Making granola bars for my kids instead of buying plastic packaged ones- they’re terrible, all dozen recipes I tried, the texture is all wrong, storing them is a mess and they get stuck everywhere, and transporting them is so difficult and takes up way more space than a granola bar. Also I need the ability to leave granola bars everywhere for weeks or months until needed! Homemade bars for small children is just a no all around.
I couldn't get into the dish bar soap. I followed the instructions, even reached out to the company, but no matter how many times or ways I tried I ALWAYS had soap streaks on my dishes. I switched back to getting liquid dish soap at the bulk store.
Several. Going to the farmers market to get fresh and local produce, or to a small shop with some bulk items. I simply couldn't at that time, so I decided to go back at a regular supermarket and make the best of it, though I hope I can pick up this habit again. This is also the reason I love that you talked about your experience with the soap nuts! The dish bar soap is simply waaay more expensive compared to regular dish soap (like, I can either buy 8 bottles, worth 4 liters of dishsoap, or 1 block), so I choose one that is eco friendly (and I believe they use recycled plastic). I can't get used to solid conditioner, so as soon as I finished the ones I still have, I am going to look for a sustainable liquid alternative. Several shops near me also have a refill system. And last one, I was very strict at the beginning of my journey, meaning that I didn't buy anything packaged. Plastic, glass, metal, I didn't buy it, so my food was....depressing to say the least. Now I still look at packaging, but we have a great recycling system here for glass, metal and certain types of plastic, so I don't limit myself as much as I used to. I can finally enjoy eating and cooking again!
Started sustainable practices when I read silent spring as 13 yo in 1970 so all the current silliness has been interesting. No longer make all my yogurt but get it on reduction,use container for left overs then becomes plant pot for a few years then recycle when it cracks. Use powder detergent in cardboard box that is recycled.get eggs in recycled cardboard and compost some, recycle some. Take newspaper from recycling to use for dove cage. Stopped buying acrylic yarn decades ago,spin my own alpaca yarn from local farm. Only buy new underwear and summer socks. Use the mug with handle broken off . Function is the goal on a tight budget
Condioner and lotion bars. All other soaps I can do the bars but not those. My hair/skin just don't like them. I hate the silicone bags. I hate washing them and I find that they warp easily to the point you can't close them. Just totally impractical. I like glass jar or storage containers instead. Same with beeswax/soy wraps. They don't seal well enough to be useful. Silicone baking mats. I had some and I didn't mind them actually, but again, hated washing them. I would keep using them but I seem to have lost them....? Lol. So now I use plastic-free Parchment paper and just rip it up into pieces and compost it after use. Bamboo travel cutlery...like...why? They are difficult to eat with and are hard to clean (notice a trend? I have little patience with cleaning things lol). Just use cutlery from your drawer. 17:59
I'm not zero waste or anything myself, just a regular european who tries to keep consumption down and recycles everything. The thing that has always rubbed me the wrong way about these movements is how fake and superficial a lot of it is. Buy bamboo cutlery instead of just using your regular metal cutlery. Use natural products that look fancy and cost a lot of money but actually require more resources than lab-made (and go bad way faster). Buy soap nuts, buy washable cotton rounds, buy new glass lunch boxes to replace your old dingy plastic ones. We won't be able to consume our way out of overconsumption. This was an interesting video, thanks :)
I honestly do not understand the bamboo silverware. Why don't I just... bring regular silverware? I keep a regular metal spoon and fork in a plastic or cloth bag and it works just fine?
@@leifmeadows3782 Exactly. It's the dumbest thing. People don't use plastic forks because they want to use something that's not metal and can't be washed in the dishwasher. They use it because they can't access normal cutlery and don't tend to carry a fork with them. The action that reduces waste is not buying bamboo cutlery, it's carrying a fork with you. If anything needs to be sold and bought, it's a small pouch or box to keep a fork you already own in.
@kisikisikisi "We won't be able to consume our way out of overconsumption." That's a great way to sum up the best core principle of consuming less. Thanks for phrasing it so succinctly!
1000% I feel the same way about aesthetic minimalism. You have to buy SO MUCH to get the look that it absolutely defeats the purpose... meanwhile us eclectic maximalists with tons of thrifted finds & furniture saved from the trash to be refinished & loved on are doing way more for the environment. As for sustainable living... I'll stick to the all in one camping cutlery I've had since I was a kid. I did have to buy reusable metal straws, but I'll use them for the next however many decades & don't drink anything without a straw. I've carried the same insulated lunch box for over a decade... and use a lunch box that my mom had in the 80s to store craft supplies. I make drawer organizers out of cardboard I was gonna recycle anyway. Function is what matters.
Yeah that's a big sticking point for me too. I work in chemicals. A big one everyone uses is stearic acid. There's 3 big categories of how to get it. Beef tallow, plants like corn, and palm oil derived. Cow and corn I've never had an issue with on delivery. Palm derived actually raises my blood pressure, it's so bad. Even if it was produced stateside, it almost never can have a straightforward delivery. Most often, we have some weird blockage and have to reject it 2-3 times. I do honestly believe the literal cow fat is better for the environment and even animals as a whole, than the palm shit that travels across the ocean, then has to drive an additional 8 hours in a semi, and all the other resources used to extract it.
I definitely had the realization a couple years ago that it was more sustainable to use the things I already had than to replace everything with more eco friendly options. I don't mind replacing things with better options when what I have wears out, but it makes no sense to me to throw everything in the trash and replace it with eco friendly options when using what I already have is keeping it out of the landfill.
This is what made me so resistant to sustainability. Because it was always buy metal tins (hate the taste transfer) and bamboo cutlery... Um metal ones are like a buy once and done for life basically 😂
This has been me my entire life. I use something until it breaks and then I try to fix it. Had no idea this was considered sustainable. I just picked it up from growing up with old people who lived through the depression.
Now at the last stage of life, 80, I give myself room for more of what I want. But thankfully it can be justifiable most of the time. Like purchasing new clothing. Most of my clothing is at least 30 years old. I don’t research companies of new clothing i might buy. I just rarely buy. Most of my everyday clothing has become my night pajamas and before I get rid of anything I do research how old things can be reused by me. I loved decorating for holidays when I was younger and had a whole house and yard decorations. I have minimized all of that because of health and age related, happily found new homes for most and gave myself a break and permission to throw away some items. Having three sons that normally never were in tune to the decorating for holidays or most other of my long kept items I have been slowly getting rid of almost everything that clutters my areas. I still have a lot of things but not necessarily usable keepsakes, just loved ones. Not really matching but reflecting my personal life. Can easily be gotten rid of. Also buy according for my taste, age, functionality. Have saved a nice little nest egg for once in my life.
I love your last point! I just had a baby and was doing so much research on the most earth friendly strollers. Then a friend offered us their stroller and it reminded me that reusing something that has already been made is far greener than buying something new
Imo a "half-assed" zero-waste lifestyle is miles better than a "perfect" zero-waste where you'll give up after a few months. These issues aren't going to be overcome by demanding perfection, it's by incorporating small changes on a wider scale.
I hate that people jump to saying you’re making excuses for doing zero waste half assed. The fact that you put the effort in should be enough. What people can do will never be fully accessible to every person. And it’s ok to also prioritize your quality of life. I’m disabled and chronically ill so I am far from zero waste but I try. I don’t think I should feel guilty for not doing the zero waste things I did before I needed medical supplies and equipment.
Thank you for bringing up how a lot of disabled people rely on plastic straws! It's so important for accessibility and so many zero-waste people were completely ignoring disabled people and trying to ban plastic straws where they are necessary.
people can also be allergic to paper straws as the glue contains gluten--something my mother has an anaphylactic allergy to. this comment was really funny to me though because the auto generated captions on this video are not accessible at all lol.
I don't think plastic straws are a problem... it's treating any plastic as disposable that's a problem. Incidentally, those mini bottle brushes from metal straws are probably the best thing to come out of the whole straw ban movement... they allow you to clean the plastic ones and reuse them too. I have a bunch of old take away plastic straws still in the cupboard, and I just clean them and reuse them.... I have metal ones, but the plastic is safer when I'm still in the habit of biting the straw and want to look after my teeth.
@racheljames9187 the takeaway straws are not meant to be reused. I don't think they're durable enough to be cleaned over and over. The material breaks down over time and if it is damaged toxins would enter your food/drinks. Get something that's meant to be chewed on, not the things you eat with..
I think its great to be able to say you tried things then moved on bc a lot of people seem afraid to be publicly wrong, even tho we all get things "wrong" while learning.
I bought silicone "zip" bags. They were so annoying to use, so I gave them away. I have a big pile of brand Tupperware boxes and bowls from both my sets of deceased grandparents. Between 25 and 50 years old (the boxes, not the grandparents). They are super durable and still very good. Although I sometimes want to replace my plastic with glass, these boxes a very high up the scale of my sustainable behaviour. Simply because they are so old.
Bamboo toothbrushes. I wanted them to work, but I ended up with sores in my mouth, so had to ditch them. I appreciate your honesty in how your lifestyle has evolved and messages like this help show that we don’t have to be perfect and living zero waste is accessible to everyone, and there are a lot of different ways people can live more sustainably. It doesn’t look the same for everyone.
I don't like them either plus the most harmful part is still made out of plastic which baffles me? But after a bit of research I did find a few brands that make a bottom from recycled plastic or aluminum and you can change the top and the bristles are made out of natural materials too and they are much softer
at the moment I am the same... had massive gum problems from hard bristles on tooth brushes (even the 'soft' ones at the store are too hard), and my gums have finally healed after 4 or 5 years of using an "ultra soft" tooth brush. I haven't seen a low waste toothbrush with ultra soft bristles except the ones designed for babies. My toothbrushes last at least a year before the soft bristles are too worn, and then they get used for cleaning or painting... I don't think I've thrown a toothbrush out in 10 years.
I think a lot of the reusable versions of regular goods were made so that people that have more of like a upper-class lifestyle could be a part of the zero-waste lifestyle without feeling like there were toting around things that would make them look poor. Like plastic Tupperware or Tupperware from home and utensils from home and things like that
Actually I think it’s mostly about capitalism; creating “sustainable options” of things so people will still spend money even if they’re being more eco-friendly. The more eco-friendly and sustainable our society gets, the less money we will spend (or at least we’ll become more picky about who/what we support financially) which is why greenwashing is a thing. I was a victim of greenwashing like this myself; I haven’t used a straw (at home) for probably 6-7 years, yet I still bought stainless steel straws because “they’re sustainable”. I regret that purchase every time I enter my kitchen 😅 And of course aesthetics are a big reason, which only enforces consumerism further because the entire point of ZW is to NOT buy unnecessary things. Yet the aesthetic of pretty cotton tote bags, a pantry full of matching glass jars etc. will have hyper-consumers run out and buy new versions of things they already have. Which is exactly what a capitalist society wants. I have said before that the easiest way to kickstart your ZW journey is to save money, hardcore. Cut out all unnecessary purchases, or do a pantry challenge/no spend month. The less money you spend the more sustainable you will be, which is why most zero waste swaps are just a money grab from companies, IMO.
I agree with you! As someone who brings her plastic Ikea container from home to bring leftovers home from a restaurant, I sometimes think that it would be much more fashionable to have a stainless steel container. But, alas, I really do have more important things in life to care about 😄
That’s not always why but I understand that you should not let aesthetics get in the way of reducing your consumption. The reason I don’t use plastic is because of recent studies that have highlighted the potential risks of using plastic for reheating food / hot drinks. I use plastic for dried food and toiletries still.
@@werewolfcountry Yeah, some of the stuff they found out about bacteria and plastics sound quite scary. I like my food-containers to be heatproof. I have both glass and metal containers (Glass for the fridge and metal for my lunch) Also while my glass containers do have some plastic rims to seal properly, even when I lost the lid of one, I repurposed it into a pastry baking dish.
I tried using the 'zero waste' tablet cleaning products that you can just 'put into water and it'll be just the same as your regular cleaning products'. Yeah, no. After a few months, my bathroom was disgusting and I only really noticed because of how clean it suddenly was after using a regular cleaning product. One of my friends, who lives in a different country and uses completely different zero-waste products, had the exact same experience. Personally, I feel like zero-waste is actually capitalising on the fact that we've all forgotten that some products were invented as they are because we wanted to improve the quality of life, not because we're spoiled (which we definitely are but in this case in all the best ways). I'm sure there are ways to make cleaning products more sustainable but a lot of the substitutes we have right now just aren't it yet and we need to be able to acknowledge and talk about it so thank you for making this video!
This is the only zero waste video I’ve actually been able to sit through the full length. It’s refreshing and necessary to see the critical thinking and acknowledgment of the real world that we live in and peoples different situations within that world. Keep it up 👍
I tried the beeswax wraps for a bit, but found it was a waste of time and resources for me to use them and keep them clean. I gave up after about a year and now I just make sure that whatever containers I keep have matching/well-fitted lids. So much less stress and hassle for me.
ahhh i just read a study about how the wax wrap is surprisingly unsustainable, because there are more emissions involved in hand-washing it just once than all the emissions involved in manufacturing, packaging, distributing, and disposing of a single-use plastic baggie 🤯 good call for sure!
Yeah, I have some wax wraps, and I use them, but they're only really good for a few specific things (like covering up a bread loaf or something). Most of the time, actual lids are a better option.
Yes, beeswax wraps are fiddly to clean and maintain. I have them but I use it only as a "last resort" in case I don't have an appropriate container. They are OK when used occasionally.
Your description of not being able to wrap your head around changing out the soap nuts - YES. YES. Perfect description. Whether it's from ADHD or not, I feel this in my soul, thank you for the honesty, you are not alone on that feeling at all. Thank you for the honesty and recognition. All we can do is our best - and this video is helping so many people be able to do that much better.
@@GittemaryI could never do laundry if I had to do that level of management on the detergent. I prefer using less detergent than recommended with longer cycles at low temperatures, to feel less guilty.
@@GittemaryMy issue was the soap bag often accidentally got transferred to the dryer, resulting in the knot shrinking, so it was impossible to open it.
I bought my daughter one of those laundry eggs to use at University. She’s not had to replace the beads yet and I was quite impressed at how nice her clothes smelled at the end of the year. I think the egg itself is made of plastic, but it is so much less plastic than the bottles of liquid detergent. The biggest con in sustainability and zero waste is that it is all down to individual behaviour. That lets the big companies and oil and gas industry off the hook; they create the problems which we have to deal with.
You just made me want to try again… When I was single, I was vegan and tending towards a zero waste lifestyle… I ended up marrying someone who is all about convenience over sustainability. My partner has certainly reduced their waste under my influence, but there are many waste reduction practices that I have given up on, especially after having children. This video encourages me, because it’s not about fitting the perfect image of the person who seem to have it 100% right with the little Masson jar of almost no trash for a year… It’s about doing your best to reduce. I want to try again to embrace some zero waste practices, but not hit myself over the head because I am not doing it perfectly.
I work in chemical purchasing. You will never get to true 0 waste or "true" veganism. It's straight up impossible. Not saying that to do any weird superiority shit, it's just something that took me a while to come to terms with. Even if I do the best I can, it still takes cow fat to make plastic and there's so much "don't see how the sausage gets made" stuff. Absolutely "do the best you can" is the right mindset. BTW, best things I honestly believe people can do is avoid plastics and synthetic fabrics. If you can get linen clothes, that's probably "the best" fabric for the environment. Beyond that, buying stuff that grows locally(like potatoes and wheat and beans instead of quinoa and soy for example) really does way more than people realize.
Your best is just that, you can't always be perfect especially with life changes and more people in the household. There is a woman on TikTok who is zero waste and is/was pregnant and I am curious how a baby will impact her lifestyle. I think she runs her own zero waste company from her house (soaps and things), and I have seen videos where sha talks about homemade tortilla chips. I wonder how much time and energy she will have with a newborn and older to keep up.
Just do the best you can because a million people doing just 1 thing better is a million things being better. But at the end of the day, that's probably about as much as a small factory. I've known people who were obsessing over food waste, while I was working in a fancy hotel with a buffet. My entire family doesn't produce, in a few months, the amount of waste I see being thrown out for a single breakfast.
The best thing you can do is to reduce your consumption to what you actually need. If you can also make choices that lower your waste, that's better. If you can have a primarily plant-based (or at least vegetarian) diet, even better. But you also live in the society you have access to, and sometimes health issues get in the way of sustainability, and you can only do the best you can.
I actually want *more* honesty about the ways that "zero waste" is not comfortable or doable even for people whose whole lives revolve around it. The world benefits so much more from many people doing it imperfectly than a few people doing it perfectly - something that I know you know - and that means forgiving yourself for being human and needing life to not be a massive struggle 24/7. I totally understand what you mean about the mental load, fixations that prevent you from getting started. I have ADHD and autism and life used to be a nonstop cycle of not being able to get started because of something like texture or the way it took too many steps and then crying about it and beating myself up for not being able to do it. But that didn't help anything! What helps is *removing the problem*. If you hate the texture of a toothpaste and don't brush your teeth because of it, then the toothpaste is not actually benefitting you (or the environment - dental procedures create way more waste than a single tube of toothpaste would). If you're not doing your laundry because of soap berries, they're not working for you. *You* aren't the problem; you're one part of an equation, and what works for someone else doesn't necessarily fit into that equation for you. I'm pretty passionate about environmentalism. But it bugs me when people don't acknowledge the realities of how difficult it can be, or guilt trip people for mentioning real problems that they have with certain aspects. We want to make a movement for the good of the future, and meeting people where they're at is soooo much better than berating people who live, eat, and breathe sustainability for not doing one tiny thing better.
I think it’s so great that you talk about things you no longer do because it’s to inconvenient. Yes it’s important to do your best for the environment, but sometimes you just need to live your life and get through the day. I have had to stop doing somethings due to my mental health. Sometimes it’s due to it being to much work at the time, like sometimes everything goes in the trash instead of in the recycling. I’m not proud of it but sometimes sorting it in to recycling is to overwhelming. Sometimes I don’t have the mental capacity to do enough research to know what product is the most sustainable. I’ve also had to stop some of my sustainable habits due to them being to limiting. I’ve been to hard on myself for to long which has had a negative effect on my mental health. So I’ve had to stop limiting myself and start allowing myself things. Sometimes that means making the less sustainable choice.
We all just have to do what we can when we can. No one is perfect. you are doing your best/what you can. you are just fine. give yourself the grace to accept you for you--. Just being you is enough. hugs. (I have those days too- sometimes life just overwhelms.
It’s okay to not always be the most sustainable version of yourself, taking care of yourself is important and I know from first hand experience how small tasks can seem huge when your mental health is failing ♥️ tell yourself that you’ll get back into the habits that makes sense, but that it’s okay to not be perfect
I haven't seen any Indian family ( including mine) use soapnuts exclusively. They are sometimes used to wash delicate and expensive fabrics like silk. As detergents started to become widely available, most people just got used to them, atleast from what I've seen throughout my life. Soapnuts are still easily available but there isn't that big a demand for them.
For hairwashing as well, many do use them, but not exclusively. They're simply not effective enough at getting out all the grease and/or product out of your hair, so even people that use them a lot have a commercial shampoo at hand they use every few washes
Love your message about sustainability not looking perfect. I use empty margarine tubs for all of my storage and lunchbox needs - they're super ugly, but way more eco-friendly than buying a pretty container and just recycling margarine tubs when I'm done with them!
My grandparents were born during the depression so saving everything was ingrained in them. When we would take home leftovers from dinners at their house it would be in to go containers, store-bought cinnamon rolls containers, etc. The last meal that was in my grandma's fridge when she passed unexpectedly was pea soup in a Cool Whip container
Thats actually a good idea because they close pretty well! And my parents do have a section for cleaned food packages so when us children do come over we can take some leftovers home in an empty ice-bin
I like that message about it being more sustainable to use something you already own. I used to feel bad about always using my tupperware containers as a lunchbox and considered buying one made of a more sustainable material. But then I figured, “why should I buy a new one when I have one that I already own and is still perfectly fine?”
Cooking plant based was also something that helped me discover a joy and love for food and cooking. I found being in the kitchen soooo tedious and actively aggravating before
Oh my gosh thank you so much for mentioning the straw thing. As a disabled person who needs plastic bendable straws to be able to lie down and drink but also avoid infection thats a risk with multiuse straws and that hyperfixation on straws caused me so much hurt, primarily in an increase in ableism and hate directed at individual behaviours in environmental movement spaces. And it always blew my mind because to sit there and be saying "hey! These plastic things like straws, or yes even pre-peeled and precut plastic wrapped fruits and veg are essential for a large number of us and our survival" and still have people fixate on that when I knew the majoroty of plastic waste came from comercial fishing and there were also plastic cosmetic things that werent essential for peoples survival being undiscussed. I think its a lot easier for people to hyperfixate and gain this cult like mentality on things that are easy to remove and villanise a smaller group of people, even if the impact is small. Its really refreshing now to see people gaining a balance, understanding that other materials are sometimes worse than plastic, the context is essential in assessing its uses, we are human people and if habitt changes arent convenient enough you wont continue it longterm, and we need to balance individual change with systemic change and understanding that its better to create a welcoming space where we all try our best than a toxic space demanding perfection thats really only achievable for a small minority of priveledged people. Truely appreciate it, and as someone with adhd I greatly understand the challenge of one extra step killing my ability to do chores like laundry. Seriously, such a refreshing thing to hear these takes from people in the broader movement. Instant subscribe, thanks so much. The other thing I did at first that I dont do anymore is deny myself access to things that fulfill my basic access needs that allow me to survive (be that pre-made microwave meals often in plastic containers for when I don't have capacity to cook, or yes a hidden stash of energency plastic water bottles/water because I've had multiple emergencies now where our tap water was unsafe and due to my conditions I require minimum 4 litres of water a day to survive, im also just vegetarian now and not vegan due to extreme malnourishnent and am even considering starting to eat bugs as extra proteine sources because my levels are still dangerously low). There was so much internal hatred i developed for my survival needs being higher waste, but i slowly realised that was only hurting me more and reducing my capacity for taking action on big things like legislation and activism. Finding that middle ground between reasonable lifestyle changes whilst also ensuring my survival needs are met has been massive.
great comment. you might like silicone straws as well! I wanted a wider straw for smoothies and such and found a company that uses recycled silicone to make them :)
I have ADHD and autism so I completely understand the issues with the laundry soap. I try to live as sustainable as I can and I'm willing to do things that might take a little bit longer or cost more, but when one of my systems completely breaks down it is time to find a new solution. We don't have to be perfect, we just have to do the best we can. Our best may look different than someone else's best, but we are all different people. The more authentic we all can be the more sustainable this lifestyle will be.
I love how you addressed your mental resources, because I think this is such an important factor in trying to live as sustainable as possible. I've definitely had phases in my life where I just couldn't, for the life of me, find the strength to find an alternative to plastic/packaging/whatever I was trying to avoid. I would then get mad at myself, because living sustainably was this huge and important thing to me and I couldn't follow my own standards some days. Now, I am way more relaxed when it comes to trying to live zero waste. I do produce a lot more waste than I would love to, but I don't stress myself about every piece of trash. I choose the most sustainable alternative whenever it is available, but if there is no alternative, then I know it's not my fault for living in a society focused on single-use products, and I know I am doing the best I can.
In my house, we started with a focus on buying as much local food as possible and decreasing single-use products/packaging as much as possible. We wash and reuse many things meant to be single-use and avoid bringing new single-use or plastic-wrapped products into the home (as much as possible).
I've just started my sustainable "low/zero waste" lifestyle but I've always kept jars and reused them, I have an emotional support bottle and tumbler for cold and hot drinks, I've actually started eco bricking for the plastic that I currently can't replace/reduce and my family's as well! It doesn't work for everything, but it definitely helps. I'll be using my eco bricks to build garden beds and other projects around the ranch. One thing hitting on the meat! Instead of just reducing how much you consume I feel it's important to find LOCAL farmers and ranchers (myself included I'm a montana USA 6th generation rancher) but also find ranchers and farmers that practice sustainable agriculture which comes in many forms. This is something we practice on our ranch and will continue to improve our ranch, produce, and meat/animals. We raise them in a low stress environment, animal husbandry is very important to us while creating way less waste than commercial agriculture. We focus on permaculture, rotational grazing, keeping our herd of animals low to just what is needed, and always always adding to the land, native plants, depleted resources ext, and environment more than we or our animals take. This includes always planting more fruit trees, bushes ext even veggies than we need because we expect that at least 10% of our products will go to the native wild life and insects and some to our own animals. This 10% is used and not left to rot and sometimes it's just not as pretty. We grow to organic standards but not certified organic (video idea look into organic standards and what companies have to go through sometimes unnecessarily to get the "organic label" that is actually harmful for us, the environment ext) we focus on closing the circle so we produce natural fertilizer utilizing animals poop/compost, jadam practices, and much more so we aren't going to companies to produce what we need. The goal is to be 100% self sustainable on the ranch personally and business wise. Unfortunately we can't do anything about the plastic the meat comes in due to laws and regulations here in the USA but I find how the animals and earth they are raised on is more important because it does have a larger impact. Is it perfect? Nope! But it's way better than commercial big agriculture that we have around the world that is destroying our earth! For every commercial operation here in the USA, there are a good 10-15 smaller producers going toward and practicing sustainable agriculture even if they don't raise livestock. We practice being frugal with water and how to use what we get naturally (rain, snow, ext) without having negative impacts. We have a large river that runs through the ranch (the ranch is 1600 acres) so making sure we aren't using anything that will be harmful if it ends up in our water system especially since we are big into fishing sustainability we don't want to add pollutants that will harm wildlife, us, or the earth. I do love that you said not everyone can go vegan or vegetarian for a number of reasons so this is a good option for all the meat eaters out there! Get to know your local ranchers and farmers please ask questions on how the animals are raised, values, ext. Talking to the people who are caring for the land and animals 365 days a year can be huge and very impowering you may find that we aren't that much different than you even if you only eat a plant based diet we have similar goals and working towards the bigger picture! As always I love the video please never stop putting out content as it truly makes a difference! Much love from Montana 💚
There are a lot of things I don't do anymore, some because they were not very good (I also used to make my own toothpaste, but that phase lasted a very short time, as my teeth were becoming more sensitive) but mainly because I realized at the beginning the zero waste movement was very ableist, and so was I. I don't have a similarly able body anymore, I can't cook as much, I can't make my own yogurt, make my own milk, make my own cosmetics, make my own cleaning supplies, make my own tortillas, make my own bread... it was crazy the lengths we (I) were going. I can't do that anymore, I can't even cook on a regular basis so I end up eating a lot of prepackaged foods, and buying cut foods. Disability gives you a different perspective on things. I like that the movement has shifted from an unattainable perfection to "doing the best I can". Ah, I also used to carry everything with me, but now I got better at knowing what I am going to do when I go out.
I do bread at home only because for me it's more convenient than going to the store to buy it, as I don't use it regularly. I have a bread machine and the only thing I have to do is measure ingredients and clean the machine afterwards, as opposed to go out of the house and into a stressful, noisy environment for bread.
@@Serena-or7sl I thought about buying a bread machine. Do you recommend it then? Is it not too difficult to make the bread? I might look to see if I find a second-hand bread machine in my area!
@@kinakomochi_catsA bread machine is an excellent idea if you crave home-made bread but can't do it yourself. Its pretty easy to use, you just measure the stuff, throw everything inside and press the appropriate buttons.
I am happy that you touched on the bigger issues. While our recycling and reducing is important, the real difference is in the very large scale of affecting policies, law making, and investment portfolios. Which just isn't as sexy or easy as showing off your trash jar, but a thousand times more important.
I do what I can to a certain extent, but for all those zero waste people, go work at a big box department store or food pantry for one day. I worked at a big box store during Covid and we would fill a dumpster daily with all the plastic and Styrofoam the items were packaged in (to get them on the shelves). You know those candles you love to smell? They all originally ship in a box with packaging. Every single item comes wrapped and has to be unwrapped. Then I helped a friend at our homeless shelter for one shift. We used over 300 Styrofoam cups, 300 plastic forks, 300 plastic spoons and 300 plastic knives. And that was for ONE SHIFT. They do three meals a day. We may think we are making a dent and helping the planet, but I was sickened how the shelter worked in serving meals.
This is actually really interesting i had never thought of food pantries and soup kitchens and how waste is handled there. I wonder if anyone has looked into solutions. The packaging waste is real though, people dont realize how much trash we dont even see before something gets to our door. Things are sent to distributors wrapped in all kinds of packaging, unwrapped, and then put into different packaging to be sent back out to the consumer. Its crazy how much happens where we have no control or even a window into it unless you work in those industries
My fav low-waste fail in the very beginning in my journey (I was around 14) was buying BULK tealights (yes, those with alluminium "jar") because BULK meant less packaging, right? 14 years later my Mum still have some of those tealights left ;DD
Thank you for this video, especially for the last point! I started living more and more sustainable and eating way less meat in around 2016, after health and mental health struggles. I just needed a change. And it came natural to me, that I just use (up) what I already have, before getting something new. Be it stuff or food or clothes or whatever. I was ridiculed for that by some coworkers...until one of them suddenly changed her complete lifestyle after her daughter became vegan. Both of them sort of completely emptied their home and storage and closets to buy all shiny new aesthetic sustainable stuff. And once again she ridiculed ME for using old tupperware boxes and whatever she saw me use. It is SO annoying and tiring at the same time, because people like her just don´t see that they produce much more waste that way. Anyway, rant over. Love your channel
Yes, like buying reusable bags from the stores that sell them... they are totally missing the point. I knew this thing was out of hand, and that people were losing sight of the real thing as soon as it started rolling. It's mostly a whole lot of people who want to be environmentalists but have no clue what that truly means. Just like the ones who actually use granite, marble or quartz counter tops. Where do they think those things come from? They won't use a sheet of paper because it comes from trees, which are growing in abundance, but they have no problem buying a counter material that chisels away at our mountains. Those don't grow back. Not in our lifetime anyway.
I’m so grateful that you’re sharing your experience with the desire to be zero waste causing you such an inconvenience that you didn’t do your laundry!! You are so valid for making changes which are healthier for you. 💕
I just love how real you are. After a few years of being out of the zero waste/low waste community due to being overwhelmed, you’re bringing me back! Thanks for being so realistic and inspiring. Can’t wait to get back into it!
Losing sight of the bigger picture is so easy, honestly. But I remember having a conversation with my sister where we were both startled by people replacing the stuff they had with glass and stainless steel options. When we do need something new, we usually look at second hand offers first. Especially what might still be in our own home ("shopping at yourself"). My hiking boots disintegrated but my mum isn't using hers anymore, for instance. But overall, I think the most important thing is that it's better to do zero waste / sustainability half-assed than not at all.
I'm amazed by how rational, well read, and forgiving to yourself you are. Many people are very preformative in their sustainability, so it's refreshing to see someone who is knowledgeable and willing to research reality. I have a long way to go when it comes to sustainability, but your thoughts and lived experiences are very helpful when it comes to how I can improve.
Totally relate with your honesty and how we need to think bigger than straws. When I started being serious about sustainability, I focussed so much on my own habits and phasing out plastic and buying the stainless steel stuff ... Now I am more like my grandma and just use what I already have, use maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of what is recommended for laundry and dish detergent etc. Wash my hair less frequently, eat more plant based, buy used or borrow almost all things I need. I focus my attention on policy and consumer advocacy. Big picture now 🌍
You know those glasses and mugs that come with plastic straws? I know people who got stainless steel straws for them. At the time the steel ones we could buy here had a bigger environmental impact than reusable plastic. I snatched up their extra reusable plastic straws for myself - easier to keep it clean than opaque materials, harder to break than glass, and when I can't safely use one anymore to drink we use it as a decorative plant support
As a farm girl- if you are going to eat meat and want to be low/no waste, connect to a local farmer. Purchase direct from a farmer and you can get the meat in butcher paper which can be vem-composted or used as fire starting paper.
Sustainability is not an aesthetic it’s a practice… I love it! That put things into perspective for me seeing how I need to buy more storage jars and I was contemplating buying new since I was having a hard time finding similar jars. Thank you!
Op shops can be great for completing a set... and adds the excitement from finding things you've been looking for for a long time :) Online op shops are a thing too... there is the packaging waste if ordering, but there is waste associated with maintaining a physical shop front too, we just don't see it. My local low waste shop (I'm very lucky, I have one 8km from home and another one 1km from work) washes and makes glass jars available for reuse - I find that a lot of glass jars are clear with black lids, so even if the shapes look different they "match". I have a small pantry space, so being able to stack things on top of each other is important when looking for storage containers.
When I started using food banks and food pantries to supplement my groceries, many of my zero waste habits went out of the window. However, I think utilizing food banks is zero waste in itself because we're using the food that would get trashed at the grocery store. The food comes in a lot of packaging which isn't great and some places pack up boxes ahead of time, reducing choice and increasing waste. There are usually some items too far expired to save, which goes right into the trash. Unfortunately our food banks in Denver, Colorado, USA are running out of food because of soaring food costs, decreasing social services and an influx of refugees and migrants (we are a sanctuary city). So my focus has shifted more to food availability rather than zero waste.
I utilize a similar resource where i live between actually pay a bit of money to use it. It doesn't feel like a food bank but we are saving food that would certainly be trashed if we didn't eat it.
I see being able to think about sustainability as a massive privilege. I'm someone who has been lucky to not need food banks and is passionate about sustainability and I so so hope you don't feel guilty for sustainability going on the back burner for you in this part of your life. I wish you the best!!
Tried the baking soda toothpaste thing. Literally got cavities. Wasn’t very zero waste when I had to get those drilled and filled. Fluoride is the real deal, folks.
@@lillianbarker4292 the fluoride added to US drinking water is sourced from phosphate fertilizer waste. It isn't good for you in the slightest and the majority of the world DOES NOT fluoridate their drinking water. There is a pending litigation going on now against the EPA showing that fluoride in the quantities added to US drinking water is a harmful neurotoxin to small children and babies in the womb.
holy shit. as a disabled person w| a chronic illness who relies on single-use plastics to function + stay alive i appreciate this video. mostly b|c i've never once seen a zero-waste, vegan, or sustainability advocate//influencer mention or even take us into consideration as they preach + promote their unrealistic philosophy + lifestyles. not once. + if i'm honest, it's made me want to eat meat, use plastic straws + do other things i don't even normally do that much out of spite + in protest. 😂 i don't but it makes me want to. LOL thanks for remembering that we exist LOL + thanks for being so reasonable + rational about this. it's very encouraging. you've got a new subscriber in me. 🤓 🖤✊🏾
I'm not disabled, and probably miss a lot of things that may help make people's life's better, but I really got mad when a colleague started talking about removing all plastic as a way of forcing improved products/technology. She was not impressed with me saying that our quest for sustainable products cannot in the meantime negatively impact those who rely on it for their health and dignity. I got to realise pretty quickly that her sustainability goals were "at all costs" whereas mine probably a little more focused on changes I could make/influence.
@@cathnz9726 People can be radical/extreme about all kinds of things. You have to be careful to stay away from such people, and to definitely not adopt their ideas
I have a myriad of health issues and could build a mountain with my plastic pill bottles, lol. I always say people can be hardcore into sustainability and recycling but it all goes out the window when you are being seen for a medical emergency.
I just try to get vitamins in glass jars with plastic lids, and move my antidepressants into a glass jar. If it didn’t work- I’d be able to tell, since I get very angry and have a meltdown once it wears off. No microplastics leeching.
if you have any bulk stores near you that sell detergent, i get powder there to support a more sustainable/local business, but I’m glad for the progress you’ve made!!
THANK YOU for saying not everyone can go vegan!!! I have issues with having fructose, so I can't eat fruit and various vegetables, so my diet is already SO restricted... cutting meat out of my diet would make getting enough calories VERY difficult. If I had the money to, I'd buy organic and free range, but where I am right now I can't be picky about where my food comes from, as someone else is buying most of it for me. Some day I hope to be able to be a lot better about it, but right now, I just have to make sure I'm eating at all.
I've never understood the appeal of soap sheets. Laundry powder comes in a cardboard box and is bulk shipped to a store, whereas laundry strips have way more packaging per load, and many people have them shipped to their homes (bigger transportation footprint). Plus I've heard many reviews that they just don't work very well.
I use soap sheets. They are packaged in recycled paper and are compostable. It’s true that dry detergent in cardboard boxes may be a better choice though.
Nicely done & honesty over perfectionism is always welcome & refreshing! There is such a a difference between the ideal & realistic in life, in many areas
2nd hand shopping for house stuff has been helpful slowly testing stuff, up grading or keeping stuff. Trying different clothes washing and cleaning options is often tricky too
Oh, you are so lovely! Thank you for presenting this in such a gentle and honest way. I'm so happy the algorithm showed me this video. Subbing hard. :D Also, I think presenting this type of "sustainable sustainability" in that it's sustainable for humans to do over time without losing our ever-loving minds - is soooo much more effective than presenting something 100% perfect that virtually no one can follow. Ie. teaching and presenting low-waste lifestyle tips that 100k people can follow that might reduce their waste by 10-50% is muchhhh more effective than teaching zero-waste lifestyle tips that reduce waste up to 99% only 100 people can follow (if that, honestly). And thank youuuu for mentioning and acknowledging the need for those of us with disabilities to need to make reasonable accommodations for our needs. This felt like a little hug to my soul. Thank you.
I really appreciate your honesty and candour in this video. I've been trying hard to reduce waste and plastics since 2017, but after a death in the family brought me to a nearly nonfunctioning place for a while, I had to just do the best that I could knowing that there might be a wrapper at the end of something every once in a while if it means that my home is clean and I'm fed. Leena Norms always says something like, "Impact over identity" when it comes to sustainability: we're all more effective and sustainable when we do our best as opposed to if only the people who are able to be perfect with things do it.
We do have really good recycling where I live, including a separate bin for organic waste. The city council provides a years worth of compostable bags for our kitchen caddies, and a card list of other things that can go in the organics bin. Egg cartons, pizza boxes, toilet rolls, paper towel, as well as garden waste and food scraps. The organics bin and the recycling bin are collected on alternate weeks. We can take soft plastic wrappers to the recycling centre or put them in the general trash bin. It feels really good to separate things out this way. I enjoy secondhand shops that’s how I was brought up in the 80s and I’ve continued both donating (esp. when moving house) and purchasing there; if I need a random chair or whatever that’s where I look for one.
Thank you for an amazingly well-balanced and honest video! Your comment about straws brought to mind an article I read just a few days ago. A group based at the University of Antwerp in Belgium ran tests on 39 assorted different straws looking for PFAS (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, aka "forever chemicals" known to be less than wonderful in the environment and/or the human body). The full study was published in the August 24th edition of the journal, "Food Additives and Contaminants" but the gist of it is as follows: The study checked paper, plastic, bamboo, glass, and steel straws. A total of 18 different PFAS chemicals were found in 69% of the straws. PFAS chemicals were found in 90% of paper straws, 80% of bamboo straws, 75% of plastic straws, and 40% of glass straws (the 5 different types of steel straws had *zero* PFAS content). Where I live, the county government just outlawed plastic straws in restaurants & food service sites due to "environmental and health concerns" and have been actively pushing paper instead... but it looks like no one bothered to actually check all the little-but-really-important details first. :-(
this is so interesting!! I have a few silicone straws that are wider for smoothies / boba, i'm curious about them now! theyre made from recycled food-grade silicone
Toothpaste: A tooth scientist went on a swedish public service radio show and said that us humans are actually supposed to lose our last teeth at around 40 years old but thanks to the ingrediense in commercial toothpaste we keep our teeth well into our 90s. So yeah, the commercial toothpaste stays in my home. Mascara: Don't put stuff around the eye that hasnt been tested in a lab. Just cause your grandma spat on a charcoal cake and painted her lashes, doesnt mean you aren't going to get an eye infection. Soap nuts: Råd och Rön, a monthly swedish magazine that tests products and informs consumers about consumer laws, put a lot of alternative laundry products to the test, and according to them: washing your laundry with soap nuts was equal to putting a whole bar of soap in the detergent department or washing with only water. Their methods for testing included a bacteria test as well as stain test. So a lot of things may seem fine and green but are actually completely pointless.
I am with you in being cautious. I'm all for embracing sustainable alternatives, but they need a solid evidence base to ensure they're as good and don't cause harm... and in the case of things used in appliances (like washing machines or dishwasher soap) that means not only functioning, but having no detrimental impact on the lifespan of the appliance. Before I buy any sort of sustainable detergent, I want to see the metrics on what it's going to do for the life of my washing machine... that's a pretty hefty and high impact item to replace more often so needs to be part of the decision making process.
@@racheljames9187 Interesting viewpoint. I never thought of what the detergent could do to lessen the longevity of the machine. Probably why our washers are breaking down so early. They sure don't last 28 years like my mother's did! I know some of it is planned obsolescence as well.
As for washers and dryers, they typically don't last anywhere near as long as they used to. YES, It is planned obsolescence. They are designed to last a shorter period of time than they used to, so you will have to buy them more often. But not ALL brands. Most. But NOT Speed Queen. Their home machines are EXACTLY the same as their commercial ones for laundromats, they just leave the coin boxes off. These machines last for a very long time. You won't find as many bells & whistles though. Remember this, every extra feature. is another thing that can break. You likely won't find a gimmick like a sale either. They really don't have or need them. If you do get Speed Queen washer or dryer, help yourself and let the pros move them. THEY are heavier than their cheap counter-parts.
@@sustainfemI hear from mechanic’s channels that too much laundry detergent is also bad for your machine. They say people are using too much. I believe them. I thrift, and I put thrifted sheets into the machine with no detergent from me and you should see how many bubbles come out! It took four cycles to get all the detergent out! So much wasted water too.
12:28 don't worry about that. Please share your tips and experiences!! I had a "zero waste phase" and I kindof burned out researching it and advertising (I can't remember the correct word rn, but this is the closest one I can think of) zero waste living and green thinking and all that. I stopped almost everything I had changed because of that and also some health problems. But I'm relearning it, just with not as much pressure on myself. Low waste and small changes are still better than no changes!! This is the second video of yours I've watched and I already love it! It's a more realistic outlook on this lifestyle and I'll genuinely use some of the things you share (for example, I'll do a franken-soap bar, I hate those tiny leftovers bits). So don't listen to those people, keep on doing what works for you and thank you for sharing all this!
Thanks for this video. I have stopped making my own deodorant. It was such a mess, and even though it worked, it kind of stained all my t-shirts. So now I use ones from good companies with minimal cardboard packaging. Easy peasy. But I still love my collapsible silicone coffee cup; that goes with me everywhere 🙂. Perhaps not the most sustainable material, but I've avoided using a whole lot of disposable cups in the past 8 years that I've had it . . .and I can sometimes bring home (Food) leftovers in it as well.
I got into using about 4-5 drops of tea tree oil several years ago. Not for everyone but what I like is no deodorant buildup in my clothes ever and it keeps me smelling bad all day. A large Costco bottle lasts me about a year.
I so appreciate your candidness and just this video in general! I have a really hard time with feeling like i need to do everything perfectly when it comes to environmentally impactful decisions. So much so that I struggled with disordered eating for quite a while because I didnt want to buy/eat things that came in plastic or had environmentally/socially harmful ingredients like chocolate or palm oil. I really loved you talking about how you had to switch from soap berries partially because of the impact they had on YOU and your productivity. Just trying our best is the most important thing and we can't take care of the environment without also taking care of ourselves ❤️
Hi I discovered your channel through TH-cam algorithm and I subscribed. :) I particularly like the end when you mention that your old plastic container is a lot more sustainable than buying a brand new container that is made of substainable material.
I had to realize that "natural fibers" weren't always 100% natural. Trying to compost I have found that at least in the US, stuff like bamboo clothing is typically made with an underlayer of nylon or polyester..... As long as it is 2% or less they don't have to declare it on the lable.
All the bamboo fabric I have ever heard of is rayon made from very chemical intensive processes that makes me question it being classified as a natural fiber.
@@lisapippin1695 I don't. I am at this point going with 100% cotton, linen or linen/cotton blends, and organic or imported wool (I react to most of the chemicals used to clean it in the US).
@@Gittemary I can get thread in cotton, and so far the 100% cotton items I've used in the garden as weed barrier are composting down just fine. But finding 100% cotton is the bigger hurdle.
Hand spinner here. Most bamboo fiber is a nylon/polyester made of bamboo. At least in the spinning world. You can get bast fibers, but they're hard to find and expensive. I assume they go through a retting process like linen to release the fibers, but I've never looked into that. Its not my favorite thing to spin. Cotton can also be problematic. It takes a lot of water and, here in the US, a lot of pestacides because of the boll wivel infestation. Its recommended not to pick up lose cotton bolls along the road side after harvest because of the amount of pesticides used. In the cotton belt it is illegal to grow cotton near a cotton farm, and wild cotton is actively sought out and destroyed because it cross polonates so easily. If a all white field cross polonates with a green ornamental, the next years crop is going to be a disaster! With wool I don't know. I react to some yarns but not others. Superwash yarns and spinning fiber don't bother me. Nor does raw fleece (fleece with no processing except pulling out the nastier bits.) So I think its the dye or something else used in processing. It could be the type of wool as each breed has different properties. Some are corser then others. Which would make it more of a sensitivity issue instead of an allergy. Anyway, I hope this helps. I apologize for any spelling errors. My autocorrect doesn't always work on youtube. No idea why.
Depending on where you live you don't need anything fancy to wash your clothes. I'm from Northern Germany and have, since a few years, done our laundry with chestnuts (called horse chestnuts or buckeye) and vinegar. The chestnuts are growing locally around here and can be gathered for free when they're in season in autumn. Gather enough and store them well and they'll last you a full year until next harvest time.
You don't need soap berries if you live in areas where chestnuts grow. Collect a bunch (if you want to use them for white laundry, you also somehow need to remove the brown skin) and crush them and dry them and voila you have laundry detergent. Alternatively, use ivy (NOT the poison ivy)
I have been buying in 2nd hand stores glass milk bottles from companies that are local and no longer in business, or i find them in the garbage and clean them. I use them as dry storage for my pantry. also found out when going to bulk bin store to replenish my spices, plastic bottles and jars way lighter than glass mason jars. So reuse my peanut butter jars for spices till I get home and then transfer them to my glass storage jars. Been looking into WW2 food rationing videos for recipes and tips to reuse, mend and uptick my veggie consumption and lower my animal protein (also great because of my kidney disease doc says more veggie protein and less animal - so win-win situation). Also for medicines I have to use a monthly inhaler and they come in these aluminum "bowls". I wash them out and use them as condiment bowls and recycle the box it comes in. the rest of it sadly I can't recycle due to materials but still working on it. and yes, I stopped using the soap nuts too. they were smelling vinegary and would mold. So I buy big plastic container of detergent, cut down on how much laundry I do, and use vinegar instead of fabric softener sheets.
I never got on board with buying the reusable bamboo cutlery. I have perfectly good utensils in my drawer plus free reusable plastic sets I got in my undergrad
I love your honesty 😊. You are totally correct on saying that you can live totally zero waste in a world that is not set up for it. I have been recycling for over 2 decades and wearing second hand clothes for about 16 years, both i found to be easy to do and maintain. It takes a tiny amount of effort at first and then it's second nature. I know have a list of things that I need or want on my phone so that if I go to a thrift store i know what to look for, it's so helpful.
I made my own hand salve and won't do it again! It took a ton of detergent to get the beeswax off of everything 😁. Thank you for your videos. I love them and I love your logic about using what we already have!🌷
I carry a fabric pouch with metal utensils in my bag and also a collapsible Tupperware when I got out to eat. And I try not to use starws (I hate when you order a beverage and they put the straw in for you)... you can drink from the cup without a straw... (for people without disabilities of course)
Thanks for mentioning that being able to have a straw is important for disabilities! So often I see people talking about issues with no awareness of how it affects disabled folks and it means a lot to see that as part of the discussion 🎉
I did a presentation for my Environmental Biology class about fashion waste. Rayon is technically plant based because it's made from wood pulp, but is treated with some nasty chemicals to make it into a soft fiber. Add in what you said about bamboo not being so great. I could talk all day about this stuff honestly
As for soapnuts I have been using locally picked up chestnuts that are falling down the trees here in my area :) I have tried homemade mascara and also bought the one that comes in a wee tin, rather than a plastic tube. But it was always so messy and I did not enjoy using it at all.
Really love this more honest take on eco friendly living. I hated soap nuts because they were way less convenient and I felt like nothing got clean. You can only do what you can live every day.
I think yes what you have is best. Side note: we use what we LOVE so if you will use that fancy stainless steel container I think get it but try and pick up second hand or from a small business maybe ❤
I heard that you can make liquid soap from soap berries by boiling them, I think if you did that for a big batch and froze them in cubes it would be easier to use if you like how they work for your laundry and want to use up the last of the soap berries you already have.
I found your channel yesterday (or one day before?) and I'm blown away how many NEW informations I geht our of your videos after watching such videos for years - WOW! 😮
I quit using tooth tablets after going to the dentist and having them comment on my teeth in a negative way and asking me what I was doing differently. When I told them they told me to go back to my old toothpaste because they could see a noticeable difference in 6 months.
The biggest change I have made over the past decade or so of trying to reduce my environmental impact is allowing myself not to be perfect. One of the first things I did was stop drinking water from single-use plastic bottles. I had always carried a reusable bottle, but I became absolutely militant about not drinking from disposable plastic bottles to the point of denying myself necessary hydration if I forgot my water bottle. I've probably used less than two dozen disposable plastic bottles in the past decade, but at one time, even one would have been too many. I have realized that perfection is not possible and saving one plastic bottle is not worth actively damaging my health.
I love the detergent sheets just for practical reasons! Less storage space required and awesome for travelling. Even if plastic is required for manufacturing, the reduced transportation and container plastic is a nice boost compared to liquid.
Thank You for sharing your ideas and also sharing your personal experiences over time. I like to use Op shops, Thrift shops and secondhand shops, also using what we have rather then having to have the newest fad item I have noticed that over time my waste level has gone down and I think that is mainly due to awareness. I work in a nursing home and we use paper straws for the residents who need straws. 🤗
Thank you for this video. The comment about aesthetics was spot on. The capitalist solution to wanting to consume less has been to...buy more stuff or be given more stuff in situations where organizations want to show they're helping you. Getting stuff you don't need like that is wasteful!
This seems a really honest and vulnerable account of anyone's journey to be a more aware and sustainable being. The ultimate outcome is to be a step further forward in our sustainable journey.
Thank you for being realistic - there are so many "zero-waste" influencers who lie about the things they do or use to help the environment... some things are just not practical or safe sobI'm glad you keep it real by sharing what works and what doesn't.
I still put small plastic in a container. There's no place around here that takes plastic bricks but for me I feel better trying to keep it out of the landfill in hopes that I can donate them soon. As an American, you're right we're in a system designed to fail so I try not to feel bad about what I can't tackle.
Thank you for another great video! I relate to all this... I have never been "zero waste", though at the beginning (for me that was about 7 years ago) I did try... I remember the moment I realized, at a local market where I was buying "package free" cheese directly from the maker, that the big wheels of cheese where actually shrink-wrapped for transport and then displayed without it. The market was local, but the maker was not... I was in shock. I realized that I may not be bringing plastic into my home, but that was a drop in the ocean of single-use plastic that industries and business use. So, I cried a little and then changed how I was doing things, which also meant my family started liking me again :D because I had been driving everyone nuts with my freak outs about every single piece of plastic. I still make laundry detergent and dish soap because they work and I am happy using them. I also make my deodorant for the same reason, but I no longer make toothpaste or shower gel because well... they were not working. I buy local as much as I can, I buy used clothes and learnt how to fix the clothes I own, I grow veggies, bake bread and cook from scratch as much as I can. And sometimes I can't and now I am ok with that. I still get upset and sad and depressed - mostly when I watch your impact videos, to be honest... - about how a lot of things are done (the one about used clothes really blew my mind, btw), but I know I am doing what I can without losing myself in the process. Keep up your amazing work, you inspire a lot of people and your honesty about how you've changed and your life choices have changed over the years is much appreciated. 💚💚
Thank you for your honesty! Thank you for being relatable and balanced. You have encouraged me to live more sustainably without extremes or heaps of guilt. P.S. - your accent is a delight!
Our ordinary horse chestnuts can be used in laundry :D they just need hot water to release the saponins (ie. shake them in a jar with hot water and use liquid to wash) and... they are for free! :D
Thanks for your honesty and transparency. None of us are perfect and rewiring our lifestyles out of old consumerism into more deliberate consumption is really hard.
For detergent and soap and stuff, we actually have a soap exchange store here where you bring your own container and they fill it with the product (they have a huge bulk supply) so you avoid the packaging. They have laundry and dishwasher detergent, cleaning products, soaps, shampoo, conditioner, etc.
what eco habit didn’t work for you? 🌿
Making granola bars for my kids instead of buying plastic packaged ones- they’re terrible, all dozen recipes I tried, the texture is all wrong, storing them is a mess and they get stuck everywhere, and transporting them is so difficult and takes up way more space than a granola bar. Also I need the ability to leave granola bars everywhere for weeks or months until needed! Homemade bars for small children is just a no all around.
I couldn't get into the dish bar soap. I followed the instructions, even reached out to the company, but no matter how many times or ways I tried I ALWAYS had soap streaks on my dishes. I switched back to getting liquid dish soap at the bulk store.
Several. Going to the farmers market to get fresh and local produce, or to a small shop with some bulk items. I simply couldn't at that time, so I decided to go back at a regular supermarket and make the best of it, though I hope I can pick up this habit again. This is also the reason I love that you talked about your experience with the soap nuts!
The dish bar soap is simply waaay more expensive compared to regular dish soap (like, I can either buy 8 bottles, worth 4 liters of dishsoap, or 1 block), so I choose one that is eco friendly (and I believe they use recycled plastic).
I can't get used to solid conditioner, so as soon as I finished the ones I still have, I am going to look for a sustainable liquid alternative. Several shops near me also have a refill system.
And last one, I was very strict at the beginning of my journey, meaning that I didn't buy anything packaged. Plastic, glass, metal, I didn't buy it, so my food was....depressing to say the least. Now I still look at packaging, but we have a great recycling system here for glass, metal and certain types of plastic, so I don't limit myself as much as I used to. I can finally enjoy eating and cooking again!
Started sustainable practices when I read silent spring as 13 yo in 1970 so all the current silliness has been interesting. No longer make all my yogurt but get it on reduction,use container for left overs then becomes plant pot for a few years then recycle when it cracks. Use powder detergent in cardboard box that is recycled.get eggs in recycled cardboard and compost some, recycle some. Take newspaper from recycling to use for dove cage. Stopped buying acrylic yarn decades ago,spin my own alpaca yarn from local farm. Only buy new underwear and summer socks. Use the mug with handle broken off . Function is the goal on a tight budget
Condioner and lotion bars. All other soaps I can do the bars but not those. My hair/skin just don't like them.
I hate the silicone bags. I hate washing them and I find that they warp easily to the point you can't close them. Just totally impractical. I like glass jar or storage containers instead. Same with beeswax/soy wraps. They don't seal well enough to be useful.
Silicone baking mats. I had some and I didn't mind them actually, but again, hated washing them. I would keep using them but I seem to have lost them....? Lol. So now I use plastic-free Parchment paper and just rip it up into pieces and compost it after use.
Bamboo travel cutlery...like...why? They are difficult to eat with and are hard to clean (notice a trend? I have little patience with cleaning things lol). Just use cutlery from your drawer. 17:59
I'm not zero waste or anything myself, just a regular european who tries to keep consumption down and recycles everything. The thing that has always rubbed me the wrong way about these movements is how fake and superficial a lot of it is. Buy bamboo cutlery instead of just using your regular metal cutlery. Use natural products that look fancy and cost a lot of money but actually require more resources than lab-made (and go bad way faster). Buy soap nuts, buy washable cotton rounds, buy new glass lunch boxes to replace your old dingy plastic ones. We won't be able to consume our way out of overconsumption. This was an interesting video, thanks :)
I honestly do not understand the bamboo silverware. Why don't I just... bring regular silverware? I keep a regular metal spoon and fork in a plastic or cloth bag and it works just fine?
@@leifmeadows3782 Exactly. It's the dumbest thing. People don't use plastic forks because they want to use something that's not metal and can't be washed in the dishwasher. They use it because they can't access normal cutlery and don't tend to carry a fork with them. The action that reduces waste is not buying bamboo cutlery, it's carrying a fork with you. If anything needs to be sold and bought, it's a small pouch or box to keep a fork you already own in.
@kisikisikisi "We won't be able to consume our way out of overconsumption." That's a great way to sum up the best core principle of consuming less. Thanks for phrasing it so succinctly!
1000% I feel the same way about aesthetic minimalism. You have to buy SO MUCH to get the look that it absolutely defeats the purpose... meanwhile us eclectic maximalists with tons of thrifted finds & furniture saved from the trash to be refinished & loved on are doing way more for the environment. As for sustainable living... I'll stick to the all in one camping cutlery I've had since I was a kid. I did have to buy reusable metal straws, but I'll use them for the next however many decades & don't drink anything without a straw. I've carried the same insulated lunch box for over a decade... and use a lunch box that my mom had in the 80s to store craft supplies. I make drawer organizers out of cardboard I was gonna recycle anyway. Function is what matters.
Yeah that's a big sticking point for me too. I work in chemicals. A big one everyone uses is stearic acid. There's 3 big categories of how to get it. Beef tallow, plants like corn, and palm oil derived. Cow and corn I've never had an issue with on delivery. Palm derived actually raises my blood pressure, it's so bad. Even if it was produced stateside, it almost never can have a straightforward delivery. Most often, we have some weird blockage and have to reject it 2-3 times.
I do honestly believe the literal cow fat is better for the environment and even animals as a whole, than the palm shit that travels across the ocean, then has to drive an additional 8 hours in a semi, and all the other resources used to extract it.
I definitely had the realization a couple years ago that it was more sustainable to use the things I already had than to replace everything with more eco friendly options. I don't mind replacing things with better options when what I have wears out, but it makes no sense to me to throw everything in the trash and replace it with eco friendly options when using what I already have is keeping it out of the landfill.
That’s exactly what the channel Shelbizlee promotes
This is what made me so resistant to sustainability. Because it was always buy metal tins (hate the taste transfer) and bamboo cutlery... Um metal ones are like a buy once and done for life basically 😂
This has been me my entire life. I use something until it breaks and then I try to fix it. Had no idea this was considered sustainable. I just picked it up from growing up with old people who lived through the depression.
The only exception for me was to get rid of plastic food storage items. Storing food in plastic exposes us to microplastics.
Now at the last stage of life, 80, I give myself room for more of what I want. But thankfully it can be justifiable most of the time. Like purchasing new clothing. Most of my clothing is at least 30 years old. I don’t research companies of new clothing i might buy. I just rarely buy. Most of my everyday clothing has become my night pajamas and before I get rid of anything I do research how old things can be reused by me. I loved decorating for holidays when I was younger and had a whole house and yard decorations. I have minimized all of that because of health and age related, happily found new homes for most and gave myself a break and permission to throw away some items. Having three sons that normally never were in tune to the decorating for holidays or most other of my long kept items I have been slowly getting rid of almost everything that clutters my areas. I still have a lot of things but not necessarily usable keepsakes, just loved ones. Not really matching but reflecting my personal life. Can easily be gotten rid of. Also buy according for my taste, age, functionality. Have saved a nice little nest egg for once in my life.
I love your last point! I just had a baby and was doing so much research on the most earth friendly strollers. Then a friend offered us their stroller and it reminded me that reusing something that has already been made is far greener than buying something new
“Sustainability is not an aesthetic. It’s a practice.” Exactly! Well said! 👍👍
Just as minimalism is a lifestyle, not an aesthetic.
Imo a "half-assed" zero-waste lifestyle is miles better than a "perfect" zero-waste where you'll give up after a few months. These issues aren't going to be overcome by demanding perfection, it's by incorporating small changes on a wider scale.
I hate that people jump to saying you’re making excuses for doing zero waste half assed. The fact that you put the effort in should be enough. What people can do will never be fully accessible to every person. And it’s ok to also prioritize your quality of life. I’m disabled and chronically ill so I am far from zero waste but I try. I don’t think I should feel guilty for not doing the zero waste things I did before I needed medical supplies and equipment.
Thank you for bringing up how a lot of disabled people rely on plastic straws! It's so important for accessibility and so many zero-waste people were completely ignoring disabled people and trying to ban plastic straws where they are necessary.
people can also be allergic to paper straws as the glue contains gluten--something my mother has an anaphylactic allergy to. this comment was really funny to me though because the auto generated captions on this video are not accessible at all lol.
@@edaaaah I wish more youtubers knew there was a way to easily edit autogenerated captions to make them readable!
I don't think plastic straws are a problem... it's treating any plastic as disposable that's a problem. Incidentally, those mini bottle brushes from metal straws are probably the best thing to come out of the whole straw ban movement... they allow you to clean the plastic ones and reuse them too. I have a bunch of old take away plastic straws still in the cupboard, and I just clean them and reuse them.... I have metal ones, but the plastic is safer when I'm still in the habit of biting the straw and want to look after my teeth.
@@firewordsparkler me too! i think most dont care about or consider disabled people, though. most of the time we're not even a distant thought lol.
@racheljames9187 the takeaway straws are not meant to be reused. I don't think they're durable enough to be cleaned over and over. The material breaks down over time and if it is damaged toxins would enter your food/drinks. Get something that's meant to be chewed on, not the things you eat with..
I think its great to be able to say you tried things then moved on bc a lot of people seem afraid to be publicly wrong, even tho we all get things "wrong" while learning.
I bought silicone "zip" bags. They were so annoying to use, so I gave them away.
I have a big pile of brand Tupperware boxes and bowls from both my sets of deceased grandparents. Between 25 and 50 years old (the boxes, not the grandparents). They are super durable and still very good. Although I sometimes want to replace my plastic with glass, these boxes a very high up the scale of my sustainable behaviour. Simply because they are so old.
What about the bpa in the plastic containers?
I never understood those reusable silicone bags. They must be a pain in the ass to clean! I just use the tupperware boxes I have always used...
We love them and they're not hard to clean at all. @@leaderofthelunatics
Is it healthy to use very old plastic for food storage/prep? Surely it's leaching harmful substances into the food?
@Anneliese210don’t be rough with your stuff lol like what was your point
Bamboo toothbrushes. I wanted them to work, but I ended up with sores in my mouth, so had to ditch them.
I appreciate your honesty in how your lifestyle has evolved and messages like this help show that we don’t have to be perfect and living zero waste is accessible to everyone, and there are a lot of different ways people can live more sustainably. It doesn’t look the same for everyone.
Same! I still use them when I'm travelling, and then I'm remembered again why I hate them...
I love bamboo toothbrushes! I would not swap back for plastic, hate that taste of plastic in my mouth now.
I don't like them either plus the most harmful part is still made out of plastic which baffles me?
But after a bit of research I did find a few brands that make a bottom from recycled plastic or aluminum and you can change the top and the bristles are made out of natural materials too and they are much softer
Same! I use a quip now and that seems to ensure less/minimal plastic waste.
at the moment I am the same... had massive gum problems from hard bristles on tooth brushes (even the 'soft' ones at the store are too hard), and my gums have finally healed after 4 or 5 years of using an "ultra soft" tooth brush. I haven't seen a low waste toothbrush with ultra soft bristles except the ones designed for babies. My toothbrushes last at least a year before the soft bristles are too worn, and then they get used for cleaning or painting... I don't think I've thrown a toothbrush out in 10 years.
I think a lot of the reusable versions of regular goods were made so that people that have more of like a upper-class lifestyle could be a part of the zero-waste lifestyle without feeling like there were toting around things that would make them look poor. Like plastic Tupperware or Tupperware from home and utensils from home and things like that
Actually I think it’s mostly about capitalism; creating “sustainable options” of things so people will still spend money even if they’re being more eco-friendly. The more eco-friendly and sustainable our society gets, the less money we will spend (or at least we’ll become more picky about who/what we support financially) which is why greenwashing is a thing.
I was a victim of greenwashing like this myself; I haven’t used a straw (at home) for probably 6-7 years, yet I still bought stainless steel straws because “they’re sustainable”. I regret that purchase every time I enter my kitchen 😅
And of course aesthetics are a big reason, which only enforces consumerism further because the entire point of ZW is to NOT buy unnecessary things. Yet the aesthetic of pretty cotton tote bags, a pantry full of matching glass jars etc. will have hyper-consumers run out and buy new versions of things they already have. Which is exactly what a capitalist society wants.
I have said before that the easiest way to kickstart your ZW journey is to save money, hardcore. Cut out all unnecessary purchases, or do a pantry challenge/no spend month. The less money you spend the more sustainable you will be, which is why most zero waste swaps are just a money grab from companies, IMO.
I agree with you! As someone who brings her plastic Ikea container from home to bring leftovers home from a restaurant, I sometimes think that it would be much more fashionable to have a stainless steel container. But, alas, I really do have more important things in life to care about 😄
That’s not always why but I understand that you should not let aesthetics get in the way of reducing your consumption. The reason I don’t use plastic is because of recent studies that have highlighted the potential risks of using plastic for reheating food / hot drinks. I use plastic for dried food and toiletries still.
@@werewolfcountry Yeah, some of the stuff they found out about bacteria and plastics sound quite scary. I like my food-containers to be heatproof. I have both glass and metal containers (Glass for the fridge and metal for my lunch) Also while my glass containers do have some plastic rims to seal properly, even when I lost the lid of one, I repurposed it into a pastry baking dish.
@@Eucis93why don't donate or sell the straws then? You can give them a new life while stopping someone else from having to buy them
I tried using the 'zero waste' tablet cleaning products that you can just 'put into water and it'll be just the same as your regular cleaning products'. Yeah, no. After a few months, my bathroom was disgusting and I only really noticed because of how clean it suddenly was after using a regular cleaning product. One of my friends, who lives in a different country and uses completely different zero-waste products, had the exact same experience.
Personally, I feel like zero-waste is actually capitalising on the fact that we've all forgotten that some products were invented as they are because we wanted to improve the quality of life, not because we're spoiled (which we definitely are but in this case in all the best ways). I'm sure there are ways to make cleaning products more sustainable but a lot of the substitutes we have right now just aren't it yet and we need to be able to acknowledge and talk about it so thank you for making this video!
Yeah! Use product stuff sparingly, but have switched most regular cleaning to vinegar vs green “all purpose”
This is the only zero waste video I’ve actually been able to sit through the full length. It’s refreshing and necessary to see the critical thinking and acknowledgment of the real world that we live in and peoples different situations within that world. Keep it up 👍
I tried the beeswax wraps for a bit, but found it was a waste of time and resources for me to use them and keep them clean. I gave up after about a year and now I just make sure that whatever containers I keep have matching/well-fitted lids. So much less stress and hassle for me.
ahhh i just read a study about how the wax wrap is surprisingly unsustainable, because there are more emissions involved in hand-washing it just once than all the emissions involved in manufacturing, packaging, distributing, and disposing of a single-use plastic baggie 🤯 good call for sure!
Mixing bowls with plates on top work well.
Yeah, I have some wax wraps, and I use them, but they're only really good for a few specific things (like covering up a bread loaf or something). Most of the time, actual lids are a better option.
Yes, beeswax wraps are fiddly to clean and maintain. I have them but I use it only as a "last resort" in case I don't have an appropriate container. They are OK when used occasionally.
@@allisonfromearthCan you link that study? I don't think it uses so much water and detergent to wash a bess wrap, but I might be mistaken.
Your description of not being able to wrap your head around changing out the soap nuts - YES. YES. Perfect description. Whether it's from ADHD or not, I feel this in my soul, thank you for the honesty, you are not alone on that feeling at all. Thank you for the honesty and recognition. All we can do is our best - and this video is helping so many people be able to do that much better.
low key relieved that other people relate to this 🙈
@@GittemaryI could never do laundry if I had to do that level of management on the detergent. I prefer using less detergent than recommended with longer cycles at low temperatures, to feel less guilty.
@@GittemaryMy issue was the soap bag often accidentally got transferred to the dryer, resulting in the knot shrinking, so it was impossible to open it.
I bought my daughter one of those laundry eggs to use at University. She’s not had to replace the beads yet and I was quite impressed at how nice her clothes smelled at the end of the year. I think the egg itself is made of plastic, but it is so much less plastic than the bottles of liquid detergent.
The biggest con in sustainability and zero waste is that it is all down to individual behaviour. That lets the big companies and oil and gas industry off the hook; they create the problems which we have to deal with.
You just made me want to try again… When I was single, I was vegan and tending towards a zero waste lifestyle… I ended up marrying someone who is all about convenience over sustainability. My partner has certainly reduced their waste under my influence, but there are many waste reduction practices that I have given up on, especially after having children. This video encourages me, because it’s not about fitting the perfect image of the person who seem to have it 100% right with the little Masson jar of almost no trash for a year… It’s about doing your best to reduce. I want to try again to embrace some zero waste practices, but not hit myself over the head because I am not doing it perfectly.
I work in chemical purchasing. You will never get to true 0 waste or "true" veganism. It's straight up impossible. Not saying that to do any weird superiority shit, it's just something that took me a while to come to terms with. Even if I do the best I can, it still takes cow fat to make plastic and there's so much "don't see how the sausage gets made" stuff.
Absolutely "do the best you can" is the right mindset.
BTW, best things I honestly believe people can do is avoid plastics and synthetic fabrics. If you can get linen clothes, that's probably "the best" fabric for the environment. Beyond that, buying stuff that grows locally(like potatoes and wheat and beans instead of quinoa and soy for example) really does way more than people realize.
Your best is just that, you can't always be perfect especially with life changes and more people in the household. There is a woman on TikTok who is zero waste and is/was pregnant and I am curious how a baby will impact her lifestyle. I think she runs her own zero waste company from her house (soaps and things), and I have seen videos where sha talks about homemade tortilla chips. I wonder how much time and energy she will have with a newborn and older to keep up.
Just do the best you can because a million people doing just 1 thing better is a million things being better.
But at the end of the day, that's probably about as much as a small factory. I've known people who were obsessing over food waste, while I was working in a fancy hotel with a buffet. My entire family doesn't produce, in a few months, the amount of waste I see being thrown out for a single breakfast.
The best thing you can do is to reduce your consumption to what you actually need. If you can also make choices that lower your waste, that's better. If you can have a primarily plant-based (or at least vegetarian) diet, even better. But you also live in the society you have access to, and sometimes health issues get in the way of sustainability, and you can only do the best you can.
I actually want *more* honesty about the ways that "zero waste" is not comfortable or doable even for people whose whole lives revolve around it. The world benefits so much more from many people doing it imperfectly than a few people doing it perfectly - something that I know you know - and that means forgiving yourself for being human and needing life to not be a massive struggle 24/7.
I totally understand what you mean about the mental load, fixations that prevent you from getting started. I have ADHD and autism and life used to be a nonstop cycle of not being able to get started because of something like texture or the way it took too many steps and then crying about it and beating myself up for not being able to do it. But that didn't help anything! What helps is *removing the problem*. If you hate the texture of a toothpaste and don't brush your teeth because of it, then the toothpaste is not actually benefitting you (or the environment - dental procedures create way more waste than a single tube of toothpaste would). If you're not doing your laundry because of soap berries, they're not working for you. *You* aren't the problem; you're one part of an equation, and what works for someone else doesn't necessarily fit into that equation for you.
I'm pretty passionate about environmentalism. But it bugs me when people don't acknowledge the realities of how difficult it can be, or guilt trip people for mentioning real problems that they have with certain aspects. We want to make a movement for the good of the future, and meeting people where they're at is soooo much better than berating people who live, eat, and breathe sustainability for not doing one tiny thing better.
Love the honesty! “Sustainability is not an aesthetic, it’s a practice” I couldn’t agree more!
I think it’s so great that you talk about things you no longer do because it’s to inconvenient. Yes it’s important to do your best for the environment, but sometimes you just need to live your life and get through the day.
I have had to stop doing somethings due to my mental health. Sometimes it’s due to it being to much work at the time, like sometimes everything goes in the trash instead of in the recycling. I’m not proud of it but sometimes sorting it in to recycling is to overwhelming.
Sometimes I don’t have the mental capacity to do enough research to know what product is the most sustainable.
I’ve also had to stop some of my sustainable habits due to them being to limiting. I’ve been to hard on myself for to long which has had a negative effect on my mental health. So I’ve had to stop limiting myself and start allowing myself things. Sometimes that means making the less sustainable choice.
We all just have to do what we can when we can. No one is perfect. you are doing your best/what you can. you are just fine. give yourself the grace to accept you for you--. Just being you is enough. hugs. (I have those days too- sometimes life just overwhelms.
It’s okay to not always be the most sustainable version of yourself, taking care of yourself is important and I know from first hand experience how small tasks can seem huge when your mental health is failing ♥️ tell yourself that you’ll get back into the habits that makes sense, but that it’s okay to not be perfect
I’ve had different stages in my life when I had to choose how I spent my energy. So I completely understand. ❤
I haven't seen any Indian family ( including mine) use soapnuts exclusively. They are sometimes used to wash delicate and expensive fabrics like silk. As detergents started to become widely available, most people just got used to them, atleast from what I've seen throughout my life. Soapnuts are still easily available but there isn't that big a demand for them.
Thank you! This is what my friends/colleagues from India told me too.
For hairwashing as well, many do use them, but not exclusively. They're simply not effective enough at getting out all the grease and/or product out of your hair, so even people that use them a lot have a commercial shampoo at hand they use every few washes
Love your message about sustainability not looking perfect. I use empty margarine tubs for all of my storage and lunchbox needs - they're super ugly, but way more eco-friendly than buying a pretty container and just recycling margarine tubs when I'm done with them!
My grandparents were born during the depression so saving everything was ingrained in them. When we would take home leftovers from dinners at their house it would be in to go containers, store-bought cinnamon rolls containers, etc. The last meal that was in my grandma's fridge when she passed unexpectedly was pea soup in a Cool Whip container
Thats actually a good idea because they close pretty well! And my parents do have a section for cleaned food packages so when us children do come over we can take some leftovers home in an empty ice-bin
I like that message about it being more sustainable to use something you already own. I used to feel bad about always using my tupperware containers as a lunchbox and considered buying one made of a more sustainable material. But then I figured, “why should I buy a new one when I have one that I already own and is still perfectly fine?”
Cooking plant based was also something that helped me discover a joy and love for food and cooking. I found being in the kitchen soooo tedious and actively aggravating before
Oh my gosh thank you so much for mentioning the straw thing. As a disabled person who needs plastic bendable straws to be able to lie down and drink but also avoid infection thats a risk with multiuse straws and that hyperfixation on straws caused me so much hurt, primarily in an increase in ableism and hate directed at individual behaviours in environmental movement spaces. And it always blew my mind because to sit there and be saying "hey! These plastic things like straws, or yes even pre-peeled and precut plastic wrapped fruits and veg are essential for a large number of us and our survival" and still have people fixate on that when I knew the majoroty of plastic waste came from comercial fishing and there were also plastic cosmetic things that werent essential for peoples survival being undiscussed. I think its a lot easier for people to hyperfixate and gain this cult like mentality on things that are easy to remove and villanise a smaller group of people, even if the impact is small. Its really refreshing now to see people gaining a balance, understanding that other materials are sometimes worse than plastic, the context is essential in assessing its uses, we are human people and if habitt changes arent convenient enough you wont continue it longterm, and we need to balance individual change with systemic change and understanding that its better to create a welcoming space where we all try our best than a toxic space demanding perfection thats really only achievable for a small minority of priveledged people. Truely appreciate it, and as someone with adhd I greatly understand the challenge of one extra step killing my ability to do chores like laundry. Seriously, such a refreshing thing to hear these takes from people in the broader movement. Instant subscribe, thanks so much.
The other thing I did at first that I dont do anymore is deny myself access to things that fulfill my basic access needs that allow me to survive (be that pre-made microwave meals often in plastic containers for when I don't have capacity to cook, or yes a hidden stash of energency plastic water bottles/water because I've had multiple emergencies now where our tap water was unsafe and due to my conditions I require minimum 4 litres of water a day to survive, im also just vegetarian now and not vegan due to extreme malnourishnent and am even considering starting to eat bugs as extra proteine sources because my levels are still dangerously low). There was so much internal hatred i developed for my survival needs being higher waste, but i slowly realised that was only hurting me more and reducing my capacity for taking action on big things like legislation and activism. Finding that middle ground between reasonable lifestyle changes whilst also ensuring my survival needs are met has been massive.
great comment. you might like silicone straws as well! I wanted a wider straw for smoothies and such and found a company that uses recycled silicone to make them :)
I have ADHD and autism so I completely understand the issues with the laundry soap.
I try to live as sustainable as I can and I'm willing to do things that might take a little bit longer or cost more, but when one of my systems completely breaks down it is time to find a new solution.
We don't have to be perfect, we just have to do the best we can. Our best may look different than someone else's best, but we are all different people. The more authentic we all can be the more sustainable this lifestyle will be.
I love how you addressed your mental resources, because I think this is such an important factor in trying to live as sustainable as possible. I've definitely had phases in my life where I just couldn't, for the life of me, find the strength to find an alternative to plastic/packaging/whatever I was trying to avoid. I would then get mad at myself, because living sustainably was this huge and important thing to me and I couldn't follow my own standards some days.
Now, I am way more relaxed when it comes to trying to live zero waste. I do produce a lot more waste than I would love to, but I don't stress myself about every piece of trash. I choose the most sustainable alternative whenever it is available, but if there is no alternative, then I know it's not my fault for living in a society focused on single-use products, and I know I am doing the best I can.
In my house, we started with a focus on buying as much local food as possible and decreasing single-use products/packaging as much as possible. We wash and reuse many things meant to be single-use and avoid bringing new single-use or plastic-wrapped products into the home (as much as possible).
I've just started my sustainable "low/zero waste" lifestyle but I've always kept jars and reused them, I have an emotional support bottle and tumbler for cold and hot drinks, I've actually started eco bricking for the plastic that I currently can't replace/reduce and my family's as well! It doesn't work for everything, but it definitely helps. I'll be using my eco bricks to build garden beds and other projects around the ranch.
One thing hitting on the meat! Instead of just reducing how much you consume I feel it's important to find LOCAL farmers and ranchers (myself included I'm a montana USA 6th generation rancher) but also find ranchers and farmers that practice sustainable agriculture which comes in many forms. This is something we practice on our ranch and will continue to improve our ranch, produce, and meat/animals. We raise them in a low stress environment, animal husbandry is very important to us while creating way less waste than commercial agriculture. We focus on permaculture, rotational grazing, keeping our herd of animals low to just what is needed, and always always adding to the land, native plants, depleted resources ext, and environment more than we or our animals take. This includes always planting more fruit trees, bushes ext even veggies than we need because we expect that at least 10% of our products will go to the native wild life and insects and some to our own animals. This 10% is used and not left to rot and sometimes it's just not as pretty. We grow to organic standards but not certified organic (video idea look into organic standards and what companies have to go through sometimes unnecessarily to get the "organic label" that is actually harmful for us, the environment ext) we focus on closing the circle so we produce natural fertilizer utilizing animals poop/compost, jadam practices, and much more so we aren't going to companies to produce what we need. The goal is to be 100% self sustainable on the ranch personally and business wise. Unfortunately we can't do anything about the plastic the meat comes in due to laws and regulations here in the USA but I find how the animals and earth they are raised on is more important because it does have a larger impact. Is it perfect? Nope! But it's way better than commercial big agriculture that we have around the world that is destroying our earth! For every commercial operation here in the USA, there are a good 10-15 smaller producers going toward and practicing sustainable agriculture even if they don't raise livestock. We practice being frugal with water and how to use what we get naturally (rain, snow, ext) without having negative impacts. We have a large river that runs through the ranch (the ranch is 1600 acres) so making sure we aren't using anything that will be harmful if it ends up in our water system especially since we are big into fishing sustainability we don't want to add pollutants that will harm wildlife, us, or the earth. I do love that you said not everyone can go vegan or vegetarian for a number of reasons so this is a good option for all the meat eaters out there! Get to know your local ranchers and farmers please ask questions on how the animals are raised, values, ext. Talking to the people who are caring for the land and animals 365 days a year can be huge and very impowering you may find that we aren't that much different than you even if you only eat a plant based diet we have similar goals and working towards the bigger picture!
As always I love the video please never stop putting out content as it truly makes a difference! Much love from Montana 💚
Sustainable meat does not exist. Watch Cowspiracy
There are a lot of things I don't do anymore, some because they were not very good (I also used to make my own toothpaste, but that phase lasted a very short time, as my teeth were becoming more sensitive) but mainly because I realized at the beginning the zero waste movement was very ableist, and so was I. I don't have a similarly able body anymore, I can't cook as much, I can't make my own yogurt, make my own milk, make my own cosmetics, make my own cleaning supplies, make my own tortillas, make my own bread... it was crazy the lengths we (I) were going. I can't do that anymore, I can't even cook on a regular basis so I end up eating a lot of prepackaged foods, and buying cut foods. Disability gives you a different perspective on things. I like that the movement has shifted from an unattainable perfection to "doing the best I can". Ah, I also used to carry everything with me, but now I got better at knowing what I am going to do when I go out.
I do bread at home only because for me it's more convenient than going to the store to buy it, as I don't use it regularly. I have a bread machine and the only thing I have to do is measure ingredients and clean the machine afterwards, as opposed to go out of the house and into a stressful, noisy environment for bread.
@@Serena-or7sl I thought about buying a bread machine. Do you recommend it then? Is it not too difficult to make the bread? I might look to see if I find a second-hand bread machine in my area!
@@kinakomochi_catsA bread machine is an excellent idea if you crave home-made bread but can't do it yourself.
Its pretty easy to use, you just measure the stuff, throw everything inside and press the appropriate buttons.
I am happy that you touched on the bigger issues. While our recycling and reducing is important, the real difference is in the very large scale of affecting policies, law making, and investment portfolios.
Which just isn't as sexy or easy as showing off your trash jar, but a thousand times more important.
I do what I can to a certain extent, but for all those zero waste people, go work at a big box department store or food pantry for one day.
I worked at a big box store during Covid and we would fill a dumpster daily with all the plastic and Styrofoam the items were packaged in (to get them on the shelves). You know those candles you love to smell? They all originally ship in a box with packaging. Every single item comes wrapped and has to be unwrapped.
Then I helped a friend at our homeless shelter for one shift. We used over 300 Styrofoam cups, 300 plastic forks, 300 plastic spoons and 300 plastic knives. And that was for ONE SHIFT. They do three meals a day.
We may think we are making a dent and helping the planet, but I was sickened how the shelter worked in serving meals.
This is actually really interesting i had never thought of food pantries and soup kitchens and how waste is handled there. I wonder if anyone has looked into solutions. The packaging waste is real though, people dont realize how much trash we dont even see before something gets to our door. Things are sent to distributors wrapped in all kinds of packaging, unwrapped, and then put into different packaging to be sent back out to the consumer. Its crazy how much happens where we have no control or even a window into it unless you work in those industries
My fav low-waste fail in the very beginning in my journey (I was around 14) was buying BULK tealights (yes, those with alluminium "jar") because BULK meant less packaging, right? 14 years later my Mum still have some of those tealights left ;DD
Thank you for this video, especially for the last point! I started living more and more sustainable and eating way less meat in around 2016, after health and mental health struggles. I just needed a change. And it came natural to me, that I just use (up) what I already have, before getting something new. Be it stuff or food or clothes or whatever. I was ridiculed for that by some coworkers...until one of them suddenly changed her complete lifestyle after her daughter became vegan. Both of them sort of completely emptied their home and storage and closets to buy all shiny new aesthetic sustainable stuff. And once again she ridiculed ME for using old tupperware boxes and whatever she saw me use. It is SO annoying and tiring at the same time, because people like her just don´t see that they produce much more waste that way. Anyway, rant over. Love your channel
Sounds like that coworker never got the memo, that using what we already have is 10/10
Yes, like buying reusable bags from the stores that sell them... they are totally missing the point. I knew this thing was out of hand, and that people were losing sight of the real thing as soon as it started rolling. It's mostly a whole lot of people who want to be environmentalists but have no clue what that truly means. Just like the ones who actually use granite, marble or quartz counter tops. Where do they think those things come from? They won't use a sheet of paper because it comes from trees, which are growing in abundance, but they have no problem buying a counter material that chisels away at our mountains. Those don't grow back. Not in our lifetime anyway.
I’m so grateful that you’re sharing your experience with the desire to be zero waste causing you such an inconvenience that you didn’t do your laundry!! You are so valid for making changes which are healthier for you. 💕
Thank you for this sane and balanced video! Your honesty and humaneness is really appreciated.
Thank you for watching 🙏
I just love how real you are. After a few years of being out of the zero waste/low waste community due to being overwhelmed, you’re bringing me back! Thanks for being so realistic and inspiring. Can’t wait to get back into it!
Losing sight of the bigger picture is so easy, honestly. But I remember having a conversation with my sister where we were both startled by people replacing the stuff they had with glass and stainless steel options. When we do need something new, we usually look at second hand offers first. Especially what might still be in our own home ("shopping at yourself"). My hiking boots disintegrated but my mum isn't using hers anymore, for instance.
But overall, I think the most important thing is that it's better to do zero waste / sustainability half-assed than not at all.
I'm amazed by how rational, well read, and forgiving to yourself you are. Many people are very preformative in their sustainability, so it's refreshing to see someone who is knowledgeable and willing to research reality. I have a long way to go when it comes to sustainability, but your thoughts and lived experiences are very helpful when it comes to how I can improve.
highly recommend also checking out Shelbizlee who is very similar to
Totally relate with your honesty and how we need to think bigger than straws. When I started being serious about sustainability, I focussed so much on my own habits and phasing out plastic and buying the stainless steel stuff ... Now I am more like my grandma and just use what I already have, use maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of what is recommended for laundry and dish detergent etc. Wash my hair less frequently, eat more plant based, buy used or borrow almost all things I need. I focus my attention on policy and consumer advocacy. Big picture now 🌍
You know those glasses and mugs that come with plastic straws? I know people who got stainless steel straws for them. At the time the steel ones we could buy here had a bigger environmental impact than reusable plastic.
I snatched up their extra reusable plastic straws for myself - easier to keep it clean than opaque materials, harder to break than glass, and when I can't safely use one anymore to drink we use it as a decorative plant support
@@xilj4002 yep...seems so crazy...I keep using the old stuff 🙂
As a farm girl- if you are going to eat meat and want to be low/no waste, connect to a local farmer. Purchase direct from a farmer and you can get the meat in butcher paper which can be vem-composted or used as fire starting paper.
Thank you so so so so so so much for mentioning the good uses of straws here and not demonizing them
Your pantry looks adorable (and that with the mismatched jars!). Inspires me not to obsess over everything matching. Thanks!
Sustainability is not an aesthetic it’s a practice… I love it! That put things into perspective for me seeing how I need to buy more storage jars and I was contemplating buying new since I was having a hard time finding similar jars. Thank you!
Op shops can be great for completing a set... and adds the excitement from finding things you've been looking for for a long time :) Online op shops are a thing too... there is the packaging waste if ordering, but there is waste associated with maintaining a physical shop front too, we just don't see it. My local low waste shop (I'm very lucky, I have one 8km from home and another one 1km from work) washes and makes glass jars available for reuse - I find that a lot of glass jars are clear with black lids, so even if the shapes look different they "match". I have a small pantry space, so being able to stack things on top of each other is important when looking for storage containers.
When I started using food banks and food pantries to supplement my groceries, many of my zero waste habits went out of the window. However, I think utilizing food banks is zero waste in itself because we're using the food that would get trashed at the grocery store. The food comes in a lot of packaging which isn't great and some places pack up boxes ahead of time, reducing choice and increasing waste. There are usually some items too far expired to save, which goes right into the trash. Unfortunately our food banks in Denver, Colorado, USA are running out of food because of soaring food costs, decreasing social services and an influx of refugees and migrants (we are a sanctuary city). So my focus has shifted more to food availability rather than zero waste.
I utilize a similar resource where i live between actually pay a bit of money to use it. It doesn't feel like a food bank but we are saving food that would certainly be trashed if we didn't eat it.
I see being able to think about sustainability as a massive privilege. I'm someone who has been lucky to not need food banks and is passionate about sustainability and I so so hope you don't feel guilty for sustainability going on the back burner for you in this part of your life. I wish you the best!!
a friend of mine jokes "if you fished it out of a dumpster, it's automatically vegan" 😂
Mental resources
Tried the baking soda toothpaste thing. Literally got cavities. Wasn’t very zero waste when I had to get those drilled and filled. Fluoride is the real deal, folks.
Here in the US it’s hard to convince some people that fluoride is a natural material 😂.
@@lillianbarker4292 the fluoride added to US drinking water is sourced from phosphate fertilizer waste. It isn't good for you in the slightest and the majority of the world DOES NOT fluoridate their drinking water.
There is a pending litigation going on now against the EPA showing that fluoride in the quantities added to US drinking water is a harmful neurotoxin to small children and babies in the womb.
I use fluoride, but it’s still toxic. Not sure with the amount we have, but yeah. Natural doesn’t always mean better!
holy shit. as a disabled person w| a chronic illness who relies on single-use plastics to function + stay alive i appreciate this video.
mostly b|c i've never once seen a zero-waste, vegan, or sustainability advocate//influencer mention or even take us into consideration as they preach + promote their unrealistic philosophy + lifestyles.
not once. + if i'm honest, it's made me want to eat meat, use plastic straws + do other things i don't even normally do that much out of spite + in protest. 😂 i don't but it makes me want to. LOL
thanks for remembering that we exist LOL + thanks for being so reasonable + rational about this. it's very encouraging. you've got a new subscriber in me. 🤓
🖤✊🏾
I'm not disabled, and probably miss a lot of things that may help make people's life's better, but I really got mad when a colleague started talking about removing all plastic as a way of forcing improved products/technology. She was not impressed with me saying that our quest for sustainable products cannot in the meantime negatively impact those who rely on it for their health and dignity. I got to realise pretty quickly that her sustainability goals were "at all costs" whereas mine probably a little more focused on changes I could make/influence.
@@cathnz9726 People can be radical/extreme about all kinds of things. You have to be careful to stay away from such people, and to definitely not adopt their ideas
I have a myriad of health issues and could build a mountain with my plastic pill bottles, lol. I always say people can be hardcore into sustainability and recycling but it all goes out the window when you are being seen for a medical emergency.
I just try to get vitamins in glass jars with plastic lids, and move my antidepressants into a glass jar. If it didn’t work- I’d be able to tell, since I get very angry and have a meltdown once it wears off. No microplastics leeching.
Meat jar... sounds like material for a really violent horror movie. :'D
💀🫙🥩
I recently switched to powder detergent and I really like it! It is the scent and dye free one by All.
if you have any bulk stores near you that sell detergent, i get powder there to support a more sustainable/local business, but I’m glad for the progress you’ve made!!
I love and appreciate how honest you were about how you've changed through the years and adapted your lifestyle.
THANK YOU for saying not everyone can go vegan!!! I have issues with having fructose, so I can't eat fruit and various vegetables, so my diet is already SO restricted... cutting meat out of my diet would make getting enough calories VERY difficult.
If I had the money to, I'd buy organic and free range, but where I am right now I can't be picky about where my food comes from, as someone else is buying most of it for me.
Some day I hope to be able to be a lot better about it, but right now, I just have to make sure I'm eating at all.
I've never understood the appeal of soap sheets. Laundry powder comes in a cardboard box and is bulk shipped to a store, whereas laundry strips have way more packaging per load, and many people have them shipped to their homes (bigger transportation footprint). Plus I've heard many reviews that they just don't work very well.
I tried them for 3 months. My clothes looked stained and dingy after that time. I liked the convenience, but I like clean clothes better.
Soap sheets are great for travel though
I use soap sheets. They are packaged in recycled paper and are compostable. It’s true that dry detergent in cardboard boxes may be a better choice though.
@@lillianbarker4292 I just learned that soap sheets contain micro plastics. So disappointed
Nicely done & honesty over perfectionism is always welcome & refreshing! There is such a a difference between the ideal & realistic in life, in many areas
2nd hand shopping for house stuff has been helpful slowly testing stuff, up grading or keeping stuff.
Trying different clothes washing and cleaning options is often tricky too
Oh, you are so lovely! Thank you for presenting this in such a gentle and honest way. I'm so happy the algorithm showed me this video. Subbing hard. :D
Also, I think presenting this type of "sustainable sustainability" in that it's sustainable for humans to do over time without losing our ever-loving minds - is soooo much more effective than presenting something 100% perfect that virtually no one can follow.
Ie. teaching and presenting low-waste lifestyle tips that 100k people can follow that might reduce their waste by 10-50% is muchhhh more effective than teaching zero-waste lifestyle tips that reduce waste up to 99% only 100 people can follow (if that, honestly).
And thank youuuu for mentioning and acknowledging the need for those of us with disabilities to need to make reasonable accommodations for our needs. This felt like a little hug to my soul. Thank you.
I am so impressed you are still doing this. 8 years is amazing. Congrats!!!
I really appreciate your honesty and candour in this video. I've been trying hard to reduce waste and plastics since 2017, but after a death in the family brought me to a nearly nonfunctioning place for a while, I had to just do the best that I could knowing that there might be a wrapper at the end of something every once in a while if it means that my home is clean and I'm fed. Leena Norms always says something like, "Impact over identity" when it comes to sustainability: we're all more effective and sustainable when we do our best as opposed to if only the people who are able to be perfect with things do it.
We do have really good recycling where I live, including a separate bin for organic waste. The city council provides a years worth of compostable bags for our kitchen caddies, and a card list of other things that can go in the organics bin. Egg cartons, pizza boxes, toilet rolls, paper towel, as well as garden waste and food scraps. The organics bin and the recycling bin are collected on alternate weeks. We can take soft plastic wrappers to the recycling centre or put them in the general trash bin. It feels really good to separate things out this way. I enjoy secondhand shops that’s how I was brought up in the 80s and I’ve continued both donating (esp. when moving house) and purchasing there; if I need a random chair or whatever that’s where I look for one.
Thank you for an amazingly well-balanced and honest video! Your comment about straws brought to mind an article I read just a few days ago. A group based at the University of Antwerp in Belgium ran tests on 39 assorted different straws looking for PFAS (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, aka "forever chemicals" known to be less than wonderful in the environment and/or the human body). The full study was published in the August 24th edition of the journal, "Food Additives and Contaminants" but the gist of it is as follows: The study checked paper, plastic, bamboo, glass, and steel straws. A total of 18 different PFAS chemicals were found in 69% of the straws. PFAS chemicals were found in 90% of paper straws, 80% of bamboo straws, 75% of plastic straws, and 40% of glass straws (the 5 different types of steel straws had *zero* PFAS content). Where I live, the county government just outlawed plastic straws in restaurants & food service sites due to "environmental and health concerns" and have been actively pushing paper instead... but it looks like no one bothered to actually check all the little-but-really-important details first. :-(
this is so interesting!! I have a few silicone straws that are wider for smoothies / boba, i'm curious about them now! theyre made from recycled food-grade silicone
Toothpaste: A tooth scientist went on a swedish public service radio show and said that us humans are actually supposed to lose our last teeth at around 40 years old but thanks to the ingrediense in commercial toothpaste we keep our teeth well into our 90s. So yeah, the commercial toothpaste stays in my home.
Mascara: Don't put stuff around the eye that hasnt been tested in a lab. Just cause your grandma spat on a charcoal cake and painted her lashes, doesnt mean you aren't going to get an eye infection.
Soap nuts: Råd och Rön, a monthly swedish magazine that tests products and informs consumers about consumer laws, put a lot of alternative laundry products to the test, and according to them: washing your laundry with soap nuts was equal to putting a whole bar of soap in the detergent department or washing with only water. Their methods for testing included a bacteria test as well as stain test.
So a lot of things may seem fine and green but are actually completely pointless.
I am with you in being cautious. I'm all for embracing sustainable alternatives, but they need a solid evidence base to ensure they're as good and don't cause harm... and in the case of things used in appliances (like washing machines or dishwasher soap) that means not only functioning, but having no detrimental impact on the lifespan of the appliance. Before I buy any sort of sustainable detergent, I want to see the metrics on what it's going to do for the life of my washing machine... that's a pretty hefty and high impact item to replace more often so needs to be part of the decision making process.
@@racheljames9187 Interesting viewpoint. I never thought of what the detergent could do to lessen the longevity of the machine. Probably why our washers are breaking down so early. They sure don't last 28 years like my mother's did! I know some of it is planned obsolescence as well.
As for washers and dryers, they typically don't last anywhere near as long as they used to. YES, It is planned obsolescence. They are designed to last a shorter period of time than they used to, so you will have to buy them more often.
But not ALL brands. Most. But NOT Speed Queen. Their home machines are EXACTLY the same as their commercial ones for laundromats, they just leave the coin boxes off. These machines last for a very long time. You won't find as many bells & whistles though. Remember this, every extra feature. is another thing that can break.
You likely won't find a gimmick like a sale either. They really don't have or need them. If you do get Speed Queen washer or dryer, help yourself and let the pros move them. THEY are heavier than their cheap counter-parts.
@@sustainfemI hear from mechanic’s channels that too much laundry detergent is also bad for your machine. They say people are using too much. I believe them. I thrift, and I put thrifted sheets into the machine with no detergent from me and you should see how many bubbles come out! It took four cycles to get all the detergent out! So much wasted water too.
12:28 don't worry about that. Please share your tips and experiences!! I had a "zero waste phase" and I kindof burned out researching it and advertising (I can't remember the correct word rn, but this is the closest one I can think of) zero waste living and green thinking and all that. I stopped almost everything I had changed because of that and also some health problems. But I'm relearning it, just with not as much pressure on myself. Low waste and small changes are still better than no changes!!
This is the second video of yours I've watched and I already love it! It's a more realistic outlook on this lifestyle and I'll genuinely use some of the things you share (for example, I'll do a franken-soap bar, I hate those tiny leftovers bits). So don't listen to those people, keep on doing what works for you and thank you for sharing all this!
Thanks for this video. I have stopped making my own deodorant. It was such a mess, and even though it worked, it kind of stained all my t-shirts. So now I use ones from good companies with minimal cardboard packaging. Easy peasy. But I still love my collapsible silicone coffee cup; that goes with me everywhere 🙂. Perhaps not the most sustainable material, but I've avoided using a whole lot of disposable cups in the past 8 years that I've had it . . .and I can sometimes bring home (Food) leftovers in it as well.
I got into using about 4-5 drops of tea tree oil several years ago. Not for everyone but what I like is no deodorant buildup in my clothes ever and it keeps me smelling bad all day.
A large Costco bottle lasts me about a year.
I so appreciate your candidness and just this video in general! I have a really hard time with feeling like i need to do everything perfectly when it comes to environmentally impactful decisions. So much so that I struggled with disordered eating for quite a while because I didnt want to buy/eat things that came in plastic or had environmentally/socially harmful ingredients like chocolate or palm oil.
I really loved you talking about how you had to switch from soap berries partially because of the impact they had on YOU and your productivity. Just trying our best is the most important thing and we can't take care of the environment without also taking care of ourselves ❤️
Hi I discovered your channel through TH-cam algorithm and I subscribed. :)
I particularly like the end when you mention that your old plastic container is a lot more sustainable than buying a brand new container that is made of substainable material.
Welcome to the channel! ✨✨
I had to realize that "natural fibers" weren't always 100% natural. Trying to compost I have found that at least in the US, stuff like bamboo clothing is typically made with an underlayer of nylon or polyester..... As long as it is 2% or less they don't have to declare it on the lable.
The vast majority of the time thread is based on polyester 🤫
All the bamboo fabric I have ever heard of is rayon made from very chemical intensive processes that makes me question it being classified as a natural fiber.
@@lisapippin1695 I don't. I am at this point going with 100% cotton, linen or linen/cotton blends, and organic or imported wool (I react to most of the chemicals used to clean it in the US).
@@Gittemary I can get thread in cotton, and so far the 100% cotton items I've used in the garden as weed barrier are composting down just fine. But finding 100% cotton is the bigger hurdle.
Hand spinner here. Most bamboo fiber is a nylon/polyester made of bamboo. At least in the spinning world. You can get bast fibers, but they're hard to find and expensive. I assume they go through a retting process like linen to release the fibers, but I've never looked into that. Its not my favorite thing to spin.
Cotton can also be problematic. It takes a lot of water and, here in the US, a lot of pestacides because of the boll wivel infestation. Its recommended not to pick up lose cotton bolls along the road side after harvest because of the amount of pesticides used. In the cotton belt it is illegal to grow cotton near a cotton farm, and wild cotton is actively sought out and destroyed because it cross polonates so easily. If a all white field cross polonates with a green ornamental, the next years crop is going to be a disaster!
With wool I don't know. I react to some yarns but not others. Superwash yarns and spinning fiber don't bother me. Nor does raw fleece (fleece with no processing except pulling out the nastier bits.) So I think its the dye or something else used in processing. It could be the type of wool as each breed has different properties. Some are corser then others. Which would make it more of a sensitivity issue instead of an allergy.
Anyway, I hope this helps. I apologize for any spelling errors. My autocorrect doesn't always work on youtube. No idea why.
Depending on where you live you don't need anything fancy to wash your clothes.
I'm from Northern Germany and have, since a few years, done our laundry with chestnuts (called horse chestnuts or buckeye) and vinegar.
The chestnuts are growing locally around here and can be gathered for free when they're in season in autumn.
Gather enough and store them well and they'll last you a full year until next harvest time.
You don't need soap berries if you live in areas where chestnuts grow. Collect a bunch (if you want to use them for white laundry, you also somehow need to remove the brown skin) and crush them and dry them and voila you have laundry detergent. Alternatively, use ivy (NOT the poison ivy)
I have been buying in 2nd hand stores glass milk bottles from companies that are local and no longer in business, or i find them in the garbage and clean them. I use them as dry storage for my pantry. also found out when going to bulk bin store to replenish my spices, plastic bottles and jars way lighter than glass mason jars. So reuse my peanut butter jars for spices till I get home and then transfer them to my glass storage jars. Been looking into WW2 food rationing videos for recipes and tips to reuse, mend and uptick my veggie consumption and lower my animal protein (also great because of my kidney disease doc says more veggie protein and less animal - so win-win situation). Also for medicines I have to use a monthly inhaler and they come in these aluminum "bowls". I wash them out and use them as condiment bowls and recycle the box it comes in. the rest of it sadly I can't recycle due to materials but still working on it. and yes, I stopped using the soap nuts too. they were smelling vinegary and would mold. So I buy big plastic container of detergent, cut down on how much laundry I do, and use vinegar instead of fabric softener sheets.
I never got on board with buying the reusable bamboo cutlery. I have perfectly good utensils in my drawer plus free reusable plastic sets I got in my undergrad
I love your honesty 😊. You are totally correct on saying that you can live totally zero waste in a world that is not set up for it. I have been recycling for over 2 decades and wearing second hand clothes for about 16 years, both i found to be easy to do and maintain. It takes a tiny amount of effort at first and then it's second nature. I know have a list of things that I need or want on my phone so that if I go to a thrift store i know what to look for, it's so helpful.
I made my own hand salve and won't do it again! It took a ton of detergent to get the beeswax off of everything 😁. Thank you for your videos. I love them and I love your logic about using what we already have!🌷
I carry a fabric pouch with metal utensils in my bag and also a collapsible Tupperware when I got out to eat. And I try not to use starws (I hate when you order a beverage and they put the straw in for you)... you can drink from the cup without a straw... (for people without disabilities of course)
Thanks for mentioning that being able to have a straw is important for disabilities! So often I see people talking about issues with no awareness of how it affects disabled folks and it means a lot to see that as part of the discussion 🎉
I did a presentation for my Environmental Biology class about fashion waste. Rayon is technically plant based because it's made from wood pulp, but is treated with some nasty chemicals to make it into a soft fiber. Add in what you said about bamboo not being so great. I could talk all day about this stuff honestly
I absolutely LOVED this video! Especially the end, where you say you don't have to go after the "sustainability aesthetic". Yes, girl! ❤
As for soapnuts I have been using locally picked up chestnuts that are falling down the trees here in my area :)
I have tried homemade mascara and also bought the one that comes in a wee tin, rather than a plastic tube. But it was always so messy and I did not enjoy using it at all.
This was very refreshing, thank you for speaking on this!!
So nice to hear somebody with brain talking about important information. This is the way to educate ❤
Really love this more honest take on eco friendly living. I hated soap nuts because they were way less convenient and I felt like nothing got clean. You can only do what you can live every day.
I think yes what you have is best. Side note: we use what we LOVE so if you will use that fancy stainless steel container I think get it but try and pick up second hand or from a small business maybe ❤
I heard that you can make liquid soap from soap berries by boiling them, I think if you did that for a big batch and froze them in cubes it would be easier to use if you like how they work for your laundry and want to use up the last of the soap berries you already have.
I found your channel yesterday (or one day before?) and I'm blown away how many NEW informations I geht our of your videos after watching such videos for years - WOW! 😮
I quit using tooth tablets after going to the dentist and having them comment on my teeth in a negative way and asking me what I was doing differently. When I told them they told me to go back to my old toothpaste because they could see a noticeable difference in 6 months.
Same here! I got cavites for the first time in my life, thankfully I was able to reclassify them after switching back to my normal toothpaste.
I'm worried about something like this happening, so I take the L on this one and just make sure I use toothpaste with recyclable packaging.
Same! Once I stopped using fluoride I developed cavities and my dentist told me to go back immediately
The biggest change I have made over the past decade or so of trying to reduce my environmental impact is allowing myself not to be perfect. One of the first things I did was stop drinking water from single-use plastic bottles. I had always carried a reusable bottle, but I became absolutely militant about not drinking from disposable plastic bottles to the point of denying myself necessary hydration if I forgot my water bottle. I've probably used less than two dozen disposable plastic bottles in the past decade, but at one time, even one would have been too many. I have realized that perfection is not possible and saving one plastic bottle is not worth actively damaging my health.
I love the detergent sheets just for practical reasons! Less storage space required and awesome for travelling.
Even if plastic is required for manufacturing, the reduced transportation and container plastic is a nice boost compared to liquid.
Thank You for sharing your ideas and also sharing your personal experiences over time. I like to use Op shops, Thrift shops and secondhand shops, also using what we have rather then having to have the newest fad item I have noticed that over time my waste level has gone down and I think that is mainly due to awareness. I work in a nursing home and we use paper straws for the residents who need straws. 🤗
I love that you’re practical & sensible.
Thank you for this video. The comment about aesthetics was spot on. The capitalist solution to wanting to consume less has been to...buy more stuff or be given more stuff in situations where organizations want to show they're helping you. Getting stuff you don't need like that is wasteful!
This seems a really honest and vulnerable account of anyone's journey to be a more aware and sustainable being. The ultimate outcome is to be a step further forward in our sustainable journey.
Powedered detergent is awesome
Highly concentrated and packaged in simple cardboard boxes ever since I remember
Thank you for being realistic - there are so many "zero-waste" influencers who lie about the things they do or use to help the environment... some things are just not practical or safe sobI'm glad you keep it real by sharing what works and what doesn't.
I still put small plastic in a container. There's no place around here that takes plastic bricks but for me I feel better trying to keep it out of the landfill in hopes that I can donate them soon. As an American, you're right we're in a system designed to fail so I try not to feel bad about what I can't tackle.
that’s great! I’m glad doing that helps you feel good too! do your best and advocate for the rest ◡̈
Thank you for another great video! I relate to all this... I have never been "zero waste", though at the beginning (for me that was about 7 years ago) I did try... I remember the moment I realized, at a local market where I was buying "package free" cheese directly from the maker, that the big wheels of cheese where actually shrink-wrapped for transport and then displayed without it. The market was local, but the maker was not... I was in shock. I realized that I may not be bringing plastic into my home, but that was a drop in the ocean of single-use plastic that industries and business use. So, I cried a little and then changed how I was doing things, which also meant my family started liking me again :D because I had been driving everyone nuts with my freak outs about every single piece of plastic.
I still make laundry detergent and dish soap because they work and I am happy using them. I also make my deodorant for the same reason, but I no longer make toothpaste or shower gel because well... they were not working. I buy local as much as I can, I buy used clothes and learnt how to fix the clothes I own, I grow veggies, bake bread and cook from scratch as much as I can. And sometimes I can't and now I am ok with that. I still get upset and sad and depressed - mostly when I watch your impact videos, to be honest... - about how a lot of things are done (the one about used clothes really blew my mind, btw), but I know I am doing what I can without losing myself in the process.
Keep up your amazing work, you inspire a lot of people and your honesty about how you've changed and your life choices have changed over the years is much appreciated. 💚💚
Thank you for your honesty! Thank you for being relatable and balanced. You have encouraged me to live more sustainably without extremes or heaps of guilt.
P.S. - your accent is a delight!
Our ordinary horse chestnuts can be used in laundry :D they just need hot water to release the saponins (ie. shake them in a jar with hot water and use liquid to wash) and... they are for free! :D
Thanks for your honesty and transparency. None of us are perfect and rewiring our lifestyles out of old consumerism into more deliberate consumption is really hard.
For detergent and soap and stuff, we actually have a soap exchange store here where you bring your own container and they fill it with the product (they have a huge bulk supply) so you avoid the packaging. They have laundry and dishwasher detergent, cleaning products, soaps, shampoo, conditioner, etc.
good for you! some products get better over the years, some worse. good luck trying to keep track!!!
I always learn from your videos. Thank you for your transparency and honesty.