(Part 2) Top products from r/ZeroWaste

Perhaps minimalism might be a thing to research about- it isn’t always about having the least amount of things, it is about having value in the things you own. If some of those toys don’t bring value to your life anymore, maybe it is time to think of another home for them. It is okay to have some things!

As for art supplies, there are lower waste options out there, you do not have to give up a hobby and live a dull life. There are other places in your life where you can cut down on your waste!

ECOHIGHLIGHTERS
Eco-Highlighters, like colored pencils, but are larger. They come wrapped in plastic though from what the customer pictures show. Though from reading about them they do seem to have more good to compensate.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014N7CKOE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-.W6CbCXX1MJN


Colorcycle by Crayola
https://www.crayola.com/colorcycle?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app



The 5 R’s are the best way to navigate a low-waste journey: https://zerowastehome.com/2011/09/28/how-to-get-started/

In case you are looking for more, I’ll link a few YouTube channels that have good zero waste information :)

Shelbizzlee: highly recommend https://m.youtube.com/user/Shelbizleee

Sustainably Vegan: highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkq2gEWE-i647M71bh7zDxA

Sedona Christina: https://www.youtube.com/user/720tanner

Blue Ollis: https://m.youtube.com/user/SophsChoices

Eco Boost: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3pE1IqHqbdf3vqtaALL4nA

*Note: You don’t have to agree with all the influencer’s values and opinions to watch or support their channel. There is a lot of good content to be found on these channels! :)

It's worthwhile to educate yourself on different styles and alternative concepts to find the right compromise for your lifestyle. You'll probably find a solution for one person that is an impossibility for another; keep that in mind as you travel on your journey!


r/upcycling is also a nice sub for repurposing things.

/r/EthicalFashion offers resources on sustainable-wearing materials and ethical textile production that can help you make informed decisions about the items your purchase and wear. There's also information about sustainable care and cleaning of different fabrics.

The wiki in the sidebar is a great starting place, and if you're on mobile, check the pinned post at the top of the subreddit to get there!

I've been checking out a ton of books from my library about reducing waste, and I'd say Sustainable Home has been my favorite so far for beginners. I think it covers the breadth of the home and gives a lot of ideas, though this is going off of my checking that book out a couple months ago. I guess I would call myself "intermediate" zero waste, so most of the suggestions were things I'd already done, but the book also had some good ideas for me and was a nice reminder of the things I've already accomplished in changing.

My other favorite, which is less zero waste and more just seasonality and sustainability focused, is The Hands-On Home, which is divided into seasons and has recipes for cooking, preserving and home cleaning during each of those seasons. The author is based in the Pacific Northwest like I am, so I really like that her kind of "seasonal" is the same as mine since that does vary by location of course. I've been making her laundry soap recipe since 2017 and not only has it not let me down yet, it costs me maybe 2 or 3 cents to run a load, which is absolutely mind boggling to me. (Note though that I don't have hard water where I live, so I know that it wouldn't work for everyone!) Also, her recipe for a grime cutting cleaner works very well even on my stove (I cook a lot so it gets gnarly), which was a very welcome surprise. As I mentioned, the book itself isn't exactly about zero waste, but it does have recipes for cleaning supplies that keep me from having to buy spray bottles which is awesome!

For highlighters, I have these eco highlighters which are essentially big fluorescent colored pencils and do a decent job. Not as bright as ink obviously, but they work.

I second taking notes on an iPad or laptop. It saves so much paper. I was really happy when I switched away from paper. It’s also way easier to ctrl+F instead of flipping through page after page for what you want.

Don’t buy textbooks unless you absolutely have to, and try to get a used copy from the bookstore if they have some. Try to find textbooks online as well.

As for living in the dorms, make sure you’re taking only what you can eat in the dining halls. With a huge buffet selection, it’s easy to fill up a huge plate. Use smaller plates if possible to limit yourself. You can always get seconds!

LOVE THIS.

So at my house we have an assortment of like grocery bags, they're all sizes and materials. Just whatever's been acquired over the years. I do prefer the ones with a more structured box shape for groceries and keep the foldable ones for my purse/backpack/car for unplanned shopping or non-grocery shopping.

For produce, we use either net or mesh bags. I prefer the bigger net type bags usually. Sometimes for more leafy-fragile items I prefer the mesh ones. But everything is machine washable, so stains aren't a worry!

For items such as beans, chocolate chips, basically medium sized, dry items (rice is too small), I like to use cotton bags. Then I don't have to worry about the Tare and they're generally easy to fill up from those dispenser things. For the BIN # of these ones, I just write it down in my phone usually, I've heard you can use pencil right on the cotton though!

For items that would either get stuck in the seams of those bags or are dirtier or almond butter, I use glass jars. My grocery store is nice and I just had to weigh my jars once, they wrote it with Sharpie and I've just kept rewriting that weight whenever it washes off. Then I bring a chalk marker (I've had some laying around from crafting), and write the BIN on the top. It's nice cause my chalk markers are white and the sharpie is black so at the register I just tell the cashier, the tare's in black and bin's in white!

I also have a funnel for the glass jars that have a smaller mouth because I've made a mess in the aisle one too many times.

If I'm not bringing more than 1-2 glass jars, I can keep all of these items in a small grocery bag. I simply fold the grocery bags and lay them flat against one side, then put in the glass jars, then in the cracks put all the produce and bulk bags.

My house is pretty small, and our kitchen is right at the front door, so I just leave all our bags (produce, shopping, and bulk) in a large bag on the counter next to the door. All our glass jars are kept in the cupboard right by the door, so before my trip while making a list, I'll take out the right containers and put them in! If I end up with too many glass jars for the bag, I just take out a bigger grocery bag as my bag holder.

Thanks! We have a lot of plastic containers at home, I just want something that can easily fit in a purse. If I don't want to get a 4-set, I was thinking that this bento-box style meal kit might be a good alternative: https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Planet-3-Compartment-Silicone-Collapsible/dp/B0051XRY4Q/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=collapsible+meal+kit&qid=1556468389&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I want something reusable, eco-friendly, microwaveable, dishwasher-safe and collapsible is what I'm looking for. I'm hoping someone could share their experience with this collapsible technology and if it's worth it.

I recently purchased reusable face pads and mesh produce bags.

I haven't used the face pads yet because it recommends washing them first (machine wash cold). Some of the reviews claimed that they shrunk after washing but instead of using the dryer I air dried them and had no shrinkage.

I love the mesh bags! It came with reusable tags so you can put the product code for the cashier but I just opened the bag so they could see the produce. Some of the reviews said their produce kept fresh longer, but I recently recieved these and used them only yesterday so I don't know it that's true or not. For wash instructions: machine wash cold, air dry only.

For women: I got these menstrual cups and I feel they work well. If you're new to the cup, it does take practice and getting used it.

I tried a few different brands in the past and landed on Mother's Vault. I've been buying from them on Amazon for quite some time and I love their toothbrushes! Great quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Vault-Toothbrush-Biodegradable-Recyclable/dp/B014TK6AUK/ref=sr_1_12_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1537473776&sr=8-12&keywords=bamboo%2Btoothbrush&th=1

They are excellent. Just started using them. Just rinse em out and throw them in the washer/dryer. Very comfortable and the reviews are great for one ones I got here. For 25 bucks it's a steal
https://www.amazon.com/Teamoy-Menstrual-Super-Absorbent-Comfortable-3pcs%C3%9711-6/dp/B078S6KRX2?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

Apple cider vinegar stinks, let’s be honest and there’s no oils in it to moisturize for those of that need/want it. However, I do use it in between shampoo/conditioner because it’s so good for hair. I’ve been using Ethique’s on amazon for it. I love it. It’s lasted a while and it leaves my hair feeling juicy.

Ethique Eco-Friendly Solid... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07572RXKP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I found that a lint brush can work better than a sticky lint rollers. It has this fish-scale-like structure that grabs onto hair and you clean it just by rubbing it the opposite direction. I do this just with my fingers but you can use a cloth or comb to clean it out too.

Here's one model, but I've also seen them at dollar stores.

I bought two different sets of 6 bags each that come in mixed sizes from Amazon. I’ll include the links below. I washed and air dried them before use. Love them.

Simple Ecology Reusable Organic... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UJ0U0C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


Reusable Produce Bags - Organic... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Z6DV26?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It doesn’t show in the pic but the shower caddy has rubber around the hanger at the top. It’s very secure and doesn’t really move around at all. Here’s the link to the shower caddy:

https://www.amazon.com/mDesign-Bathroom-Hanging-Storage-Organizer/dp/B0731NV98B

I bought these more than six months ago. They're holding up really well (aside from the one my dog nibbled on, yuck). I just rinse them out when I'm done using them and throw them in the wash with my other laundry. Easy peasy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078S6KRX2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Maybe something like a metal hair claw?

The link is probably a mess but hopefully it sends you to the right place.

Edit: the brand also has metal octopus clips too.

I use these bags
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074TBYVB3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


They're cotton and I love that they have the tare weights attached. The only con is that they're kinda expensive compared to other mesh bags out there and the largest size isn't that large. However they are very good quality.


I do have non mesh cotton bags for grainy things and moist veggies that have been sitting under the sprinklers. The veggies are sold by bundle so weight of the bag doesn't matter but if it's for bulk seeds and grains then i'll head to the cashier to get the tare weight for the bag before I shop. I just write it on my phone.

I purchased a straw cleaner and I always run water through the straw right after I finish my smoothie because cleaning dried smoothie from a jar or a straw is no fun! I've had it for around 6 months and it has held up well. Prior to that, I would immediately run water through the straw right after use and then clean it later with soapy water. The one I purchased is similar to this but it came only one to a pack rather than four.

I bought these, have held up really well so far (about 4 months of use). Thought they were wrapped in plastic when they showed up, but it's plant-based plastic, so that was okay.

$15 for 6 bags! They appear to be really good quality too.

I heard these are good from Buzzfeed!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYRWIBV?tag=bftomv-20&ascsubtag=4771655%2C3%2C9%2Cmobile_web%2C0%2C0

Those are also available on amazon. Around 50 bucks for the cheaper version, you can get fancy for sure too.
Sink Twice https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EXPTOJA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jv5VDbVQBN0N7

https://www.amazon.com/mDesign-Bathroom-Hanging-Storage-Organizer/dp/B0731NV98B/ref=sr_1_40?keywords=black+shower+caddy&qid=1574276369&sr=8-40

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(I think this might be it...? Not sure how to post links, hopefully it works lol)

I bought these cotton bags about a year ago and I use them for anything I buy in bulk (including oats). They work great because they aren't mesh so I can buy rice or other grains in them (I just tie the drawstring around the bag to completely close the opening). I haven't tried getting flour or sugar in them yet though. Another plus is that they can just get thrown in the washing machine when they're dirty!

I got this one recently. It isn't really plastic for the window, even though it looks like it is. More of a contact paper material. So far so good. The brush head is a little big for my taste, but includes instructions for composting and recycling on the package.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009O3BCT2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

They make silicone freezer bags that can be washed and re-used. They're available on amazon (but seem to be somewhat pricey). They're on my wish list for my next step to remove all plastic waste from my life.

link here

Found it!

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Planet-3-Compartment-Silicone-Collapsible/dp/B0051XRY4Q

There were a few that I found but these are the ones I ended up putting into my cart.

I use a brass wire brush. But I don't have pets so I can't vouch on that.

They're sold everywhere

Edit: in fact in two days you may fix your own toilet

Sink Twice https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EXPTOJA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_S6L0Bb19M7NRH

https://www.amazon.com/UNNI-Compostable-European-Certified-Francisco/dp/B013XRVNJS/

You can also get a brass bristle lint brush with a wood handle here:

Lint Chaser Brush #111 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YES1VS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JaC3Cb0EBX3YJ

Amazon link

I have normal (not dry, not oily) thick wavy hair (but straighten it) and I really like this kind https://www.amazon.com/Ethique-Eco-Friendly-Conditioner-Normal-Dry-Guardian/dp/B07572RXKP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=ethique+conditioner&qid=1555697896&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I wash my hair about every 3-4 days. Although, I know ordering it isn’t super zero waste, but I’ve ordered a few bars at a time (shampoo, face wash, shave bar etc.) and it came in one bubble mailer envelope with no other extra packaging.

No to trash blog reccomends https://www.amazon.com/Green-Legacy-Tall-Kitchen-Trash/dp/B005HZLJJO/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=notetotrash-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=9c00f3ab43f933eaf55df42a169061b5&creativeASIN=B005HZLJJO and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013XRVNJS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B013XRVNJS&linkCode=as2&tag=notetotrash-20&linkId=74c929a161d3708a27f4336b5bfafcd1 sorry I dont know how to do the cool link thing...

For freezing leftovers, I use Pryex bowls with plastic lids. I have had the same set for over 10 years. My mother uses her Tupperware that is 40+ years old. It is only waste when you throw it away.

1. You can use compostable bags for picking up the poop.
   
2. There are cotton pads for makeup or you can make your own https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Remover-Washable-Organic-Cleansing/dp/B07D5XQRFW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2QHY2A9Y9BHGN&keywords=reusable+cotton+pads+face&qid=1555496851&s=gateway&sprefix=reusable+cott%2Caps%2C253&sr=8-3
   
3. I do not use makeup, once an a while I use lipstick I still have plastic ones but on Etsy, you can find Zero Waste makeup for example https://www.etsy.com/es/listing/199724241/black-vegan-zero-waste-cake-mascara?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=makeup+zero+waste&ref=sr_gallery-1-15&organic_search_click=1&pro=1 but you can find a lot of things, and you can see where they will ship it from so you can choose a vendor in your own country, or at least close by.