Conscious Consumerism

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Sustainability & Zero Waste Instagram Inspiration

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Some great visual accounts to follow for daily inspiration to kick plastic and live a more mindful, conscious, and waste free life!

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Finding Your Sustainable Swaps & Supplies

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Looking around and realizing that everything in your house, in your grocery store, and every item you order from your favorite takeaway restaurant is likely touched in some way or packaged in plastic can be a little overwhelming. Once you look around, you might want to cut down… but figuring out where to start can be really hard. I suggest stating with a few easy to change daily items (check out my favorite 6 swaps over here), and then taking everything room by room, area by area. Maybe you look at the shampoo and soap bottles in your shower, or the 50 kinds of sunscreen you have hidden under your bathroom sink. Maybe you check out the cleaning products in your kitchen, or the packaging in your pantry.

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Cutting down on plastic and waste in general is really hard when we are constantly surrounded by products that at first glance are only available in packaging. So take it slow, and consider every small corner, every shelf of change a victory, and move on from there!

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When you find yourself looking for things to swap out, and where to buy them, check out some of my favorites below:

Basic Tools & Plastic-Free Containers

  • Package Free Shop - This gold mine is an amazing source for sustainable products you will hopefully only need to buy once. They work with brands to make sure that regardless of if you shop in store or buy something online, your product will never be packaged in plastic.

  • Life Without Plastic - A great online retailer for a lot of your plastic-free needs.

  • To-Go Ware - I have their bamboo cutlery set that I grabbed at Whole Foods. I bring this everywhere (even on planes) and love always being prepared.

  • Klean Kanteen - My favorite daily water bottle comes from here, I can’t praise them enough!

  • Eco Bags - You have stuff, and you probably need to carry it around. This is a one stop shop for all kinds of eco friendly bags.

Kitchen Items

  • Mason Jars - You can store everything in here. Panty dry goods, fridge items, your water or other beverage to go, even lunch to heat up later since they’re glass. The all-around zero-waste holy grail item - Check Christmas Tree Shops, Target, Walmart, the Container Store, or even most large supermarkets like Whole Foods or Wegmans

  • Silicone Baking Mats - Ditch aluminum foil, wax paper, and the lot. This is your new best friend for the oven that you can just keep re-using.

  • Cleaning Solution - Make your own non-toxic and effective solution in a multi-use, pre-labeled spray bottle. There are recipes for all types of material like tile, glass, even veggie washing. Basic ingredients include things like water, vinegar, castile soap, and alcohol.

  • Cleaning Cloths & Dish Towels - Ditch the paper towels and start using rags or cloths (cutting up old tshirts, towels, or sheets works just fine) for cleaning and dish towels for drying. Just throw them in the wash when you’re done!

Self Care & Bathroom Items

  • Find a local bulk store and get shampoo, body wash, soap, and more in your own jars & containers.

  • Lush Cosmetics - Package free shampoo & conditioner bars, along with bath bombs and a few other bathroom essentials. I also get my deodorant as a bar here, and it’s one of the only ones I’ve found that doesn’t irritate my skin.

  • Plaine Products - Refillable shampoo & conditioner + subscription service

  • Meow Meow Tweet - All reusable / compostable packaging for deodorant, face washes, soaps, shampoo bars, etc.

  • Stainless Steel Razor - Just change out the blades & recycle

    Bamboo Toothbrushes - While I love my Sonicare… all of that plastic just doesn’t go away. These aren’t a perfect zero-waste solution (you still have to toss the bristles or find a place that will recycle them) but the packaging is compostable and the main component is just bamboo which you can re-purpose or compost.

Clothing

  • Clothing production can be extremely wasteful… so whatever we can do to have the least impact when we shop, even if something is new, we should at least be conscious and try.

  • Start to check out thrift & vintage stores for your everyday items. If you have something specific in mind, try Ebay, Depop, ThredUP, Poshmark for more used options.

  • Got a special event? Think about renting that outfit you may otherwise only wear once from Rent the Runway.

  • When you want your own undies… check out Pact: undergarments & basics - 100% organic cotton + fair trade…. all around great. And they carry them at most Whole Foods.

  • For those times you really just want to go new… use the Good On You app - a great resource for seeing the environmental, ethical, and labor practices of various brands.

Can’t find a local store that sells bulk items?

Special Shout Out - the Honest Weight Food Co-Op in Albany, NY

  • I’ve been going to this store for years with my mom and they recently got a bigger, even better location. This place is the holy grail of bulk shopping. You can find everything from oils, flours, pastas, and grains, along with more unusual things like bulk tofu, not to mention all of your bathroom & cleaning essentials. Just bring your own containers up to the front counter and they will gladly tare them all. I don’t get to visit as often as I’d like, but whenever I’m up that way I like to stock up on some of my favorite shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and even lotions. IT’S SO GREAT! (I may have wowed a few of the employees with my overall enthusiasm for this store… trust me, it’s worth it.)

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6 Easy Swaps to Start Living with Less Waste

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6 EASY & SUSTAINABLE SWAPS FOR “SINGLE-USE” ITEMS YOU PROBABLY USE EVERY DAY

Plastic Bags -> Trade for any other reusable bag (this one is from the Package Free Shop)

You already own them, trust me: Ever gotten a free bag from a store, an event, a cause, a show, or just generally anywhere? Make a pile and use them at the grocery store, the farmers market, or even at target! I keep a set in my car for whenever I might need one.

Single-Use Water Bottles or Boxes -> Trade in for a reusable glass or stainless steel one, and look for water fountains or re-filling stations.

Fav brand: Klean Kanteen - I love these because they come in a variety of sizes, top types, and colors. I use the “cafe top” on my wide-mouth bottle as a combined water bottle and travel coffee/tea mug.

Other greats: S’well, Hydro Flask, Life Factory, Mason Jars (I find all sizes of the jars at Christmas Tree Shops, Target, or any big supermarket like Whole Foods or Wegmans)

For the traveler who worries about filtration: Grayl

Also: If you want to keep plastic but go reusable: Nalgene & Camelbak have BPA options (some stadiums or other event venues don’t allow metal bottles, here’s looking at you Yankee Stadium, so having another option can be helpful for those specific trips).

Plastic Produce Bags at the grocery store -> Trade in for reusable mesh or cotton ones

Fav Brands: purifyou (I’ve had the above set for over a year and they work great, are machine washable, and include a tare weight on the tag) & Eco Bags (for the fabric ones)

Bonus uses: These are great for organizing when traveling (store dirty shoes, power cords, socks, and anything else you want to categorize). Also fill them up with to-go snacks like dried fruit & nuts… or maybe even a cookie.

Plastic Cutlery -> Trade out for bamboo or stainless steel utensils for eating on the go. (You can even take the bamboo knife on the plane!)

Fav brands: To Go Ware, Life Without Plastic

Another option: Just wrap some cutlery from home in a fabric napkin or get a pouch from Vicbay on Amazon and take anywhere (just leave the knife at home for plane travel!)

Single-Use Coffee Cups -> Trade out for reusable glass, stainless steel…. or even sturdy plastic ones. Or better yet, just bring your favorite ceramic mug to your local coffee shop or the office!

Fav brand: I use my Klean Kanteen wide-mouth bottle as a dual-purpose hot beverage holder.

Other Greats: My Byta, Keep Cup, Yeti, Hydro Flask, Mason Jars (there are add-on tops with sips or straw holes!)

Also: Big Brands like Dunkin & Starbucks offer a lot of reusable branded products in stores, so if you’re going there anyway, pick up a reusable option!

Plastic Straws -> Trade for a reusable one… or better yet ditch the straw altogether.

We don’t really need straws…. but if you love to save your lipstick or just like using one, check out these alternatives from Package Free Shop & Amazon: stainless steel, glass, silicone, or bamboo (and don’t forget the cleaning brush… most sets come with one and you need it!)

Photo credit / links:

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My Sustainability & Zero Waste Inspirations

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As part of the human race, we are the biggest threat to the health of our planet. From the types of energy we use and the pollution we cause, to the waste we make and the food we eat, our very existence is usually really unsustainable.

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Over the years I’ve taken some time to learn a lot about sustainability and the effects even one person can make with their daily choices, both good and bad. As I’ve read and researched, here are the two people that have inspired me the most to live a more sustainable and low-impact life.

My Biggest Source of Zero-Waste Inspiration: I don’t know where I first heard about Lauren Singer… but at this point I think I’ve probably watched every Ted Talk, listened to every interview, and read every article that she’s done…. what can I say. I’m a Trash is for Tossers fan girl. She lives a zero waste lifestyle and has used her voice and her story to help inspire others to reduce their waste as well. What was once just a blog has turned into the inspiration for multiple businesses and a continuing commitment to activism about this issue. Here are just some of the places that I follow her, as well as some of the talks & discussions that have helped me learn more about zero waste.

  • Her Website: Trash is for Tossers - This is a great resources for inspiration on how to go zero waste, and also how to make some of your own products if you’re fed up with plastic packaging on EVERYTHING.

  • Her Instagram: @trashisfortossers

  • Her store in Brooklyn: Package Free Shop - Ever wondered where you can find some great plastic & package free items to help you ditch the single use stuff? Check this out.

    • They also stock her other business, clean laundry detergent under the brand The Simply Co. It comes in a reusable glass container, and you can refill it at her shop, or use it for other stuff.

  • Her Youtube channel: Trash is for Tossers - Check out how-to videos on lots of zero-waste things like how to shop without packaging, to how to make certain products at home like cleaning solution, body lotion, and even toothpaste.

May 2015 - The TED Talk that started it all. This is a great intro to Lauren and her philosophy. Along with her trash jar!

Feb 2018 - An interview with Lewis Howes for the “School of Greatness” podcast.

April 2017 - An interview with conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan for Vox discussing a lot of the effects of waste & pollution.

Jan 2015 - An example of one of Lauren’s DIY videos: How to make your own toothpaste. Others include body lotion, deoderant, and cleaning solution.

June 2015 - An intro to Bea and her family, house, and philosophy

Before Lauren, there was: Bea Johnson of the Zero Waste Home

  • Bea was the original inspiration for Lauren Singer to go zero waste. Bea is a working mom of two in California, founder of a great website, an author, and a speaker. She’s traveled all over the world to help educate people on the benefits of zero waste and provides resources to help others reduce their waste. Check her out in the following places:

July 2016 - a TED Talk focusing on how her family has really embraced zero waste.

Dec 2016 - Another TED Talk, focused on the 5R's (In order: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot)