A Picture is Worth...

Last week a few friends sent me a link to an article about a photographer who had taken pictures of people lying amongst 7 days worth of their trash. I was thrilled to see further attention being drawn to how much garbage a person creates each day(4.3 lbs), and I immediately was interested in finding out how my own family's picture would look.

Recycling is on our right, land fill on our left. I did not include compost. I consider recyclables to be part of our waste because many resources are consumed during the recycling process, not to mention that a lot of recyclables don't make it to the recycling center, as they fall out of bins or off the truck.

Close-up of our consolidated 7-day land fill trash.

Thanks for stopping by,
Allison


Having trouble commenting below? Contact me at zwjourney@gmail.com.

Summer Fun Without the Waste

Summer has officially begun for me and my kids, which means it's time for me to get on my game face. My kids are extremely sweet, considerate, peaceful people. Just not with each other. We have a few family trips planned, and a couple camps lined up, but all it takes is one kid being bored for one minute before a raptor-hyena cage match breaks out. Don't get me wrong, I think there is a lot of value in kids experiencing boredom. Boredom is where creativity and deep thinking begin, and I intentionally schedule a lot of down time both during the school year and the summer. However, I also enjoy having activities ready to go that take minimal planning, require almost no stuff, and are of course, waste free.

At home-

1. Digital audiobooks from the library-

These are my absolute favorite things ever. Downloading audiobooks from the library is free, there is nothing to be lost or broken, and no trips to be made for pick ups or returns. My kids will catatonically listen to audiobooks for hours, as if they were staring at a screen, but with none of the negative side effects. I'm able to download the books directly to my phone, then play them through the speakers in our car or in the house. I also read to them, or they read to themselves, from ebooks and paper books, both of which can be borrowed from the library. This way we are surrounded by literature in many formats, enjoying multiple books at the same time, all without spending a penny, using up resources, or creating any waste.

2. Playdates-

I decided last summer to designate Wednesdays for playdates. This gives me a couple days to do the scheduling, while nicely breaking up the week for all of us. When each of my kids has a friend over, everyone gets along, they usually play outside, and everyone is good about helping clean up. Also, I do a minimal amount of driving, as most parents do the drop off and pick up. For snack, I put out a big bowl of cut up watermelon, which doesn't take much time to prepare, and all scraps are composted.

3. Reviving what we have-

Although I have cleared out a ton of old, unused toys, we still have plenty of newer, unused toys laying around. I have learned, however, that if I directly suggest playing with any of these things, I will immediately receive the stiff arm. Before the end of the school year, I made a list of all the toys/games/activities that I know the kids enjoy, but rarely touch. Without saying a word, I pick 2 things from the list, set them up in a prominent place, and walk away. 

Resistance is futile

These arrangements took less than 15 minutes total and resulted in over an hour of independent happy time from both kids.

4. Wrestling-

My son enjoys physical play and my daughter does not. This is the source of most of their fights. My daughter received a fairly large gym mat as a Christmas present a few years back, so I frequently drag it into the middle of the room, give my son a look, and say 'Let's go.' This is a fun source of connection for the two of us, while allowing him an outlet for his natural desire to play rough. It also opens the door for my daughter to see that roughhousing can be fun, and provides a way for her to practice being physical with her brother without getting angry.(fingers crossed)

5. Family movies-

My husband and I were huge movie buffs before we had kids. After kids, the ability to sit for 2+ hours alone on the couch disappeared as quickly as a full night's sleep. We are now at a point where we can enjoy movies with the kids on the couch too, and the selection of movies is equally entertaining for us all. Renting movies digitally, again, leaves nothing to be lost or broken, and nothing to be physically rented or returned, although it does cost money. However, non-digital movies can also be checked out for free from the library, or potentially borrowed from friends.

Outdoors-

1. Geocaching-

This is an activity that we can do just as a family, or with friends, and allows us to explore many previously unknown areas of Gainesville. As my kids weed through their ever-present baskets of small, useless crap, we collect the higher quality pieces in a small bag that is always ready for geocaching. I usually pack our water bottles and a few package-free snacks in a backpack, the kids grab our geocaching bag, and we're off.

2. Creek trips-

Gainesville has many places where creeks and streams are accessible within beautiful park areas. My daughter searches for sharks teeth, my son likes to build rafts from sticks, and I pick up trash. I bring a small container for collecting the teeth and a reusable bag to hold the trash, but sadly, there are usually plenty of plastic bags floating around in which to place whatever I gather.

3. Fruit picking-

Gainesville and its surrounding areas have many pesticide-free farms where we can pick blueberries and strawberries. The kids enjoy eating some of the berries as they go, but they tire quickly from the labor. I love how this allows them to experience the amount of work that goes into the food we eat, naturally teaching them to appreciate what we are given. After weighing and paying for the fruits of our labor, I place them in my own containers instead of accepting the plastic bags many places distribute.

4. Riding bikes

We're still working on losing the training wheels with my younger one, but I'm hopeful we'll soon be able to take short trips to the library, playground, and to get ice cream.

5. Playgrounds

I take them, they play.

Please share below any of your own summer activities that involve zero/minimal waste, with or without kids. If you are unable to comment, email me at zwjourney@gmail.com and I will post your response.

I am going to try and keep blogging during the summer, but my posts might be few and far between.  I am now fully aboard the train to crazy town, where my days constantly fluctuate between spending quality, memory-making time with my kids, and staring in mind-numbing bewilderment at the walls (serious hat tip to all those who homeschool). If I'm not showing up here very much, I'll either be out back with the kids creating a rocket ship from re-used boxes and repurposed engine parts, or I'll be hiding in my closet, desperately clutching my phone with one hand, while stuffing unpackaged candy in my face with the other.

Happy Summering!!

A Trip to the Co-op

I have briefly mentioned the Gainesville Citizens Co-op in the past, but I want to elaborate on the zero waste treasures this store holds within. At first, I disregarded the Co-op as a good place to shop because it's a 20 minute drive for me to get there(far by Gainesville standards). However, about a month into my journey, I decided to give them a call to find out what type of items they stocked. At this point, I had been desperately searching for a place that carried liquid bulk, but had mostly given up hope, deciding that my ability to achieve zero waste would be limited by this missing piece of the puzzle. Instead, I hit the jack pot.

The first time I went to the store, I wandered around with a goofy grin on my face, marveling at all the things I could now buy package-free. This was shortly after my troubles at the Publix deli counter, so finding a place where bringing my own containers was welcomed and encouraged felt a bit like fighting my way through the jungle and landing at a tiki bar.

So here's what they've got- 

First, they carry a decent variety of local, organic, package-free, sticker-free produce, and it's the only place I've found un-stickered apples and naked bananas. This seems to vary, however, as there have been times when I've seen both items with stickers, but I've never seen the bananas wrapped up in the crime scene tape. They also have a large amount of dry bulk goods, which is mostly the same as what I've found at Earth Origins, with a few notable exceptions: pasta, active dry yeast, and cornstarch.

Drum roll for the liquid bulk:

Canola oil, olive oil, honey(partially pictured)
Bragg's liquid amino acid, organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar,
organic tamari(just like soy sauce, only w/o gluten),
balsamic vinegar (partially pictured).
They also have maple syrup in the refrigerated section.

Here we have multiple scents of Dr. Bronner's liquid castille soap, bulk laundry powder, all-purpose biodegradable cleaners, and an entire line of Griffin Remedy personal care products- shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, bubble bath. All paraben-free, biodegradable, and vegan. And every time one of the pumps gets pushed down, an angel gets its wings. 

For filling up on liquid bulk, I bring a variety of glass and plastic bottles that I began saving at the start of my journey. The Co-op usually has extra bottles stored under one of the shelves for anyone who doesn't have their own. This is also a great place to bring any of your own extra bottles and leave them for re-use. When I first started going to the Co-op, they sold glass jars with rubber seals and swing-top glass bottles, all in a variety of sizes and completely package-free. I bought a few jars and bottles each time I visited until I had enough in which to store all my bulk purchases. However, during the last 6 months, I noticed their supply of these slowly dwindling. When I went last week, they were completely gone except for 3 glass jars. I was told that people hadn't been buying them and they didn't have it in their budget to keep them in stock. I was also told that if people began requesting them, they would re-consider stocking them again.

My most recent trip to the Co-op from left to right:
Olive oil in swing-top bottle purchased from the Co-op,
tamari and maple syrup in bottles that I saved,
last 3 air-tight jars from the Co-op,
chili powder in saved jelly jar,
corkscrew pasta, sticker-free apples and avocados.

The distance to the Co-op is still a prohibitive factor for me, but I am able to stock up on bulk items such that I only need to go about once every 2 months. I also combine my trip with other errands that are somewhat nearby.

I am aware that the Co-op has been in the news lately regarding problems between the management and some employees, but I refrain from making any judgements, as it is impossible to know all the details in these types of situations. All I know is that every time I go to the Co-op, I am met by friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful staff members. Membership is not required to shop there, and I am not a member.

Having trouble commenting below? Contact me at zwjourney@gmail.com.

Making Changes

When my son was born, Robeez were extremely popular.

However,  I was baffled when I received a pair as a baby gift, having no idea what they were at the time or why they were all the rage.  He was born in August in Dallas, so I didn't have any need for footwear until the colder weather came when he was a few months old. I began using the Robeez at that time, and quickly learned why they were such a hit. As he grew and started walking, I bought more pairs, never purchasing any hard soled shoes. In April of 2006, when he was 19 months old, we planned our first post-baby ski trip to Colorado. As we got ready, I realized that Robeez weren't going to cut it for walking around in the snow.

My husband and I took my son to a shoe store and promptly found a very cute and practical pair of boots. As soon as my son realized we were going to put the boots on his feet, he began screaming hysterically and kicking wildly. We had many curious peekers looking to see the people who were (apparently) hogtying their child in the middle of Payless. There was absolutely no negotiating or rationalizing our way through this situation. I eventually just held the sole of the shoe up to the bottom of his foot (not easily done either) and called it good. I figured that once we were in Colorado, I could show him that playing in the snow would require boots on his feet. Off we flew.

He never set boot in the snow. In fact, he didn't take one single step in those boots the entire week we were there, although he did let us put them on just so we could carry him outside.

The day we got back from the trip, I unpacked
our bags, momentarily placing the boots on the floor.
My son promptly walked over, plopped himself down,
stuck his sweet little foot in the air, and demanded 'Boots on!'
(insert mommy eye twitch here)

I share this story as an illustration of the challenges I face when introducing changes into my home. Most people are resistant to change, especially when it's initiated by someone else, and my desire to switch to zero waste has set off a huge series of changes in what we eat, what we purchase, and the activities in which we partake. I tried to begin by changing the things that nobody else cared about too much, like the paper products, the re-usable items, and buying our usual food package-free. After that, almost every change has been a slow process of give and take.

In the beginning, as much as I wanted to say THIS is our new way of doing things, or THIS is the only type of food I will be buying, I knew if I behaved like a tyrant, I would alienate myself from my family. Above all, I believe that people are more important than things(zero waste counts as a 'thing'), and I constantly strive to remain connected with my family, especially when we disagree. I spend a lot of time explaining what I wish to do and my reasons for wanting to do it, and I try to treat everything as an experiment, always leaving the option open to reject things that don't work. Still, I don't always handle situations perfectly and things rarely go smoothly. My kids seem to take turns with accepting changes, such that there is hardly agreement when I present new zero waste foods or items.  As frustrating as this is, my kids have taught me that the best way to handle their reticence is to back off. (I have found this to be true with all people, actually). Anytime something is forced, defenses go up, heels get dug in, and disconnection follows. I've learned that gentle, repeated exposure to new things is the only comfortable way for them to be accepted by others.  This has required me to develop much more patience than I had pre-kids, and to tuck my ego safely away, although I am far from perfect at doing these things.


This doesn't mean our journey is all smooth sailing now, but after a year and a half of following this path, the dust has mostly settled, allowing all of us to enjoy the many benefits of zero waste living. My recommendation to someone embarking on an endeavor that requires a change of habit, especially if the decision means change will be requested of others, is to begin slowly and with deep respect for the process of change that takes place on an individual basis.

How is your journey going?

Having trouble commenting below? Contact me at zwjourney@gmail.com.

Package-Free Grocery Shopping

When I began taking a closer look at the things going into the trash can each day, it was immediately apparent that food packaging was the #1 source of our waste. I started to search for places that offered package-free grocery shopping and was amazed to discover so many options.

1. Farmers Markets-

There are 7 markets in the Alachua County area. These are great for picking up local, organic, sticker-free, package-free produce(bring your totes and produce bags). Frequently, there are a variety of other foods that can be found without packaging, or at least in containers that can be returned to the vendors. I buy eggs, honey, mustard, jelly, and flats of strawberries, and bring back the empty containers. I also buy homemade empanadas and lasagna at the farmers market, placing them in containers I bring with me. The vendors experience the direct cost of any type of packaging, so they are thrilled when people bring their own containers or return empties. Some even offer a discount.

From the farmers market- The jars and strawberry flat will
be returned when empty. The empanadas make a delicious
and quick meal anytime during the week.

2. Bulk bins-

Most people think of places like Sam's or Costco when they hear the word 'bulk', but the bulk bins I'm referring to are the ones in grocery stores with the scoops. In Gainesville, these bins are in some Publixes, Earth Origins, Fresh Market, the Gainesville Citizens Co-op, and Ward's. They contain things like rice, beans, flour, sugar, granola, nuts, and pasta.  Customers usually fill up plastic bags with these dry goods, write the item number on a twist tie, then take them to check out. For zero waste, I use my mesh and cotton bags and keep a list of the numbers in my phone to tell the cashier.

3. Salad bars and specialty bars within grocery stores-

The Fresh Market has an olive bar, a prepared seafood bar, and a salad bar. The store provides containers at each station, which I bring back with me and reuse. The variety of ready-made food that is available at these bars is great for quick family meals or for entertaining guests.

4. Deli, meat, and seafood counters-

These are tough because it requires being brave enough to withstand receiving strange looks and possible rejection when requesting to have food put into your own containers. The first time I tried this at a Publix deli, the person behind the counter seemed annoyed, then told me they couldn't honor my request because of contamination issues. I left feeling somewhat stupid, as well as angered, because I knew that what I was asking them to do was not a big deal, just unusual and not part of our culture. Before my next shopping trip, I wavered between trying again or just giving up, but I felt determined to make it work. This time I decided to start by speaking to a manager, explaining the purpose behind my request, and finding out more about the store's official policy. When I first approached him with my questions, the look in his eyes made me think he was contemplating calling security. I was glad I had taken the time to dress somewhat nicely, and I tried to give off the general vibe of someone who was not about to start throwing animal feces. After deciding I was feces free, he told me that he didn't know about any policy in regards to using my own containers, and took me with him to talk to the head of the meat department. They were both extremely nice, and after some discussion, it seemed that my request would be honored. However, my next trip to the deli was met with the same refusal, even after I told them about my discussion with the manager, etc. I then made a phone call to the Publix corporate offices and learned that officially, the concern with contamination is not from the meat(or whatever) being placed into my container, it's from my container coming into contact with their sanitized equipment. Fair enough. This means, however, that they can slice and weigh my food the same as always, but instead of sliding it into their disposable plastic bags, they can place it into my reusable container. At this point, I was a bit tired of making a scene at the deli counter, but I didn't back down, and eventually all the people working at the deli got to know me and now my containers are no big deal. For the record, the Fresh Market has never once questioned my containers and they have the best selection of unpackaged meats, seafood, and ready-made meals that I have found in town. Most people now give me tons of compliments on my use of containers and constantly tell me what a good idea it is.

Sliced turkey from Publix, sliced cheese and wild salmon from Fresh Market.

Shopping without packaging definitely required my family to adjust some of the foods we were eating, which was not always warmly welcomed, but our diet has become varied and healthier as a result. Most packaged foods have been processed in some way, with preservatives added, and sometimes the packaging itself contains undesirable chemicals. It is true that not all unpackaged items are health food, like bulk candy and certain snack foods, but the majority is healthful and is far cheaper than its packaged counterpart.

The author of Zero Waste Home created a free app to help people locate package-free food options in their area. It is still in it's infancy and has some issues, but the more people who use it and give feedback, the better it will become.

Thanks for stopping by,
Allison

Having trouble commenting below? Send me a message at zwjourney@gmail.com.

Switching to Reusables

Zero waste has helped raise my awareness of the various environmental implications that arise when I purchase a new item. This includes the resources used to make the item, the waste produced in the manufacturing and packaging, as wells as the conditions present for the workers. Every time I buy something new, I send a message to the manufacturer that screams ‘Make more!’ I now think of my dollars as votes, and every time I cast one, I'm trying to be sure that I'm voting for something produced in a sustainable manner. I don't always succeed in this endeavor, but I'm trying.

With this awareness in mind, I realized early in my journey that there were certain things I needed to buy in order to replace disposables with reusables. I tried finding them second hand, which avoids all the waste from buying new, but the things I needed weren't available that way:

Mesh bags for produce, cotton bags for dry bulk, and a bread bag- 

Purchased through Amazon. These bags live in my car in one of my grocery totes. I also keep certain produce stored in the mesh and cotton bags in the refrigerator. The bakery has no problem putting a fresh loaf of bread into my bag, although getting it sliced too has been tricky. The bread stays very fresh in the bag for a few days on the counter, then I slice what's leftover for storage in the freezer in the same bag.

The green beans and mushrooms will store in the produce
drawer in the bags, the lemons and avocados stay loose on
the counter until ripe, the nuts and pretzels go into glass
jars with air tight lids, bread goes in the freezer.

Skoy towels-

Purchased through Amazon. These are advertised as a replacement for paper towels, but they replaced my sponge for wiping off tables, counters, and dishes.

These are over a year old and
still going strong. They go in
the washing machine for cleaning.

Misto-

Purchased in store at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with minimal packaging. It replaced Pam. I debated for a long time before buying this, thinking I could get by without it, but there were too many times that a spray of oil was just what I needed. I wish I hadn’t waited for so long, it’s a great product. 

Sil-pat baking sheet-

Purchased in store at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with minimal packaging. Replaced tin foil and parchment paper for non-stick baking.

Re-chargeable batteries-

Purchased through Amazon. Our previous experience with re-chargeables from about 7 years ago wasn’t good, so we had gotten back in the habit of buying regular batteries. I read a lot of reviews about the current battery options and decided to go with Eneloop rechargeables. Our experience this time around has been very good.

Along with the new purchases, I also took a few things away without directly replacing them:

Ziploc bags, tin foil, cling wrap, wax paper-

I was sure I would need some of these things from time to time, so I put them in a box and placed them on a shelf in my laundry room. I haven’t looked in that box since early 2013. (I will give more details about how I get by without these things in a later post, but I basically ran to Google anytime I encountered a situation where I would normally use a disposable item and asked how to do it waste-free.)

I made other additions and subtractions, but many people have asked me to go slowly with the changes. I’m doing my best to remember the order in which I did everything, however, motherhood hasn't been kind to my memory. I'm at the point where I need a daily alarm on my phone to remind me to feed the dog in the morning. Even with that, he frequently doesn’t get fed until noon.

Thanks for stopping by,
Allison



Having trouble commenting below? Contact me at zwjourney@gmail.com.

Getting Started

When I first began my zero waste journey, there were a few things I realized I could quickly do that didn't require doing a whole lot. One was to start using cloth napkins instead of disposable ones. I already had 10 nice cloth napkins sitting in my linen closet from when I got married 15 years ago. They match one of my sets of dishes, have cute little napkin rings, and I have always loved pulling them out once a year for a
family holiday dinner. They now sit in a woven basket near our dining table. I quickly realized the versatility of cloth napkins and slowly picked up more whenever I was near Goodwill, which always has many sets to choose from. It does mean I have a mix of patterns, but I'm okay with that.

Along with ditching paper napkins, I decided to see how things would go without paper towels. I took them off the counter and was amazed to see how little we missed them. For any type of large spill, we now grab an old towel. The only other time I was using paper towels was to dry produce after washing it, or for wrapping lettuce to store in the fridge. I now use cloth napkins in both cases without a problem. The disappearance of the paper towels led me to my first re-purposing idea with the paper towel holder.

Placing my daughter's headbands and ponytail holders visibly on the counter
instead of stuffed in a drawer makes them much more likely to be used.

As for toilet paper, I've always bought a brand that is 100% recycled and non-bleached, but I switched to one that is also individually wrapped in paper, avoiding the disposable plastic wrapper from the bundles. Seventh Generation makes such a product, which is available at Earth Origins and the Gainesville Citizens Co-op, but CVS sells their brand, Earth Essentials, for a bit cheaper, so that's the winner for me. The paper wrapper can be recycled or composted, as can the paper tube roll. Empty tp rolls can also be re-used for many art activities, as well as for starting seedlings to transplant into the garden.

The last paper product I re-considered were tissues. The zero waste thing to do is to replace them with a handkerchief, but my other family members are not willing to go that route at this time. Luckily, we don't have a need for tissues very often, so for now my plan is to use up what we have, and then re-evaluate our options again before buying more.

So that's it for disposable paper products. It might not sound like much, but it's a very good start. Although I was previously buying disposable napkins and paper towels made from recycled materials and then composting them, it now makes so much more sense to simply not buy them. Not only have I saved money by no longer purchasing these items, it has saved me time at the grocery store too. For those who might argue that I now spend more time and resources on cleaning re-usable napkins and towels, I haven't found that to be the case. My family definitely uses cloth napkins far less frequently than we used disposable ones, and I don't wash them after every use, unless someone is sick. Our towel usage hasn't gone up either. I've always averaged about 1 load of towels every 2 weeks, which is what I average now. I will admit that there have been a few times when a disposable towel made more sense than a re-usable one, but those occasions have only come up two times during the last year.  One was when we needed to wipe up some oil. The other was when someone broke a drinking glass with liquid inside. In both cases, I used a few paper towels from the last roll I bought...a year and a half ago. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to clean up messes like these in a way that doesn't create landfill waste.


Thanks for stopping by,

Allison