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For every 5 bags of food, the average American throws away 2 bags.
For the month of August, I completed the #reducefoodwaste project over on Instagram inspired by the book "Waste Free Kitchen" by Dana Gunders. It was quite a learning experience and you think you know stuff, you are schooled yet again. Fitting as I am writing this recap in September while many are back to school.
Read moreBe an Earth Hero: Practical Green Gifts for People and the Planet
11 of the Best Zero Waste Hacks From Your Favorite ZW Instagrammers
“Innovation is taking two things that already exist and putting them together in a new way.”
The Zero Waste community continues to impress me. I’ve learned so much from people who are thinking out of the box and finding new ways to use things to reduce waste and extend the life of things. While I’ve been trying to reduce my social media usage (trying!), it’s been through social media that I’ve found the best tips for reducing waste. A refreshing change since most of media pushes you to buy something new.
Read moreZero Waste Home Renovations: What's Possible?
We just recently moved into our new condo and had a few things to repair and renovate to make it ours. I was daunted at the work ahead of us, but also the fact that I wanted to ensure we didn’t generate so much waste in the process. Home renovations can be one of the most wasteful processes out there. Sometimes, we don’t see it because we only see the final end result. This was also our first major project as we’ve been renters all of this time. The reality though is that it’s nearly impossible to do a home renovation without generating waste, but there are steps that you can do to reduce waste and harm to the environment.
Read moreI’ve been doing a series over on Instagram #100WaysSaveMoneySaveThePlanet and in my research, it’s rare that I came across personal finance books and blogs that talk about the relationship of our consumption on our wallet and the planet. So for this post, I wanted to do a roundup of posts that highlight this message that if we want to save money, we have to start caring about the Earth. If you note some of these blogs, they are more in the personal finance / financial independence world and are pretty influential.
Read moreThe Complete Guide to Zero Waste Coffee
Coffee, then adulting.
I don't describe myself as a coffee addict. I can make it through many days without drinking coffee. Most days, I only drink half a cup, but regardless coffee remains a staple in our household. My husband drinks it everyday and my husband and I go on coffee dates often. We've tried all kinds of ways to drink coffee: pour over, French press, espresso machine, and instant (occasionally) so I thought I would break down what each one takes and how you can reduce your waste.
Read morePodcast interview and talking talking trash.
Mic check!
I had the opportunity to sit down with Barbara Lee of Trashy Beauty Co and her podcast Trash Talking with Eco Warriors. If you knew me a few years ago, the word "sustainability" was not in my vocabulary. I was your typical consumer. Caught up in wanting the next best thing. It wasn't until a car accident made me re-think the way I consumed. I share this story and how I started the path of minimalism and low waste. I hope you'll get a chance to listen in and listen in to the other interviews Barbara has done with other women (and men) in the conservation, sustainability and green business space. So much inspiration and so many people doing good in the world. Please support them.
Read moreIs the internet zero waste?
One of the things that eventually comes up with someone who lives or attempts to live a zero waste life or blogs about it is the hypocrisy that comes with it. No matter how you slice or dice it, we all generate waste. Zero waste is not all or nothing. Zero waste is currently not possible in the current system that we have, but it doesn't mean we can't try to have a low impact and reduce the amount of waste that we all produce.
Perhaps, the biggest thing that is definitely not zero waste is the use of the internet.
Read moreFor the month of March on Instagram, I'll be going through some aspects of how life was when I was growing up in the Philippines. You can read more about that here. I have also partnered with a few great companies to do some giveaways in March. There's been a lot of discussion about zero waste and how sometimes among the white walls and perfect portrayals of neatly stacked jars, privilege reigns. I'm lucky to be where I am today. My parents sacrificed a lot to come to the U.S. as immigrants. As with everyone else, our life perspectives will be different. Mine contains a glimpse of life in a country that did not have a luxury, but we made do with what's possible. Fast forward years later and I am lucky that I do not have to struggle to meet my basic needs and can therefore spend my time and money on other things. I recognize that zero waste as a movement isn't necessarily about getting the latest gear, but learning to understand what it means to consume and how to consume in a way that doesn't harm the environment. As someone who also just went through the zero waste transition and continues to make changes (the journey never ends), I wanted to giveaway a few items to help others break away from wasteful habits.
Read moreI'm joining EarthHero on their March Zero Waste Challenge, but I'm going to be doing a bit of a different spin on it. I'm borrowing a page from Heidi over at zerowastechica and Olivia at zerowastehabesha and will showcase how cultures have been living sustainability before "zero waste" became a trend and got its own hashtag. I grew up in the Philippines until I was 9 and went back several times since then (though not as often as I would have liked). I remember a lot of the things we did to save resources and use up as much as we could. Many cultures around the world have been preserving the Earth and doing what they can without the label. While it wasn't termed "zero waste", the concept of sustainability has been around since the dawn of time.
Read moreFirst of call, congrats on your new lifestyle. Whether you are on a minimalist or a zero waste journey, you've made a choice for yourself. Unfortunately, while this new lifestyle is making you happy, others in your close circle may not understand it and may judge and criticize you. Of course, this isn't fair, but as we know, we are the only ones that have control of our thoughts and our actions. It's hard to change other people's minds especially if they are not ready to change.
Read moreI am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
With only a few days left in 2017, I wanted to reflect on my zero waste goals for 2017. While I didn't have lofty goals and certainly am still not able to fit all of my trash into a mason jar, I believe I've made great progress. It's always good to stop and review progress as this informs what you need to work on. I've loved that fact that people term this "a journey" because it definitely certainly is. For me, I'm in my 30's and I didn't know about the concept of "zero waste" until last year so I have 30 years of habits and external influences that I personally need to battle
This post is not meant to brag, but to celebrate some of my wins as they will ultimately build up my confidence for greater and better things and perhaps convince others to start with something small.
Read moreHow to reduce waste this Thanksgiving and all holidays.
In a few week’s time, the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a wonderful holiday that brings family and friends together and kick off the holiday season in the States. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving happens to also be one of the most wasteful holidays out there. Isn’t it ironic that we celebrate and show gratitude for abundance with a lot of waste? This year will be my second year celebrating Thanksgiving with a zero waste mindset. What does this all mean, it means consciously consuming and ensuring that all of the food that you and millions of people have worked so very hard to put on the table does not go to waste. For me, a lot of living a zero waste lifestyle is preparation. Here’s my plan for this Thanksgiving. I know we will have dinner at my parents house so I will be encouraging family members to reduce as much waste consumption as possible.
Read moreHow Zero Waste Practices Builds Your Self Confidence
Most mornings, I walk and listen to Tim Ferriss podcasts. I've been a huge fan of his for awhile and sometimes take on an experiment or two that he suggests. In episode #250, Tim answers questions from his fans. One of the questions asked was "How to Become More Confident?" Tim cites a few experiments with one of them suggesting that you lay on the ground for 30 seconds without saying a thing on a crowded street. Another was asking for a 10% discount on your coffee 2-3 times without any background or explanation. The point was to get you to do something different and unconventional to get over fear. Fear of rejection, fear or standing out, fear of looking stupid or uncool, etc.
I thought about doing this as a self experiment, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that I already do this and in retrospect it has improved my confidence level overall.
Alright, let me explain how this all ties in with zero waste practices.
Read moreZero Waste Period: Menstrual Cup and Reusable Pads
My experience with the menstrual cup and how I became a convert to the Diva Cup. My journey to reduce waste continues and this time I’m tackling the monthly flow.
Read moreSince learning about the zero waste movement, I've learned a lot in the past year. I've learned some of the lingo being used. I've learned key takeaways. I've learned the core necessities of a zero waster. While I am not 100% a zero waster (who really is though?), I'm striving to be. Here are some of the lessons I've learned on this journey in an A-Z format. Left side is key phrases I've started to live by and the right side as some of the object essentials.
Read moreHere it is folks, proof is in the numbers.
I've learned that it doesn't cost a lot to switch to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The key is to recognize what you use the most and find alternatives that are better for the environment. I thought I would do a quick exercise on things I've invested in starting a zero waste or low waste transition and my ROI or in this case, my savings. Now, we may not need to spend any money at all if we are handy and are resourceful. I took 3 of the top items that you can replace today.
Read moreThe plastic we use today will outlive us, our children and our grandchildren. Let's not leave that legacy. I've listed some of the popular posts below and recapped other ways we all can reduce our plastic use.
Read moreZero waste and minimalist gifts for the men in your life. Whether it be for Father's Day, birthday or any other celebration.
Read moreWhy Zero Waste Is Not Possible and Why We Still Have to Do It
Is zero waste possible?
To live a life at 100% zero waste as defined by nature is difficult to achieve. We live in a linear economy and our economic growth is tied to consumption. The challenge with this is that we must create something new to ensure our economy prospers. In "Outsmart Waste" by Tom Szaky, he goes through a great explanation of why waste occurs. Waste is a human creation and a human problem. In nature, there is no such thing as waste.
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