My tiny trash can is famous! 😀 Today my zero waste journey was featured on the front page of The Washington Post Health & Science section! I am beyond thrilled. I hope my story will inspire more people to live with less waste.
Checkout the story and video online or download and read the print version. And if you’re ready to reduce your waste, checkout this list of zero waste swaps.
Special thanks to writer Vicky Adams Fogg, video editor Monica Akhtar, photographer Bill O’Leary and designer Alla Dreyvitser for putting the package together. And thank you, Carol Devine, for opening my eyes to the plastic crisis and telling me I could make a difference 🙂
I just found your blog through the Washington Post article and read through your swap tips! Very cool! I’ve been thinking about how to live more sustainably lately and I’d like to try implementing some of these things in my own life.
It seems like a lot of these recommendations have start up costs associated with them, though, and I don’t have a bunch of money to spend on glass containers and other high quality alternatives to disposable items. Any tips?
It also seems like I’d be sacrificing some major time saving conveniences in order to live more sustainably. That’s my main worry about being able to stick to something like this, that eventually I’ll just be like, “forget it, I’d rather have my time.”
Hi, Jennifer! There’s no need to go out and buy anything to live zero waste—in fact, it would be best NOT to 🙂
I recommend shopping your house first and looking for new uses for stuff you already have. You probably already have food storage containers you can use when you go to restaurants or grocery shop. After that, if you still need more, look for storage containers and glass jars at thrift stores and garage sales — way cheaper and no packaging! I’m a big fan of vintage Pyrex containers with glass lids, which are easy to find secondhand. I also got our stainless steel water bottles secondhand 🙂 Don’t forget to check Craigslist, Freecycle, or see if there’s a local Buy Nothing group in your area. You can probably easily find bags, jars, towels, etc., this way. I have avoided so many new purchases this year by checking online classified ads first. It’s also a great way to meet a like-minded neighbor 🙂
And don’t feel like you have replace everything you have because you want live more sustainably. Use what you have until it can no longer be used, then when it’s time to replace it, find a non-plastic, durable alternative. Quality items will last longer and save you money over the life of the product. For example, my beautiful safety razor pays for itself compared to the expensive replacement blades on plastic shavers!
If time is an issue for you (and I totally get that), start by picking zero waste swaps that don’t take any extra time (bar soap instead of liquid soap or cloth rags instead of paper towels). With every swap, you’ll save money and feel great about making a tangible difference 🙂
Congrats on the WP coverage! I must admit that initially I started judging, “well, she’s single, it’s easier for her, blah blah…” but then I continued reading and realized you are a parent as well! I think it’s important for our movement to show that (near) ZW is possible even when you also playing the part of parent and partner. Not easy, but possible. 🙂
Thanks, Kelley! Nice meeting you 🙂 As a parent, I’m so glad I started this journey while my son was young—it’s way easier to create good habits than to change bad ones! Thanks for visiting my site. I just liked your Facebook page 😉