Favorites
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The Stuff Behind Self Care
Read this article the other day about how self care has become associated with spending money to feel good about ourselves. And hey, sometimes, it works. I get a monthly massage to keep my back from falling apart. Expensive? Yep. Worth it? Also yes. I also enjoy skincare and makeup and manicures and all that stuff. I’ve had expensive gym memberships. BUT.? At it’s core, self care is not about the stuff. It’s about the less sexy things that are crucial to your mental health. For me, it’s the following: Not making too many social plans in one week. As an introvert, I need solid recharge time. 1-2 times a…
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On Minimalism and Finding Your Passion
Read this lovely article about how to find your passion as an adult. Now — how does this tie in with minimalism and zero waste? I think a huge reason we’re constantly buying and consuming so much is that… we’re bored. Rather, we don’t have an activity that we so desperately want to do, that instead, we spend our free time shopping or watching YouTube vloggers telling you about the best new items out there or researching future purchases… you get the picture. We think we need the stuff to be happy. And the cycle of buying, consuming, throwing away, learning about the new bright and shiny object, then buying…
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Common Recycling Questions
Last week, I volunteered with my city at a recycling education table at a local elementary school’s eco fair. I had a ton of fun playing the “sorting game” with lots of youngins (and some of their parents) where participants are asked to sort items in to either a trash or recycling pile. It was interesting to see which items threw people off the most… so here they are. Common — “can I recycle this?” questions answered. Things that threw off parents: Wire hangers. NO. Take these to the dry cleaners! Aluminum foil. Nope. Trash. Styrofoam cups (even with the #6 at the bottom). Very, very few cities actually take…
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How to Recycle Better
Disclaimer: I am basing this information off of what I learned while touring our local recycling facility. Your facility may be different with different recycling rules and procedures. The best way to find out is by contacting your local facility, going on a tour, or reaching out to your city’s green/recycling/zero waste initiative divisions. Visiting our local recycling facility was one of the most educational opportunities I’ve had in a long time. It was fascinating how high tech the facility was but also how much we don’t know as a community on best recycling practices. So. I’m hoping to share out a few small things I’ve learned. First off, make…
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The “Does This Go in the Trash?” List
I have the below list on our fridge (mainly for my husband) so I don’t have to constantly answer the question: does this go in the trash? Feel free to use it for yourself! Save for compost pile (browns) Newspaper ripped into pieces Hair + pet hair Vacuum and dryer dust Toilet paper rolls ripped into pieces Cotton q-tips Facial tissue?(on the rare occasion it’s used) Paper towels (on the rare occasion it’s used) Parchment paper ripped into pieces (incl. cupcake liners, butter wrappers) Used matches, toothpicks, skewers Bamboo cleaning supplies Biodegradable sponges Dead flowers/plants Pizza boxes ripped into pieces (recycle non-oily top) Paper egg carton ripped into pieces Wine…
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The Mega Guide to Reducing Waste
Everyone has their own journey to reduce waste. It’s not about being perfect but about making small changes over time that ultimately leads to less stuff going out the door. For me, this looks like reducing landfill trash and recyclable plastics (since plastics tend to get downcycled). To do this, I first created a monster spreadsheet (that my husband laughed about but totally got on board with) that analyzed all our trash and recycled items. I organized these items by biodegradable/reusable/package free + aluminum + paper + glass + recyclable plastic + landfill. The ultimate goal for me is to move as many items from the landfill and recyclable plastic…
