I'm writing this while sitting beside my 7 year old daughter. She is home doing distance learning. She has barely seen her friends in the last year, besides our next-door and across the street neighbors, with boys her same age. She is in second grade and she has ADHD. I have to work beside her instead of in my office because every 30 seconds or so I need to remind her she needs to be doing her school work instead of singing and carving designs into my dinning table.
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If you’ve done research on waste reduction or just follow a lot of sustainability minded Instagram pages like me, you’ve heard the term “Closed Loop”. It’s another term like “Zero Waste” that was commandeered from industry and means different things to different people (don’t ask my network engineer husband what a closed loop is unless you have a few hours to discuss networking). You might think of the classic recycling symbol, the three arrows chasing one another in an infinite loop. But traditional recycling is actually pretty far from a closed loop, your plastic bottle is almost 99.99% guaranteed NOT to be turned into another plastic bottle to be able to be used and recycled again. Also, if you need to continuously feed in energy and resources such as water to convert that item into its next phase, that’s not a closed loop either as those resources are wasted.
In the Zero Waste/Refill community, a closed loop product is typically meant to mean the manufacturer takes back the container their product is delivered in to clean, sanitize and refill it to be used again, for as many times as that container can remain intact and useable. Another example of closed loop is compostable packaging (that is actually composted, not landfilled). This looks at the bigger system, that the packaging was made from resources that were taken from the earth and they will return to the earth to replenish it. Obviously this category hinges on some pretty big considerations like the packaging not being overly resource intensive to create, or wasteful to distribute. Last are the products that are considered “consumable” and do not require any packaging. Think of an apple, or a bar of soap. In traditional retail there are lots of places where a product could gain or lose packaging. An item might be individually packaged by the manufacturer. It might not be by the manufacturer but could be by the distributor or retailer. Or you could be given the option to “package” that item yourself by placing it in a plastic bag or container at the store. A shirt may come to you unpackaged, but did it arrive at the store individually wrapped in a plastic bag? That was removed from a box? That came to the store on a pallet wrapped in yards of plastic pallet tape? These are the things conscious consumers, retailers and manufacturers think about constantly. Traditional retail has SO MUCH waste (I worked in retail for 6 years, I’ve removed A LOT of shirts from plastic bags). The raw materials were most likely shipped to the manufacturer in packaging, there was most likely scrap material when it was made, the product was likely individually wrapped, placed in a box then stacked on a pallet. That pallet was sent to a distribution center where the tape was removed (and tossed) and the box was opened so quantities of that product could be placed in a different box to then again be stacked on a pallet, wrapped in tape and shipped to a store. Where the tape was again removed (and tossed) and the box opened, the product removed from bags (discarded) and put on store shelves. This is where the consumer buys it, has it placed in another plastic bag. They then take it home, remove it from the shopping bag (discarded) and then remove it from its packaging (discarded). That one products was responsible for pounds of useless discarded plastic that did not actually contribute to the product itself. So, what’s the solution? Until we can influence a major overhaul of retail as we know it, here are the small things we can do as individuals that make a big impact: -If you don’t NEED it, don’t buy it. Reducing impulse purchases save waste and saves you money -If you do NEED it, try to find it second hand or see if you can borrow it -When you do need to buy something new, know where it comes from. Try to shop local shops, local brands, made by individuals or look into making yourself. If you don’t know where something was made, ask questions and do some research. -DON’T FALL FOR GREEN WASHING! Do not take a brands word that something it “sustainable”, “eco-friendly”, “natural”, “recyclable”, “biodegradable” or even “compostable”. These words have lots of wiggle room and very often they just mean that under certain conditions, in certain areas these things COULD be true. -Control what you can, bring your own bags/containers whenever possible, either don’t shop places that won’t let you or reach out to their management to let them know you want to use your own. It’s becoming more commonplace and the more they hear it, the more likely they are to change their policies. I know we’ve all heard the now cliched phrase “We vote with our dollars”. But when it comes to retail, we really do. When you make a purchase, ask yourself what that product and packaging went through to get to you and where does it go after you. If you do this even a few times, you’ll never look at traditional retail the same.   Many of you know I’ve been out of town the last two weeks. So, where did I go? I went to Portland, Seattle, Boise, (Yellowstone) and Salt Lake City. Why? To meet with some amazing ladies that have taken the plunge and started their own Zero Waste shops. First I met with Leah of @therefillcenter in Portland, she’s a little newer to the scene, opened this year. She does delivery and pop ups. She is also an artist creating some of her own up-cycled items and I’m very excited for them! Next I met with Jocelyn of @goboxpdx. I got to see some behind the scenes and I am working to hopefully help bring a GoBox system to the Sacramento area in the near future. I then met with Rebecca and Nadine of @utilityzerowaste, they hold frequent refill stations and currently offer online ordering with local delivery. They have some big plans that I’m excited to see come to fruition. My family and I then headed up to Seattle, had dinner with some dear friends, and next day I met up with Stephanie of @scoopmarketplace. She has an amazing shop and I love picking her brain about vendors and best practices. She’s developed a thorough and informative course to help others open their own shops and offers a bucket of other resources to help those eco-preneurs along their journey. We then trekked out to Boise and I got to meet Lea of @rootszerowastemarket, she is a pioneer and inspiration in this space. She has a talent for seeing how the grocery retail space could and SHOULD be and building a better system from the ground up. After Boise, we decided to take a spontaneous trip to Yellowstone, as Rich and I have both never been and we really love visiting National Parks (ask me some time about 2016 where we went to 9 parks in 9 days, for free, while I was 5 months pregnant). Because there is not a DC Fast station capable of charging a Bolt in West Yellowstone, MT where we stayed, we had to search for and wait for a slower charge. Because of that, we got a later start in the park then we would have liked, but we did get to see some important highlights including Old Faithful and the West Thumb geyser basin along Yellowstone Lake. We got to see deer, bison, caribou, and a moose! We had a long drive and a very late night getting into Salt Lake City that involved some travel hiccups including our hotel’s system being down (because who in their right mind checks in at 3am, right?). I had to reschedule my meet up with Jamaica of @hellobulkmarkets. She was also early to Zero Waste grocery and her store sells over a hundred bulk goods from grains and snacks to soaps and oils. Her plans and dreams are so big, you can't spend any time with her without immediately feeling inspired. So, are you wondering why I’d take the time to go on this adventure? It’s part because our family loves road trips and we’d been itching for an epic journey for the past 4+ months, we had to cancel this trip back in March due to covid. But really it is because the best part of my business is networking and connecting with people who are as dedicated to helping everyone to reduce waste as I am. We are only going to make an impact if we work together. There are so many amazing ideas being developed right now. I want to be a part of this rapidly growing movement and throw everything I’ve got into it to get it to grow as fast as possible. Next steps for me: -Close out the Kiva loan, get the trailer and some additional products. -Partner with 15-20 local businesses and organizations to set up the mobile refill stations and have them regularly and reliably. -Continue to connect ZW shops with innovative new vendors that will benefit them and their customers. -Create a campaign to afford a Model X to tow the trailer to vendors all over the country and begin developing a ground-up distribution network for ZW products.    Road trips are very big in our family. Shelter in Place hit us particularly hard as it happened just as we were leaving for a two week tour of the Northwest that would include Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Boise, Salt Lake City and Reno. We had to cancel that trip and just dream about it and other adventures we would normally undertake in the Spring as we built box forts, filled our pool, went on long bike rides around our city and struggled through distance learning with our children. Last week we finally felt comfortable enough to attempt at least part of our trip and that has inspired this post, how to travel in a eco-friendly way. Our two biggest focuses are waste minimization and emission-free transportation, but we do also still practice water and energy conservation. Minimal waste travel: - Preparing snacks: When it's not a last minute trip, you usually have the 2-3 days before to make up some yummy Zero Waste road trip snacks. Home made cheese crackers, trail mix, granola bars, on-the-go pies, are all good car munchies. sometimes I'll make a loaf of zucchini or pumpkin bread, pre slice it and put it in glass tupperware or Stasher bags. We also make a easy to transport meal (this time was Mac 'n' Cheese and a jar salad for the first day so we don't have to rely on fast food. This made it easier during this time to limit having to go in stores and restaurants other than for potty breaks. A key when packing your food for travel is to use containers that can be condensed, stacked inside one another or cleaned and reused to hold other items. This way as the food disappears, those containers are taking up less room. We used a glass storage container for the mac 'n' cheese, were able to stack other containers inside, but found out our current hotel is not offering breakfast, so we were able to use that glass container as a bowl to make quick-oats that we had brought along. saves waste, time and money. - Waste in the hotel: We specifically stay at Marriott hotels as we have been reward members a long time and I have a lot of knowledge of how to get the most out of their rewards program (please reach out if you want to sign up as a rewards member or for their rewards credit cards, I can give you a referral with bonus points and give you some tips). But Marriott has also been stepping up in the green space, they mandated all hotels much switch to refillable soap and shampoo dispensers instead of providing the little plastic bottles. Also many hotels encourage you to reuse towels and will even provide extra rewards points for skipping housekeeping service during your stay. We often try to pick brands like the Towneplace Suites and the Residence Inn when possible because they have full kitchens where we can cook our own food and reduce takeout and the associated waste or where we can bring the plates, bowls and cups down from our room for the provided breakfast if they are serving it on disposables. This is particularly useful for the complimentary coffee, way better to put it in a mug from your room or directly into your own reusable travel cup. - When you need to eat out: Obviously we don't pack two weeks worth of food to bring with us, its not worth taking up that much space in the car. We also do enjoy buying local food and supporting local restaurants. We try to practice the same hacks we use at home. When possible, get the meal "for here" and slip any leftovers into your own empty containers. Ask up front, like when you are ordering, for no plastic straws or utensils, repeat as needed. If you still get a piece of plastic after explicitly asking not to receive one, put it in a Yelp review (in a gently suggestive way, not in an irate way), and they will most likely be more conscious going forward, many restaurants do read their reviews. Driving Electric: We own a fully electric Chevy Bolt (we actually own a Mitsubishi iMiEV too, but that's not a road trip car) and have not owned a gasoline car for over 3 years. The Bolt goes approximately 240 miles on a charge and there are now many Level 2 (approx 25 miles of range per hour) and Level 3 or DC Fast (between 100-250 miles range per hour) stations all along every highway in the US. We can usually drive 2 1/2- 4 hours between stops, which is as long as our kids' little bladders are going to hold out anyway. We shoot for 50+kW stations for quick pit stops as we'll only need to charge 45-60 minutes, enough time for a potty break and quick bite. When we are going to be exploring, we can find a Level 2 station, sometimes we can even score free parking or a preimo parking spot but utilizing a charging spot. Charging costs vary very widely, its best to use apps like Plugshare and ChargPoint to see where stations are, if they are function, what the cost is and if there are any restrictions for use. Lots of stations are free or only charging a reasonable per kWh charge (in states that allow per kWh pricing), but others will tack on session fees, per minute or per hour fees or additional charges. We try to scope out hotels that have or are very near charging stations so we have flexibility to always get a full charge overnight, but we have also had a lot of luck asking to plug in at a standard 110V outlet somewhere on the property and can get from 1/4-1/2 charge overnight for free. I won't say that there are no logistical challenges to driving electric, there is certainly a period of trial and error when you are new to owning a electric car. But now, to us anyway, the logistics of charging and scoring that free charge or great parking spot are part of the adventure.    I really should have made this my first blog because this is one of the most impactful areas any individual or family can tackle in reducing their household waste. There are three big factors that are going to determine your success in reducing food packaging Time, Budget and Access Time: And with time I’m also going to lump your cooking ability or how much you enjoy making things from scratch. It is possible to make A LOT of your family’s favorite snacks and staples from scratch, but there will most likely be a lot of trial and error along the way. So if you don’t have the time or patience for a lot of cooking and baking, you’re going to have trouble here. The things I have been able to make from scratch and with bulk ingredients: bread, granola bars, Cheez-it/goldfish style crackers, fruit leather, gram crackers, pie (including crust), frosting, tortillas, pasta, pop tarts, almond and oat milks, ranch dressing, Greek dressing, soft pretzels, brownies, muffins, salsa, guacamole, black bean burgers and applesauce. Some things came out better than others and some things are labor intensive enough that I just don’t have time to make them often. But I really do try to pick one or two things a month that I no longer want to buy packaged and I try out a couple recipes until I find the one I like enough to want to try to perfect. I then dedicate to not buy that food packaged again, if I want it, I have to make it. Budget: My son has recently discovered a love of ketchup and mustard. When we ran out of ketchup, I decided I had to find it in a glass bottle that I could reuse until I have time to try out some recipes. I found it at the local co-op after trying 3 other stores, but it’s almost four times as much per ounce then it’s plastic packaged competitors. I know not everyone can justify that. I do feel like I generally balance out my food budget because making things from scratch TENDS to be cheaper than ready made (not always the case, cheese crackers use an ungodly amount of cheese, it adds up). But overall, I do find myself splurging on something better packaged or unpackaged and each time I do, I hear that voice in the back of my head that says “Not everyone can do this”. A good example is milk. My kids still drink cows milk and I occasionally use it for cooking. I have discovered a number of local brands that sell half gallons in glass bottles that you pay a $2 deposit which you can get back when you bring the empty, clean bottle back to the store. But this milk costs $3.50-$6 depending on the brand and store, so you could be shilling out up to $8 to bring it home. Access: Lots of places don’t even have that glass bottle option. They don’t have organic produce or bulk bins or even value packs and large paper or burlap bags of staples like flour or rice. And access has even changed thanks to the threat of Covid as many bulk food sections no longer allow you to use your own containers or they might be closed altogether. Addressing food deserts has to be part of the sustainability narrative going forward. I will do a longer more detailed blog post on ZW grocery shopping when all my favorite bulk sections are back up and running, but this gives you an idea of some of the hurdles to overcome and things you can start thinking about now.    I wanted to give all of you an update on some very exciting developments here at Green Gifts. I have applied and been approved for a Kiva Loan, they do crowdsourced microloans for small businesses. We just entered the "Public Funding" Phase and are over 40% of the way to our fundraising goal. This loan will be used to procure and outfit a trailer to be able to set up pop up refill stations at various locations throughout Northern California. I am trying to network to find about 15-20 community partners that would be willing to allow me space to set up and return at least monthly.
These pop ups are meant to not only allow community members to be able to fill their own containers with natural home and personal cleaners, eliminating the need for more plastic bottles to be created, but also to test systems and products and conduct research that will make it easier to help other budding zero waste entrepreneurs avoid hurdles and be able to expand their business quickly and serve more customers. I will also be branding the trailer and my vehicle so that they can be used to spread the word about waste free options. My hope is to also be able to soon purchase a Tesla Model X, an electric vehicle capable or towing a trailer full of product between manufacturers and zero waste retailers. This will eliminate much of the emissions associated with shipping product and cut some of the costs to the retailer. It has been important to me that pre-covid I had been driving out to any West Coast based vendor to pick up my orders directly. This was part to save on cost of shipping, but mostly it was to that I could meet these business owners, see their operation and form a relationship. I also love knowing that driving my EV means I am saving on emissions from shipping. When I have the trailer and longer range EV, I hope to visit manufacturers and shops all over North America. I want to thank everyone that has contributed to the Kiva loan, it is very very appreciated. I look forward to continuing to grow my business and encouraging others to join in this fast growing industry of helping our communities to become more efficient and less wasteful. Together we can lessen out impact on the environment and evolve retail.   One of the new trends in Zero Waste is actually a very old concept: Bar Soap. In the US, we have gotten very used to buying the majority of our household and personal cleaners in liquid form in plastic bottles. Dish Soap, Laundry Detergent, Shampoo, Hand Soap, Body Wash are probably the first that come to mind. Here is a list of different kinds of soaps and other products available in bar form: Personal: - Soap! Meaning body or hand washing soap. Can be purchases completely package free and you'll often find many local artisans that make a large assortment of varieties. - Castile Soap- extremely versatile and good for almost all personal and home cleaning, made from natural ingredients. Often is scented or infused with essential oils that can give it some additional benefits like being naturally anti-bacterial. Can sometimes be too harsh for sensitive skin. Usually paper wrapped - Shampoo Bars- These used to mostly be found at Camping supplies store or Lush, but are becoming very common and wide spread. Can be sold package free, so don't jump on a brand at the big box store that's wrapped in tons of plastic and cardboard! Some are more effective for different types of hair, so you might need to try multiple brands to find your perfect fit. - Conditioner Bars- A little harder to find than shampoo and definitely more difficult to find one that is effective for your hair type. They also just take a lot of getting used to, your hair may not have the "slick" feeling you are used to after applying liquid conditioner, but once dry, you can usually feel it's effectiveness. - Facial Bars- Often made with charcoal or clay to help with removing impurities on conditioning. Some have tea tree oil to help with oily or acne prone skin. If you have sensitive skin or other issues, please consult your doctor as to which ingredients are beneficial or harmful for your skin type and ask the seller or manufacturer if its possible to get or buy a sample size to try before committing. - Lotion Bars- I do not have personal experience with these yet, but it's on my list to try. From what I have read, lotion bars can dry out, so keeping them wrapped or in a jar can help. - Deodorant Bars- I love these as there is a TON of unnecessary plastic in the typical store bought deodorant stick. Can take some getting used to, and the natural, aluminum free versions are typically good at blocking order but are NOT an antiperspirant. I personally use my natural deodorant puck all winter, but still use my old antiperspirant on particularly hot days. With some natural deodorants there may also be a "Detox" period where you are a little smelly even after putting the deodorant on, this passes within a couple days. There are also lot of other natural deodorants, like special crystals that I do not yet have much experience with, but will report back! Household - Dish Washing: A usually white block that is best used by drawing a wet sponge or dish brush across it a few times to create a lather. I've found it works great on vegetable based grease, but can not always work on animal based grease (the bars themselves are usually vegan). I've sometimes had spots left on glasses, but wiping with a damp cloth is usually enough. - Laundry- I do not know of bar that can go directly in a washing maching, some people do either shave flakes off Castile soap bars or wash using a bar of Castile soap by hand in a tub or sink. There are laundry "sheets" made to dissolve in the washing machine. - Stain Stick- There are stain stick bars that can be applied right to and worked into a stain, some dish washing blocks can be used for this too. - Toilet Bombs: Also known as toilet fizzes help to clean the inside of toilet bowls. Not also ways recommend for septic tank systems and houses with older plumbing. General Rules when using a bar: - Do not leave in sitting water! This is a sure fire way to melt your bar and shorten its useful life. Every bar should have some sort of soap dish that elevates it out of water or should be dried and stored someplace dry between uses. -If you are not getting a good lather with your hands, trying using a brush, sponge or cloth. Also know that a lot of natural soaps are not going to lather like their chemical filled counterparts. The best thing about bars is that they travel well, I often throw my 4-5 personal care bars into a jar when I head out for an overnight excursion and that helps me avoid using those little plastic bottles of product in the hotel. Just be sure to let them sit out to dry for a little while before putting them back in the jar. Bars are terrific at helping minimize waste, they are often package free or some with a small band or wrapped in compostable paper. Using a bar for just shampoo can eliminate 10-20 plastic bottles from the landfill per year! On our site you will find No Tox Life Shampoo, Conditioner, Deodorant and the new Facial Cleaning Bar as well as their Dish Washing Block (TM). We also carry Soap and Shampoo Bars from Sappo Hill Soapworks. Try them out and let us know what you think! If you are ever not happy with a bar, we can offer a replacement style for free.   Know where you are starting from There is a great number of people that if you were to ask them why they don’t practice trash reduction (sometimes known as Zero Waste), they will say because the idea is daunting. Having a goal, even a small one can really help, but to do that you have to know where you are starting. You can do a trash audit, which can mean anything from carefully recording and cataloging the waste that leaves your house to just noting in your head how many trash bags were in your curbside bin before pick up this week. If you do go the more detailed and data driven route, I suggest putting a piece of paper or white board in the vicinity of your house’s main trash bin, mark every time you throw something in. You can even use symbols for different types of trash. Example: a circle for food packaging, a check for junk mail, an X for broken items. This gives you an idea to the areas that are creating the most waste in your house and what you can tackle first to make the biggest impact. Our house was awful about tissues during allergy season. I now keep a few handkerchiefs around and barely ever have to empty the bathroom trash can anymore. - Use what you have. Whether is using that old past jar to store black beans, turning your old shirts into cloth “un-paper towels” or converting the leftover plastic strawberry clamshell into a mini greenhouse for seedlings, trash is not trash if you give it continuous life. Does this means you go buy all the pasta sauce? No. Don’t buy what you don’t need. Shop your house, or ask for what you need from a neighbor, friend or local buy-nothing group. When you do need to purchase something to make a sustainable swap, consider buying used, or get something of high quality that is reusable over and over again. Bars: The new face of consumable products Almost everything that can be classified as Soap, comes in a bar form now. For your personal cleanliness there are body bars, face bars, shampoo bars, conditioner bars and even lotion bars. For house hold use there are Dishwashing bars and Castile soap bars which are multipurpose for home and self. The dishwashing bar also makes a great stain stick for laundry. Food for thought: Be thoughtfully when shopping for food Food related waste accounts for between 50-75% of most household’s waste output (trash and recycling). By slowing swapping pre-packaged and processed food for bulk food items and fresh produce, you can reduce the contents of your trash can by a lot. I know this one is particularly difficultly in the time of Covid as many bulk food sections are not open or not allowing personal containers, so you need to give yourself some grace here. Do just want you can. Some tricks are to try to get ingredients in larger, paper or burlap packages, at least those are compostable, which is a step in the right direction. If you are someone that enjoys meal planning, pick a couple more recipes for the week where you know you can get the ingredients package free or in low waste packaging. - Take along culture If you were to track your trash of a typical day, you’d find a lot of it to be trash of convenience. The cup and straw, plastic fork, chip bag and candy wrapper add up, and they won’t be caught by a home trash audit if you are tossing them while you are still out and about. Get used to throwing reusables into your car or travel bag (purse). You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy bamboo utensil set if you can grab a fork from home on your way to the food truck festival. If you are bad about remembering to grab on your way out, designate a bag, a fork, a cup and a plastic(or glass) food storage container as your “to-go” set and keep it in your car, travel bag or next to your keys. Make that the designated spot for it. I don't have a place to put my reusable grocery bags but back in my purse as soon as I’ve folded them. It can feel weird to ask a cashier, if you can just use your own of something, or you might get smacked with guilt when the server brings you your cheese fries with a plastic fork already sticking out the top because you didn’t let them know you brought your own. Take a breath, reset and try again the next time. If you figure out how to incorporate even some of these waste reducing basics into your life, you will see a difference and it will feel encouraging.    Minimal waste, waste reduction and zero waste all pretty much mean the same thing, lessen your trash. We’ve all heard of the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, but how many of us actually practice it? And how effective are these steps on their own? And then there’s the BIG question, WHY? Why even bother? What difference can I make? Why should I change when others don’t? Shouldn’t it be up to the manufacturers and the governments to deal with this? We didn’t build this system, they did. Here are my top four reasons WHY I am practicing waste reduction and why I built this company to help families in my community to do the same. 1. My kids. All of our kids and the future generations. Sure, we’ve inherited a mess, but it is not fair for us to continue to make it worse. I fully believe we have the ability to change the course of mass environmental destruction, we should be doing everything we can 2. Love of nature. I don’t get out to the woods or waterways as often as I would like, but even on my daily commutes, seeing creeks lined with trash really hurts my heart. Telling people not to litter, and having avenues to dispose of or recycle our single use items is not going to stop litter and it actually encourages over consumption and destruction of resources. The solution needs to be far less packaging, smarter more biodegradable packaging and packaging able to be reused many many times before needing to be disposed of or recycled. 3. Accessibility. We need early adopters to explore, create and test new solutions, then work to make them cost effective and convenient enough so mass adoption can happen. I bought a 50-mile range EV in early 2015 in part because I personally wanted to not buy gas, but also so I could help the electric car market develop and flourish. 4. It just feel better. I take so much pride in only putting out my trash cans once every other month, in watching my garden grow and my kids eating peas right from the pods, in using local made, natural products. There are dozens of other reasons and benefits to living low-waste. Like with many things, the getting started is the hardest part. Let’s take this journey together.  |
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