely.

Organic Mattress:

A couple of weeks ago, Max fell asleep in our bed, next to Scott, so I spent the night in his twin bed. OMG what a horrible bed, I found out. I have read and cuddled in the kids beds before, but spending a whole night was a real wake-up call, so-to-speak. Springs stuck into my back all night and the lack of any-softness-whatsoever gave me a stiff neck the following day... as if I had camped out all night. I was really paying for the cheap mattress I bought 10 years ago, and realized that I owed my growing boys a softer nest. Scott and I both had always viewed buying a mattress as fun as buying a used car... But since our last car trade was not as painful as we had expected, we went mattress shopping for the boys this weekend. We went to The Natural Mattress Store, and after "sleeping" around, we fell in love with an Eco-Cloud mattress: 97% organic, made locally and with no packaging (on request). It was all we could have asked for! It was more expensive than the ones made in China, but after a few weekend rentals, the mattress will pay itself off. We had the option of sending the old mattresses to the recycling center, we chose to keep them instead: Stacked in the attic, they'll be perfect as a spare bed/couch for the playroom (our old plastic Coleman mattress/ spare popped a while back: I reused the plastic by sewing to the back of our picnic blanket for waterproofing).

Water Audit:

Last month, our church held a Sustainability Fair. I demo-ed a Zero Waste Home Shopping Kit, and the table next to me offered free water audits. I had meant to sign up for one of those in a long time and finally did. During lunchtime last week, a Marin Municipal Water District auditor came by. He looked at our yard, plants, watering patterns, interior water fixtures and machines. "I thought only 2 of you lived here", he said, when Scott mentioned the kids... "You only use half the water of a household of four." Wow, that statement sure made our day. Many readers have asked about our water consumption due to washing reusables. I don't how exactly much more water we use for that extra washing, but our minimalist wardrobes, and water consumption awareness seem to largely counter it.

We already know that little changes can have a big impact, but numbers prove to us how much and encourage us to do more. Future home projects now include setting up a grey-water system diverting waste water from our laundry machine to our ferns. I can't wait to have it done. And I hope that Scott can fit it in his schedule (maybe in the next three weeks instead of the next three years;)

What sustainable practices have you recently implemented that have been most satisfying?

Costume Swap Day

2011-09-13T08:41:00.001-07:00

Much of Zero Waste relies on planning ahead and being proactive: Taking your name off mailing lists before getting junk mail, saying "no" to the straw before it shows up in your drink at the cafe, or refusing the party favor, days before it gets handed out to your child. With the kids now back in school, we'll soon need to start thinking about Halloween.

Last year, we used items from home and the thrift shop to dress up the kids. Max (pictured) was a grandma. We bought a secondhand dress, wig, glasses and purse for a few dollars during a thrift shop sale. I shortened the dress's hem to fit his height, and used the fabric extras to make a matching coat for Zizou ("le chien-chien à sa mémère") and gift bags (for Christmas). The day after, we donated the whole outfit back to the thrift store (knowing that the kids want a different look every year), as if we had rented it while funding a cause.

We have also borrowed and created DYI costumes before, but for households holding on to them beyond Halloween, a good sustainable option is to swap. According to GreenHalloween.org, swapping half the costumes kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6,250 tons—about the weight of 2,500 midsize cars...

On October 8, National Costume Swap Day, people across the country will get together for costume swaps in their own cities and towns. Swaps not only help the environment but also save money and build community. You can find one near you or better yet, host one yourself with friends, neighbors, school or community group by following these simple steps and registering your swap (private or public) so others can know about it.

Happy Swapping!

Back to school. Finally!

2011-09-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

OK. I am back and for real this time ;)

The kids were off for three months this year (while our tax dollars renovated the local schools), but they returned to their routine this week, and so have I. Writing this, seated in the shade of the oaks bordering my sunny deck, with hummingbirds buzzing around, feels like a "stay-cation" now.

With the start of a new academic year (and Max in Middle School!), September always feels like January's onset of a new calendar year. Off to a fresh new start: Supplies, Lunches and Activities are revised.

SUPPLIES

Each year, teachers request many un-recyclable items that I would not purchase for our home (plastic markers for example), but would consider for school use. In a perfect world, teachers would keep "still good" supplies for subsequent classes or at least donate them to the local thrift shops at the end of the year. Better yet, manufacturers would offer non-toxic stainless refillables of modern staples such as markers, and teachers would limit their demands to those available and reuse them. But until then...

Our annual scavenger hunt for school SUPPLIES starts with a preliminary stop in the home office to retrieve last year's leftovers and update lists with truly needed items. For example, the new box of pencils required for Max, did not make it. Afterall, Leo finds pencils on the street all year long ;) - and we have plenty mechanical pencil refills. The disposable wipes on Leo's list did not make it either. I volunteered to purchase reusable ones instead.

We then scout the town's thrift shops with a much simplified and revised list. This year, we bought secondhand dividers, a binder, school paper, and one sharpie (Thank you for your donations, fellow Mill Valley-ans!).

We struck out on backpacks (bigger ones needed this year), glue stick, red ballpoint pen, second sharpie, and had to buy these new, but I am happy to give the local stationary store our scrutinized business. It not only allows us to purchase just the right amount (one is enough for now) and without the extra packaging (sold loose), but it also gives me the opportunity to support a small local business and save on gas (the big chain alternative is two towns over).

For the scientific calculator that Max needed, eBay was the best bet. Bought $4 used and now reused.

LUNCHES

The boys' appetites have grown this summer, so I was delighted to find an array of loose buns at the grocery store. These have simplified the kids lunch making. They are cheaper than baguette, do not need pre-ordering, and are pre-cut by Scott, making it easier for the boys to prepare them. Best of all, the serving size satisfies Max's appetite perfectly.

As mentioned before, I do not usually spend time making what is available to us in bulk, such as pickles. But the long break and the sight of cute little pickling cucumbers at the farmer's market, inspired me to prepare them again this year. They are easy to make with only a few bulk ingredients, the kids love them (they are sweet) and they are a great addition to school lunches. So I thought I'd share our recipe with you.

Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

5 cups sliced pickling cucumbers (about 5 count)
1 onion
4 tsp coarse salt
1 cup cracked ice
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar (evaporated cane sugar)
Optional spices

Mix cucumbers, onions, salt, and ice in large bowl
Put a weight on the mixture for 3 hours (see picture)
Drain
Combine vinegar, sugar, drained cucumbers and spices of your choice (1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/8 celery seed, 1 tsp mustard seed for example)
Bring to boiling point (do not boil)
Fill sterilized jars (recipe will fill 1 quart size jar)
For long term storage, you can boil the sealed jar for 10 min. I personally don't. We refrigerate them and they disappear within a month.

ACTIVITIES Never say Never... I am glad I did not.

Now the big surprise for the end. I am about to announce a major change in our household. With much deliberation (six-months long actually ;), Scott and I have finally given up on our video game battle and purchased a used Wii for Leo's birthday. OMG! We have come to realize that our very social pre-teens are losing interest in their Legos, and cannot be kept away from gaming (at least, where we live anyways). In the last year, they have clearly learned to augment their outside playtime with a gaming fix at the neighbors.

Again, in my perfect world, our neighbors and friends would also be against video games and urge their kids to entertain themselves otherwise. We would also agree on the same house rules, dietary needs, all choose zero waste lifestyles, and live happily ever after. Well, since it is not the case, and Scott and I are not willing to move and become hermits or keep the kids locked up, but rather encourage age-appropriate social interactions at home, we considered multiple non-viable options (a trampoline on our hill, fuss-ball in the tiny playroom, etc.), until we faced the inevitable: No matter what we'd find as an alternative, gaming would still be out there and our kids would keep seeking it elsewhere. Then, I thought to myself that as long as we did it in a sustainable way (buying used console and games), with strict usage limits, it probably would not kill me ;)

We've had it now for only a couple of weeks, the kids bring their friends home more and I can share play time (Wii sports) with my fast growing boys. Gaming that fosters social and physical activity, afterall, is not too bad and more controllable than online gaming. And as long as we can mix it up with a variety of other activities, I am OK with it.

That said, do not fear, we are nowhere close to turning TV back on...

The French Way

2011-08-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

I have come back to the US and am feeling good.

Stepping away from routine, computer, and interviews while adopting a new life and ZW in another place, has cleared my head. I feel refreshed and zen (I even feel voluptuous with the few pounds gained from my mom's cooking;). I want to feel this way all year round and wonder if my passionate nature makes it at all possible... I make the same resolution every August but always find myself stressing out by mid-September. I can only hope that the yoga classes that Scott gave me for my birthday (Groupon), will aid my goal this time around.

Now enough about my "état d'âme", here is what you really want to know about my ZW experience in France: It was easier than expected.

And here is why:

1- With no more preparation than the jars and totes that I borrowed from my mom, and the bulk bags that I brought with me from CA, I was able to buy most of our groceries from the FARMERS MARKET.

The summer makes for fantastic, ripe, tasty produce which I purchased in great abundance. The melons for example are out of this world and their freshness compensate for the heat of the region. The tomatoes, zucchinis, bell peppers, eggplant, peaches, plums are ripened to perfection before being sold at the market, and their taste is incomparable to those I purchase at home. I even saw veganism as a possibility... until I saw the ravioli stand.

The farmer's markets, not only sell produce and eggs, but also unpackaged fresh pasta, bread, fish, meat, deli (especially salami), cheese, olives, tapenade, anchovies, anchovie paste (makes me hungry just writing this), capers, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, spices, cookies, and even creme fraiche. Every market is, of course, different, but with a little investigating, one can find "le marché" that best fits ones needs.

Jars and cloth bags are very well accepted. The vendors are more than happy to fill a jar in order to save (the cost of) one of their wrappers. Not that I asked, but I was told that other customers occasionally brought their Tupperware to the market.

Some stands weigh their produce in tared baskets thus reducing the need for produce bags (I would love for my farmer's market to do that).

2- In the South of France too, bulk is unknown to most and hard to find, but I found a few ORGANIC STORES that carried it. I only used the store to complement my farmers market finds with: Dry staples (bulk flour, sugar, salt, coffee, dry pasta, cereal), a few condiments sold in glass, and packaged hygiene necessities. I could see myself only needing the store for a monthly run, if I lived there. All it would take, is a little investigating and planning.

The bulk was not very fresh (the oatmeal from one place even "spawned" a swarm of moths into our apartment), but the selection was decent (half a dozen types of cookies for example).

The stores I visited did not have bulk bags for sale (paper bags are available), nor had they ever seen anyone use them until I showed up. Tare was therefore not deducted, but I was fine with that.

French people are green more out of financial concerns than environmental ones, at least in the rural area, where I stayed. For that reason, consumption is lower than that in the US, and the plastic bag has been effectively "banned". Grocery stores sell their plastic bags but rarely did I see someone buying one. People simply remember to bring their totes to the store.

I did purchase more recyclables than usual for 2 reasons: (1) I was starting from scratch and did not yet have all my bulk sources figured out; and, (2) Besides alcohol, bulk liquids could not be found in stores. Items that I purchased in plastic included: Shampoo, conditioner, white vinegar and liquid "Savon de Marseille" soap (not as good as castile soap I found out, but I made do with it). Items purchased in cardboard packages: Baking soda, and laundry detergent, in glass: olive oil, mustard, cornichons, and pate. And finally, items purchased in cans: Cod liver ("foie de morue", a family treat).

The trick when buying at the store is to find out about the: (a) Subtleties of the available products (e.g., an eco dishwasher detergent might hide plastic packaging in a cardboard box); and (b) Recyclability of the available products. In France for example, plastic recyclables are not separated by number #1, #2, etc...as we do here, but rather by form (shampoo bottles OK for example). Glass bottles and papers in my village are recycled manually in city containers.

I only found toilet paper in the throw-away plastic wrapper and used it to collect meat bones and cheese crusts, meant for the trash where we stayed (city compost not available). Maggots got into it though...and earned me the title of the "crazy American" by my landlord;) (in the US, I would be the "crazy Frenchie";)...

3- In most VILLAGES:

SPECIALTY SHOPS sell loose products and welcome cloth bags, if needed. These shops include the bakery (for bread and the occasional breakfast croissants), but also shops where we could buy cookies, candy, chocolate, and soap. Bread, for example, is typically tied in the mid-section by a small piece of paper for transport, but refusing it is completely acceptable.

Home harvests are shared amongst NEIGHBORS (tomatoes, zucchini, apples) and usually come presented in a wooden crate. That's what I call an un-refusable freebie;)

4- Along the COUNTRY ROADS:

Many signs indicate FARMS or crafters, who are always happy to fill a reusable container or bottle and strike up a conversation about it. This is how we purchased goat milk (a family first, where we had no idea the taste of goat would be so discreet!), cheese and bulk wine. The co-op where I refilled my wine in support of the village where my mom resides, required the purchase of a five-liter plastic jug. At "home", I would transfer the wine into empty flip-top lemonade bottles.

And there is always the package-free items of the WILD: Figs, plums, snails, dandelion, and blackberries.

5- OTHER logistics to consider:

I was told that some towns offer city compost, but my mom's does not. The compost available to us was her very successful aerobic bin, which digested fruit and veggie scraps. Due the high lime content in the area's soil, my mom did not allow egg shells in her compost, I simply buried ours.

Some grocery stores sold individual package-free Le Parfait jars. But I also used empty condiment jars for storing or simply stored leftovers in their cooking pot as I often do at home.

Upon our departure, I cleaned the whole house with white vinegar and a couple microfiber cloths I had brought along to give to my mom.

CONCLUSION:

If I go back next year, I'll work on reducing our recycling by finding more bulk options (e.g., a place to refill olive oil). Each year, we can only try to be more informed than the last, as we learn our way around the local ZW options. Ultimately, it is a learning process wherever we go, just as it was at home, until we make the discoveries that allow us to automate our ZW efforts.

Here is an overview on how we approach ZW away from home:

Bring a few cloth bags (we use them for snacks on our trip to the travel destination), a tote (maybe use a travel backpack instead?), and a couple of jars (if traveling by car).

Find a local farmer's market or at least the freshest produce available.

Learn about the local recycling program and compost options (dig a hole?).

Find a store that sells bulk, and if bulk isn't available, focus on purchasing glass (great for reuse) or cardboard packaging, both more eco and widely recyclable than plastics.

Be on the lookout for specialty stores and local crafters.

Take advantage of the local foraging opportunities.

Did you discover new ZeroWaste ways this summer?

Tweeting Zero Waste in Provence

2011-07-04T03:54:00.001-07:00

One of the benefits of living simply, is being able to easily vacate our home. We can clear out our personal belongings within 15 minutes - and therefore easily rent it while we're gone.

This first time required a bit of preparation before leaving:

Creating labels for the various in's & out's of our 1920's home (e.g., "Do not spin" the bubble chair - or it may detach).
Writing a "Zero Waste Home Operating Guide" to let our renters know about our lifestyle - and to give them some easy to try tips.
Reinstalling the trash/recycling cans for the multiple renters (Ugghhh!!! I am hoping they will be inspired to start this journey as well...)

Our efforts were well-rewarded though, since renting not only covers our flights to France, but also the rental of a cottage for a portion of our long stay. And, thanks to the internet and European clients, Scott and I are able to work from here, while Max and Leo perfect their French in the local summer camp.

Importantly for me, for the first time, I will also be able to test "la vie sans dechets" in Provence! (Note: We usually stay at my mom's for the whole period - so usually it is not possible to go Zero Waste.) With the five cloth bags that I brought from the US, plus the 2 totes, jars (6 x 1 liter, 6 x 350ml) and car that my mom is lending me, I am ready to go and excited to discover new "eco" ways.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be chronicling our Zero Waste experience through Twitter. Make sure to follow me or come here often to view my tweets (in the bar to the right), many include pictures! (I will look into posting these on FaceBook as well).

A simple, easy to carry wardrobe.

2011-07-04T03:52:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and we have made our annual trip to France to visit my family, celebrate my younger brother's wedding and older brother's 40th birthday. We will be here for a couple of months.

This year's flight was a bit difficult: Although we came more prepared than last year (read about last year's travel experience here), our personal headphones did not work in Air France's two-prong connection and the flight attendant gave us a hard time for using our Klean Kanteen for drinks served in plastic cups. At the meat counter, "I don't have a trash can" is the easiest and quickest explanation to the jar I hand out. But on a plane, where the situation is not set for conversation (people waiting to be served, reaching over someone's head, and engine noise), interactions need to be cut short. When the flight attendant asked if I was afraid of the "parabens" in plastic cups - he probably meant BPA ;), I smiled and simply nodded.

Apart from the handful of winter pieces noted below *, I packed my whole wardrobe into one small carry-on, with room to spare, for our summer stay. Since I wrote the post "Zero Waste Closet", I have reduced and come closer to finding the exact amount and type of cross-seasonal pieces that work for me, the places I live/visit, and the activities I partake. I can mix & match (my base color being black), layer them, dress them up or down with different shoes, add leggings to dresses, roll up long sleeves for the warm weather, wear a long shirt as a dress, turn a loose skirt into a tube top with a belt, etc... I can let my creativity go wild ;) re: last post.

Since we started the decluttering theme, many of you have asked to go into detail about my wardrobe, so here is more insight.

Seven Tops: Four basics, three "fashion". In order: Black long sleeve scoop neck, black 3/4 sleeve boat-neck, black spaghetti tank, black loose tank, hot pink loose tank, grey sparkly tank, ruffle long one shoulder. Tip: Find shirts that are long enough, so they can also serve as mini-dresses in the summer.
Three Sweaters: *Hooded sweater (heavy weight), black V-neck (medium weight), striped boat neck (thin weight). Tip: Buy good quality that does not fuzz up.
Three Dresses: Black sheath, denim shirt dress, colorful dress. Tip: Dresses for a simple wardrobe are made of a material that is cross-seasonal; for example, tweed does not apply.
Occasional Dress: Green Awards/dress for my brother's wedding (I am now ready to donate, sell or redesign this one). Tip: Buy an occasional (once every five years) dress used, and donate it back to the thrift store after the event.
Six Bottoms: Jeans, trousers, black leggings, fitted skirt, loose skirt, shorts. Tip: Stay away from khakis/khaki color, which do not work well with winter pieces.
Intimates: Seven undies, matching convertible bra, two pairs of medium socks, *two pairs of thick socks, footless tights, PJ's, and a swimsuit. Tip: Find the perfect bra first, match undies second. PJ's should be light enough for summer, warm enough for winter, and be decent enough to wear overnight at someone's house.
Six Shoes: High heels, boots, medium heels, jazz flats, sandals, *slippers. Tip: Match the color with your purse(s).
One All-Purpose Purse: I used to have three purses, but found this one used on my last shopping spree... my computer fits in it, and it has a removable strap to turn it from messenger into clutch for occasions. It is black to match my shoes. Tip: Make a list of items to fit in the "new" purse, take your computer to the store if necessary.
Five Toppers: The family blazer (Max, Leo and I have all shared it), black cardigan, *leather jacket, *sporty waterproof jacket, and a *cozzy. Tip: Go for texture and don't be afraid of color, if your purse matches your shoes.
Accessories: *Winter hat, summer hat, belt, jewelry (wedding ring, belly piercing, fashion piece), All purpose cover-up, sunglasses, and *gloves. Tip: Stick with a hardware/metal color that fits your complexion (gold/silver), and find accessories that carry your base color and have dual function, such as a necklace that can serve as a belt.

Obviously if you work in construction in Alaska, your needs will differ from mine. The key is evaluating what your everyday needs are while incorporating cross-seasonal/activities essentials into your wardrobe as much as possible.

What is your key to a simple wardrobe?

A personal revelation

2011-06-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

Easter Fun by Bea Johnson

For the artist worrying about the impact of Zero Waste on art-making, I thought I would share a personal story.

Five years ago, my artwork was showing in seven galleries at once. I had an inventory, hundreds of frames, dozens of unpainted canvases, gallons of paint, countless brushes, and loads of miscellaneous art materials stored in the studio. I was proud of my clientele and the recognition that my work was getting. But I also remember being frustrated at my lack of creativity.

We then moved, and as you already know, we let go of much of our belongings. It included evaluating those items related to art-making. I donated some to schools and friends, shared some through Craigslist, and brought some to Scrap (a reuse shop for artists).

What I found going thru that process, was not only an incredible sense of relief but also a significant gain in creativity, thus transforming my art-making.

As I let go of potential/unfinished projects and seldomly used materials, I let go of frustrations and expectations: I realized how much the art supplies had weighed on me awaiting to be used in some way, awaiting to become something better, something artful, something amazing, something that would overcome my fears and would exceed my abilities.

When we then adopted the Zero Waste lifestyle, I discovered that creativity need not be limited to the canvas, that opportunities to create abound all around us...

Through finding solutions to the logistical problems encountered on a daily basis on our road to Zero Waste (from finding a way to forgo the metal ties on my bulk bags to freezing bread without plastic), I unconsciously fed an insatiable need to create. In the studio, I turned hundreds of butter wrappers into lotus flowers for a piece, Leo painted over a large painting (his artwork is in our living room, as shown in a previous post), and Max is currently transforming a damaged canvas. Our yard, compost, or recycling have become our new source of materials. And since they keep recurring and are always on hand, the kids and I do not need to collect or store them, but simply reach for them when/where needed.

Just as "the clothes do not make the man", I believe that the art supplies do not make the artist. It is not a wealth of supplies that gave Van Gogh's work power, but rather his vision and execution. After all, "creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun" (Mary Lou Cook), none of it depends on supply inventory.

Today, my studio is bare, and my creativity on fire. I have come to learn that "stuff" does not boost creativity, it is rather the lack thereof, that has made me more creative. I realize that art and art-making are highly personal - and that my path towards Zero Waste diverge from others' at times, but I must say: I owe it to Zero Waste to have sparked "a lost" creative fuse in me.

To rethink our society's wasteful ways, Zero Waste needs your creative minds too. "Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of" (Geri Weitzman).

The Bottomline

2011-06-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! This is Bea's husband, Scott.

This is a note to the people that may be standing on the sideline, deciding whether or not this lifestyle or these changes make sense. Or maybe it is a note to the doubters that are thinking this is just a waste of time or money...or maybe it is to the husbands out there that are thinking this is just a big hassle. (I know because I was one of them at first...)

After some prodding from Bea, I went back over our expenses - in detail - from a few years ago (our "old life" in 2005) vs. our expenses now ("zero waste" lifestyle in 2010). To compare apples to apples, so to speak, I also took into account that our two boys are eating significantly more (ages 8 & 10 in 2010 vs. ages 3 & 5 in 2005). I could eat more than both of them put together in 2005 - now, Max eats as much as me - maybe more some days. (Note: Bea has always eaten more than me :)

The bottomline: It looks like we are saving even more than we thought...

> On food we are saving 36% overall:

Groceries are down 33%
Farmer's market is up over 1000% (from almost nothing to being a core part of our meals)
Restaurants are down 67%

> On "drug stores" (like Target, Rite Aid, CVS Pharmacy, etc.) our spending is down 76% (We can't even remember what the heck we were buying there!?)> Overall - our spending is down almost 40% across those categories!!! (not counting for inflation)

I attribute these savings to:

Shopping the outer rim of the store vs. the aisles
Less meat for dinner (once per week vs. most days)
More vegetables (we are spending a lot more at the Farmers Market every week)
Less dinners out / more family dinners in... (sure some of that is due to the economy)
Drug store purchases are way down - we don't buy all the "throw-aways"

And this does not factor in any of the time savings - fewer trips to the store, less time spent in the store, less time driving to/from the store...more time with my family, doing the things that we like to do.

Ok - back to Bea for the regularly scheduled program next week...(probably something on how to reuse turnip peels to degrease your stove :)

Should Art be considered in the process of letting go?

2011-05-30T17:43:00.001-07:00

Distracting visual clutter not only affects horizontal surfaces but also vertical ones. But should Art be considered in the process of letting go?

"You've inspired me to another level of desire for a simple living. However, I do enjoy art [...] There are always some that are in my closet, as I don't have the space to hang them all, awaiting their turn to be brought out" wrote one reader.

When recently discussing the subject of living simply with mostly bare walls, a friend told me that he was intrigued and he too argued: "One needs some visual pleasure (beauty) in the home, don't you think?".

I understand the attachment to Art, as I too used to fill my walls with it. I hung on to Art for reasons such as: A home has to have Art, Art shows that I am educated, Art proves that I am an artist. Today, I no longer consider these reasons valid.

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we now only display a handful of non-functional pieces: the occasional glass of flowers or foraged plants, the painting on our largest wall, the found animal skull in the playroom (Max enjoys science and biology) and a couple of pieces in our shared office/studio. But we're not forever-attached to any of them. I find that visual beauty abounds around us and does not need to be canvas-bound. Beauty "is in the eye of the beholder" and can be found everywhere and anywhere: In the yellow bird outside of my window, in the light filtering through my chihuahua's ears, in the new shoots sprouting from my living wall, in my kids smiles, and in simple functional items in the home.

Furthermore, I have come to realize that:

Showing less allows each individual piece to breathe and allows the viewer to fully emerge himself into it, without the distraction of neighboring pieces. In quantity, the individuality of each piece gets in part lost to "the competition" (the ones next to it) on a wall. But when a piece is isolated, it is "put on a pedestal" and given every opportunity to shine, inspire, and amaze.

Overtime, many pieces lose their appeal. After the initial excitement, they lose their visual novelty and get forgotten (you'll walk by them, and won't notice them anymore): Sometimes due to a switch in decorating style or frame, sometimes due to relocating (to a darker corner for example), sometimes due to a fading trend: Remember when the velvet paintings were cool? Pieces (along with their frames) as such can however interest collectors/museums or be reused by artists and made into "new".

Walls with windows, do not need art: A window can be a frame displaying beautiful nature, a living piece of art.

The lighter the load, the easier the move. Moving Art is no easy task.

A functional item can often fill or balance an "empty" area: Relocating a live plant, a chair or a lamp will often do the trick.

Supporting local artists is an honorable reason to collect, supporting ZeroWaste artists is even better, when purchasing Art, look for Art that is 100% compostable or made from 100% recycled material.

We have not missed any of the "beautiful" pieces that we used to own and have sold. We now rather find "beauty" in living simply.

I don't expect many of you to agree with me here... What do you think: Shouldn't Art be considered in the process of "forming better shopping habits, sharing with others, or making Zero Waste manageable" (as mentioned in this previous post)?

Our white walls explained

2011-05-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

Picture used for illustrative purposes only

Comments, such as the following, keep recurring:

"I certainly would not want my children, when asked what their mom loves [...] to answer "clear surfaces and white walls." Anonymous

Critics come in waves. Through them, I have had to defend our car usage, our meat consumption, our toilet paper purchase... lately, our white walls (and I thought I was making a statement with the white floors;). That's right. White walls and decorating style. I sure did not expect to spend any time explaining my wall color or design choices when starting this Zero Waste blog.

"Bea, it seems like you are advocating a style choice rather than a more environmentally friendly way" Anonymous

What do the color of my walls, and our mod decor have to do with Zero Waste? Where on this blog can you read that one needs white walls to adopt the Zero Waste lifestyle?

Honestly, these comments crack me up. They take my decorating aesthetics way too seriously. Again, this blog is not to dictate how one should live (or decorate), but to share the principles that I have found to work for myself and my family. This is simply NOT a decorating blog.

I thought it went without saying that to adopt of lifestyle of Zero Waste (or voluntary simplicity), mid-century modern decor does not need to apply, and could just as well be Moroccan, Mexican, shabby chic, French country... or whatever style you're into (I can't believe I writing such an obvious statement).

"You [Bea] confuse personal aesthetics with zero waste, [...] I would go nuts in a white home!" Mitty

Ironically, the color of our walls save us a lot of energy: We intentionally chose white to brighten up our house (and in turn lower our electricity consumption). Although we live in the trees, we do not need lights on a rainy day or before night fall. Every bit of daylight gets used and reflected. On a hot day, the house stays cool. Not to mention that for me, a light house has always meant a happy house. The white walls represent a canvas colored by people and their personalities, shadows on the walls change with daylight and seasons, the windows and outdoor views become living artwork. I understand that this color (or the lack thereof) choice might not be everyone's cup of tea, but hey, that's a personal preference, no need to lash out about it. As for our decorating style, it simply evolved from what we were able to find used...

None of this criticism obviously would have come out, would I have omitted pictures of my interior, which happen to be a quick and easy way for me to add visuals to my posts... I could search for alternative pictures instead, but I find that my time is better spent sharing lifestyle choices than decorating styles. That said, you are free to post and share pictures of your interiors on the forum or our FaceBook page.

Some days I wonder: What did I get myself into? What am I doing giving my time away to hungry angry critics using my walls as a target? What am I doing complicating my life by sharing our voluntary simplicity? Then I remember those of you, who do not get hung up on my white walls but rather read beyond or see through them and I keep going.

Now, enough about decorating style, let's keep this blog and its comments focused on the core values covered in the articles: Waste and time/money/resources wasted on the unnecessary (this article would be one example).

Granted!

2011-05-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Had I not picked 36 lbs. of organic strawberries on Sunday (which needed my attention on Monday), had I not been at work until 8pm Tuesday, and had I not deleted my post by mistake last night, I would have made this blog announcement earlier!

We won the Green Parent category at The Green Awards last weekend! Check out the other category winners here: https://www.thegreenawards.com/

Your votes, which accounted for a 1/4 of the voting process, combined with those of a panel of environmental judges (such as the Rainforest Alliance, Surfrider Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Working Group), gave us first place in our category, providing us with a $25,000 prize (read: grant) to take Zero Waste to the next level. Thank You!

Wow. The announcement sure came to me as a shock. While unprepared to give an acceptance speech (but happy to have saved the bit of paper), words of emotion filled my mouth, as tears filled my eyes. In the audience, my pre-teen guest, Max, kept his cool. A blase moment for him, but an out-of-body experience for myself. The white lights glaring in my face and the microphone echoing at the sound of my voice, made it all feel surreal.

Some of you criticized the Green Giant sponsorship, but not to the surprise of the sponsor who well knows that criticism comes from exposing yourself... as I too found out from writing this blog. And although Green Giant would appear to be an unlikely supporter of Zero Waste, I greatly appreciate their willingness to promote new thinking, approaches, and business concepts. Ultimately, we need to work together (forward thinking individuals and corporations alike) to build a more sustainable future. So, I thank you, Green Giant for giving individuals the opportunity to publicly share their sustainable ideas and provide us with the funds to spread the word about Zero Waste. We will keep you posted on our progress.

Trip notes:

The new terminal at SFO, sports hydration stations (to refill water bottles), along with compost receptacles.
Despite our relentless attempt to find a pair of pants to match Max's black thrift shop blazer (which fits 3 of 4 members of our family), we ended up buying a new pair at the last minute ;(. My dress only cost $5 though ;)
As you would guess, I refused the swag bag on the spot.
I would have liked to refuse the award on location for The Green Awards to reuse next year (a bit of sanding or a plaque over my name for next year's winner should do), but I leave that decision to Max, who "always wanted a trophy". (Green Giant offered to have me send it back to them, should Max change his mind.)
Offsets were covered by the event. And besides the cocktail paper napkins, I did not notice disposables at the event. Impressive.
While in LA, Max and I went to an amazing Street Art exhibit at MOCA's Geffen. I highly recommend.

Why I've let go of non-functional items in my home.

2011-05-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

Why do we fill our shelves with knick knacks? Is it to simply fill empty surfaces? Why must they be filled? Are we afraid of hurting someone's feelings (by not displaying a gift)? Is it to show off our wealth? Is it to remember someone? Is it to prove that we are educated and cultivated (shelves of books)? Is it to escape our own reality ("this shell reminds me of happy vacation times")? Is it to prove that we have been places and are wordly (tiki statuette)? The last three especially ring true to me.

In my previous, bedroom community life, I had unconsciously filled my home with travel books and artifacts collected all over the world: A way for me to impress friends and separate myself from a settled community that I longed to escape. But I have since come to realize that the pictures in my head, the experiences lived and the memories shared with my husband of that world trip are more important. They live forever and can never be taken away, stolen, damaged or burnt. On the other hand, artifacts can. The library now stores our books. I am free of the responsibilities related to possessing such objects.

My story might not ring true to everyone but what I know for sure, is that the pretexts that I hear from my clients point to the reasons given above. "Oh I can't let that go, I bought it in Thailand!", or "I paid X amount for it!," or "My mother made it!," or "My friend gave it to me," or "It reminds me of happy vacation times." Are those reasons good enough to clutter your walls, shelves and overall life? They do not seem valid enough to me anymore. People do not give us things/presents to burden us, they give them to us as a simple, sometimes cultural gesture, not to clutter our space.

Putting much value on such items teaches our kids to do the same. With parenting comes the question: What important life lessons do we want to teach our kids? We choose to teach ours that there is more to life than stuff. It is experiences and people that make life rich, and it starts with parents living with less.

"The stuff that I cherish is mine to cherish - I don't expect my children to keep it and I have told them as much" Anonymous... Valid outlook on heirloom guilt, but, to the question: "What does your mom love?" I would not want my kids to answer "her porcelain dolls."

"Telling our kids" is one thing, but "living by example" is another, and in my mind, a more powerful way of getting an important message through to them.

I have questioned my past pretexts and feel liberated from the false reasons that had me display non-functional things. Today, I only display a handful of very select ones.

Again, I do not write this blog to dictate, but rather to share my experiences, and hear yours.

What keeps you from emptying your curio shelves?

Does decluttering help the environment?

2011-05-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

"[...] Getting rid of inspiring artwork/fixtures etc. just creates more waste (what really happens to stuff that no one buys from Goodwill?) . I completely agree with reducing what you buy/bring into your home--but, if its already in your home will getting rid of it really help anything?" - Jasmine in Maine

In response to the comment above, I need to clarify a few, very important things before going on the subject of decluttering a specific space, as promised in Less is More. While the comment above ignores the financial, health and time saving benefits of decluttering (i.e, "make room in your life for the things that you enjoy doing"), it calls for a further look at the environmental benefits.

Does decluttering help the environment?

1 - Decluttering forms better shopping habits. Less shopping means less strain on our resources: Only thru decluttering will you find epiphany in reducing future purchases. A process better lived than described, but I will try my best.

Many of my clients are thrifty shoppers, but all their "cheap" purchases do not seem to impact their wallet. But the accumulation eventually strikes them to use my consulting services. Hours of work and piles of donations later, they realize that the seemingly harmless shopping is the cause of clutter, stress, unhealthy dust collection, and a waste of time and money ($1 here, $1 there, really add up). The exercise of decluttering change their shopping habits forever. They now think twice about buying and bringing anything new or used into their home.

I remember having that same revelation after simplifying my home. It directly lead me to stop shopping as a hobby, stop the online searches, the spontaneous trips to Target, and the unplanned stops at garage sale or thrift shops. Not that I ever considered myself a big shopper before, quite the contrary, as I was considered frugal by friends and family. But thru decluttering, I learned to really understand and restrain resource depleting accumulation and shopping habits, and choose (repairable) quality over (disposable) quantity: A must in the long term future of Zero Waste.

2 - Decluttering supports sharing with others: Many complain that thrift shops are full and use this as a pretext not to declutter. But thrift shoppers with a targeted list will disagree. I am one of them. Many times, I have gone to a thrift store to look for a specific item and have come out empty-handed. I have struck out on backpacks, school supplies, sheets, pillowcases, kids books, boy's suit, shoes... and yet I have found these items unused, in homes that I have consulted. Storing unused items, is not considerate, but selfish to the Earth, as it forces those who care about the environment to buy new.

The future of Zero Waste holds great resale shops. Sharing is key to the large scale success of this lifestyle. As they say: Someone's trash is someone else's treasure", and I truly believe that. The recyclers want your 30-year-old paperwork (to save trees today) and the fashionistas, your 1990's accessories.

That said, while thrift stores can be a convenient way to initially let go, many other outlets exist and are often more appropriate. The key, is finding the best match for the items that you do not use or need. Among the countless possibilities, here are some examples, not in order:

Diggerslist (home improvement)
Freecycle
Consignment shops (quality items)
Habitat for Humanity (building materials, furniture, and/or appliances)
Craigslist (large items and free items): My experience is that anything posted for free can disappear within 15min.
Ebay (small items of value)
Amazon (books)
Local Women's Shelter (toys)
Local SPCA (towels)
Auctions houses
Antique shops
On your curb with a free sign
Friends
FamilyRegifting
Operation Christmas Child (in a shoe box, only new items)
ThredUp (kids clothes trading), or Relash (clothes and book trading)
Homeless shelter or hot meal locations
Crossroads Trading Co
Nike Reuse-a-Shoe (any brand of worn-out athletic shoes)
Tool co-op
Schools (art supplies, magazines, dishes to eliminate class party disposables)
Churches (dishes for reuse in lieu of disposables, but also ministries occasionally need specific item donations, such as warm jackets)
Nurseries and Preschools (blankets, toys)
Garage sale
Rummage sale for a cause (our school held one last weekend to raise money for Nepal Freed)
Friends for their own garage sale
Flea markets
Return to the source (for example, bike tires to the bike store, recyclers reuse them)
Optometrist (used glasses)
Dress for success (workplace attires)
Recycling (paper clutter, and empty boxes)

More, local resources:

Trips for kids (bikes)
The Away Station (building materials)
Urban Ore
Ohmega Salvage
Scrap (art reuse)
Creative reuse (arts and crafts)

As for the "stuff that no one [will] buy from Goodwill"....or from the sources above, chances are, it has past its useful life. Whether you dispose of it or you successors do, it is waste. Holding onto it does not make it into something useful.

3 - Decluttering makes Zero Waste manageable: I have said it and will say it again. Simplifying (which starts with decluttering) makes it easy to organize and stick to the logistics of Zero Waste. How many reusable bags does one need to be Zero Waste? In my case, 3, not 10. Less means less to worry about, clean, store, repair or dispose of later.

Jasmine: Even if you did not see the point of decluttering in order to form better shopping habits, share with others, or make Zero Waste manageable for environmental reasons, don't you value time saved from not caring for the unnecessary? I personally do... Time has allowed me to re-connect with the outdoors, green my home, create this blog... Time is the most valuable commodity needed in caring for the environment -it is our lack of time that created the problems that we now want to fix (e.g, SUP's in the great garbage patch).

Overall, it seems that Decluttering items already purchased "helps" the environment more than Storing them. Wouldn't you agree?

Thank You's

2011-04-27T15:56:00.001-07:00

Thank you all for your great support! As you might already know thru Twitter, we are one of three finalists in the "green parent" category of The Green Awards! The grand prize winner will be announced at a ceremony on May 13th, in LA... and I am bringing Max along (I just need to find/borrow a suit his size). We will keep you posted on developments.

Thank you also for your input thru the comments, forum, and Twitter. You have formed an incredible community.

Finally, thanks to Ruth Wrenn for the beautiful poem that you posted in the forum section of this blog. Your words are right on, I could not have said it better. Here it is for everyone to enjoy.

Suburbia Revised

Finally free
from the grasping gasping needingness
of the constant wanting nothingness
of the endless hunting shoppingness
of suburban modern emptiness

My time
is finally mine to give away
Never more to waste away
on the the endless quest for more to pay
to bring home more to throw away

Wanting less and
Needing less and
Finally having more.

LESS is So Much MORE

2011-04-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

"It seems that if you have little in life, you have little to worry about. If you have much, it seems you have much to lose" - 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama.

With Earth week, much emphasis is put on "Recycling" and "Reusing".

Yet, I believe that "Reducing" is an immediate aid to our environmental crisis. I believe that "Reducing" what we cannot "Refuse", has had the biggest impact (and is our "most potent secret ingredient") on our family's journey towards Zero Waste.

Some readers have mentioned that our voluntary simplicity might be off-putting to those interested in Zero Waste. I rather tend to believe that pretending to lead a Zero Waste lifestyle without "Reducing" would be hypocritical. Wouldn't it ignore the core issues of our waste problem? Wouldn't it ignore the depletion of our resources for the unnecessary items created? Wouldn't it ignore the true future of Zero Waste based on quality vs. quantity? Not to mention that living with more would make the logistics of Zero Waste unmanageable and way more complicated than it needs to be. No, I do not think that our minimalism is scaring people away, quite the contrary. I think it has made Zero Waste appealing to most.

It might take some thinking ahead, some thoughtfulness, but the advantages of "Reducing" are worth it.

Not convinced yet? Here are 8 reasons to "Reduce" (examples are based on what our household cannot "Refuse" or completely eliminate):

- Reducing your meat consumption means lowering your carbon footprint, and making composting logistics easier.

- Reducing your car usage, means biking or walking more, getting reconnected with the outdoors, getting exercise and vitamin D, lowering stress, living healthier, lowering medical bills and car trips to the doctor- and also means less car maintenance and repairs, less gas, less dependence on oil, less war (hopefully) and lower gas prices. Less shopping trips also mean less temptation to spend and fill your house with clutter.

- Reducing your home size, (very involved) means reduced utility usage (water, gas, electric), maintenance fees, cleaning time, and furnishings needed to fill rooms.

- Reducing clutter (toys, knick-knacks, clothes, holiday decorations, furniture, kitchen utensils, sports equipment, etc.), means not having to organize/store/dust/clean/repair or dispose of the products not purchased.

- Reducing heirlooms, means reduced heirloom guilt related to storing or passing down such items - and reduced heirloom guilt passed on to your kids.

- Reducing your home cleaning products and toiletries, means more room under the sink, and no worrying about the toxicity or recyclability of the products not purchased.

- Reducing technology, means less frustration from the lack of technical support, less time spent researching fixes, less technology to update, upgrade, keep current or dispose of, and less toxic e-waste created. It also means spending more time outside (hopefully) and caring for the real world.

- Reducing paper load and photos, means less to print, recycle, waste (photo paper) or download, but also less to sort thru, organize, send or store, leading to savings on ink, paper, memory, storage, energy.

- Reducing magazine reading, means eliminating images that make you feel like you don't have the right stuff, and ultimately means feeling content with what you have and what you are.

- Reducing your home projects or hobbies, means letting go of unfinished projects, allowing more time to focus on your passions and aspirations.

"Reducing" makes sense beyond the obvious environmental (what you don’t have, won’t eventually go to waste), health (what you don't have, won't harm you), financial (what you don’t have, won’t cost you), and organizational (what you don't have, won’t need organizing) reasons. Above all, "Reducing" means leading richer lives, with more time doing the things you truly enjoy, and with more time spent with the people you truly care about. But it also means increased creativity and thoughtfulness. Priceless commodities when trying to save the world;)

I enjoy and benefit from this lifestyle - every second of it. I have come to realize that stuff takes us away from our roots, from the outdoors. It's only by being in the outdoors that we can truly care about the environment. With more time to spend outside, I no longer take Earth for granted.

Over the next few weeks, I will go in depth about reducing in different areas of the home as I do with my clients. It is no coincidence that Earth Week lands in the spring. Are you in the mood for some spring-cleaning?

On the Today Show this morning!

2011-04-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Once upon a bumpy road

2011-04-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

This is post is about a comment that Jessica posted this week on "Six Month Tally", which I thought worthy of highlighting in a blog post. My response to Jessica, follows.

"Bea,

I really appreciate your blog and am thinking of ways to improve our consumption and waste in our home.

One frustration I have while reading your accounts is the judgment you bestow onto others, such as:
"For now, I blame the ignorant adults who buy and feed harmful and wasteful junk not only to their children but also to others."

Perhaps a bit of compassion and understanding for those unlike you could help people hear your true message more clearly.

I thank you for your blog and your great, great tips. I appreciate your openness for comments.

Sincerely,
Jessica "

"Thank you so much for your comment Jessica:

I could not agree with you more. That sentence is harsh and uncompassionate... Afterall, I was one of those "ignorant" adults myself, not so long ago...

I particularly appreciate your comment, because it points out to the frustration phase that I went thru back then. For me, it seems that Six Month Tally was written decades ago on my Zero Waste path (although I wrote it only 10 months ago). I do not condone my mean comment, but one has to understand that a road leading to Zero Waste is bumpy.

When I look back, I can see that we went thru the following 6 phases (with the time that it took me to graduate from each phase):

Step 1 - Denial (33 years): One can only identify the denial phase once step 2 has been completed. I belonged in this category when stuffing Safeway plastic bags into my kitchen trash can, itself lined with a refuse bag, which I would then proceed to throw "away" into the larger city can... Silly isn't it? Well, it all seemed normal to me back then. I was in denial, as if brain dead, with no thought put into the consequences of my actions.

Step 2 - Realization of the facts (on-going): Thru educating ourselves on environmental issues, and watching simple kid friendly documentaries such as Earth and Home, the light bulb switched on. Oh my gosh! I can't believe what is happening! (if there was a green welcoming committee, I would have been greeted at this point)... Once the light-bulb has turned on, one of two things can happen: Eco-depression followed by action paralysis OR motivation followed by action. I chose the latter path, which took me to step 3.

Step 3 - Action boost and trial (2 years): I need to do something! and fast! Deciding to do something about those environmental issues if not for myself at least for the future of my kids, meant doing a little research and jumping on the learning wagon. It started with the reusable water bottle, shopping totes, and bulk shopping. Since I could not find websites addressing my further waste concerns, I resorted on creativity and Googled my way thru finding the alternatives that I now share with you. During that phase I even tested the extremes, such as no poo, making cheese, butter, soy milk, bread, ice cream, olives, soap, paper, candles, dishwasher detergent, etc...

Step 4 - Loneliness and frustration (1 year): This step is very much linked to how much support one receives. Embarking on the Zero Waste road gets eased by the support of a friend or this blog's community. I found that having to constantly explain myself to my surroundings, haters, and compulsive recyclers made me feel singled out, while my efforts lead me to notice the inaction of others. That was 9 months ago, when I wrote Six Month Tally...

Step 5 - Balance (6 months): My summer break in France last year allowed me to step back, look at my life from a different perspective, and enjoy life away from the computer and the Googled searches. Upon my return back home, I decided to slow down writing about Zero Waste, as I simply wanted to live it, without having to talk about it. It helped me let go of frustrations, accept criticism and find comfort in Zero Waste by simply living it and not worrying about others' inaction or judgement.

Step 6 - Auto-pilot (current): The subject of an upcoming article: That's where we are today. We are completely at peace with our lifestyle. We realize that the road was bumpy along the way, we can now see clearly all the positive effects of Zero Waste on our lifestyle. We have a system that works for us, we have let go of some unrealistic tasks that did not work for us, without compromising our trash level (for example, why make cheese, when I can buy it in the jar?). Our system is simple, we can stick to it, we're in it for good.

Thanks for keeping me honest, Jessica. "

Where are you, readers, on your Zero Waste experience?

How to make a Zero Waste Lunch

2011-04-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

As you may know, Max is in 5th grade. As part of his classwork, he was asked to create a blog, and he chose "Environmental Tips" as a subject. He was then asked to give a short "How to" speech to the class. So here he is on "How to make a Zero Waste Lunch"...

PS: Max recently went on his outdoor education trip. His wonderful teacher proudly announced that her grade received the record for the number of zero waste meals at the facility. During that trip, Max also joined the Hard Core club. Members of the club eat a whole apple (core, stem, seeds and all), and share a secret hand-shake. Love the concept. I joined the club too, but I have already forgotten the hand-shake ;)

Active Discard

2011-03-20T16:10:00.001-07:00

Friday is housekeeping day in the Johnson household. The day is usually marked by hidden treasures emerging from my kids pockets.

This is how I discovered a non-recyclable one this week:
Max: "Wow, we really don't have that much trash."
Bea: "What did you throw out to notice what was in there?" ;)

As Max was putting his dirty laundry in the machine, he found the plastic wrapper of RealD 3D glasses in one of his pockets. In our previous life, we would have discarded it and never thought about it again (...and repeated the same disregard for our discards, each subsequent viewing of a 3D movie). But today, that wrapper (and others going into our trash container) calls for further investigation and one or more following actions:

-Finding an ALTERNATIVE: In the future, Max will keep the 3D glasses for reuse instead of placing them in the dedicated recycling container at the theater.

-Contacting RealD by PHONE (888-334-3577): Their sales representative explained the company's operation. Movie goers use the glasses, theaters collect them, and send them back to RealD. RealD then sanitizes and re-packages them. Talk about "cleanliness standards" needing revision... I suggested that her company reconsidered its impact on the environment.

-EMAILING RealD (support@reald.com):
Hi: I am a simple movie goer, who also strives to live a zero waste lifestyle.
I found out that you reuse the 3D glasses which is great, but I do not support the plastic sleeve, which is meant for the landfill. So here are some questions that you might want to consider:
-Is sanitizing really necessary, are plastic sleeves necessary? It seems that our society has gone germaphobic; Sanitizing and plastic sleeves only supports that unnecessary fear of germs and subsequent unnecessary waste.The last time I visited Disneyland, their reused 3D glasses were neither sanitized nor wrapped in plastic.
-If you truly feel that the sleeve is needed, how about using paper instead? It would not only be recyclable but also biodegradable/compostable.
-How about adding a note on your wrapper that would encourage viewers to reuse their glasses? I doubt that 3D is going away, so might as well encourage people to keep their glasses for next time. (Your receptacle in movie theatres could be used for extras.)
-or better yet: "How about selling longer lasting glasses (real glass lenses in metal frames) to users instead? as a one time fee option to a movie ticket?
I thank you for your time. I applaud your reusing efforts, you are going in the right direction. I look forward to seeing your environmentally caring improvements.
Sincerely yours,
Bea

-MAILING to RealD (100 North Crescent Dr., Suite 120, Beverly Hills, CA 90210) the plastic wrapper with a note such as the copy of the email above or just a few words: "are these really necessary?" or "Please reconsider wasteful practices".

The most common email that I receive from newcomers interested in Zero Waste is about the lack of bulk in their town and their loss as to what to do beyond it. My advice to them, apart from adopting reusables, is quite simple: Let your voice be heard! (I can't stress it enough).

We all have a choice: We can throw it in the "can" time after time, and therefore condone wasteful practices - or we can actively do something to make change happen in our communities. Don't wait for change. Ask for it. Make it happen. Speaking with the grocery store manager to request bulk, suggesting an alternative or no packaging to a manufacturer, or calling a junk mailer, might be time consuming. But a weekly email, call, or letter, is manageable and is a powerful way of pro-actively supporting Zero Waste beyond bulk shopping.

In the comment section, I invite you to share your examples of constructive, to the point letters. Please no rambling :) I hope to make it easier for our community to send or re-purpose our constructive feedbacks. Remember, positive feedback is welcome too. Last week, I contacted Rayovac (800-237-7000) to congratulate and thank them for their innovative cardboard rechargeable battery packaging.

Do you have some letters to share with others?

PS: I hope you remembered to vote today ;) http://www.THEGreenAwards.com/Default.aspx?v=221

Please help!

2011-03-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

Scott and I spent last weekend making a video for our entry in The Green Awards contest. Not my idea of a relaxing weekend, but we wanted to make sure that Zero Waste had a voice in the competition. The contest is to win 25K to advance a green idea to the next level.

My big idea is to make Zero Waste Living mainstream, beyond this blog. I would like to:

-Make this blog a better website (with recipes, videos, and bulk map tabs)

-Create a fun and attractive presentation to show at schools, PTA’s, mother's groups, community centers, neighbourhood associations, green festivals...

-Shoot room by room how-to videos

-Build a bulk locator app!

Please vote for us (you can even vote once per day until March 27th).

http://www.THEGreenAwards.com/Default.aspx?v=221

Thanks!

Before you ask ... Our trash tally looks smaller on this video than the previous one by Yahoo, because I have compacted it into the wine glass ;)

Yahoo! video

2011-03-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

This week, I give you more insight into our home with this Yahoo! video. Thank you Yahoo! for illustrating our efforts so beautifully.

Please refresh your browser if you get an error message (error messages are generated by connectivity issues) or visit http://vitality.yahoo.com/ for the video in larger format.

I welcome comments - but I also invite you to visit my blog archives and 'tips' page for more information on the steps we take to incorporate Zero Waste into our lives.

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments and emails. As you can imagine, I have received an overwhelming amount of emails based this posting, so please do not be offended if I cannot personally answer each of them. That said, most of the questions have already been answered in the posts and tips sections. And - I plan on creating an FAQ document for those frequent questions that are...frequently asked. Thanks for all of your support!!!

Presenting my son: Max

2011-02-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

This last month, we've been pounded with interviews. But one has a special place in my heart: a KPFA radio show that included my eldest, Max.

Before the Sunset article, I had been answering questions and interviews. Because I write this blog, interest naturally went to the family instigator. All along, I said that if it was not for my whole family (then faceless) being involved, our dramatic trash reduction would not be possible. Afterall, a household's Zero Waste goals can only be achieved with the involvement of all family members. I just happen to be the lucky wife and mother of three easy-going, caring and willing individuals.

But the article and its pictures gave my family a face, and help our kids realize how different our household really was.

So, when given the opportunity to participate in a radio show, my eldest gladly agreed. I have done many radio shows before, but none in a studio. Not only did sharing that new experience with Max give me goose bumps, it also allowed me to hear his real voice.

Practical aspects of Zero Waste often come up in the conversation at the family dinner table, but never do we discuss it beyond practicality. I go around praising the benefits of Zero Waste, but hearing it from my child, was a revelation and confirmation. His affirmation warmed up my heart. Priceless.

Many of you have asked questions about our kids reacting to our lifestyle. Max has agreed to answer any questions you might have.

Your turn to do the talking.

But please, one important rule, besides that already stated under comment rules:

Be specific! Because our lifestyle is normal to our kids, it is hard for them to express their thoughts about it and put them into words. Asking a child from an average household how he feels about eating packaged cereal, will get you the same blank stare as asking one of mine how he feels about eating bulk cereal.

With that in mind, ask away!

Anonymous said...What was it like for you in the beginning when you purged your toys? Did it happen all at once, or was it a gradual thing? Did you like the idea or hate it at first, and if you hated it (or at least didn't like it), how long did it take before you got used to having fewer toys? I'm asking this because my daughter has a hard time giving anything up, even if it's broken. Thanks, Max! Your family inspires me every day.
Max said... We always had that amount of toys.A few days after Christmas we would give away some.

Lorene said... Max,
Has it ever been difficult to explain to your friends why you do things differently at your house? Do you feel like your friends understand and accept your views and how your family lives?
Our family is working toward more and more zero waste practices, and with a 15 month old daughter, I am wondering what her future peers might think of how we live!
Thanks!
Lorene
Max said... no for 1st question, yes for 2nd.
I don't see why it would be a problem.
Anonymous said... Hello Max, I wonder if, when you go into other kids homes, if you find the amount of stuff (clothes, toys, decorative items, garbage) they have overwhelming? Oh the opposite side, do your friends comment on all the things your house is not filled with? Is their envy in either direction? Thanks :-)
Max said... yes, I think some houses have a lot of stuff in it, like too much stuff that they do not use anymore. Like video games that they don't play with anymore.
Some people say that our house looks futuristic, and someone said that it looks albino.
Anonymous said... Do you ever feel like you're missing out on things -food, games, toys, etc.?
Max said... Sometimes I wish I had games like video games. I don't miss food or toys.
Anonymous said... Max--- thanks for answering our questions! My kids are 8 and 6. What would you tell them is the easiest thing about aiming for zero waste? What is the hardest? Also (all the moms are desperate to get rid of toys!) what things did you decide to keep and why?
Keep up the great work!
Amelia in Knoxville
Max said... The hardest is refusing because sometimes you want those things or objects (like the toys that people give at restaurants).
The easiest is to clean, because the more stuff, the harder it is to clean your home.
I give a toy away when I am bored with it.
robin said... Hi Max!
Besides giving bulk candy or gift certificates for ice cream cones, do you have any ideas of zero waste birthday gifts kids your age would like?!
I love the watermelon you carved - it's great!
Robin
Max said... For birthday parties, I give coupons like: "come to a restaurant for lunch with me, no parents" or "come to the pool with me", or "come to the museum with me". All the friends that came for my birthday gave me coupons for experiences too.
g said... Max,
How do you graciously explain your family policy at other children's birthday parties (though you're probably growing out of the younger-child style birthday parties)--"goodie" bags filled with random cheap toys and packaged candy, take-home crafts, balloons, etc? Is there some way you can say it that is the least harsh-sounding/seemingly judgmental? What have you found that works best and how do most people (aka Birthday Mothers) take it?
Thanks,
g
Max said...I can't remember last time I got a goodie bag (people don't do that anymore). But if they want to give me something, I think: do I want that? do I need that? will I use that? if no, then I say "No thanks", if they insist, I say "No, but thanks for the offer". The mothers say, "ok".
Anonymous said... Max,
Our family is in the process of reducing our waste. I have noticed that we have much more free time because we are not shopping, cleaning and reorganizing stuff. What are your five favorite things to do with your free time?
Thank you for answering our questions!
Max said...my 5 favorites things to do:
-google chat(new)or hanging out with my friends
-going to House of Air
-rock climbing
-going to the pool or beach
-going to the movies
Sharae Randall said... realized the photo in this post is his Valentine! So cute.
Anonymous said... Does living zero waste make you feel good? Why?
Max said...Living zero waste makes me feel good because it helps the earth and it gives us a better future.
Anonymous said...Will you continue to live this way when you grow up and have your own home/family?
Max said...yes, I will continue to live like that when I grow up.
Hoppy Bunny said... Hi Max,
Was there anything your parents did to make it easy for you to go ZW? Any special rewards for big milestones? Or is it something that you wanted to do without feeling like you needed to be rewarded for it?
Do you ever accidentally break a ZW house rule, or is just part of who you are now?
Thanks!
Max said... I do not need rewards because it's really easy and they are not needed.
We don't have house rules, but sometimes I do bring some plastic in the house, like the wrapper of a candy bar that a friend gave me. I know that nobody is perfect.
Anonymous said... hi max,
what do you hope your readers take away from your families blog/lifestyle?
what's your favorite bulk food item to snack on? my kids would love to know ; )
Thanks!
Max said... I hope that readers learn to become close to zero waste.
My favorite bulk food snack is Fig Bars!!!!
Ali said... I realize I'm coming in late on the conversation and might not get my questions answered, but I thought I would give it a shot. LOVED the Sunset article and just had my husband read it today. Helped me feel less crazy about "Going Green" in a city (Las Vegas) and family that really doesn't seem to understand the importance. So anyway, on to my question for darling Max...
Dear Max,
Do you have any friends or know of any girls that live in a ZW family? I have three children and two younger daughters. My older son doesn't have as much problem with the toys, etc. and can cut the waste much like you and your brother but his two younger sisters, 5 and 3, are having a tough time with the toys and party favors and small trinkets and school items. Any advice for them or from your friends (that might be girls) to help mine out?
I think you and your family are marvelous examples-
Ali in Las Vegas
Max said...I am sorry, I do not know a zero waste girl. Your girls probably have a hard time because they are small and do not understand. I recommend that they watch Home or Earth.

Sandra said... Very cool of you to answer readers' questions on this blog, Max. Was it hard to give up having TV in the house? Do you watch shows on the internet or did you give up watching television all together (other than movie dvds, that is)?
Max said... at first it was hard, but we have netflix instant (I like to watch Wizards of Waverly place on it) and sometimes I watch tv at my friends.

pavan said... i am 10 years old, my name is pavan and i have been intrested in zero waste after my mom showed me about it. I would actully never think about all the waste we waste before i learnt about this blog, but now i know the importence of it. do you ever think sometimes it can be hard to have zero waste? have you ever gotten offered something so good but you know it creats waste? what do you do then? thanks for listening and i hope you can answer back!
Max said...actually we don't have zero waste yet, but we nearly have zero waste. The hardest is refusing. If it was awesome and I really wanted it, I would probably accept it, nobody is perfect.

Anonymous said... Dear Max,
We are two boys (ages 6 & 8) who just decided to have zero-waste home. Thank you for inspiring us to do it. We think this is important so in the future, the earth won't be filled with trash. We are going to give some of our toys away, too. We may send them to a boy we know in Africa who doesn't have any toys. Do any of your friends have a zero waste house?
From, Reid and Charlie
Max said...I do not have friends that have a zero waste house or nearly zero waste.

Anonymous said... Dear Max, Do you ever have any trouble giving up a toy that you like but you don't play with? I am also working on a zero waste home.
From, Adia (8-years-old)
Max said...no, because sometimes I sell it and make money.

Heather said... Hi Max. My question is about replacing items that can't be recycled or repurposed. Like car air filters or windshield wipers. (pieces of them can be recycled, but not all) A watch that is broken beyond repair or leather sandals both out grown and worn out. (I'm thinking of things in my trash when I type this.)What happens to your old clothes too stained or destroyed to pass on to another kid?
Also what do you do with old school projects. Things like Adobe houses, or science fair project, or ceramic pots from art class.
Do you ever buy school lunch?
Thanks for answering. I'm intrigued by many of the ideas your parents have.
Max said...-for example, my mom and my brother made a football with socks that had holes in them.
-when I make a school project, I use things that can recycle or compost.
-yes, I have had school lunch.

Will you be my valentine?

2011-02-11T22:20:00.001-08:00

Pardon me but I no longer get excited about Valentine's day. And I hope this year will be different.

I understand and enjoy celebrating love, but I don't understand and resent drowning it with red kinky lingerie, heart shaped junk, dust collecting stuffed animals (who buys that stuff?) and...tree munching valentines.

Many might view my anti-consumerism detachment as political or radical, but I rather blame it on cultural differences.

I grew up in Europe, thinking that Valentine's day, as it is celebrated there, was globally reserved for lovers (grown-ups involved in an intimate relationship that is).

But during my eldest's first year of (American) preschool, I was instructed by his teacher to go to Rite Aid, buy a dozen valentines (I had never heard of such things), and address one to each classmate...Wait... I am not sure I get this... I (a grown woman) am writing love cards to 12 toddlers I barely know?

Although, I did not quite grasp the meaning behind my first purchase of Batman valentines, I eventually came to realize that Valentines Day in American schools does not celebrate "love", but rather "appreciation" for fellow pupils. So I went on pushing my kids into participating in the school activity for 6 years, as prescribed by subsequent teachers...A way for me, I then thought, to embrace the American culture.

But this practice no longer fits our family's current zero waste lifestyle (of refusing external trash) or the sustainable awareness that I strive to instill in my children. As a concerned mother and Earth citizen, I can no longer condone wasteful celebrations engrained in public education. Valentine's day does not need to be a wasteful event.

Last year my kids came home with a Safeway plastic bag (compliments of one of their classrooms)filled with wrappers, half eaten candies, and crimpled cards. I asked my youngest, Leo, what he thought about the valentines that he had received. "I don't know, I just want the candy attached to them" he said. I don't blame him for choosing candy, over duplicates of impersonal and commercial valentines, often picked out and signed by his peers' moms.

Luckily, my eldest, Max, is blessed with a wonderful teacher this year, who shares my philosophy on the subject. And before I could proactively suggest a sustainable alternative to this year's celebration, she sent out an email instructing her students to create one, inventive, recycled or edible valentine to be exchanged randomly. "Take care, take time, and make something you yourself would like to receive" she wrote. Now, that is a valentine gift I can approve of! Max plans on carving a watermelon (his choice).

Leo's teacher had mixed feelings about my preemptive suggestion of a cookie exchange in lieu of overlooked valentines: An idea that I ran thru my kids first and that generated much excitement from them. Nonetheless, she welcomed the idea and shared it with the class. I cross my fingers in the hope that classmates will adopt the proposed alternative and appreciate the homemade thumbprint cookies that Leo will care to make and bring to school in a jar.

On a personal level, I, of course, love my husband and kids. They do not need to receive clutter from me on a specific day to know how much I love them (nor do I wish to receive any thing from them). A hug, a kiss, and my time is all they truly need as a token of my unconditional love, and I will make sure they get extra on Monday.

But if Valentine's day, in my adoptive nation, is more an "Appreciation Day" than a "Lovers Day" or "Fete des Amoureux", then I have to turn to one I greatly appreciate and without whom I would not be alive to experience love:

Mother Earth: Will you be my valentine?

In the News!

2011-02-09T21:39:00.001-08:00

Long before welcoming Sunset into our home, Scott and I reflected on the effects of publicity. We weighed the pros (spreading the word of zero waste and hoping to inspire others) and the cons (exposing our family to criticism and knowing that many will judge us based on unanswered questions and assumptions). We felt that the pros outweigh the cons. Our whole family (not just myself as a blogger), is now exposed.

Here is what the local news had to stay about our lifestyle last night.

Meal Planning

2011-02-01T17:54:00.001-08:00

Much of regular household trash is made up of convenience (fast food) packaging, making Zero Waste an unthinkable goal for many.

But slow food is not that complicated.

As with everything else, a little simplifying, organizing and planning goes a long way.

SIMPLIFY

Not so long ago (a couple of years ago maybe), my cookbook was filled with recipes collected over the years, many of them calling for processed or canned goods. Not-so-healthy and/or wasteful recipes mingled amongst healthy waste-free ones, not only crowded my recipe binder and made the healthy recipes hard to find, but also made zero waste shopping difficult, complicated and frustrating. Running around trying to find powdered sugar in bulk to accommodate my Bourbon Ball recipe did not make sense.

Then, it dawned on me:

A ZW home calls for a ZW kitchen

A ZW kitchen calls for ZW cooking

ZW cooking calls for a ZW recipe binder!

So I took my recipes through a much needed de-cluttering and lifestyle fitting exercise.

-I kept recipes containing ingredients locally available in bulk and recycled the rest.

-I parted with those that required too many ingredients, took too long or were too complicated. Simple concoctions can taste just as good as elaborate ones. Isn't taste what really matters?

-I also recycled those that I had saved but not tested. The weight of their un-accomplishment laid on my shoulders and made me feel pressured. Letting them go, freed my head and my to do list.

-I let go of the dinner party recipes that could not be prepared ahead of time. That's because I have come to realize that when cooking with company, I lose focus, forget ingredients or my sense of time, and end up apologizing for mishaps. I have found that I cook much faster and better alone. I manage dinner time more accurately with reheating, and I am a better host to my guests if my attention is not lost worrying about recipe ingredients. Taste usually is also better. Much like leftovers, flavors have had time to blend beautifully.

-I copied the few recipes I had bookmarked in a half-dozen books (you know, the book that you keep for the one recipe you liked in it), and donated the books. Others can enjoy them now and my kids have a shelf to store their homework.

ORGANIZE

Recipes

-I created binder tabs to include:
Breakfast (pancakes, crepe batter...)
Finger Foods (deviled eggs, pate, stuffed mushrooms...)
First courses (individual goat cheese souffle, leek flan, savory carrot cake...)
Soups (cauliflower soup, garlic soup, gazpacho...)
Pies (quiches, pizza dough...)
Grains (lentil salad, pasta and rice dishes...)
Veggies (recipes not containing starch or meat)
Fish (sardine carpaccio, crusted salmon, trout meuniere)
Chicken (the "eco" and affordable meat gets its own tab!)
Meat (lamb keftas, beef bourguignon, cherry duck...)
Desserts (chocolate mousse, lemon souffle...)
Cookies (biscotti, butter cookies..., but also includes candied pecans)
Wild (= foraging: manzanita cider, thistle pesto...)
Pantry (jam, mustard, hummus, vanilla extract)
Menus (a set of 3-4 well coordinated recipes around a theme: Moroccan dinner or summer brunch) Home (hairspray, balm, toothpowder...)

-I attached my chosen recipes on used sheets, using paper tape for easy removal should I get tired of one here or there, and reused sheet protectors to store and splatter-proof them.

-I sometimes fantasize about transferring my recipes to a "kitchen" iPad. The downside would be the added electrical usage, but the upside would be having the recipes mobile (the binder is too heavy for travel to France for example). But what about my dirty hands...? I usually make a few recipes at a time and flipping from one to the other with wet, greasy, or sticky hands on an iPad might not be ideal ;)

Pantry

Stored in two liter (two quarts) size jars, I always have on hand:

-One jar of a "rotating" bean: for example, when we finish chickpeas, we'll get peas.

-One jar of a "rotating" grain: for example, when we finish rice, we'll get couscous.

This rotating system helps maintain variety in our diet, reduces space needed for variety, and avoids grains going bad. Too often, pantry shelves are stocked with many types of grains, but just like a wardrobe, favorites get picked first while non-favorites take up space and end up going bad (usually rancid).

Note: The "Bulk Basics" guide available at Whole Foods has been most convenient to the uses and cooking instructions of unusual grains.

-Two "pasta" jars, each containing a different type (whatever I find in bulk, we're not picky).

-Two "flour" jars: I never want to run out in the middle of a recipe.

-Two "evaporated cane sugar" jars: I could run out in the middle of a recipe, but the kids could not, and they love to make desserts;)

PLAN

Now that the cookbook and pantry were redesigned to fit our lifestyle. I overhauled our meal planning....

-I assigned a dish to each day of the week as a general guide.

As an example, here is our schedule (based on our vegetarian-weeknight diet):

Monday: Grain (couscous, dry beans, rice, quinoa, lentils, etc.)
Tuesday: Pasta (whatever shape I find in bulk, we're not picky)
Wednesday: Pie (quiche or pizza)
Thursday: Bread (to go with our veggie "fridge-clean-up" soup or salad)
Friday (shopping day): Fish with a veggie side and starch (usually potatoes)
Saturday: Dinner with friends or dinner out
Sunday: Meat with a veggie side and starch (usually potatoes)

-On weekdays: Beans, eggs, milk and/or cheese are used as a source of protein with the assigned meal of the night.

-I buy enough veggies for the week (at the farmers' market to keep my selection local and seasonal) and adapt them to the dish of the day. I plan and shop for a "specific meal" for company only.

-As mentioned before, I sometimes use a pressure cooker to speed up things (I also use it to can tomatoes in September).

My cooking has been easy since simplifying, organizing and planning our meals. My daily glass of wine might also have something to do with the stress-free aspect of it ;), but the quiche pictured above only took 12 minutes to prepare, and 30 to bake. Ordering take out and picking up would have taken longer.

Part of doing zero waste in a household is to let go of a previous set of ideas - and recipes. Simple cooking has been the best way for me to enjoy homemaking, stick to ZW, and eat healthier.

Did I mention the importance of my glass of wine in the success of meal prep? ;)

A Zero Waste essential: Composting

2011-01-23T17:27:00.001-08:00

I have to say, I procrastinated writing this article for about a year now. I might run a Zero Waste household but I do not consider myself an expert on composting (nor "the priestess of Zero Waste" by the way). So many generations adopted it well before I ever even heard about it, I would not dare write about it with authority. I did not grow up with it either: Although my dad composted his grass clippings, he would burn any other yard refuse in a large metal drum every so often.

That said, rotting is now a key component of our lifestyle. Composting processes those items that cannot be refused, reduced, reused or recycled, and I have more faith in Composting than Recycling (my reservations explained in this archive). The life cycle of what I put in my compost bin is a certainty: Rot then dirt - but that of my plastic recycling is not: Decking? bench? toothbrush? or landfill? definitely landfill in the end...

So, with limited knowledge on the subject, all I can offer is my personal experience with our tried and true composting systems (in the Northern Californian weather).

We have embraced composting in three different ways. We started with an Aerobic compost, we then added a worm composting bin and lately we have adopted the city compost. We eventually chose the last two, as we felt that we could not just choose one and give up the advantages of the other.

All three composting options accepted: fruit and veggie scraps, tea and coffee grounds, nut shells, dust, lint, hair (human or animal), cardboard, newspaper, and washed crushed eggshells. But their added possibilities differed. Here is how they compared:

Homemade Aerobic Compost (in wire mesh)

CONS: Finding an aesthetically adequate spot in your yard can be tricky. Kitchen scraps like meat, fat, fish, dairy products, grains or bones should not be added to the pile, as they are likely to attract small furry critters. It will also not process large branches, for which we still had to rely on the city yard waste pick up.

PROS: It is free (if, like us, you already have a piece of fence), or very cheap to set up (check out Craigslist for fence pieces) and it processes small yard waste like twigs and leaves, and wax paper.

Worm Compost (Can O'Worms)

CONS: It too cannot process the kitchen scraps (other than fruit and veggie scraps), mentioned above . The worms also do not like citrus (bummer when you squeeze your orange juice each week) or any yard waste. And even if it is made of 100% recycled plastic, it's still plastic.

PROS: Its big advantage is (1) the liquid fertilizer (i.e., compost tea) conveniently dispensed through a spigot, (2) the well contained, easily accessible supply of compost for your plants and (3) the supply of worms always on hand for those who like to fish for food.

City Compost

The fact that the compost is taken away from your property can be an advantage for those who do not have a use for it, but an inconvenience for those who do.

CONS: The cost of pick up (which in our town is bundled with recycling and trash) and the added footprint of transporting your food bits.

PROS: It allows for composting all food scraps, meat and fish (including bones and shellfish), food soiled paper or cardboard (but we rarely do), along with yard waste, and the compostable goods mentioned above.

The city picks up compostable plastics that are clearly labeled, but they will not accept biodegradable plastics, as "they biodegrade at different temperatures than organic materials and therefore don't compost well together" (says my compost hauler). Also, these plastics can't be distinguished from other plastics during processing. So it is best to just stay away from them altogether. Mostly sold in the form of disposable products, they can easily be avoided with reusables.

And although the City compost's "digestibility" seems limitless, it cannot accept the obvious: Aluminum foil or trays, "biodegradable" plastic, ceramic dishware or glassware, flower pots or trays (they must get those often to make of point of it), foil-backed or plastic-backed paper, rocks or stone, but also the less obvious: clothing and linens, cooking oil, corks, animal waste, dirt, or wax cardboard. Wax paper was accepted at first but no longer is, probably a result of people throwing the plastic coated paper instead of the waxed kind, in their city bin. They are hard to tell apart.

Note: We looked into the Cone back when we were shopping around our options, before we even considered aiming at Zero Waste. The required location did not work for us. But you might want to consider it, since it processes meat, fish and dairy. For those who live in cold conditions and/or who do not get city compost, NatureMill makes a great under counter composter. Even though it requires electricity to run, it accepts meat and is an all-in-one machine (no receptacles needed here).

Whatever system you end up choosing, the most important part of composting is collecting compostable material. Obviously without it, your composting system is worthless ;)

I have found that the receptacle makes it a success for the whole family if:

It is large enough: As I mentioned in a previous posting, our compost bin used to be our trash bin. A large container will reduce the number of trips to your composter. Any container will do. You do not need to purchase a carbon top receptacle (the filter needs to be replaced and your money can be better spent elsewhere). Compost does not smell. We empty ours once a week and during that time it just does not have time to decompose to a stinky point (we freeze meat and fish scraps until pick up day).
It is aesthetically pleasing: Many drop the idea of composting because they can't stand the idea (and I don't blame them) of having a "dirty" container on their counters, as most receptacles are advertised. But who said the container had to be displayed on your counter? We would never think of putting our soiled trash cans on our counters. Ironic when you realize that the soiling icky bits stuck to the outside of trash cans are compostable. Under your sink is even better. Out of site, but not out of mind, if its large. Apply rule #1 first.
It is easily accessible: In a slide out tray under the sink, our receptacle is within easy reach where we process most of our veggie/fruit scraps. We wash the veggies at the sink, and then peel straight into the bin. Since we use the City compost, this location is also convenient to discarding table scrapings that Zizou will not eat, before loading the dishwasher - he loves Brussels sprouts, but not avocado !?:)

And if you are still grossed out by the ICKY factor, get over it. Compost is ODORLESS and natural, it's dirt at its conception stage. What's REALLY gross is the piles of plastic washing off on our beaches (more on that in a couple of weeks).

I am so glad I have this article out of me! My procrastination is over. I can now move on to better things, like fertilizing my plant wall with worm tea;)

Is Zero Waste realistic for your household?

2011-01-17T18:00:00.001-08:00

Last week, I received a note from someone who labelled our lifestyle "unrealistic". Hmmm. If we are living it, doesn't it make this lifestyle realistic?

I think that comments like this, are simply generated by action paralysis that people suffer when faced with the brutal reality of our current "state of affairs".

Isn't it rather unrealistic to think that we can keep living wasteful lives?

Or maybe negative thinkers simply don't know how to get started. I hear many excuses as to why Zero Waste seems un-achievable: "I don't have bulk in my town", "I am too busy" (which really means: "I can't be bothered"), "It's too expensive" and "It's too extreme for me"... OK, I agree with the last bit. The "Zero" part of this concept sounds extreme and scary. If five years ago, I had read about a Zero Waste family, I would have probably thought: "These people are nuts, seems like a great idea, but too far out of my zone."

But is Zero Waste really achieving NO trash all? Not in my book. Zero Waste is an ATTEMPT to get as close to it as you possibly can. I did not invent that term (nor the title of this blog), it's been used for decades (since the 60's). And it's nothing unheard of in the manufacturing industry. From Automotive to Fashion, countless companies are aiming towards this goal.

Undeniably, until it becomes common practice, even our household will generate more than Zero trash.

Don't let action paralysis take over your household, waste reducing is not about dwelling on the current state of affairs, but rather finding joy and energy in our future's potential. Remembering where I was five years ago, accepting that I am not perfect and knowing that I try my best, keeps me from dwelling on the negative and helps me deal with the site of unnecessary disposable bags and cups still being dispensed at the store... Believe in the power of your smallest actions inspiring others. Living by example is the cure to sadness.

So how do you get started on your journey towards Zero Waste?

Get past the pre-conceptions: Read the article Zero Waste Lifestyle: Time and Money Consuming? If my household was able to work on it for the past two years, with both Scott and I involved in start-up businesses (and with very little money coming in), I believe anyone can get started. Don't have much time in your hands? Take it one room at time, one day/week/month at a time. Actively working on it, at your own pace, is what really matters. Any small change makes a big difference.
Get past the obvious road blocks: You do not have bulk in your town? Ask for it and start by tackling your everyday disposables. Coffee cups, grocery bags, produce bags, paper towels, trash bags, plastic baggies, single use plates and flatware, water bottles are all easily avoided with little getting used to and their use often replaced by items you already have, no matter where you live.
Don't get overwhelmed by the changes that you need to adopt, but rather embrace the excitement of trying out alternatives. Who knows what you might discover. It will be different for everyone. For my part, I never expected to eat healthier, save money, have more time for my family and volunteering, find more meaning in religious faith, increase my tolerance for others, learn how to forage, experiment with a multitude of crafts (paper, soap, candles, etc...), make due with the available bulk at my local grocery store, discover a fantastic and supportive community through this blog... and simplify my life! Not this bullet point though;)
Don't let others put you down and tell you that what you do, does not matter. You know that it does, and deep down, so do they. Just be prepared for criticism and irony. Some say our household doesn't do enough (because we are carnivores, travel to France, do not have a veggie garden, or buy toothbrushes from Australia...), others say we do too much (they call our lifestyle un-realistic, extreme or obsessive...). What I say is, we must be doing something right then ;)
Zero Waste is like exercising, take it easy on yourself, you'll be more likely to stick with it. If you can find yogurt in a reusable/returnable container then why make it? I tried moss for TP, but finding TP rolls wrapped in paper worked out better. I washed my hair with baking soda and vinegar, but the frizz and smell of vinaigrette were not worth it to me - when solid shampoos and bulk options are available.
When in doubt, always practice the obvious: REFUSE - REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE - ROT (next article's subject) and in order!

And most importantly, find comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Please share with us your joys and troubles...

Welcome Sunset Readers!

2011-01-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks for visiting the blog and thanks for all your encouraging words!

You have given me renewed energy to keep this blog going.

I had taken a break from writing about my zero waste life as I just wanted to simply LIVE it for a while ;) but I just can't help working on a few articles, addressing the questions that you have sent my way. And I look forward to sharing again.

Stay Tuned and Happy New Year! If you have not yet done so, may you discover the blessings of a life with less in 2011.

(For those who have asked for it, here is a link to the Sunset article)

Zero Waste Holidays: this time for sure ;)

2010-11-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

No, no. I am not crazy: I do not support holiday decorations being displayed at my local hardware store since September...

Nonetheless, the holidays are around the corner and my hardware store did remind me that last December, I vouched to be pro-active for this year's gift exchange. And that included letting those who will be exchanging with us know that we prefer experiences vs. more stuff. It seems early, but letting them know before they even had a chance to gather/buy objects for us, is key and all part of the “master plan” ;).

Here are some ideas, worth considering this holiday season:

GIFTS

-Offering "Experiences" in the form of a gift certificate or actual ticket, such as:

Classes at the local community college to develop a new interest

Movie ticket

Theme park season pass

Museum pass

Bowling night

Hotel night

Meal at a new restaurant

Treat to an ice cream parlor

My favorite for our kids: A year long subscription to a monthly surprise family activity (activities that I have in mind for the year, depending on our finances, include: kayaking, overnight at hotel with pool, ice skating, hiking to an overnight refuge, trampoline or indoor climbing center, science museum, gold panning in the mountains, crabbing, fishing, overnight on a houseboat, backpacking and overnight in the wilderness, fruit picking, sledding, overnight in a fire lookout, etc...) UPDATE: We call them SFA and inform you of our SFA of the month thru Twitter.

-Offering Services (your time) in the form of coupons, such as:

Professional expertise (I can offer simplifying and decluttering services for example)

Hand labor (planting a tree, painting a room for a new baby, fixing a deck, lawn mowing)

Babysitting

Services are great for kids to give (one sibling could take another sibling's chore for a period of time)

-Offering consumables in a reusable jar (to simplify, pick one project and make a large quantity):

Homemade cookies, cake mix, herbal tea, jam, pickles, sugar/salt scrub, balm, lemoncello, toothpowder (with recipe attached)

Or a bulk item (cornichons, olives, maple syrup, toffee pecans, chocolate malt balls).

Homemade candles, soap, and paper are also great “out of the jar” alternatives.

-Shopping your home: Regifting (and there is nothing wrong with that!) or giving something you already own when you know for a fact that the recipient will appreciate it. I have a dedicated drawer for that purpose, it gets filled and used all year long.

-Buying used at a thrift store or on Ebay. For the latter, make sure that the item is used by checking the “pre-owned” option in your Ebay search.

-Using the smallest gifts and bulk treats to fill stockings instead of stuffers.

-Selecting gifts that tighten family bonds (family “experiences” or used board games for example).

-Greening Santa: Santa brings only one gift per family member. It comes unwrapped because Santa cares about the environment and his gift is easily spotted among the other (family) wrapped presents. The benefits of the “one special present” go beyond the obvious...equality among children of different financial background, modesty, smaller wish lists, less stress on Santa!

-Avoiding the mall until January: Not only better for your carbon footprint (driving, new stuff purchased), but also your sanity, stress level, creativity and wallet. Challenge yourself to do without!

GIFT WRAPPING:

-Purchasing or making reusable gift bags from fabric scraps (or redesigned lone socks and pillowcases) sends out a green message to your recipient. The attached tie also eliminates the need for a loose ribbon.

-Purchasing or making Furoshiki squares (28x28) and learning some easy-to-follow tricks on how to artfully wrap in fabric. The elaborate knots and tucks also eliminates the need for a loose ribbon

-Using a gift to wrap another. A t-shirt, a sweater, a kitchen towel can wrapped just about anything and serve a double duty (a gift and wrapper in one).

-Reusing what you already have, if lacking the previous wrapping alternatives: Papers from your recycling bin (your kids can quickly paint some designs on them), children's artwork, a washed meat wrapper, newspaper or paper bag if you are still allowing these into your home ;).

-Using leaves as gift tags or anything in your recycling bin that can be cut into a small rectangle.

DECORATION:

-Reusing a potted plant that you already have or purchasing one that can become your yearly alternative to the Christmas tree. I use a tall topiary. The first year, it seemed odd (an adjustment), now we can't imagine going back to regular trees.

-Vouching to not buy yet another ornament. We rediscover our holiday decorations every year when we unpack our dedicated crate, and we always have enough!

-Making consumable decorations such as a homemade gingerbread house (with treats available in bulk) or a string of popcorn as garland (feeding it to the birds after the holidays, thanks to Dori and Val for the suggestion) for as long as the kids enjoy participating in the making.

-Using seasonal whole fruit, whole vegetables, yard clippings or leaves to adorn the table.

CARDS:

-Emailing your holiday wishes. Last year, I made plantable cards (it took me a week of work and lots of stamps), this year I will email our wishes. It's the thought and the content of the message that counts.

-Sending the cards that you do receive for reuse (as mentioned last year) to St. Jude's Ranch Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, Boulder City, NV 89005. It supports a good cause too!

-Choosing recycled and recyclable materials, if you do choose to send out a card. Keep in mind that photo paper is not recyclable.

TRADITIONS:

-Supporting your Zero Waste efforts with meaningful traditions vs. the wasteful, stressful and complicated activities of the season (Zero Waste not being just about stuff management).

-Being kind to yourself by simplifying your traditions: Consider less cooking, using your everyday china and glasses if your fancy set requires hand-washing, eating out, going for a hike if weather allows.

-Being kind to others by:

1 - Being kind to yourself,

2 - Freeing a parking spot by avoiding the mall ;)

3 - Applying “Acts of Kindness” to your holiday season: participate in a homeless soup kitchen, sing carols in your neighborhood, write a Thank You card to someone whose services you appreciate (your friendly baker for ex.?)...

To hear more about Zero Waste Holidays thru a thick french accent (I hope Santa will think of getting me an accent reduction class), you can check out my recent podcast on More Hip than Hippie.

I dream of having more than an "almost Zero Waste" Christmas. With simplifying and adequate preparation, I truly believe that my dream can come true. Last year, I dreaded the season, this year I feel ready and excited to face it! Bring it on!

Any more ideas to reduce waste during this coming holiday season?

What about Halloween?

2010-10-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

I received a few emails and comments asking how we plan to celebrate Halloween. Frankly, I really have a hard time with Halloween. I like the activities, but in a perfect world, the celebration would be a non-commercial, waste-free, treasure-sharing (see “treasures” below), costume festival, that I would fully support. Until then...

Our kids are still at an age where they want to share the fun with their friends and join them in trick-or-treating. And yet, I want to keep the tradition as sustainable as possible. But how? When in doubt, I apply the obvious rule: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot. After discussing an approach with the kids, here is the plan that we came up with:

REFUSE:

-Plastic toys or favors when trick-or-treating, the kids will pick recyclable or compostable items instead.

REDUCE:

-Instead of doing a whole neighborhood, we plan to trick-or-treat one street. It helps being invited to a party before or after to reduce time spent going door to door.

REUSE:

-Costumes: Coming up with a homemade outfit is our first choice but it is also a challenge in a minimalist home (probably the only downside of living with less). When we strike-out of ideas, we go to the thrift store, and on the spot choose or make up a costume. I expect thrift shops to be most busy this time of year!

By the way, I am not crazy about dressing up for Halloween: I have enough fun reinventing my wardrobe everyday of the year ;)

-As you would expect, we keep our decorating minimal (What can I say: I did not grow up with this tradition), with just a few tiny pumpkins that I make into a soup the next day and serve sprinkled with its roasted seeds.

-We plan to participate in the Halloween Candy Buy Back for the non-recyclable treats, this year for the first time. This is the most motivating program I have found for my 2 boys to give away their candy;)

RECYCLE:

- When possible, the kids will choose treats in cardboard: Dots, Milk Duds, Nerds or Raisins (but I doubt that we'll run in many of those).

COMPOST:

-To state the obvious, the rinds of our pumpkins used for making soup will get composted.

-I made a watermelon brain for a potluck buffet tonight. Hopefully, it will get completely eaten. If not, and if it gets too picked on, I'll take the leftovers home to compost.

In case you were wondering, our front door is 36 steps from the street, so by nature we do not get trick-or-treaters (sometimes, life just simplifies itself;). If we did, this website gives some good alternatives to candy. Here is the revised list with my waste-free favorites, in alphabetical order:

Food items ("treats"): Boxes of organic raisins, Fruit (like mandarins), Licorice Root Stick (I loved to chew on these as a kid).

Non-food items ("treasures") are also a great alternative to treats: Bracelets made with a natural fiber or yarn, Coins (US or non-US: I know my kids would get exited about getting a penny), Feathers, Lavender sachet, Polished rocks or skipping stones, Printed items (jokes, word games, word search or cross word puzzles), Seashells, Seed packets or plantable paper, Soap (unpackaged of course), Stamps from foreign countries.

How do you celebrate Halloween with your kids?

Is the Zero Waste Home only about waste reduction?

2010-10-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

I received a long angry comment this week.

The commenter implied that our household was single minded... “Your lifestyle seems to be very austere” he or she wrote . “I'm wondering if you have a viewpoint on what we are all supposed to be doing here on planet earth? In addition to counting the band-aids in our trash cans, I mean”. Do you think your children find that it's a good trade off... you know for them to become social pariahs in exchange for you indulging your obsession.”

Boy! How did this commenter even get to this blog? Why did "anonymous" even spend time reading it if he or she did not understand the subject of it? How can he or she insult our kids so freely, not knowing them or their social life.

I replied that not every blog is for everyone...

And yet, what sticks in my mind about this comment is: Who does this person really think we are? Does this person really think that we ONLY care about waste?

In other words: Is the Zero Waste Home only about waste reduction? As I mentioned before, if it was not for this blog, I would not even think about waste on a daily basis. No seriously, beside the frustrating unavoidable trash bits, zero waste has become a no-brainer and a natural, unconscious part of our life, it has become automatic. We take our bags / jars and try to make good buying decisions when we shop once a week, refuse the occasional freebies, send an occasional email of complaint, and ask our friends and family to respect our lifestyle when they come. That's it. That's as much time as our family would think about zero waste... had I not started writing (and thus elaborating) about it.

I personally love art, fashion, foraging, homemaking, organizing, volunteering, simplifying,... I could have written a blog on any of these. And yet I chose zero waste. Why? Because in my mind it sums it all up. It has made my art more focused, my foraged miner's lettuce tastier, my thrifting more acceptable, my minimalism more understandable, my homemaking and volunteering more purposeful. For once in my life, it seems that all my interests and talents are connected. Plus, wouldn't it be selfish not to share my trials (Lush deodorant), failures (vinegar hair rinse), successes (baking soda toothpowder) and finds (local bulk stores) with others?

Let's face it. Zero waste is not just about waste: it's about enjoying simple pleasures, eating local and seasonal foods, living a healthier lifestyle, enjoying the outdoors more, getting closer to the Earth, finding fulfillment in volunteering activities, and simplifying your life to make room for things that matter most to you. If it was not for the latter, I would have never found the time to write this blog.

The commenter went on to criticize my refusing laminated school work last June. “Did you know that a lot of parents don't judge their children's artwork on whether it will biodegrade easily?”, he or she asked. “Actually a lot of parents would treasure their childrens' artwork and want it to last forever. But you rejected your childrens' artwork because it had become the wrong kind of trash.”, the commenter wrote.

Is this comment supposed to make me feel some kind of guilt for the laminated work that I refused? I am sorry to disappoint the commenter even further, but I don't. Through my simplifying business I witness numerous homes filled with “heirloom guilt" and I could not agree more with this quote from a New York Times article: "Barry Lubetkin, a psychologist and the Director of the Institute for Behavior Therapy in Manhattan, who has observed this [heirloom guilt] in a number of patients [...]. It’s an unhealthy setup, in which people become "slaves to inanimate objects,” he says. “Once you’re defining it as something you can’t get rid of, you’re not in control of your life or your home.”"

Let's say I had succumbed to the heirloom guilt: Was I supposed to bring the laminated piece home (no matter its quality) and add it to a bin full of other laminated school stuff, which would then be passed on, along with the same guilt, to my kids children and grand children? Our life is not about stuff and we're teaching our kids that life is not about stuff. So why should I allow teachers to fill my house with stuff? Shouldn't parents and children have the right to choose what to keep? After all we receive a ton of artwork from school all year long, so why should the one that is laminated be kept? What if your child, was sick and not in the mood or simply botched that particular project? Yet it would get laminated for a whole family branch to keep forever? Does not make sense to me at all.

Let's say my great grand kids felt liberated enough to discard it later: Do I want my kids laminated art to contribute to the great pacific garbage patch? Of course not.

I really don't think I am being “very austere” here and I don't think it was wrong to reject lamination. Quite the contrary, I think it would be more wrong NOT to reject it and allow this wasteful school practice to get out of control.

Accepting is condoning - just like shopping is voting. I cannot ignore (the easy way in life) the negative environmental impact of lamination, not to mention its expense. I would rather our public school money be better spent. If I don't do anything about it, who will? Obviously not the commenter. So, I say it once again: “Be the change you want the world to be” - Gandhi.

The commenter also implied that my son was deprived because he loved band-aids and we ran out... hmmm.

Can one really be deprived of Spongebob band-aids? The Merriam Webster defines “deprived” as “marked by deprivation especially of the necessities of life or of healthful environmental influences”

Are Spongebob band-aids “a necessity of life or a healthful environmental influence”? Maybe to the commenter, but our son does not seem to think so. He has not asked for them since we ran out. Luckily, his livelihood does not rest on band-aids, but rather on more important activities (like playing football with his dad).

And if one dares to say that my children are deprived because we don't have band-aids, can you say that my children are deprived because they also do not have video games (they play outside, build Lego's, or learn to bake or paint instead)?

Can you say that my children are deprived because we don't buy junk food (they eat healthy bulk or homemade meals instead)?

Can you say that my children are deprived because we don't drive them to school in a warm/or air conditioned car (they get exercise and fresh air by riding their bikes instead)?

Can you say my children are deprived because we don't give them vitamins (we believe in a healthy diet and outdoor activity instead)?

Can you say that my children are deprived because apart from a few french comic books they don't have books (the local library has made thousands of books available to them and turned them into avid readers instead)?

Can you say that my children are deprived because they don't have TV (they prefer to watch a commercial free Netflix movie instead)?

Can you say that my children are deprived because we do not keep ALL their artwork (together, we select and store our favorites)? By the way, our staircase is filled with them. See picture above.

Can you say my children are deprived because we don't have trash cans in the house? Seriously.

I guess the answer to the questions above depend on the personal health and life standards you have set for your family.

We are not perfect and we are not 100% waste free. But we love what the zero waste lifestyle has done for our family beyond waste reduction. We hope that many more families will get to discover it for themselves. This is what this blog is really about. Sharing an on-going life changing experience. But my words will only make sense to you if you're ready and willing to accept change. The commenter obviously is not. Are you?

Or if you started already, what has Zero Waste done for you beyond waste reduction?

Crappy Month and Wasteful Repairs.

2010-10-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

Boy did we have a crappy, wasteful month. People say “shit happens”, but a whole truck load fell on us these past few weeks. Not a pretty picture, I realize ;).

It all started on a Thursday evening.

After a long day of work and dinner time fast approaching, I had been faced with a practically empty refrigerator (I grocery shop on Fridays), and challenged once again to make dinner with the few bits scattered in the refrigerator. I had managed to make the best of the one tomato, chunk of cheese, lonely egg and last cup of flour - and had proudly put together a tomato quiche. (These are my proudest moments in the kitchen: Making something out of “nothing”. I even surprise myself sometimes). But we never not got to savor the pretty quiche that night... My gas range would not turn on. I tried resetting its power, but in vain. I would have to wait until the next morning for further repair action (the service center being closed for the day of course). So there we were: Hungry, kids showered and in PJ's, Scott pacing, 7:30pm and nothing on the table.

Confronted with six hungry desperate eyes, asking “What's for dinner?”, I called in for my 1st takeout pizza ever (I am 36 years old by the way and have been avoiding takeouts, since I started home cooking 18 years ago). I felt all goofy on the phone, not knowing the protocols of ordering a pizza (if there are such things), but I did not forget to request “no Lilliputian table” (you know the white plastic piece in the middle of the pizza to keep the box top from sticking to your toppings). Within 20 minutes the extra large pizza and its extra large box crossed the Zero Waste Home's threshold. Gasp.

Wait! Don't leave the blog yet. While we were gone this summer, our town finally started City Compost (the best "sustainable" thing that has happen to our town since we moved here three years ago). We are now able to compost our meat, fish bones, butter wrappers... and the emergency pizza box. Not that I condone the compostable cardboard takeout container, which in our case only had a useful life of literally 5 minutes (ugh)...

The next morning, I called the service center for the range. After a few questions, they recommended that I call in a repairman. I did. But since labor day weekend was about to start, the repairman could only come on Tuesday.

A few BBQ, salads, and sandwiches later, came Tuesday with the repairman. Then, Wednesday with two repairmen, Thursday with a handyman, Friday with a new repairman, another stove-free weekend, and Monday with a plumber. And on top of all expensive and unexpected gas repair bills, a whole lot of trash: the repairman's takeout soda cup and straw, the repair parts packaging, the broken pieces... And the old gas pipes. Did those get recycled? I did not even ask, too frazzled and mad at our original contractor for screwing up the oven's installation in the first place.

It took a week and a half to get the oven up and running again. And when we thought we were done with repairs, more (completely un-related) problems came... It's as if we had been cursed by the unavoidable powers of Trash Evil.

- Our kitchen sink backed up and in spite of our unclogging efforts, all the original piping from the sink to the sewer had to be replaced. Repair: New copper piping outside, and new ABS piping under the house, glue, caulking, paint and parts... Landfill: Completely clogged metal piping (empty caulking tube is a #2 and went into the recycling)

- Our entertainment center fan stopped working, and without it our sound system is unusable (it gets too hot in its enclosed space under our stairs). Repair: New fan in a cardboard box and plastic packaging. Landfill: Fan parts (I hope to recycle the motor at an e-waste station).

- A corner of our marble counter broke off! Repair: Epoxy putty. Landfill: Double plastic packaging of epoxy putty (packaging within packaging).

- Our hair trimmer for our DYI haircuts broke. Repair: New hair trimmer in cardboard box. Landfill: Plastic parts of hair trimmer (will take the motor to the e-cycling also).

- Then the plastic casing of Scott's beard trimmer broke (No seriously, the hair trimmer just went out - and now the beard trimmer!). Repair: New beard trimmer. Landfill: Plastic part of trimmer and plastic packaging of trimmer (will take the trimmer motor to e-cycling also).

- We noticed our dining chairs scratching the hard wood floors, they needed new pads. Repair: Felt pads on chair bottoms. Landfill: Packaging of felt pads (FYI - The next day I found some in bulk. Bummer!)

- One light bulb went out, then another, and another: that's three light bulbs in one month (and I am trying not to be paranoid here). Repair: Three specialty light bulbs (two in plastic packaging, one in cardboard). Landfill: Three light bulbs and two plastic packages.

- We noticed that some paint had bubbled up on the side of the house. Repair: Sand and paint the siding before the rainy season. Landfill: Sand paper and paint roller.

- I dropped my all purpose shears, the plastic handle completely shattered. Repair: Get a new sturdier pair of shears. Landfill: The broken shears (I could not get the metal off the plastic to recycle the metal).

- We got a flat on a practically new tire, sometimes they are repairable, in this case (because of the location of the puncture on the side of the tire) it was not. Repair: New tire (the tire shop said that they would recycle our old tire...) Landfill: The greasy hand rag (a piece of retired tee-shirt) we used in changing the tire.

- Our remote control ran out of battery (the last disposable batteries we had). Repair: A new pack of AAA rechargeable batteries. Landfill: Plastic packaging of new batteries.

When people now ask me what the packaging the hardest to avoid in a Zero Waste Home is, my answer is: Hands down, home repairs. No doubt about it.

Hardware stores might have some good bulk items: Loose screws by the ounce, loose plumbing parts, irrigation parts, felt pads, cable by the foot, all scattered in different stores around town (oh, do I wish there were all in one place). But they also have some of the worse packaging. Come on Ace and Home Depot, can't you ask your suppliers for alternatives to the plastic packaging everywhere? Do felt pads, batteries, CFL's, and a single tiny junction box cap need to be displayed in this frustratingly-hard-to-open hard shell plastic?

Here's to a better month ahead!

Tomato Canning

2010-09-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Last week, as planned, I made a list of things-to-do away from the computer, and one of the items, which I procrastinated on for the last month, was digging out a portion of our crawl space to make room for canned goods (they store best in dark cold spaces). Well, guess what? Putting it on the list made it happen. Every member of the family pitched in (besides Zizou of course), the hero of the project being our 9-year-old who voluntarily carried 20 buckets of dirt down the 30 steps to the front of the house.

I am so happy to have that done, my canned goods now have a dedicated space and so do my reusable bottles and jars.

That said, I thought this week would be an ideal time to post about (crushed) tomato canning. Canning has a reputation of scaring the novice cook, but there really is nothing to it, as it seriously is not as difficult as one might expect. All you need here is canning jars (I use Le Parfait canning jars in this recipe), a large pot, a colander, a ladle, a towel, a rock, and tomatoes of course. Visit your farmer's market at closing time to get the best deal on a large amount. In my town, $5/5lbs is a good deal.

Every cook has his/her way, and this is how I do mine:

1 - Sterilize the jars: Dunk them in a large pot of boiling water and set them aside to dry on a towel.

2 - In the same hot bath, dunk the tomatoes for about 2 minutes (that's to make peeling easy), and pull them out one by one into a colander to cool.

3 - Peel, core, and hand-crush the tomatoes, one by one, into a large bowl.

4 - Ladle the crushed tomatoes into the jars (french canning jars have a fill line), wipe the jars rims clean, add a rubber gasket on the lids and clip the jars shut.

5 - Lower the filled jars in the same pot of water (you can also stack them up if you use a tall pot), push a towel between them and add a weight, such as a rock, on them (so they don't cling into each other and break during boiling).

6 - Add water so that the jars are submerged by 1-inch of water and bring to a boil.

7 - After 45 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat.

8 - Let cool and take the jars out of the water to dry.

9 - Test proper canning by un-clipping a jar. If it opens, the canning process failed. If you use Mason Jars (screw-tops), the lid should be depressed indicating a proper vacuum.

10 - Store in a dark, cool place, preferably a freshly dug crawl space ;) so that your canned treasures can last and taste as good as my grandmother's 1978 plums, which I tasted a couple of years ago. They were in-cre-di-ble. The eau-de-vie marinade might have had something to do with their tastiness though...

Just looking at that picture reminds me that we live in an earthquake prone region... it just added a new item to my TO-DO list: Secure shelving before next shake;)

Time Wasters

2010-09-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

After catching up with friends, and taking care of the many odds and ends upon my return (tomato canning, lemonade making, deep-house cleaning, sewing, house painting, wall repair, stove repair, flat tire, etc.), here I am, re-emerging with alone time (for the first time in 3 months), and an urge to write again. Sorry for the long absence!

The kids went back to class and as with every back-to-school, I am set with a set of new school-year resolutions (along with most parents of school aged kids). I am ready for a new beginning, full of hope. I again hope for a better, more organized year with more time for human relations and more me time (the latter in the hope to be more zen as I often worry about the memory that my boys will have of me later in life...stressed out, too busy, ?). I hope to hug and cuddle my kids and husband more. I hope to have friends and neighbors over more often, and more spontaneously (my perfectionism too often keeps me from doing so). I hope to get closer to my dad. I hope to call my mother-in-law more often. I hope to give myself a facial once a week. To sum it all, I need to make more time or rather, I need to stop wasting time.

My household is very organized, and by both cutting off TV and simplifying our lifestyles, we have greatly expanded our leisure time, but I still find myself sometimes wasting away by either procrastinating or aimlessly surfing the net (the latter usually being a product of the former).

And since it is well known that e-mail and the web are the bane of the procrastinator's existence, I plan on spending less time on them. Not so easy when you write a weekly blog, but doable. I already deleted my Facebook account. I am happy with my social life and felt that FB did not do anything for me at this point in my life, and it ate into our precious time. I also vouch to only check my emails twice a day and keep an empty in-box (better for the mind, better for the environment...not unnecessarily cluttering up a running server somewhere). I have even contemplated the idea of sticking to short email replies and adding: “Sent from my iPhone” or “Sent from the road” to my email signature ;). From what I learned in an article, I also need to make a list of computer tasks and block time for it, just as I need to make a list of tasks away from the computer so that I don't get tempted to jump back into it. By breaking down a large project into the set of smaller tasks required to complete it, I should also be able to take care of my propensity to procrastinate.

If all goes well and I follow my resolutions carefully, I should be one zen, entertaining and cuddly mom by next year ;), and hopefully with even one less wrinkle (from the weekly facial).

What's your time waster?

Ideas from abroad

2010-08-04T06:02:00.000-07:00

My last week in France. Every year, I judge my personal "eco-awareness" by how I react to green ideas abroad. This year, my eyes flashed on a few. Here is what I believe would be worth importing:

- TGV (High Speed Train). When a train can take you to your destination in a 1/3 of the time than a car would, it entices you to use the public transportation. TGV's have always been fast, but they now have allotted tracks, which means that they can go full throttle on their routes. When we land in France (usually in Paris), we take this super fast train to get to our final destination (usually the South of France). The trip takes 2hr40m (by car it would normally take over seven hours). How come the US hasn't caught up to this energy saving technology yet?

- Easy, Organized and Free “One Stop Shop” for Recycling (Dechetterie). Every town here offers ONE drop off point for such items as metal or building scraps, etc... The resident drives up to a selection of recycling dumpsters and dispose of his items, which are later picked up by local recyclers. Where I live, I need to drive three towns over and pay to dispose of such items, and the facility is organized in such way that I stress just thinking about a drop-off. Lesson: Simplify.

- Simple Wood composter: Lincoln Log like. You buy a bundle of wood slats, cut to interlock and mount into a square, and within minutes anyone can set up compost in their backyard. Not only is it plastic-free and easy to build but also easy to transport from the store to its rotting location. I just love the design. It is too heavy to carry with me on the plane, but I am just dying to do so. Anyone out there willing to copy the design and put them on the market in our Home Depot's?

- Package-free brooms. You pick a handle, then a head, both priced separately (if you own a broom with a good handle but a disfunctional head, you can also just change the latter, instead of the whole thing). You can play around with your options, the composition (e.g., boar, silk or synthetic) is indicated on the organized display, and the price tag is a simple bar code sticker on the item. I wish more things were sold this way in the US. As I heard in a recent ad for meat: "You pay for the meat, not the fat"... You pay for the item, not its packaging. Why would a broom need to be wrapped in plastic anyways? Isn't it meant to get dirty?

- Bulk in a large grocery chain (Auchan). That means bulk is more widely available and prices are low (think bulk at Safeway or Walmart, and not just Whole Foods). The selection of staples is not that of Rainbow (the San Francisco bulk mecca), since staples such as salt or flour were missing where I shopped, but the cereal, grain and pasta selection was exciting (better than my local bulk). I confess to also have bought my son's birthday present there. He and I have an affinity for the Haribo brand of candy (I never buy candy but I can't resist this is one). And since we have struggled to find it in bulk in the US (together scouting movie theaters in and around our county), pouring them freely into our reusable bag was a joy. BTW: In France, you can also find bulk in health food stores, Botanic (a home and garden store) and the local farmer's market.

- Service at the Cheese counter. You pick your cheese and they cut it for you on the spot. Easy for a reusable-container user. Contrarily to the toxic cling-wrapping practices in our cheese aisles, I believe that counter service favors not only our health, but also human relations (such as personal feedback and great customer service).

- Selling a product in a practical reusable glass container. Mustard here comes in a choice of measuring cups, kids tumblers (better than sippy cups) and high ball, double, or wine glasses... The idea of selling a product (such as a staple) in a much needed item (such as a drinking glass which often breaks) is ingenious. If I lived here, I probably would not bother making mustard at home and would instead buy our glassware assortment (and replacement) that way. Speaking of mustard: In Paris, the Maille store (next to La Madeleine) will refill your jar.

- The percentage of people bringing their reusable bags to the grocery store is the same as people not bringing their bags in the US. Here, if you forget your grocery bag, you have to buy one. It might only be $.10/bag, but charging for them is the quickest solution to the earth-damaging disposable grocery bag. For those of you living in CA, please sign the petition supporting the ban of single-use plastic bags!

- Wrapper around the baguette. Private bakeries sell fresh bread in even the smallest towns. Bread does not come bagged in intoxicating plastic but simply tied with a single, reusable/recyclable/compostable paper sheet (just big enough for a hand to hold).

-Bulk everyday wine. You bring your own container (any size) to the wine vendor, and fill your selection with a pump (gas station like). It is not only eco-friendly (saving bottles and corks) but also financially friendly (cheaper than bottles and thus a good incentive to go green). This is what I have been pestering my local wine region about (Sonoma and Napa). I have found something similar at Guglielmo, but they are far (we need to make a weekend out of it when we go), they refill only one type of red (which becomes tiring), and they do the refilling only during specific events. If more wineries offered the pump service, these problems would be solved.

I am not saying that France is all that, far from it. I have my frustrations here too, with unsustainable practices (the amount of SUV's increase every year), missing infrastructure (thrift stores as we know them are practically nonexistent) and bad products on the store shelves (such as disposable ice cube bags). But I think that we can learn from each other and share sustainable ideas.

Have you seen something abroad to reduce one's waste?

Magic Butter

2010-07-23T02:13:00.000-07:00

I made a discovery this week. It might not be one for you, but I thought I'd share it just in case.

No matter how much I try to control the kids at my brother's house, mishaps sometimes occur. The boys used a swivel chair, covered with shirts (his house is not quite as organized as mine), to get a view of the Eiffel Tower from a skylight window... Unfortunately, while taking the glimpse, a shirt sleeve got caught in the swivel mechanism and streaked it with black grease.

Stricken by guilt, I decided to repair the problem before my brother came home from work. I googled for a solution and found out that butter, of all things ;) would remove the stain magically. Not having anything to lose, I gave it a try.

I rubbed some butter into the streaks, and let it sit a few minutes. I then used some dish soap that I found next to the kitchen sink, water, elbow juice and another part of the shirt to rub the stain off. The results were amazing. After a quick rinse, the shirt looked like new.

I later shared my discovery with Scott. Unsurprised, he replied that when living in Santa Barbara, he would remove beach tar from his feet with baby oil.

"Oil removes oil" he said with assurance.

I had no idea that the phrase would come in so handy a day later...

Saturday evening, the day before my departure for the South of France (where my mom lives), my brother had his sitter of six years come over to watch our four kids, so we could go out for a nice dinner between adults. After giving her instructions to care and feed the kids, we took off. We were enjoying our meal tremendously when my sister-in-law checked her phone and found out with horror that she had 18 new voicemails. Somehow we had not heard it ring, and while we thought our kids were tightly tucked into their beds, the nanny had set the brand new kitchen on fire!

We rushed home to find the kids safe at the neighbor's, but my brother's kitchen looked like a war zone. The sitter had mistakenly turned on the oven, in which my brother stored a fryer (full of cooking oil). When the fryer caught on fire, she grabbed their fish bowl and threw it on the stove, water, pebbles and all (including the poor goldfish). Needless to say, it made things worse. When the firemen arrived, they extinguished the fire, but in the process, also tracked soot, burned oil, and pebbles all over the house and the new hardwood floors.

While my brother drove the sitter back home, I set out to clean the mess, which extended to the upper floors. I first tried a mixture of water and castile soap equivalent, but in vain. The black stuff was too thick and there was too much of it. It is only after 30 minutes of desperate scrubbing, and a call to my brother to recommend the hiring of a restoration expert, that I remembered Scott's words: "Oil removes oil". So I tiptoed into the sticky kitchen, grabbed the first cooking oil and sponge that I could reach and voila! Eight hours later, floors and white kitchen cabinets looked as new as before and the damages not as dramatic.

Considering that the kids and sitter were safe, and that only four cabinet doors and a stove need replacing, we were all lucky. And thanks to the simplicity and handiness of the oil cleaning remedy, my brother and sister-in-law were able to keep their sanity and stay upbeat in dealing with the aftermath of the ordeal. (I forgot to count how many times they said: "This oil trick is amazing! The damages are not that bad after-all.")

Interestingly enough, this fire was not the only one that we survived this summer, but since this is a blog and not a book, you'll have to wait to hear about the other story when the time comes ;).

Do you have a simple and magic pantry revelation to make?

Less (not zero) Waste Air Travel

2010-07-05T02:57:00.000-07:00

Today, I am suffering from the worse jet-lag ever. I wake up around 2 am, my mind starts going and I cannot go back to sleep until the birds start singing. The kids and I arrived at my brother's, in Paris, a few days ago.

Rest assured. I am aware of my carbon impact when flying overseas. And I pray everyday for new carbon neutral ways (offsets are not satisfying enough) to visit my native land and blood relatives. Our weekly Skype sessions help but are not exactly an alternative to the kids language immersion or my mother's hugs and kisses. I live a zero waste lifestyle, I have reduced my meat consumption and car usage to pretty much once a week, I strive to shop local/organic and save water/electricity as much possible, but there is not much I can do about that damn yearly flight! (Besides reducing the frequency and amount of flights...we figured that four of us going there was better than eleven of them coming here).

To make things worse, my trip over was a waste nightmare, and an eye opener at the same time. Every time I fly (about once a year), the transition into the wasteful world is a shock. Travelers stuffing airport recycling (if available at all) or trash cans with water bottles, magazines, fast food containers and wrappers; discarding a full bottle of water at a security checkpoint and buying a brand new one a few minutes later, instants before boarding a flight, where they get yet another one (that's 3 bottles in less than an hour)... Flight attendants opening single portion drinks and pouring them in a new plastic cup every time around, and then coming thru with a trash bag - with recyclables and trash co-mingled. ... it sure is a harsh trip out of my bubble.

On a recent radio interview, I sounded hopeful when asked about our disposable society. My answer was based on the positive changes I see and hear around me, when at home (and that includes you, faithful and supportive readers... you're part of my daily home life :), I can actually see change. I see more people walking around with reusable cups, some readers visiting my deli counter with their jars (I got a report from the cheese guy ;), friends buying milk in glass jars and throwing zero waste birthday parties... But I have to say, British Airways threw all that enthusiasm out the window.

I can hear you say: "Welcome to the real world, Bea". On these uncommon grounds, I feel like a fish lost in the Great Pacific Trash Vortex, where intoxicating waste gets shoved down my throat. Or perhaps is it, that leaving my home where waste is pretty much all figured out, leaves me feeling vulnerable, unprepared, and unarmed elsewhere. Or perhaps I should have taken more notes during last year's trip and done more research before flying to prepare myself.

I brought my reusable and insulated wide mouth bottle (cold and hot drinks), napkin and bamboo utensils on the flight, thinking that they would get me to my brother's waste free, but waste was inevitable.

Live and Learn.

As soon as the kids and I opened the plastic bags (blanket in one, headphones, socks, toothbrush and sleep mask in another) on our seats, and got settled, I found out that my headphones were broken. And since I had looked forward to being stuck on an 11 hour flight with two kids for the non-stop movie selection on individual screens (remember, we don't have TV), I requested headphone replacements... Ugh, what I did not realize is that the new pair of headphones would be again bundled with another pair of socks, a toothbrush and sleep mask...

Later, my insulated Klean Kanteen did not save me from the disposable alcohol either. Yes I was thirsty for something else than water and succumbed to the "free" beer (straight out of the can to save a disposable cup) and wine (straight out of the glass bottle) on the long haul flight. At least, I then thought, the two are easily recyclable and would be given a second life by British Airways.

Or would they? I googled (soon after landing), to put to rest any doubt I had on the question. What I found out is astonishing, in this day and age (or at least for someone living in a bubble) and yet not surprising (considering I had doubts).

In short:
- No airlines currently recycle all of the main types of recyclables: aluminum cans, glass, plastic and paper ... because of airport recycling policies and customs.
-According to Green America Today, United and US airways rank worse on a sustainability scale comparing 11 airlines (US Airways throwing away 1 million plastic cups every 6 hours). BA was not far behind, in 8th place.
-According to a report by the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), “The U.S. airline industry discards enough aluminum cans each year to build 58 Boeing 747 airplanes [...] and enough newspapers and magazines to fill a football field to a depth of more than 230 feet.”

I keep wondering, why are the blankets wrapped? is it because they wrap them after cleaning them. Do they clean them or throw them out? After reading the confessions of a flight attendant, it makes me wonder. If airlines see disposability in a terry washcloth or headphones, they could just as well see it in a synthetic blanket. I remember always using a blanket for as long as I have flown internationally, but I don't remember it always being wrapped. When did it stop being acceptable to receive a naked blanket? (Note to self: Add airline blanket to my "standards revisited" posting).

Here are somethings you can do to minimize your air travel waste:

Packing light: The three of us used one medium suitcase for the summer (easy for a minimalist, I took everything in my closet except for 11 winter items), and a small suitcase for presents and items that I'll bring back (last year, I filled it with antique metal bottle carriers to carry my refillable wine, a sweater that I knit with my mom's help, the alum stones that I use as deodorant, a loofah that I bought unpackaged, a discarded sheet that I made into bulk bags, and loads of family recipes).
Visiting the library for your reading: Mine is "Gone tomorrow, the hidden life of garbage". It's been on my "To Read" list for months. I calculated that with Scott visiting us halfway during our stay, he could take my book back to the library before the loan expires. You can also use a Read & Return Program.
Stopping at the local thrift shop on the way to the airport for pre-owned magazines: I found all June 2010 editions. Thanks to those who remembered to Reuse before Recycle, and donated them.
Getting to the security checkpoint with an empty reusable bottle, and once on the other side, asking for a refill at a bar (with a smile).
Packing bamboo utensils, and a cloth napkin in your carry-on and refusing the airlines disposable version.

While I wait to hear back from British Airways (and it might take as long as Whole Foods ;) about the whereabouts of my in-flight used and unused meal containers, uneaten food, used blanket, used pillow, used headphones, unused toothbrush/sleep mask kit and unused socks, I plan to be more thoughtful on the way back:

Refusing plastic covered items: Giving them back to the flight attendant before I sit down .
Bringing personal headphones: Most flights audio systems now have regular headphone jacks.
Bringing a wrap to use as a blanket.
Packing a reusable stainless straw would also be useful when sipping directly out of a can/bottle to avoid the plastic cup on the plane.
Taking recyclables with me to recycle at my destination and filling out this online survey.

Of course, if I also packed a meal, many of my worries would disappear.

Six Month Tally

2010-06-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

Until six months ago, Scott still took the trash out Sunday evenings.

He would slip into his shoes late at night, and rain or shine, would run the 36 steps down to our curb to set the can out for pick up. Even if all it contained was a couple of band-aids. I could never figure out whether he was doing it out of habit, to retain a sense of "normalcy", or to simply make a point of using the service that we cannot (yet) cancel (our local hauler has trash pick up bundled with recycling and city composting).

But one rainy Sunday evening this last January, as Scott was once again heading down the dark path to the curb, he stumbled upon a mature buck. A godsend. Scott turned around, came back into the house and decided that this whole "taking out trash" business was too dangerous ;). That's also when we decided that it would be fun to see how long it would take us to fill the 20 gallon can. Our "can" has been the paper towel section of a vintage holder since.

Here is our 6 month tally.

It might seem much for those who thought that we were perfect, just as it might not seem much for those who did not think a handful of waste possible. I personally think that our level of waste is frustrating, but it is a challenge that calls for further action:

Food related items:

- 8 beer caps from a twelve pack that a friend brought: In times of financial instability, how can a man refuse the gift of beer? ;)

- 13 white wine plastic wrappers: We still have not found a decent refillable white wine and it is really hard to discern plastic from foil until you open the bottle. It should be indicated on the label.

- 2 cheese wax/crusts.

- 1 heat-damaged gasket of a jar bought at the thrift store: I had no idea the gasket was baked on until I opened the jar at home, had to force it open and had to scrape it with a knife.

- 2 top ends of Starbucks Single packets: From my visiting mother-in-law who must have taken the rest of the 2 packets with her to dispose elsewhere.

- 4 snack wrappers and 3 bubble gums given to my kids without my knowledge: Those probably are the most irritating to me. The Fiber One bar contained 23 ingredients, including high maltose corn syrup. Ugh. The Teddy Grahams contained 19 ingredients, including partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil and high fructose corn syrup. Double Ugh. As for bubble gums, they are simply plastic. Triple Ugh. I do not yet blame my eight and ten year-old children for succumbing to temptation and accepting the empty calories. For now, I blame the ignorant adults who buy and feed harmful and wasteful junk not only to their children but also to others.

Plan of Action

- Educate friends and family further about our lifestyle and eating habits.

- Educate the kids further about healthy foods.

- Send emails to winemakers to adopt foil and cork, or glass tops (screw tops are BPA lined)

- Take our friends to Beerworks to refill their bottles ;)

Clothing related items:

- 18 plastic price tag holders: I can't remember the origin for eight of these.

- 2 disintegrated foam shoulder pads from a used coat.

- 2 feet of synthetic thread from an unravelling curtain.

- 6 labels removed for their itchiness: Don't you love the feel of tagless clothing?

Plan of Action:

- Propose a plastic free price tag to the thrift stores that have them.

- Apply glue to the edges of my unraveling curtain.

- Email or write to clothing manufacturers to adopt label-free clothing.

Bathroom related items:

- 8 band-aids: Like I said before, my younger son had a love for band-aids, but we're out, so we won't find those in our trash anymore.

- 2 individual plastic/aluminum wrappers from over-the-counter medication, bought a couple of years ago: A remainder of our once, unconscious purchasing.

- 1 toothbrush replacement head from Terradent: We have 2 left.

- 4 disposable eye drop tubes: Scott took our older son to the ophthalmologist and forgot to refuse...

- 1 packet of petroleum jelly: Again, given to Scott by a doctor, he forgot to refuse.

- 5 plastic cap wrappers: One from hydrogen peroxide, one from eye drops, one from contact lens solution, the three others I don't know.

Plan of Action:

- Email or write to manufacturers to replace plastic cap wrappers with paper or cardboard wrappers or simply bypass them and adopt a sealing cap.

- Remind Scott to refuse at a doctor's visit.

- Purchase compostable toothbrushes.

Miscellaneous Items:

- 1 expired credit card.

- 1 Best Buy gift card.

- 1 expired french version of the Green Card.

- 4 ski lift tickets.

- 7 irrigation system pieces.

- 1 broken rubber band.

- 1 broken pen: the last plastic and disposable one in the house!

- bits of plastic tape from a parcel.

- 1 sticker stamps sheet.

- 1 plastic wrapper of a snowboard pad.

- 1/2 plastic spoon found on the property while landscaping.

- The wrapper of a tiny Lego set, bought by Grandma for my younger son. Somehow the small sets are not fully recyclable, like the bigger ones.

- The plastic wrapper of twine, bought 6 years ago: It's amazing how much purchasing decisions can haunt you for years.

Plan of Action:

- Contact the credit card company about using recyclable cards.

- Contact the ski resort about using a rechargeable and recyclable card instead for their lift tickets.

- Contact Lego about the non-recyclable wrapper in their small sets.

- Find package-free twine.

What's not included:

- The 6 art/schoolwork pieces, laminated by the teachers: We left them at school, and explained to the teachers that parents should have the right to choose whether or not they want to make a completely recyclable/compostable piece of paper, eternal by encompassing it in plastic.

- The candy wrappers from the Valentine's Day classroom celebration: We took them to the school principal to show her how much trash was generated per head in our kids classrooms.

- The few items that I have sent back to manufacturers with a letter of explanation, such as a broken pump to Dermalogica, toothbrushes to Radius, and a contact lens case to Complete.

- The pesky plastic wine corks, the occasional fruit or veggie stickers and the broken drinking glasses, three of which I collect for future art pieces.

What's in your bin?