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Zero Waste Dallas-Area Resources
I will keep this list updated as I explore and learn more. Please let me know if you’ve found any other places that aid in a lower waste lifestyle. Last updated: September 2022 Bulk Buying: Groceries, Home Care, Personal Care Products NEW! Usefull: Love this little booth that pops up across different markets in the Dallas area throughout the month! Bring your own container to refill hair/body care and home care products! (I love their shea butter body cream.) NEW! Volleman’s: You can buy these glass packaged dairy products in stores and for home delivery. With home delivery, your “milk man” will pick up your old bottles and drop off new…
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May Edition: What’s in my Trash?
Our household is currently at the point where we fill up about one kitchen-sized trash bag a month. Because, honestly, trash is inevitable. And I’m a 100% okay with that. I just try and do my best and minimize waste whenever I can. So what still ends up in my trash? Let’s take a look at May. Floss — apparently my husband’s dentist doesn’t think his water flosser and compostable floss is working enough… so — it’s back old school floss for him. Sheet mask packaging — I still have a stockpile of these to get through. I love them but they’re so wasteful. Electric toothbrush head — The electric…
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What I Learned From Doing A School Recycling Audit
One of my responsibilities as a Recycling Ambassador for my city involves conducting “recycling audits” on local schools. These audits aid schools in bettering their recycling practices by pointing out areas of improvement. After auditing schools, I gained a better understanding of what works in encouraging large groups of people (kids and adults) to properly recycle. So use these tips if you are looking to encourage better recycling practices at your office, school, or other community space! Put trash next to the recycling. Like. RIGHT NEXT TO IT. Don’t stick it 5 feet away. Otherwise, people will just throw things away in whatever is closest/most convenient. Put trash and recycling…
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My Zero Waste Car Kit
First off, what is a zero waste car kit? Basically — it’s the collection of items you always have stored in your car that’ll help reduce your waste while you are out and about in the world. This includes items needed for grocery shopping, coffee buying, eating out, etc. I love having a car kit because it keeps me from forgetting anything at home and I’m always prepared for any scenario. So what’s in my kit? And how do you create your own? Gather the following: 1. A cardboard box. I use this to corral all my items together in my trunk so things don’t roll around all over the…
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My Favorite TerraCycle Programs
I love TerraCycle’s free recycling programs. It allows me to recycle items that otherwise would end up in the landfill. This doesn’t mean that I purposely pick a packaged item over a bulk one in order to TerraCycle it BUT it is exceedingly useful for those items that I don’t have much of an alternative for. TerraCycle also has paid programs (where you pay for a box to fill up with various items and then ship back to them to recycle) but I’ve had great experiences with the free programs. Some programs do have a waitlist but I’ve gotten into most within a few months. So how does it work?…
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Top 5 Eco-Friendly Laundry Swaps
Continuing on with our little eco-friendly swap series… we’re on to the laundry room! I think the laundry is one of easiest areas to make eco-friendly swaps because there are so many good, effective alternatives. The item: Liquid laundry detergent in plastic jugThe swap: Powder detergent in boxI personally love the JR Watkins powder detergent (linked above). It’s a bit tough to find but it’s usually available somewhere online. One box lasts me about 9 months and it’s worked just as well as my old Tide detergent. The item: Dryer sheetsThe swap: Wool dryer balls + essential oilsAnother super easy swap. A couple drops of essential oils on a wool…
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Top 5 Eco-Friendly Food Swaps
Last week, we talked eco-friendly kitchen swaps. And this week, we’re drilling down even further to food specific swaps! We all know that if you can find a specific item in the bulk section (grains, spices, oil/vinegar, tea/coffee, candy/chocolate, baking ingredients), you should go for that and stick it in your own containers. But here are some other food items that usually aren’t in the bulk aisle that I’ve found some alternatives for. The item: Yogurt in plastic container The swap: Yogurt in glass containers My husband goes through A LOT of yogurt. Which also means a lot of plastic cartons. I found this brand at Whole Foods and Central Market…
