Not much to say here, just need a place to vent. I (22F) am almost debilitatingly aware of my waste and energy impact and as a recent college graduate with an interdisciplinary degree in ecological science ecological philosophy, these thoughts take up almost all of my brain space at all times. I also have quite severe unmedicated ADHD and am at a point in my life where I am moving constantly due to life changes/familial stuff which is always chaos and mess and the coupling of all these things is so fucked up! Just wondering how folks stay zero waste when moving and could use some advice for coping with the guilt of throwing things as a last resort away knowing they’ll end up in the landfill. I’m basically on survival mode right now and just trying to stay sane and finish moving. Much love to anyone who actually reads all of this

I am confused becuase:

1. Silicone is mined and processed to obtain the material (I dont want to say element because there may be residues/other additives) used to make the reusable wraps ,

2. Its non biodegradable (though unlike plastic it is not toxic)

3. Like plastic it is recyclable up to 3 times only

To me I still think glass/metal containers are the way to go if you want to go zero waste, let me know if there are other better alternatives.

Thanks

Ahmed

I am a designer based in Thailand. I am now collaborating with fisherman from a local village to create a zero-waste experience for their food stall, which is the tool to convey the value of their homeland through local food.

They are the fishermen group that tries to protect the sea by stopping top-down policymakers who try to turn their homeland into an industrial site. If the industrial site goes ahead, it means that their homeland will be destroyed, and all of the food that they normally catch and their livelihood, which is associated with the sea, the sea of the world, will be polluted.

We use a soft approach to convey the value of their land by exhibiting the value of the sea through a zero-waste food stall. We try conveying each element in a food stall with eco-friendly materials.

We are now trying to develop all experiences of the customers who will buy food from us to unconsciously feel that we are taking care of the world; we select all stuff neatly. So we can show that we truly save the sea for everyone in the world.

Now I am are trying to find all the relevant case studies to inspire them to change from some single use plastic container and try looking back to use an eco-frienly or natural materials instead of plastic wrap, plastic spoon and how we can include the customer to be part of our food waste management.

If anyone knows please give me some clues! Thanks a lot :D

I've been living the zero waste life for 8 years now. That first year, I told myself, "I'm gonna try tracking all the trash I generate for an entire year." And in doing so, I learned so much! By the end, all my trash for that entire year could fit into one small cardboard shipping box.

And I've kept it up...new habits became old habits. It's been a fun journey. At the same time, the further I've come, the more I'm confronted with the limits of individual action. It started with super wasteful roommates...the kind who live off Doordash, that only use disposable cutlery, that can generate a hundred times as much trash as me without batting an eye.

And roommates like that are nothing compared to the ultra-rich, the elites who run society for their benefit. The richest 1% of humanity is responsible for more carbon emissions than the poorest 66%, which still blows my mind (see the Oxfam report on climate equality). In this world, individual action is a drop in the ocean. I'm biking out of my way to avoid plastic containers at some specialty shop, while billionaires are throwing bags of trash from their private jets!

How about you? Have you thought about this? How does it make you feel? How have you acted on those feelings? It's not that I'm discouraged from my zero waste habits, and I don't wanna discourage anyone! But individual action by itself feels...incomplete. We need system change. We need regulations that make toxic waste the producer's responsibility, not the consumers. We need a ban on private jets, and other emissions crimes. We need a zero waste world, not just a zero waste community.

I’m preparing my grocery list, and trying to decide which would be a better option. Do I go for the pasta that’s made in my country or the one that has no soft plastic (no soft plastic recycling near me) my gut is saying to go with the local option but I’m not sure on the logistics of the difference of waste produced by shipping over seas compared to locally. I’m very new to zero waste and would appreciate some help.

I recently got a hearing implant and it's so WONDERFUL to be able to hear. The only downside is that it burns though batteries like mad. I try not to use battery operated devices and when I have to, I I use rechargeable batteries. Sadly, my audiologist says that the rechargeable batteries don't work correctly with my processor. I use a new battery every other day and they add up quickly. I had been taking them to the local recycling center but they changed providers and don't accept batteries anymore. So i started saving them and driving them into the city when i had appointments or whatnot. It's a 70 mile round trip but now they stopped taking batteries too.

I've got two gallon milk jugs full of used batteries and i have no idea where to take them to be recycled anymore and I LOATHE the idea of throwing them in the trash. Please help me, sub!

I’ve got 3 optical disks that are unreadable today (One is scratched, two have browning around the edges), I’ve decided to reuse them as coasters for drinks, but I was wondering if I can get more unreadable discs. It doesn’t matter the source (if it’s a bad burned disc or something).

I'm more of a low-waste person and I had bleached my hair around a year ago. Since then, I've only bought two jars of hair dyes and one jar lasts me for around 6 months. Should I completely avoid hair dyes or is it okay to use it? I'm not aware of how harmful hair dyes are for the environment so if anyone can give me insights that'd be awesome.

Hey everyone,

My friend is working for a new client in the e-commerce industry in the sustainability and social impact niche. The store aims to be the Amazon for Green Brands. And she is very excited to take it to the next level.

Since I work in this area too, I told her to be open about the brand’s impact in areas like carbon emissions, waste, or ethical sourcing. She also needs to be specific about it, right?

She asked me if there’s any way to quantify the company's impact in these areas.

Do any of you have any experience in this area?

If yes, what were the biggest challenges you faced in measuring these metrics?

Also, are there any specific tools or resources that you found helpful? I'm particularly interested in recommendations for e-commerce-specific solutions that build trust with the customers of the store.

Thanks in Advance!

I bought one from Amazon. You never have to use sticky notes or paper again! Check it out! 👍😁

I’ve used this app for very good and cheap food in FL. It’s very new and few choices here. Pass it on for reducing food waste.

Image showing a bag of brown sona masoori rice

Hello! I have recently transitioned into using reusable paper towels and Swedish dish clothes. I am looking for suggestions or solutions on how to store dirty used ones before washing. My living situation doesn't have in unit laundry so I only do laundry every 1-2 weeks. How can I store used reusable paper towels without them getting moldy or smelly?

Looking to switch to a shampoo bar and would love to buy from my local natural grocer. Which of these (if any) would you recommend?

Take Haven

HiBar

Badger

Spinster Sisters

JR Liggett

Moon Valley

Attitude leaves bar

I like this one a lot, had it for about 2 years now I think? But the main front is paling a good bit due to exposure to the elements. It was more black in the beginning. Is there a dash of hope for this personal favourite?

I’ve had these jeans for three years. They fit me really well but the crotch has worn quite thing and torn as you can see. Would really like to save them if possible. They’re fully cotton

Hi there! I have to use tampons over other period products. I use applicator-free tampons. Does anyone know of a brand that *doesn't* wrap their applicator-free tampons in plastic? I'm trying to be totally plastic free. Thank!

I've got a problem with buying things. Yes I'm a maxamilist and my house has lots of decor I get either from small artists, second hand, or ive had since forever.

But I try to be responsible, lots of cloth napkins. I make my own paperless towels. I plan on when my roommates move out doing cloth toilet wipes. I have reusable period products. I try to consume whatever water i pour and if I don't use it I either pour leftover into pets bowl or into the garden outside. I'm working on getting more glass containers for food storage/leftovers instead of cheap plastic containers that break easy.

However. I have such a problem with buying stuff. Random things. Clothes. I do donate or sell clothes I don't want anymore. I get clothes second hand mostly. I try to do the same with jewelry.

But I still find myself every month buying stuff things I don't really necessarily need. I'm trying to get better at it by thinking more about the things I'm getting before I get them. I have gotten better than I'd been in the past. But I still have that consumerist mindset of "buy buy buy" "need the things" when I don't want to. I want to get more things from second hand shops (mostly goodwill here in my town).

But I am guilty of buying things new. Art supplies for example. New used etc I hoard them. I have more craft and art supplies than what I have space for and know what to do with.

I'm auDHD (autism + adhd) and Bipolar and have an addictive personality due to different factors. So I feel like shopping is my biggest addiction and struggle.

I'm on limited income as I'm on disability and I often spend beyond my means. It sucks and I hate that I do this because it's against my ideals to buy stuff I don't need or just "want in the moment".

Does anyone have ideas on how to help break the habit of "I want this so I NEED to have it"

Thanks!

I’ve been trying to transition all my things into zero waste, but one part I’m having trouble with is paper towels. My reasoning for this is that if I need to pick up poop, pee, vomit or other particularly nasty things I don’t really know the best way to clean reusable cloths that have been soiled like that. I live in an apartment building and we share a washer and dryer with other people on our floor, so I don’t feel like I should be putting gross things like that in the washer. Any advice on how to deal with this would be amazing!!

I've quit cigarettes for over a month now. This might surprise you, considering how much I used to enjoy smoking. Cigarettes were a part of my daily routine for nine years, and I truly liked them. However, while I enjoy cigarettes, I love nature more. That’s why I do not want to buy another pack(I'm trying). During those nine years, I prided myself on being a responsible smoker. I never threw my cigarette butts in the street, believing that this small action was enough to protect the environment. But I’ve come to understand that the entire tobacco process from cultivation to packaging and delivery leaves a damaging footprint on our planet.

What’s even more concerning is the behavior of major tobacco companies like Philip Morris (Marlboro), British American Tobacco (Lucky Strike), and R.J. Reynolds (Camel and, yes, American Spirit). These companies have a long history of unnecessary and cruel animal testing, and they continue these practices today. Sadly, some people believe that American Spirit is a harmless, vegan option, but the truth is, purchasing this brand still supports R.J. Reynolds and their unethical practices. If quitting smoking is difficult, and you still choose to smoke, you might consider switching to a brand from Imperial Brands (like Golden Virginia or Davidoff), which, as far as we know, doesn’t engage in animal testing.

However, it’s important to remember that even these brands aren’t free from environmental impact. The tobacco industry is a significant contributor to pollution. It’s responsible for around 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions and has been linked to deforestation, water contamination, and air pollution. The World Health Organization has accused the industry of emitting millions of tons of carbon dioxide about 84 million metric tons—and opposing regulations on the plastic used in cigarette filters. The sheer amount of water used in tobacco production—22 billion liters further exacerbates climate change and deprives vulnerable populations of safe drinking water.

Compared to the average sugar consumer, a smoker’s impact on the environment is staggering. Smoking contributes almost five times more to water depletion, nearly ten times more to fossil fuel depletion, and four times more to climate change. The air pollution caused by cigarettes is ten times greater than that of diesel car exhaust you find it hard to quit smoking, I understand, and it’s commendable if you make an effort not to litter. But don’t fool yourself into thinking that your actions have no consequences. By supporting these companies, you’re contributing to climate change and other environmental issues that threaten our planet. Stay safe!

I need to take this fibre supplement every day, and as far as I can tell it only comes in these #2 plastic jars. I'd love to buy bulk powder, but can't find any online. I can recycle the bottles but I am bothered by the huge waste of plastic here in my otherwise relatively frugal consumption. Any thoughts?

https://preview.redd.it/bq0w5zpd8wmd1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b3ea40fbef3aadba248520d0b3590214d2e7eeb

I have quite a large tear in the mesh on my shoes. What would be the best method for repairing this tear and giving me the most seamless result possible? Sowing could work but as it’s a mesh material it may look out of place.

Please feel free to share videos and links!

I talked with a friend about canned vs. frozen corn recently, and my mind went to the comparisons:

• Cans' BPS lining (as bad as BPA but not checked for by companies as they should)
• Sea salt in certain cans (microplastics ingestion), even despite my washing the corn before using

Versus...

• The literal cost of how much more energy the freezer would expend over time, due to the additional substance of the corn occupying space in the freezer and needing chilling
• The metal of cans being (probably?) environmentally superior to frozen products' plastic packaging

I think of trying to determine how long it would take for me to go through X amount of corn to determine which might be better. Does anyone else have these sorts of hyper-detailed comparative thoughts, almost effortlessly or even subconsciously so?

EDIT: Dang, 73 views in 6 minutes lol. Post insights are so interesting.

EDIT #2: I probably used the wrong wording because this does not cause me anguish or stress! It's more like something further to consider before buying.

I searched and found a few posts in here about ecobricks, though all were a few years old. Now that ecobricks have been around for a while and even became a TikTok trend, are people feeling like they're viable long term?

Is love to hear from anyone who built something with them. How did it go and is the thing still around?

I have always composted in our backyards, but this spring, I decided to sign up for our waste company's compost, so we could compost bones and other industrial compostables. About a month ago, I watched them put the compost into the garbage truck. I called, and was told by two different people that it was a
dual" truck. I asked what this meant, and one person said that it was a split truck, another said, they sort at the end point. When I asked how they sort out compostables from garbage, she just said," we have people that do that." This is all BS, yes? I do know our waste company prides itself on being sustainable -etrucks, etc.

Seems hard to do but its proven if u eat enough fruits and vegetables or drink their juices u dont need to seperately drink water as those are extremely hydrating. I have monitored and tried this for a year and no issues. I drink alot of those single pineapple juice tins that dont have any plastic I called Dole and they said they arent lined with plastic. Also watermelons 🍉 and most fruits and veggies like celery, cucumber 🥒 are filled with water. When I do need aqua I opt for glass bottle companies.

I have been using reusable bags but I still have so many plastic and paper bags. I use the plastic bags for my garbage cans in my bathrooms, paper bags for returning cans and even when I was moving. I still have so many and they are taking up room but I’d rather reuse them, although I could recycle them. Does anyone have ideas on what to do with them?