Zero Waste Product Shout-Out: Furoshiki Wraps

This post, summed up in one picture.



(image source)

Few people are familiar with furoshiki, but once you learn about them, it's likely you'll find them indispensable in your zero waste life. A furoshiki is a square piece of cloth used to wrap, cushion, and package various items. These wraps can be only a few inches square, or be several feet across. Originating in Japan, but having common counterparts around the world, "furoshiki" translates roughly to "bath mat", as squares of fabric were initially used to wrap clothing, toiletries, and personal effects while at public baths. Later on, these cloths were used to pack Bento boxes, carry purchases home from the market, and even as suitcases and storage padding. In essence, we know furoshiki by the name "bandanna" or "kerchief", though it's unlikely you've ever used a bandanna as often or as versatily as a furoshiki.

Personally, I love the knot-wraps from Lush, as they were my first real introduction to furoshiki, and came with a handy little card showing me a few basic wraps. From there I found a website devoted exclusively to furoshiki, including a large directory on how to tie them, and a huge selection to purchase. Lastly, I love the site Furochic, and the creator's accompanying book Wrapagami for their beautiful, innovative, and ingenious wrapping techniques. Really though, one piece of square cloth and a few minutes spent with some Youtube instructional videos, or some books from Amazon, and you'll be wrapping and carrying all your treasures in no time.

Since picking up a few furoshiki of various sizes, I use them as headbands, scarves, toiletry bags, gift wrap, bottle carriers, tote bags, cushions for delicate items, picnic spreads, seat covers, and even once as a party dress. I keep one tied to the strap of my bag to add some appeal and whimsy, and have found it a nifty way to always keep one with me. I never know what use I'll have for a furoshiki, but I'm finding new ideas every day.

Zero Waste Product Shout-Out: Salad Spinners

When you don't want to make any trash, you get a lot of food from the produce section. No bagged celery, baby carrots, or pre-sliced vegetables means buying plants in their whole, slightly dirty glory. That's why today's zero waste product shout-out goes to salad spinners.

I go shopping once or twice a week, and the first thing I do when I get home is what I call "processing the produce". I wash, dry, peel, and chop most of the vegetables I buy, in essence making myself a bagged salad without the plastic waste. Normally lettuce goes bad in a matter of days, but I've found I can make it last a week and a half if I spin it twice after rinsing and store it in a lidded container. I can fit two heads of lettuce in  my largest Pyrex bowl, which lets me have a generous salad for lunch for about four days.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, a salad spinner uses centrifugal force from spinning one bowl inside another to throw water off of greens. It's a handy little kitchen device that makes dealing with lettuce a joy, though it does take up a lot of space and is harder to wash than a regular bowl.

However, I've found other uses for my spinner to help justify the effort and space I devote to it. I use the insert of my salad spinner to rinse round or small fruits and vegetables (like tomatoes, zucchini, green onions, apples, plums, peaches, cherries, and red potatoes). I can save water by rinsing over the salad spinner's outer bowl, then dunking the insert in several times to thoroughly rinse things. I've used the bowl on it's own to serve salad, and I'd honestly use the spinner to store the salad in the fridge if space wasn't at a premium in my living situation right now.

At first I felt indulgent buying a single-purpose kitchen tool, but I use my spinner on a weekly basis, and have found the aforementioned other uses for it. The spinner I bought has a lock to keep the handle down for easy storage, a feature I sincerely appreciate, and has sturdy construction which I expect will last for decades. Of course, Ikea sells salad spinners for a very affordable four dollars, and Amazon has a plethora of options. Then, of course, you can always put your greens in a mesh bag and swing them around your head till your neighbors are scared of you or your salad is dry, whichever comes first.

Step Twenty-Three: Find a Local Farmer's Market, CSA, or Friendly Gardener

Buying locally helps keep money in your community's economy, encourage responsible business practices, and  often means less waste and chemicals put into production and shipping. Nowhere is this more true than with local food. When you can talk to the person who grew what your family eats, you'll get a level of assurance that beats any organic logo or freshness guarantee. Local farmers markets and CSAs  (Community Supported Agriculture) provide so many blessings to so many different groups that it doesn't make sense not to patronize them. Of course, that's if you can find one in your area.

Since local farmers markets tend towards the grassroots in their organization, it can be tricky to find one in your town or county if you don't know where to look. There are several directories and resources at the end of this post to start off with, but you can also check bulletin boards at health food stores, city hall, and locally-owned establishments. Additionally, look around your neighborhood to see who has fruit trees, a garden, chickens, or a beehive. It's likely that these people are willing to share their bounty, either to keep the food from rotting off the tree, for a little help with the work, or for a small fee. Often hobbyists with enough to share are enthusiastic in their passions, and would be glad to help you turn a corner of your yard into a food-producing Eden. If your neighborhood is devoid of food gardens and small farm animals, check your local library, Craigslist, and national directories to find seed exchanges, gardening groups, chicken clubs, and more. Give shyness the night off and make some friends who are as passionate about what they do as you are.

One of the greatest things about local food is the community that grows alongside it. And just like with the soil, the more love you put into community, the richer it grows.

Local Harvest
A national directory of farmers markets, CSAs, local food restaurants. Also has forums and photos. One of my favorite go-to sites.

Farmingo
Kind of like shopping online, but for fresh produce, and instead of delivering to your door, they assemble your order and bring it to a food community site. An interesting concept, but not available nationwide.

Pick Your Own
An international directory of Pick Your Own farms. These are places where farmers have raised vegetable, fruit, and herb crops, but leave them on the plant until customers show up and pick everything themselves. Quite a fun outing for a date or family night.

Neighborhood Fruit
It's the Craigslist of fruit trees. People who have too much fruit (and anyone who's not a farmer but has a fruit tree does) list their trees and let neighbors come pick for free. There are even trees listed on public land, and the site lists herbs, vegetables, and nuts as well.

Eggzy
A national directory of local egg producers and stands. With this kind of local food, you can ensure the chickens are truly free-range and well-loved, as many people consider their laying hens to be pets who just happen to pay a nutritious rent.

First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

P.S. If you are very interested in local food, I highly recommend Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. She and her family eat only local food (within a five hundred mile radius, if memory serves, but most of the food is homegrown or bought from neighboring farms) for one year; it is a fascinating look at regaining a sense of the seasons, how delicious whole foods can be, and learning respect for the bounty the earth provides.

Zero Waste Product Shout-Out: Res-Q Ointment

Burt's Bees makes a Res-Q Ointment that I could not live without, zero waste lifestyle or not. I originally got it in one of those little travel kits they sell, and I remember thinking that I would probably never use it.  But then I realized it's great on scrapes, makes cuts heal faster, magics away pimples, soothes my dry nose in the winter, heals bruises, cures bug bites, works as an intensive lip balm, stands in for lotion in a pinch, helps stave off bloody noses, smooths cuticles, and I've heard it's great as a post-tattoo balm.

I use Res-Q ointment for a multitude of problems on a daily basis. I have a tin in constant use, one in my emergency kit, and one in my supply of extras. I never want to be without this stuff, and I love that the packaging is so minimal. It depends on where you buy it from, but there is never more than the tin of product itself, and perhaps a box so the store can hang it on their display racks. The tin does come with a ring of shrink-wrapped plastic to keep it sealed, but I mail this back to Burt's Bees with a letter asking them to find a more waste-free way. I don't like the little bit of plastic, but it's much better than a plastic tube or bottle each for Neosporin, calamine lotion, zit cream, Vaseline, cuticle cream, and the other products I'd have to buy to do everything this ointment can do.

Burt's Bees as a company has zero-waste offices, and is working to make their manufacturing process waste-free in the next few years. They have a great reputation as a company, and are sure to back it up with transparent business practices, community involvement, and hardworking products. One of the few garbage-producing things I allow myself is their lip balm, as I've never found anything better. Though many of their products do come in plastic packaging, Burt's Bees has worked hard to minimize this, as well as use as much post-consumer recycled content as  possible. They're not perfect, but they are about as close to it as a international company with large-scale production and no bulk distribution can get.

To use the Res-Q ointment, simply rub onto the affected area using your finger. If you want to make sure you're not spreading germs around, put a few drops of tea tree oil (a natural disinfectant) onto the remaining ointment and rub around to make sure all surfaces within the tin are covered. I usually do this after rubbing the ointment onto the edges and a little ways inside my chapped nose when I have a cold, or when I'm worried I double-dipped while treating something that could spread, like pimples. I must admit, I have forgotten to disinfect my ointment sometimes, and I share the tin with my husband, but neither one of us has ever had a problem with cross-contamination or the problem area spreading, probably due to all the good and naturally bacteria-fighting ingredients already in the ointment.

And for those specifically looking for help with their pimples, I find that Res-Q ointment makes my pimples go away if I apply it a couple of times a day while they're still less than a bump. After that, I wait until I can extract them, then wash and dry the area and apply the ointment afterwards. This makes the scab and redness go away within two or three days, rather than the week or more it usually takes. In my experience it also helps prevent pigmentation, or those little dark spots that sometimes arise after a zit has gone.

I'm lucky to have a local store that stocks Res-Q ointment regularly, but I've heard most people have to order it from Amazon or off the Burt's Bees website. No matter how you have to get it, I highly recommend you find yourself a tin and start keeping yourself beautiful and healthy right away.

Step Twenty: Zero Waste Snacks

If I'm feeling cranky, frustrated, or tired, usually a good snack helps. When switching to zero waste, I almost gave up because of what I perceived to be the dearth of convenient, simple, and appetizing zero waste snacks. However, I did a little research, tried a few things, and now never find myself without a zero waste treat I look forward to eating, which is important for me in order to keep my productivity up.

If you're finding you have the same problems, I encourage you to look at what you require from  your snack food (convenience, portability, appeal, etc.), and then brainstorm how you can meet those requirements but with little or no packaging. I've found I need to invest half and hour a week into preparing my snacks (washing, chopping, mixing, etc.), but I do this immediately after returning from the grocery store, so it's become an expected part of putting away the food when I get home.  The following is a list of goodies I always keep on hand, and am sure you'll enjoy as well.

Trail Mix and Nuts: At its simplest, I mix one cup peanuts to three-fourths of a cup of chocolate chips. I don't care much for the texture of dried fruit, so raisins and the like rarely make it into my mix. When I'm feeling more adventurous I'll mix in almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, white chocolate chips, or M&Ms. Quite a few stores that stock bulk food will also have a few varieties of trail mix in bulk, so getting it can be as easy as bringing an extra cloth bag on your next shopping trip. Often I'll keep jars of nuts on hand too, as it's nice to just grab a handful of almonds occasionally. I use old Altoid tins, small cloth bulk bags, and small metal containers to carry my trail mix or nuts when I'm out and about.

Dried Fruit: This is not my cup of tea, but any store with a bulk section will stock some kind of dried fruit, and usually a good variety of it. Raisins, craisins, prunes, banana chips, and the like are very healthy, require only a jar to store them in, and are one of the most convenient snack foods you'll find.

Cookies: I love cookies, so I usually make a batch every Sunday, and help myself to a few every day out of the cookie jar. It's easy to wrap a couple of cookies in my Bird-e towels for when I want to pack them along. If I were disinclined to bake, as I have been at times, I just bring my own box or bag to the bakery and ask for them there. One inquiry means you'll know the baking schedule, and can often put in requests the day before so that your cookies are ready and waiting package-free for you.

Carrots and Celery Sticks: I thought carrot and celery sticks would be my zero waste snack salvation, but I've found that if I don't cut them up as soon as I get home, I never snack on them because of the preparation time (I didn't think about how spoiled I was by those bags of baby carrots, or about how much waste I made because of them). So now I rinse, peel, and chop up whole celery and carrots as soon as I get home from the market. Some people keep them in water in their fridge to retain their crispness, but as long as I can just reach in and grab them I always eat my vegetables faster than they go limp. I like my carrots naked, but I have been meaning to try out a homemade ranch dressing recipe for the rest of the family. Celery I always eat with peanut butter bought package-free and freshly made from the peanut butter station at the health food store. When I travel with these things, I carry a little metal bento box with a scoop of peanut-butter in one corner.

Fruit: I keep a fully-stocked fruit basket at all times. I don't find fruit to be filling, but it does take the edge off of hunger and gives me a healthy snacking choice. Plus it's the easiest, most convenient, most portable zero waste snack I can think of.

Crackers, Pretzels, and the Like: As stated before, I'm lucky enough to live near a Winco, so I'm never left wanting for all the great snack foods they carry, like goldfish crackers, pretzels, cheese doodles, pita chips, and popping corn (There's a great how-to video on popcorn over at Small Notebook). Honestly though, if I didn't have Winco I'd buy the biggest packages of these things I could find (usually at Costco; the bigger the package, the less plastic waste to food ratio there is) and dole them out over a few months. When traveling I use a bento box or other lidded container, but I'm coveting these snack wraps for regular use.

Candy: I don't consider candy a snacking item, but a little sweet treat now and then can hit the spot just right. Again, Winco has a wide range of candy (my favorite are the jelly beans, hot tamales, and tootsie pops (the wrappers and sticks are compostable)), but I've found that many drugstores have Jelly Bellys in bulk, and I love the decadence of buying a pound of See's candies at a time (from the counter, not in the pre-packaged boxes) and enjoying one truffle a day. I dream of having a special wooden box like in the movie Matilda designated  specifically for my chocolate indulgence. Many malls have some sort of chocolate shop where you can buy taffy, truffles, and even plain squares of chocolate in bulk and packaging free. I know these options are more expensive than just buying a candy bar at the Walmart, but I appreciate more, and eat less, when it's something special. Of course, I've sometimes made homemade Twix candy bars and eaten half the batch in one sitting.

Rolls and Bread Items: I'm happy to just smear bread with homemade Nutella, peanut butter, or regular butter and snack away, but I've picked up bagels, doughnuts, dinner rolls, crescent rolls, and cinnamon buns at the local bakery  in bulk from time to time. Again, if you request them made fresh, or find out  what the baking schedule is, it's easy to get these items packaging-free. I've also found that the best way to keep butter fresh on the counter is in a butter crock, which immerses the butter in water to keep it well-preserved, but lets it be warm enough to spread on bread without any problem. I change the water in mine everyday, and would never be without it.

Yogurt: I love Greek yogurt, and always have some on hand. I like mine with just a little honey drizzled on top, or maybe a pinch of cinnamon, but other appetizing options are to stir in some fruit, granola, preserves, or even nuts.

Granola: As always, this is easy to find in the bulk foods section, but there are many recipes to make it yourself online. I like to pour a little milk over mine, but have also been known to eat it by the handful as well. I especially like stirring in some dehydrated strawberry slices to add a different texture and extra layer of flavor.

Cheese: I buy my cheese at the upscale grocery store in my neighborhood. I can get all kinds of cheeses, from hard to soft, and in my own containers. Cheese and crackers are always appetizing, and I love spreading a soft goat cheese or brie onto a bagel. I also find it easier to cut slices of cheese when I'm dealing with a glass storage container, rather than the fussy little plastic wrappers cheese normally comes wrapped in. Of course, I always keep Tillamook cheddar on hand, just stocked from the regular store's deli counter (even Walmart will do this)(honesty time: while I buy it from the deli counter, my family eats enough of this cheese that I just buy the giant five-pound bricks they normally sell for deli use. I cut the brick into smaller, more manageable blocks and store them in lidded Pyrex containers in my fridge).

Soup: This one of my dirty little secrets; I eat canned soup (and even Spaghetti-o's). When nothing else is appealing, I have no money for pizza, and I'm at the point where I'm shaking from hunger, a can of soup always hits the spot. Cans are problematic because of their plastic liners and the fact that new cans aren't made from old cans, so there's not true recycling, but I still indulge in this food on occasion. It's a little more hearty than a simple snack, and allows me to work longer after eating it. Of course, I rinse and recycle the cans, and try to save this as a true treat, rather than a regular staple. I am looking into better, faster homemade soup and ramen recipes, but I'm still in the researching stage, so it'll be a while till I'm ready to write about it. Still, the point of me listing this food is to emphasize the fact that it's important to keep yourself healthy, comfortable, and well-feed, even if that means dealing with a little food packaging.

I hope you've found some inspiration in this list for you and your family, or at least can use it as a springboard to make your own favorite treat. As always, share your ideas with us in the comments, and happy snacking!

First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

Step Nineteen: Green Your Cleaning

Cleaning is literally a chore, but I've found it becomes much easier when I simplify my routine, get rid of clutter, and use zero-waste methods to clean my home. I have less products to decide between, never suffer from nasty chemical smells, and am always confident that my family is safe from the worst kinds of bacteria and grime. What I like most of all is that my entire cleaning arsenal fits in an old ice cream bucket, with my broom and dustpan right next to it.

What I hated most about switching over to zero waste cleaning was doing it responsibly, by using up what cleaning products I had. I feel that working your way through what you have is the best way to get rid of things, and for me it helps drill home the message that I'd rather be doing things in a more natural way, so that when I finally do run out of the store-bought product and recycle the container, I'm not at all tempted to just buy another one. Additionally, using up what I have allows me a long experimentation time, so I can figure out what's the best way of doing things in the new, natural way.

If waiting isn't your game, you can drop off old cleaning products and chemicals (current and expired) at your community's hazardous waste dump, or even give them to friends who aren't quite on the zero waste bandwagon. Pouring them down the drain or throwing them in the garbage isn't recommended, as this could lead to groundwater contamination. Once you're rid of your old cleaners (no matter what method you choose), I'm sure you'll love the following zero waste ways to keep your home sparkling clean.

Before we start I thought I'd warn you: this is mostly going to be a post extolling the virtues of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, because I use it to clean everything in my house, including myself on occasion. Many people advocate using baking soda and vinegar for most ecologically sound household work, and while I employ these on occasion, my fallback is always Dr. Bronner's, because it's produced by a responsible company, leaves a wonderful, natural scent wherever I use it, and can be used on almost anything, meaning I have less hassle when it comes to cleaning and more space under my sink.

My go-to solution is two tablespoons of liquid Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap to five cups of water. I mix this in a spray bottle I saved from my before-days, and use it to clean counters, sinks, tubs, toilets, appliances, and floors. I make sure to wipe down whatever it is I'm cleaning several times after spraying it to make sure no soap residue is left behind, but this is worth it to me because of the confidence I have in my cleaning and the wonderful peppermint smell (Dr. Bronner's comes in multiple scents, I just like the peppermint the best right now). I also use a tablespoon in a sink full of hot water to do my dishes (for dishwasher detergent,  you lucky dogs, I trust Crunchy Betty and her recipe), or just a dab on a wet sponge for cleaning just one or two dishes.

For anything that requires scrubbing, I pour some baking soda on it and scrub away. I've yet to find the thing that can withstand this treatment, and it costs a pittance to clean the worst of things, so I don't worry about finding anything better.

To keep my drains clear, I pour 1/4 a cup of baking soda down them, followed by 1/2 a cup of vinegar. The chemical reaction helps clean out the drain; I follow this with a quart of boiling water a half an hour later. Applied weekly this keeps my sinks and tub working great; any time it doesn't work I've had to use a drain snake before the clog  is cleared (we have a lot of problems with tree roots in my area).

I use a pumice stone (just like the kind they use in spas to exfoliate your feet, though don't use one for multiple uses) to scrub the inside of my toilet bowl, and have never had to worry about icky toilet rings since I started using it. Don't scrub your sink or counter-tops with this though, as it can scratch some surfaces. Best to do a Google search or test an inconspicuous area first.

When the water build-up on my glassware gets gross, I use a 1:1 mixture of water and vinegar to gently scrub the marks away. I'm really coveting the Rig Tig Carafe Cleaner to help me clean all my reusable, narrow-necked bottles, but I'm making due by using seven paperclips. They get out any residue without leaving any scratches.

When it comes to cleaning windows, mirrors, and TV or computer monitors, I'll scrub the first two with the Dr. Bronner's mixture, then some vinegar if they need it, then do a final wipe-down with a slightly damp microfiber cloth. For electronic screens, only do the last step, as these surfaces can be easily damaged.

As for cleaning tools, I keep a spray bottle full of the water/Dr. Bronner's soap mixture described above, an old toothbrush for scrubbing odd areas, a coconut fiber sponge, a Trader Joe's kitchen cloth (which I will replace with a Skoy cloth when it wears out, as theirs come in plastic-free packaging), a microfiber cloth, a big plastic cup for dumping water over things, a cheap Ikea dust pan and broom set, and a weird rubber broom that also works as a mop. I also keep a pile of Bird-e towels in the kitchen to be used in place of paper towels. They're great for quickly wiping up spills, using as napkins, and for drying dishes. I can't recommend these highly enough, based on their versatility and how well they've held up over the years.

I've just started using homemade laundry detergent, and I love it. I finely grate a bar of Dr. Bronner's soap (more meditative and relaxing than it sounds due to the heavenly scent), and then mix it with a cup each of borax powder, washing soda, and baking soda (the first two can be found in cardboard boxes in the laundry aisle of most grocery stores). I make four batches at a time and store them in a large glass jar. I use three to four tablespoons per wash (a coffee scoop works great to measure with), and haven't noticed any difference in the cleanliness of my clothes.

Lastly, I mix up an all-purpose spray that I use for freshening rooms, furniture, fabrics, my dogs, as an accompaniment when I use a crystal for deodorant, and I spritz it on my toilet cloth when I want to feel extra-clean. Simply find a small spray bottle (the kind they sell in the toiletries section of stores to repackage products for airline travel work great), put in twenty drops (or whatever you like) each of tea tree essential oil, lavender essential oil, and lemon essential oil, then fill one third of the way up with witch hazel, and the rest of the way  up with water. I've never had any problems with this discoloring fabric, but as always, it's best to test on an inconspicuous area first. For extra odor-absorbing when it comes to carpets, I like to work baking soda into the rug with a broom, then wait fifteen minutes to an hour and vacuum it out.

Though it took a while to explain my cleaning routine, it really takes me less than two hours to clean my entire house, and I never end up coughing from chemical gas, I never have to worry about animals or children ingesting my cleaning solutions, and I can buy all the things I need in bulk from the local health food store. I'm sure you'll be just as happy with these  methods as I am. Happy cleaning.

First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

Step Eighteen: Re-Evaluate Paper Products

It seems as though everyone's talking about how we throw our money away, almost literally, by buying this or that; too much food, disposable diapers, or plastic utensils. Let's shift gears from this view to a simple question: would I rather deal with this problem myself, or pay someone else to do it for me? Lots of people hire a neighbor kid to mow their lawn, but relatively few people send their clothes to a fluff'n'fold service.

Paper products pose exactly that question. Would you rather pay a company monthly to supply you with dishes you don't have to wash, towels  you don't have to keep, and food containers you can throw away? Or would you rather spend a little more up front to buy permanent versions of these products and invest a little time into maintaining them?

Money is tight for me right now, so I know I'd rather spend the pennies to wash something rather than the dollars to pay to replace it every time I use a real one. My reusable paper towels are indispensable to me now, and when I do get a little more money in my  budget I look forward to putting that money towards travel and experiences, not stuff that will end up in the trash in less than a month.

To that end, I've compiled a list of common paper and disposable products, and their waste-free/environmentally-friendly counterparts. Try a few in your home today. I promise you'll find better quality, and more satisfaction.


Paper towels = reusable paper towels, rags, washcloths, regular towels, microfiber cloth, skoy kitchen cloths

Disposable dishes and utensils = regular dishes and utensils, or at least biodegradable picknikware packaged without plastic

Napkins = there are so many cute cloth napkins out there, paper ones just don't seem any fun

Saran wrap/tin foil = Abeego wraps, lidded glass containers, or simply a plate flipped upside-down over a bowl

Ziploc bags = lidded glass containers, to-go ware and similar metal containers, and washable snack bags

Waxed paper/parchment paper = Silicone baking mats, or sustainably produced, biodegradable parchment papers

Cupcake wrappers = Reusable,  silicone alternatives, or plastic-free, biodegradable options

Garbage bags = Leave your waste and recycling bins unlined. With a compost bin you won't have to worry about the bins getting too sticky, and a quick rinse every few months takes care of any other messes.

Paper and plastic bags = Carry your purchases home in reusable bags, and take lunches in furoshiki wraps, cute washable lunch bags, or a good old lunch box.

Disposable mops and brooms = microfiber sweepers, refillable mops, and traditional options


Two extra thoughts:

In cases where I'd rather buy the disposable version (toilet paper comes to mind for my family), look in health food stores and online to find biodegradable, plastic-free options that can go in your compost bin. This way your disposables become food for the soil, not poison.

Some people have questioned whether it's worth the water and energy to wash things, rather than to use disposable versions. Common consensus is that reusing is more earth-friendly, as it takes water and energy to make disposable products as well. Of course, on a per-use basis, reusable items take more water and energy to produce than disposable ones, but lifetime-use averages out to make reusables far less costly than impermanent products.

First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

Step Fifteen: Build a Bulk Buy Kit

Most bulk food grocers have little plastic cups, thin bags, and styrofoam containers to take your bulk food goodies home in, but that's not how we do things in zero-waste land. Eliminating garbage from your life means a little preparation before you head out to buy food, but remembering your bags and containers will soon become second nature, like remembering your keys when you leave the house or your briefcase when you head to work.

Building a bulk buy kit can seem a little daunting, but a few clicks on Amazon, Etsy, or Reuseit, and you'll be ready to buy your food, waste and problem free. Many health food stores will sell bulk bags, and Ikea is a great resource for all sorts of reusable glass and plastic containers, but after years of experimenting, this is what my bulk buying kit looks like:

[Camera not working (i.e. I'm a lazy camera operator); picture to come]

1. Foldable bags: These are my favorite reusable bags to carry, as they fit in my purse with no problem, meaning I always have a zero waste way to carry the extra bits and bobs I acquire throughout the day.  I also always take these along while I'm grocery shopping, as I usually need more bags than I think I do, and these come in handy. It's also nice to be able to buy all my produce, let it roll down the check-out counter (no worrying about the cashier not being able to see the produce numbers through solid cloth), then scoop it all into one easily-reached bag. Chicobag and  Baggu both make great compact bags.
2. Canvas bags: When I know I'm going shopping, I grab a handful of Trader Joe's canvas bags. I've bought a lot of cloth bags at a lot of places, but Trader Joe's bags have the best construction, are easily obtained, and hold up the best to regular use. There are a lot of great options out there though, so get what tickles your fancy, though this kind and this kind are great places to start.
3. Cloth bulk bags: Eating zero waste means eating a lot from the bulk bins, which means needing something to use instead of those flimsy plastic bags the grocery stores provide, so I have a large collection of small bags to buy bulk goods with. I used to use a watercolor pencil to write the bin number on them, but now I just make a note in my phone and read it off to the cashier when checking out. I find the planet bag produce sacks to be the most versatile, but the bulk bags wonder thunder makes are an awful lot of fun, and these ones are great for carrying produce in when you don't want to make the cashier have to open the bags to figure out the numbers on the fruit stickers.
4. Plastic food containers: Most of the cashiers at the stores I go to don't know how to enter in the tare, and I get embarrassed having to insist they figure it out, so I like to carry practically weightless containers to buy my wet goods with. I put the meat, cheese, and peanut-butter into glass jars when I get home, then wash and re-use the plastic containers when I next go to the store. I bought mine before my switch to zero waste, but any relatively lightweight container  will do. If I didn't suffer from social anxiety, I would carry Droppar jars or these lidded Pyrex dishes, and then either have the tare engraved on the side professionally at a trophy shop, or do it myself with etching paste.
5. Bottle bag: This comes in handy for carrying glass bottles home from the store and to the recycling center. Ideally, I would buy my vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, and milk from a supplier that  lets me bring in my own bottles, but working within limitations I believe glass bottling is the next best option. I found mine at Trader Joe's, but there are other options here, here, and here.
6. Refillable bottles: There are a few liquids I've found I can buy in my own containers, like honey and soda, so I keep a few of these around. I found mine at Ikea, but Specialty Bottle has a ton of great options.
7. Furoshiki Wraps: I love the knot wraps Lush offers, and there's a great line of reusable gift wrap here, and Furochic not only makes great furoshikis, but also has a wonderful guidebook for creative wrapping. This site has a huge selection of furoshikis, as well as a wealth of information about them. This isn't the best solution for flour or coffee grounds, but when carrying apples, wine bottles, books, or bath bombs, furoshiki can't be beat when it comes to simplicity and versatility. Plus they make cute scarves.

There are as many different bulk buy kits as there are bulk buyers; this is just what I use to buy my food and goods package free. Let us know in the comments what you re-use time after time to keep your home waste free.


First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

Step Fourteen: Explore Your Bulk Buying Options

The key to zero waste in our modern society is bulk buying. I don't mean loading up on Costco palettes of canned soup, or buying economy-sized packs of toilet paper; but buying as much as we can from bulk bins, without any packaging. Even potentially reusable packaging, if we keep buying the same thing again and again, becomes wasteful. There are only so many second lives and craft projects for aluminum cans, spaghetti sauce jars, and Altoid tins before we've run out of ideas, but are still stuck with the product packaging.

Initially, I wasn't very resistant to packaging. I let cans and bottles slip into my house wrapped neatly in my canvas bags. It was easier and more convenient to buy ready-made food than it was to try to make everything from scratch, or find another way of buying it. But then I read somewhere (when memory recalls, I'll link it) that we are letting companies and their design teams decide the look for our homes. Sure, you may have picked the curtains in your kitchen, but if you buy food in any packaging, someone else is deciding what the focus of your kitchen will look like. For some reason, the design angle appealed to me more than the environmental one did, and gave me the extra push I needed to find everything in bulk. Now when I bring home purchases, finding a place for them is easy, because there's an empty jar or container waiting to be filled up. I've picked frosted jars, so the food becomes decorative in my home, and I can quickly take inventory before going to the store.

So, with beautiful Droppar jars on my shelves, I went in search of bulk food. Depending on the area you live, this could be easy for you, or it could be tear-inducingly frustrating. I wish all of you the former. A good place to start is your local health food store. They'll have a huge wall of pills and supplements in plastic bottles, and maybe a juice bar or a deli, but somewhere between these two things will likely be bulk bins. You should at least be able to find flour, sugar, oats, rice, and nuts here. A lot of places carry couscous now, which I've come to love for its easy preparation and versatile recipe use. Between these bulk bins, the produce section, and any local bakery, you'll find a lot of your food needs can be met.

It's nice if a grocer in your town has a deli, as they'll be able to slice meats and cheeses into your bulk containers. If your regular store doesn't have this, try an upscale grocer. Things here will be more expensive, but higher quality, and you'll savor and appreciate them more. Specialty grocers also often have olives, noodle salads, and soups that you can buy from the deli counter and put in your own container. Delis are also good places to go for roasted meats, picnic-style potato dishes, and whole chickens. If you can find a store with a butcher counter, you can buy meat, fish, and bones (for soup stock) for your family. Make friends with your butcher, and they'll give you the benefit of their knowledge.

When you're at the bakery, don't limit yourself to just the bread. See if they make bagels, cookies, crackers, cakes, dinner rolls, brownies, doughnuts, and cinnamon rolls. If you come at the right time, or if they are constantly baking, you can request all of these things straight from the cooling rack to your bulk bags.

Dairy products are a little tricky. If you live in an area that has Strauss farm milk or St. Benoit yogurt, you're in luck, as these companies pack their goods in returnable glass and ceramic containers. The next best thing (in my opinion) is if you can get raw milk. State laws vary on the legality of this, but I've found it doesn't irritate my lactose intolerance, and is easier to make into other dairy products. Whole milk will do just fine though. Personally, I buy milk and butter, make ice cream and yogurt, and end up only with the plastic milk jug, cardboard butter box, and wax-paper butter wrappers. I recycle the plastic and cardboard, and want to compost the butter wrappers (try to find out if the wrappers are true waxed paper or a plasticized version before you compost. I'm still waiting to hear back from the butter companies, meanwhile I have a growing collection of butter wrappers in my freezer). There are recipes out there for homemade soy and almond milk, but I haven't tried these yet, so I can't speak to their quality.

If you are lucky enough to live near a store with a large bulk food selection, you may wonder why people bother to buy food in packaging at all. The universe has blessed me with a Winco less than a mile from my house, so I'm able to buy candy, cereal, cookies, trail mix, and all manner of baking mixes directly from the bulk bins in whatever amount I like. I'd love to have a bulk section that also dispensed soy sauce, oil, vinegar, and various soaps, but that's not a reality where I live yet.

It's the things that aren't easy to get in bulk that provide the most challenge, and sometimes the most fun. I get my soy sauce bottle refilled at a Chinese restaurant, buy tortilla chips from a Mexican restaurant, and buy solid, packaging-free body products from Lush. See's sells me chocolate by weight. Teavana lets me enjoy specialty teas from my own refillable tins. Petco even has a variety of dog treats for my little furry friends.

Eventually, I'd like to create a bulk-buy directory to help people find the closest, most convenient ways to fulfill their needs in a zero waste manner. If you come across a bulk source, be sure to share it with us in the comments; perhaps with enough input I'll find the motivation I need to catalog and cross-check everything. In the mean-time, keep your chin up, and Google handy, and I'm sure you'll be surprised at just how many things you can buy packaging-free.

First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

Reusable Egg Cartons

In my zero waste quest, I've found it frustrating to constantly be saving old egg cartons, only to have them crushed or sullied by everyday wear and tear. I'm sure I'm not the only one looking for a sturdy, washable, reusable egg carton, so I scoured the internet and found these options. Enjoy.

From anthropologie.com:
A beautiful, stoneware, dishwasher-safe egg crate. It's not going to be great for transporting eggs, but it looks wonderful for displaying them. Kind of like a fruit basket, but for eggs. $14.00

From mypetchicken.com:
Ceramic egg holders in six and twelve count that were featured on Martha Stewart. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $8.50 and $13.50. This site also has a nice selection of egg baskets, that's your fancy (good for collecting your own eggs, but it doesn't look practical for taking things to and from the market)(honestly this whole site looks great for anyone looking to raise their own chickens).

From amazon.com:
Lock and lock makes a plastic egg container very similar to a standard egg carton. It has high reviews, comes with free super-saver shipping, and curiously comes in prices of either $11.98 or $6.40, though both prices appear to be for the same product. There is also an InterDesign egg holder for $14.64.

 Kikkerland also makes a ceramic egg rack, also available on amazon. $11.67

From containerstore.com:
The container store makes a plastic egg container built to allow you to keep eggs in the fridge, but also stack things on top of it. That probably means it's sturdy enough to make it to the farmer's market and back. $7.99

From summitcampinggear.com, or in any camping store (or camping section of a store; even Walmart has these):
Camper's pack their eggs in these little containers to take hiking, rafting, or riding. They don't look very attractive (at least to me), but they get the job done. $4.95

From etsy.com:
This isn't an egg carton, but it is a tote bag that's long enough to hold one (or several), unlike the reusable bags I have now. Couple this with one of the plastic egg cartons above, and you're ready to shop. About $15.

I also came across this little internet anecdote that I thought was a neat, old-world way of packaging eggs:


    "This probably wouldn't be any more legal than used egg cartons, and would also be more of a hassle to use, but my DH has told me of the "Egg Man" who delivered eggs when DH was a child in Germany.  The eggs were wrapped in newspaper - 4 or 5 laid side by side, and the paper rolled up around them, and the ends twisted - I envision the little package looking like a large piece of wrapped salt water taffy"

How to Pay for Zero Waste

Going zero waste will eventually reduce your household expenses (by a lot), but getting there requires an initial investment that can be intimidating. I live far below the poverty line, so collecting the change to pay for cloth towels, diva cups, food storage containers, and other reusables was daunting at first, but soon snowballed into an easy process as I saved money by not buying all those disposables in the first place. You can go about acquiring the things you need for zero waste any way you like, but this is the simple system I like to recommend.

Stop buying the things listed in order. Either use the standard, reusable version, or go without it. Put the money you would have spent on that product in a piggy bank, where you can save up for the more expensive zero waste replacements.Good luck, and remember to contribute to your pig regularly.

1. Garbage bags. Just carry the can out to the dumpster and empty it. You won't have to worry about sticky, stinky things as long as you're composting, and you can always give your garbage can a quick rinse if it needs it. $1 a week.
2. Paper plates and plastic utensils. Washing dishes isn't that hard, and has much less impact on the earth. $2 a week.
3. Paper towels and napkins. Use rags, dish towels, cloth napkins, and Bird-e towels instead (see replacement resource list) $2 a week.
4. Soda, smoothies, and coffee. Replace with water (free), or buy them if you must, but use a reusable cup or water bottle. Most places will give you at least a nickel off the price if you supply the container. $0.10--$20 a week. 
5. Ziploc bags, saran wrap, and paper lunch bags. Use cloth sandwich wraps, Tupperware, and other food storage options. $1--$5 a week.
6. Bathroom sundries, like Q-tips, cotton balls, nail files, cotton rounds, and paper cups. $2--$10 a week.
7. Tampons and menstrual pads. $5--$10 a month.
8. Toilet paper. I know this sounds gross, but cloth wipes clean better, feel nicer, and are lighter on the planet. A lot of people use them for #1 only, which is a great way to lessen your toilet paper use without worrying about the grossness factor. $1--$5 a week.
9. Packaged and processed food. Oreos are crazy expensive compared  to homemade cookies. (if you don't have bulk bins in your area, try to buy the largest size package you can, and focus on dry goods rather than canned) $5--$50 a week.
10. Batteries. These are expensive and wasteful, especially if you go through them quickly. $5--$10 a month.

Once your savings pig is good and fat, start buying reusable versions of disposable things, in order of importance/highest cost to you. Things I like:

• Unpaper towels. This particular kind is the best paper towel and napkin replacement I've ever used. I couldn't do without them.
• Shopping bags
• Produce bags (though some people prefer these kind)
• Water bottle
• Travel mug
• Pyrex food storage set. Use up your leftovers regularly, and you'll never need another set. 
• Ziploc bag replacement
• Tea bag replacement (buying loose tea is so much more fun than boxed and bagged tea)
• Dish sponges
• Handkerchiefs (or get this ingenious little HankyBook if you don't want to worry about folding and keeping track of clean spots on a cloth square)
• Cotton ball replacements
• Menstrual pad replacements
• For great menstrual cup recommendations, go to this site for sizing information, as various brands fit differently. 
• Reusable toilet paper 
• I don't have children, but I would recommend these diapers based on a friend's experience and my love of their menstrual pads.
• Plastic drinking straw replacements
• Battery charger. This guy will charge all kinds of batteries, will discharge them (for storage; helps prolong battery life), will charge one battery at a time if needed, and tells you whether or not batteries are charged. 

There are lots of other disposable things that can be replaced, but these are the ones I was buying most often before going zero waste, and which I saved the most money from replacing. If you're lucky enough to be able to buy these in one trip, go for it, but if not, I hope the idea of snowballing your savings helps you in acquiring the little things that make a zero waste life easier.

Step Six: Find Your Style

I love wearing the colors black, khaki, and green; I like all my kitchen implements to be glass or stainless steel; I only like using Moleskine notebooks; I'll vacuum every day, but I'm lucky if I mop once a month; I don't consider movies and television a waste of time; I like dark wooden furniture; I'd rather read a book on my Kindle than any other way; I have little use for liquid lotions, but I love perfume; I don't eat things if I couldn't make myself, except for Oreos. These are just a few things about me and my style, but they've helped immensely in my zero waste life.

When you know what works for you, what you like, and what you will never use, you can cut through the clutter of unloved gifts, household duplicates, and dreaded calendar appointments. By eliminating these things, and letting people know that they aren't important to you, you can cut waste from your lifestyle. I don't buy clothes I won't wear and love, don't accept hand-me-downs that don't match my style or standards of usefulness (old buckets I will always take, a brand-new KitchenAid mixer? no thanks),  and put gifts I won't use directly in my donation box (after writing a nice thank-you note, of course).

But how to find your style? As pictures of me in high school will prove, I struggled for years to find out what clothes worked for me, and learn what would be a bust. A few more years in college were spent figuring out how I wanted to live, cook, and interact with the world. I still have to work at figuring out what I want from life, and more specifically what I want from my possessions in terms of appearance, function, and amount. This is an ongoing process, but for someone looking to jump-start their discovery of style, I'd recommend the following steps:

1. List off the things you love. Clothes, cooking utensils, collections, activities, everything. Then look at your list and try to notice some common factors, like colors, clothing styles, people you like to spend time with, and functionality. Keep this list of attributes in mind when you're deciding whether to throw something away, RSVP to an event, or acquire something.
2. Discover, and start to follow, some methods on cutting the crap from your life. I would be lost without Dave Ramsey for money management, David Allen for time management, and Erin Doland for uncluttering methods. Some people know how to cook, but are at a loss when it comes to dressing themselves, or know how to look good but have no idea how to maintain a car. Whatever your weakness is, do a Google search and start to find out how to manage, maintain, and feel good about that aspect of your lifestyle.
3. Go through one area of your life and get rid of the things that aren't your style. The easiest area  in my opinion? Office supplies. Gather all the tape, scissors, paper clips, markers, rulers, and other office ephemera from around your house, and take a good look at it all. If something doesn't work, is a duplicate, isn't something you like, or is something you rarely use, donate it to a thrift store, shelter, or school. Your scissors don't need to be in your favorite color (though some people like it when they are, and that's okay), but they do need to be in good working condition and in a place you can easily access and put them away.

You don't need to figure out your perfect everything, or declutter your entire house just yet; we'll go through everything as part of the hundred steps to zero waste, but it is helpful to know what works for you, and what might work better as a member of someone else's home.

First time reading about a hundred steps to zero waste? Go here for the introduction and index.

The Best Zero Waste Christmas Gift

There are a bunch of great ideas for zero waste Christmas gift; things like Lunchbots, furoshiki wraps, and experiences are all great options for presents. However, to be frank, money is the best gift of all, especially for us zero wasters. With money, you can buy whatever you want/need, and you don't have to worry about getting/giving something that doesn't look like your brand of pretty, work with your lifestyle, or simply won't be used.

I know giving cash can be a major faux pas, but I'm still going to advocate it, as long as it's given in a certain form. My very favorite version of the money present is for a surprise payment on debt. This takes work (you have to go to the recipients bank and ask about making a payment on their line of credit, auto loan, or mortgage), but I think it gives a huge payoff, as you are relieving an incredible amount of stress on that person's life. I particularly like it, because I'm too irresponsible to dedicate all of my gift money to debt repayment. I put most of it towards that goal, but I always end up making an Ikea trip or stop at the stationary store along the way.

By making a payment on someone's debt, you are lessening their load, furthering their financial goals, and helping them to focus on what really matters to them. If you are worried that your financial gift might go towards furthering a spendy lifestyle, I'd recommend giving them a good book on money management, along with a few loving words of why you care about them and want them to have peace of mind.

My parents were kind enough to offer to pay off my entire credit card balance a while back, but had the stipulation that I  disclose all my financial details to them and then close the account. I was young and stubbornly independent (or so I thought), and so refused the deal. It's taken me a long time to get rid of that debt, but doing things the hard way has made the lesson sink permanently in (something which I don't think would have  happened otherwise. I may not be as independent as I thought I was, but I really am quite pigheadedly stubborn). Now that I've struggled with my budget and made significantly better choices with money, having someone offer to pay off all my debt would mean the world to me, and would allow me to fully employ all the things I've learned about money since initially using it so badly.

If your gift recipient has been wise or lucky enough to remain debt-free, consider making a contribution to their retirement fund, emergency savings, or giving them a stock or bond. Ensuring a financial future feels priceless, even if it actually has a set dollar amount.

Of course, it's also perfectly fine to just give a body some money, and let them decide what to do with it. Giving a gift, especially of money, means releasing it into the recipient's care; if they spend it on groceries or drugs, that's their choice. They are the ones who have to deal with the consequences, and you are under no obligation to give them more if they blow it.

While there are dozens of zero waste gifts to give and get, I think that getting someone out of debt, padding their future, or just helping them save up for what they want in the now, is a great choice. Yes, zero waste is primarily about treading lightly on the planet; but paying interest rates, extra fees, or penalties for poor foresight can be incredibly wasteful, and drains a person of their focus, energy, and joy, things we could all use more of in our zero waste lives.

Look What I Found!

Dear Nonexistent Readers,

Whenever I'm browsing the web I'm thinking of you and what I can bring to your attention to improve your zero waste lives. So with that in mind, here is a website I came across while looking through the plastic free life blog that has everything you need to make a zero waste shopping trip.

If you don't buy anything here (I didn't), you can at least get ideas and inspiration to make your own shopping kit. Happy browsing!