I am a nurse at a very rural inpatient hospital and there is a LOT of medical waste. I do what I can where I can to minimize it. It's common practice to use a plastic cup to put all the medications in to transport them from the pharmacy to the patient's bedside and then throw the plastic cup away. I found this stainless steel tray at a thrift shop and picked it up for $8 USD. I just decontaminate it after each patient with some supplied bleach based spray and a rag. Sadly, the plastic med cups are mandatory and must be used and disposed, but at least I'm saving where i can.

In researching this topic I found a post I couldn't comment on so am posting this interesting seemingly well documented link about these items. Interested to hear thoughts about this topic although I realize it's been discussed plenty. Thank you!

https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/debunking-myths-about-pva-and-detergent-pods

Basically what the title says. I love soda and fizzy drinks, more ’gourmet’ drinks, kombucha, interesting beverages etc. and i don’t really want to give it up. I feel like these things can’t be made with a soda streamer. So I was wondering if it would be okay to buy drinks in glass bottles, organic & locally produced. Or are glass bottles not much of a better alternative to plastic ones?

I'm trying to cut down on waste by using reusable cotton pads for makeup removal. However I don't know to clean them in a way that won't damage my skin.

I used to use the Garnier Ecopads to remove my makeup and cleaned them using regular hand soap and running them through the laundry once a week. I ended up with rashes on my face.

Are there other ways of cleaning them or are there any makeup removers that don't require make up pads?

I have a bunch others and more that I collect the ones my friends get from dispos. I remove the labels, clean them out. I feel like it's way to nice to throw these away and there are soooo many. Any ideas?? Also side note, I'm completely befuddled that I can't find any way there's no way to recycle, reuse, or even scrap vape carts across the entire country in all legal states! I know ppl who have hundreds of empty carts in bags or boxes until they can find something to do with them

Hey all, i've made this video to keep others informed. Please do let me know here if i'm missing anything.

https://youtu.be/5MSTP9-K8Fc

I work at a hotel so people leave A LOT of completely unused or just generally good stuff behind but I'm not quite sure about this one.

It's a box of unopened Summers Eve vinegar and water douches and considering douching is not recommended, I dont want to give them away for its intended use. I'm wondering what else it could be good for? Maybe cleaning something else?

Ingredients include: water, sodium chloride, vinegar, citric acid, sodium benzoate.

I was thinking if nothing else, I could empty them out and use the bottles for something. (Also taking recommendations for that of anyone has ideas)

I hate throwing away completely unused products but I'm at a loss for ideas and my apartment is too small to store a box to just collect dust.

So I’m attempting to fix an old gas blower. Long story short it took much more effort and time than anticipated. I basically had to remove all the plastics and pull apart the motor from the base to be able to get to the pull start.

Then figure out how it worked because it unraveled and I didn’t know how pull starts worked. Figured it out.

I got the hard part out the way. Now it’s just rebuilding or replacing the carburetor and fuel lines.

Any way. I had some bystander input saying that they would have just shot it and thrown it away. Or got a side job to pay for a new one, or used my time and effort doing more useful things. They’re just teasing all in good fun, you know.

But my argument is, I’m learning how to do something that they didn’t know how.

For sure. I could have worked an extra shift at my job to pay for a really nice one in just one days of work.

Hey, guys! A friend of mine is thinking about launching a sustainable coffee brand, and trying his best to make the product ecosystem 100% sustainable as possible. I was wondering if anyone here has any experience in launching and building sustainable businesses in 2024.

He is really passionate about it - no gimmicks. He is genuinely passionate about this—no gimmicks. From certifications to overall design, manufacturing, supply chains, and the distribution process, I am curious to know how a business like this can be built and scaled while remaining sustainable throughout.

I'm really interested in learning about the tools and roadmaps that could help him and his team make their product system as sustainable as possible. Additionally, would it be beneficial for him to engage third-party consultants or organizations that specialize in sustainability? Anything helps, guys! thanks in advance.

I have a lot of unused sweatshirts I've been given, but really don't like them due to sensory issues (they're probably all 100% polyester). I was thinking of making a quilt but don't really know how. Are there any other ways to repurpose them?

Hi guys! Before i learned of the zero waste movement i didn't care about plastic and built something like what is shown in the picture. I knew the baskets would eventually wear out and break. Back then i would just throw them away and buy more. Well, here I am now with some crumbling plastic baskets and need a replacement. I can't seem to find a good replacement that is durable or reusable to replace the baskets. Any ideas? I would love a "Buy it for life" swap with something like metal mesh, but nothing's coming up in my searches.

TIA!

Hi everyone, I sorted through my period products today, and gathered around 40-50 pads I don’t want. I know myself well enough to know I’m not going to use them-there’s nothing wrong with them, they’re just the standard size/thickness and I prefer the larger ones. Can I donate them to a local food pantry or shelter? Obvi they’re unused. They’re all individually wrapped but they aren’t in the box anymore. Will shelters/other charities take them if I bring them in in a ziplock bag? If not, any other ideas of what to do with them?

Hello everyone! I just saw this article regarding the ban of the plastic bag because of the planet. They are talking about how what it matter is what we buy than what we Carrey it in, Are you agree? What else could we do more to help? And what is the best way to protect the environment when we shop?

In how they're manufactured and the ingredients necessary to make them and finally a person using them, which is worse for the environment?

I've been learning to cook, and I bought green onions for a recipe. They're sold in bigger bundles than I needed, but I couldn't bring myself to throw out the extra. So, I put them in water with a couple drops of 10-10-10 NPK plant food, and they took off! They look bigger and healthier than any I've seen at the store.

Whenever I need some green onion for a recipe, I just cut however many shoots I need, and they typically grow back in 1-2 weeks.

I’m wondering if the y’all know of any reusable candle jars. I want to refill the glass Opalhouse jars that I have but I read that sometimes the glass can crack when used again. I don’t want to throw them away but I also use candles a lot and I’d like to cut down on how many jars I use for candles.

I go thru this oatmilk real fast and i feel bad for tossing these cartons. Not sure that they’re recyclable. Any ideas on how to reuse/repurpose them?

I’m an administrative assistant in an office, and last year I got really into sustainability and started switching out a lot of the things we use in the office for more sustainable options.

There is a bowl by our front desk that had individually wrapped mints in it, so I asked my boss if he would mind if I replaced them with mints that were not wrapped, and he said go for it. He also loves buttermints (pillow mints) and that was about the only type of mint i could find that came in a big bag that I could just dump into this bowl, and that’s how i’ve been dealing with it for almost a year.

However, this year I went vegan, and I started thinking about how these mints are made with butter. I’ve been searching for a mint that isn’t individually wrapped that doesn’t contain animal product with no luck. So what’s the lesser of two evils in this case?

I've been using them for a while but recently tried going back to disposable and noticed I don't need as much micellar water to remove make up as less gets absorbed straight into the pad. Given my micellar water comes in a plastic bottle it's difficult to know which is the more sustainable option if using resumable padsmeans I'm using more product which ultimately means more plastic bottles

What are some ways to use up apple peels?

Im processing a lot of apples today and Im wondering how some people use the peels.

Note: Google says apple cider vinegar, apple chips, and apple tea. I'm looking for other options that aren't those.

Hi! I love magazines and physical media. I get the weekly New Yorker and weekend local newspaper. I used to get the paper everyday before realizing I didn’t read every article and it was wasteful.

I really love physical magazines, and I read them on train ride commutes, during lunch. I am a big reader (although besides some 4 real favorites and some on Kindle, I only get library books and Libby) and I am pretty good about being low waste generally. I actually think I’m really great about it, not super difficult and it makes me so happy

but whats a good use for them? I just don’t like reading on my computer. so easy to scroll for hours, I get headaches, and I don’t like it. It’s at least not a super harmful activity that genuinely I enjoy so im not so eager to cancel it even if it’s the right decision 😅 but I do want to try!

any advice on what to do w them?

I recently read a question of-
Can you wash and reuse a zip-top-style bag?
Short answer-YES

Even if you toss them at least recycle them effectively- Ridwell, Grocery stores or you can Google who does recycle PlASTIC FILM in your area. Take the step!!

Are they single-use NO!. SC Johnson Please don't think that "throwing them away" is any kind of answer. That bag will last 400 years.... fact. Not to mention the numerous places where the pieces and parts will end up.

Checkout Bagwasher.com Sign up and just get excited about #reducing #plasticwaste

I go spearfishing a lot, and am constantly thinking of ways to use the entire catch and not just the fillets.

For example, I recently made this Chinese-style creamy milky fish soup noodles out of the head, bones, and scraps of a hefty fish I caught (recipe in comments)

Does anyone have any other recipes they like for using the whole fish?

https://preview.redd.it/vgf6a8jmsojd1.jpg?width=3376&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1be85685dc714d73e65704e2b07e57f46ed811b

FIL brought red and green grapes (what do you call them in English? Purple and green?) and we can't eat so much. A few already have gnats around. What can I do with them? No alcohol related ideas pls, 4 months sober.

I sorted out the tempered glass from the window pane glass using my phone and polarized sunglasses. Using different size sifters, I sorted out the glass by size to get the very fine glass and round glass sorted out. I took the very fine glass and sand and placed it in a garbage bag tied it up and placed it in the trash unless there is a way to recycle that too.

I sorted out the jar glass by color too. And recycled it in with glass jars at a drop off site. I also had broken twisty CFL bulb that a sorted out and put it a bag with other broken cfls, that I'm going to take to Battery Plus Bulbs. I just need to find a place to recycle the leftover sorted out broken Tempered glass and Window pane glass or something besides leaving it in the landfill. I was wondering if 1 800 Got Junk can do it. If any one out can help me with this that would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

For some reason, only one of my pads have this weird old moldy water smell to it and it’s horrible. I have no idea how to get rid of the smell

I clean my pads hand wash, then air dry, then I throw it into a mesh bag with all of my other dirty hand washed pads to be thrown into the wash with the rest of my clothes later in the week and then I take the pads out to air dry again

None of them have this smell except for one!!

TL;DR: what would be the best platform these days for a hyper local zero waste / free item giveaway group?

I moved to a new build complex with apartments and townhouses and have some things (like extra craft supplies etc) that I won’t use but can’t bear to throw out. In previous apartments that I have lived people have used the garbage room to leave free stuff for others but that isn’t an option in this place as there isn’t really space and they are already threatening people with fines for not putting their garbage in the bin.

I would love to start a group where people post things they want to get rid of (or need) for this place. Previously I would have gone with a Facebook group but I’m not sure people use Facebook anymore, and it seems to be a lot of younger people here. Any suggestions on what platform might be best for this? Anybody part of something similar where they live that could offer advice?

Hey all! I’m in the market for a new toothbrush and toothpaste and I’m looking for alternatives. I have previously used bamboo toothbrushes but I find they need to be replaced more frequently. I have also tried the toothbrush where you just have to buy replacement heads instead the whole toothbrush. These have worked well in the past but are expensive and have incredibly excessive packaging for what they are. I’m also interested in a more sustainable toothpaste option. I have previously used toothpaste tabs but are hard to come by where I live, I’m not aware of any better options. I am curious what everyone else has been using and if there’s certain brands that are better than others. Thanks! :)