The ick factor over dirt and germs leads us to buy stuff over and over and over rather than simply washing quality items we buy or make once an reuse over and over.
reusables
Unpaper Towels
You can survive without paper towels. Use rags, sponges and these unpaper towels made out of soft, absorbent flannel fabric.
Go Zero-Waste in 31 Days
Adopt a zero-waste life in 31 days. As you accomplish each task in this plan, you’ll slash your waste, reduce your carbon footprint, eat better, save money, reduce stress and more.
8.3 Billion Reasons to Choose Reusable Produce Bags
Back in March of 2017, I hosted my first of several reusable produce bag sewing meetups. During that initial get-together, a group of us sewed about 50 bags in one afternoon. People took some of the bags home to use, I donated a handful to the kitchen in my intentional community and the rest I […]
How to Sew a Bento Bag
Family, friends and coworkers, please stop reading now… And if you don’t sew, you can also skip this post and buy the original bento bag from Ambatalia, a small, locally owned producer of gorgeous textile goods made from natural fibers and purveyor of daily essentials to help you live “a non-disposable life.” Check out Ambatalia’s […]
9 Items I Banned from My Kitchen and How I Replaced Them
In 2011, my daughter MK and I decided we would try to live without plastic. Because I’ve been at this for a while, I take for granted many of the early changes we made back then to wean ourselves off of the stuff. But with all the welcome press lately on the plastic pollution crisis […]
Why and How to Shop by Bike
I enjoy shopping for most of my food on my bike. A few people over the years have asked me to write a blog post about this. Here it is… The benefits 1. You save money I can fit only so much food on my bike when I shop so I buy only what I […]
Start Here
Updated 06/06/18 Want to break up with plastic but don’t know where to start? Start Here Top 3 Ways to Break Up With Plastic Eat real food, not food wrapped in plastic. Processed food, convenience food and to-go food almost always come in plastic wrappers and containers. Real food you cook yourself does not. Refuse […]
Do It for the Cash
Let’s say you don’t care about the environment at all. All you care about is money. Why? Well, perhaps you’re testing the theory that money can’t buy you happiness—and you demand first-hand proof. Maybe you have a psychological disorder—greed may be just that. Or possibly you look forward to living in the most unequal society […]
7 Starter Steps to Zero Waste
Adjusting to a new shopping/cooking/living routine took us a few months. We had to figure out which stores had the best bulk options—and which would allow us to fill up using our own containers. We had to plan ahead more. Gone were the days of running to the store for a plastic tub of sour […]
5 Tips for a Zero-Waste Romantic Dinner
Holidays generate so much trash! Don’t let love blind you to an overflowing garbage bin this Valentine’s Day. 1. Plan your menu in advance Planning makes zero-waste success possible—and not just on Valentine’s Day. For example, let’s say I need sour cream for a dish. I merely have to stir a spoonful of cultured buttermilk into […]