If you love Halloween but not all the waste that comes with it, you have options to celebrate sustainably without sacrificing any of the fun.
second hand
Is Zero Waste Right for You? Ask Your Trash Can

Do you feel overwhelmed by your stuff? Stressed? Anxious? Does the sight of plastic strewn about the streets send you into convulsions or bouts of swearing? It’s time to try Zero Waste™.
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 […]
Meet Frank, the Zero-Waste Hamster

My youngest daughter, who asked I use a fake name for her in this post—let’s call her C—repeatedly asked me for a hamster this summer. C: Can we get a hamster? Me: Bootsy will eat it. C: I’ll keep it in my room with the door shut. Me: Meh. C: All of a mother’s problems disappear when she […]
Amnesia of Things Past

Yesterday, I attended an antique fair in Moss Landing, just north of Monterey. I bought the two honeycomb shaped ice-cube trays pictured below. Not only do these ice-cube trays replace icky plastic, they evoke childhood memories.
5 Tips for a Zero-Waste Breakup

1. If you crave chocolate In your distress, resist the urge to reach for a Snickers or Hershey Bar. These are packaged in plastic, filled with nasty ingredients and you know you deserve better. Don’t settle. Go to a candy store or hit the bulk aisles where you can buy some quality zero-waste chocolate, or […]