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Hi, I recently began to transform parts of my life to reduce the amount of waste I make but I feel like it’s costing me in some departments. Also I’m super tired so this may sound choppy.

I love our planet but I’m also 22 and appearance means a lot to me and my confidence feels like it’s deteriorating.

My switches that I’m having difficulty coping with:

Toothpaste: I was using crest 3d white advanced radiant mint and my teeth were WHITE. I switched to my refilleries toothpaste tablets that are the Huppy Peppermint tablets and my teeth have gotten yellow after 2 months. I don’t drink coffee and I brush and use my stainless steel floss feed.

Conditioner : I used the Garnier Fructis moisture repair conditioner and my hair was SILKY. I switched to an unscented conditioner from my refillery and it’s not bad but not as moisturizing.

Skin moisturizer: the cetaphil moisturizing lotion was the only lotion that I could use on my drier skin and gave me the internet crazy “glass skin” effect that usually people fall for the consumerism of Korean skin care. I also could use this on my body, face and lips, cutting down on my purchases. I then switched to my refillery’s thickest lotion and it doesn’t compare and burns.

Does anyone have zero waste alternatives for these? I would hate to contribute to the detriment of our planet.

Edit: someone accused this post of being an ad which it is NOT. I do have a way of talking up things I like I only mentioned my non eco friendly favorites to see if anybody found similar eco friendly alternatives

I'm putting this here in light of of the recent post by the poor OP who thought they had a great idea in using plastic mesh dish scrubbers and then had to get schooled thirty-thousand times in the comments about micro plastics.

In the comments, I saw a bunch of people saying they use plastic dish scrubbers, and to all of you who do so, might I introduce you to... The Euro Scrubby!

100% cotton and treated with tree-resin, I use one of these for months at a time. Scroll right to see the giant hole I wore in one of them before throwing it in my compost. They are so wonderfully abrasive that I often don't even need to use surfactant with them to get off crusty material, yet they also don't damage most surfaces.

Oh, and unlike a sponge or loofah that just endlessly accumulates bacteria, you can feel free to throw this bad boy into your dishwasher every week to sanitize it.

I saw other people mentioning chainmail scrubbers, and that may be an even better route... No need to ever pay for a new one/feed the manufacturing/shipping process. I'll be considering chainmail as well, now... But in the meantime, this beats plastic!

I bought mine at a Cook's Warehouse, which may be a local store.

I feel like I’m going nuts here! Obviously realized that my deodorant is a lot of plastic waste but I’ve searched high and low for a refillable antiperspirant (WITH aluminum) and I cannot find a single option.

I know there are a few options on the market in the UK but I can’t find any that ship to the US. I’m kind of at my wits end so I figured I’d ask if anyone knows any antiperspirant options that are at least less waste available in the US?

I know people will suggest it but I cannot do aluminum free deodorant, I just can’t. I’m happy for those it works for but I’m a smelly person who works a physical job and I’m not interested in smelling like a locker room all day.

Edit: it has now come to my attention that this method is introducing microplastics in the water. Thus, it’s not a very good re-use method. I appreciate learning this as I have not realized it.

Original post text:
Perhaps many are already doing this. Just want to share a re-use method for those produce mesh bags (avocados, onions, potatoes etc.) they are great pot scrubbers!

Hi all,

Have just moved house with my fiancé. We recycle pretty much everything we can involving soft plastics. However, we previously had two separate households as we lived apart, and now combining our households means we've got a lot more single plastic waste between the two of us to keep on top of. We also now have a total of 5 cats (I have 3, she has 2), so their food pouches stack up pretty quickly.

Previously I would just have a separate bin bag under the sink for it, it wasn't a very elegant solution though and any rinsed out plastics would just start to stink after a while. I want something more hygienic.

I've been looking at some squish bins that can help us with our storage but they're v expensive, so I am wondering if there are any cheaper, hygienic alternatives, or other ways to manage soft plastics without them just taking over our entire living space

I’ve been washing out and taking my cat food pouches to my local co op to recycle in their soft plastic bins. My wife thinks I’m wasting my time and I’m not convinced it doesn't all end up in a big skip or incinerator if there is a tiny bit of food waste still in the pouches. I’m also wondering if in turn I am now wasting more water rinsing them out.

So the question is, is it a waste of time? Should I just bin them?

I couldn't decide if this belonged in zero waste or anti consumption because there is a lot of overlap between the two.

I am throwing myself a 90s themed 30th birthday party. I really want to avoid buying plastic crap from the party store thats going to end up in a landfill after 1 use.

I am making a happy birthday banner out of cardboard and old craft paint. Geometric print was big in the 90s so that's what I'm going for. Any other DIY decor ideas that use recycled materials would be appreciated. For example, I hate to buy helium balloons that would end up in a landfill. I'm looking into DIY paper lanterns or something to get the same effect. I'm VERY crafty, I have a Cricut and do tons of projects with it.

I’ve been washing out and taking my cat food pouches to my local co op to recycle in their soft plastic bins. My wife thinks I’m wasting my time and I’m not convinced it doesn't all end up in a big skip or incinerator if there is a tiny bit of food waste still in the pouches. I’m also wondering if in turn I am now wasting more water rinsing them out.

So the question is, is it a waste of time? Should I just bin them?

It's there crystal deodorant on a rope or something? Any techniques to make it less slippery? I'm sick of abrading my armpits with little shards of rocks.

Hey, so my boyfriend and I are trying to be more eco friendly/conscious with what we’re buying.

It started with body wash, we now use bars, that are made in Ireland/local to us.

Then it was milk.

Then deodorant, we use natural deodorant.

Then we stopped buying anything plastic.

The next thing we want to try and tackle is the laundry. I was going to buy the Eco egg but I’ve seen mixed reviews.
We’re currently using wash pods.

Any advice is appreciated.

My sister has 2 pairs of chacos sandals. She has worn them down and now 3 out of 4 sandals have holes in the bottom. Chacos will repair them for $50 USD but shes not interested in putting more money into them. Anyone know what can be done with them? Donation centers Will likely throw them away.

Conversely, if anybody wants them, all she asks is for you to pay shipping. Size kids 5/women's 7. They would ship from NJ

I know I shouldn’t use these for food etc, but I’d like to get the lids off to collect rain water for the pool (Where the chem goes anyway). The lid seems impossible to remove. Any ideas on how to open or other reuse ideas please :)

I just learned that you can recycle your makeup containers once you’ve finished using it at Sephoras. Many locations (call your location beforehand to confirm) have Beauty (Re)Purposed bins where you can just drop off your used-up makeup! Just rinse the container, and drop it all in the bin (unbagged)!

I tried recycling my mat and I got an email response: Our scheme is currently on a brief hiatus while we await our recycling partner's new site address.

Has anybody been able to successfully recycle their yoga mat?

Hoping this group has some creative ideas for reusing parts from a beloved old car about to go to the junk yard. My husband finally had to get a new one, his last car has 260k and he’ll make more money from the junk yard than he can make selling it. He’s very sentimental about it and wants to save some pieces, but he tends to collect a lot of things. Would love to be able to put whatever he saves to some use.

Hey all! I'm currently a sustainability intern (in Eastern PA), and I'm trying to put together a Zero-Waste Restaurant Toolkit for local food vendors!

Along with 1. A guide on why sustainability is good, 2. Additional resources on blooming incentives (reuseable takeout container program, community composting programs, promoting TooGoodToGo, promoting customers bringing reusables), I'm creating a spreadsheet with a list of alternative items to single-use items (ex. straws, bags, clamshells, etc. made of bagasse, PHA, cardboard, etc.) that vendors can reasonably access via RestaurantStore and other distributors. But I've been stuck on finding 'the best' options for takeout containers.

My community recycles plastics #1-7, (including PLA, apparently according to the spokesperson at the recycling bureau this morning, which I'm slightly skeptical about). We do not have commercial/industrial composting facilities, but there are a couple gardens with compost piles.

The priority is to shift away from polystyrene and plastic bags. But for takeout, I've been looking at containers made of PHA, bagasse, bamboo, and other recyclable or compostable materials, though many like PLAs produce even MORE methane if in landfills than plastics. I feel like PET + aluminum + cardboard materials will have the best circular lifespan (recycling), but would compostable products be more or less sustainable, taking into account that much of it will end up in landfills.

I have a shoot-for-the-stars approach, while promoting accessible options as much as I can, but I'm worried I'm being too strict on myself with loopholes (ex. PLA lining, unsustainable shipping packaging, potential contaminants, etc,). Are there better packaging solutions available in the U.S.?

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know! What things do restaurants near you do that you love?

mu grungy old sweatshirts have been promoted to dish drying mats! I just cut off the arms so they fit nicely on the counter.

Going to plant a dwarf mango tree in it. :)

I’m looking to get some lotion that is low waste/plastic free once I run out of my current tube. I’ve tried a lotion bar, but I found it very oily feeling on my hands and I didn’t like it. Does anyone have recommendations for non greasy plastic free lotion? Something affordable would be appreciated, and I don’t care too much about fancy scents.

We’ve got sooooo much mail built up. A bit too much to shred at home and I’m not too convinced that those mass shred events are safe. What do you do with all of your mail?