Sarah Lockwood

Ya'll....this was HARD. I did give myself some leeway as far as packaged products that I already have in my home that I am using up before switching to package free alternatives. My main goal was not creating any new waste. SO MUCH stuff has associated packaging. Food/Beverages were definitely the hardest items. I have been looking into where to buy more bulk/package free items but they are still so inaccessible in our society. I did recently learn about Tare Market in South Minneapolis and am looking forward to shopping there soon for package free dry goods. However, that does mean an extra "grocery" trip and is completely out of my way so while this store is great, I am extremely privileged to shop there and have access to waste-free items. I also want to acknowledge that I am still working from home and staying home as much as possible so I was not tempted by the coffee shop or going out for lunch as are the normal struggles with trying to be "zero waste." For these moments you really have to plan ahead and have your own beverage/food containers, utensils, cloth napkin, etc... but it is possible! Today really put into perspective HOW much packaging we have that is so unnecessary. Also, how we need to focus on making package-free goods more accessible and normal (not just a trend).

I always ALWAYS do a smell check. Especially with milk which can last a few days past its expiration date. I have also tested the egg trick when we've had eggs that have a past expiration date. In general, expiration dates and "best by" or "use by" dates are all confusing so always do a few tests because the food is most likely still edible (as long as you don't actively see mold or smell something bad.)

I like that I can wash and reuse them. Often times we may use multiple paper napkins for one meal, but I can use one cloth napkin for that same meal. Also, it feels a little fancier. I think the biggest thing to remember when starting to use cloth napkins and towels is to keep them somewhere accessible and possibly where you can see them. I've had a set of cloth napkins for a few months, but they've been kept in a cabinet so I forget to get them out. Now I keep them out where I can easily grab them and remember to use them.

To no surprise, I create the most waste in the kitchen. My apartment building doesn't have city trash services so I have been collecting organics and dropping them off at one of the community drop-off sites. However, after the stay-at-home order I stopped collecting them because I wasn't going out and the drop-off site wasn't very close to home. I've realized that it would be worth it to begin collecting organics again and make the trip to drop-off every week or two to save our overflowing garbage. Other waste comes from food packaging. We normally grocery shop at Cub which has some bulk foods, but I wish there were more options. My boyfriend is allergic to gluten and nuts which creates more of a barrier to find bulk foods safe for him. Now that I've done this audit I'm looking forward to researching solutions to various waste problems.

Any leftovers from dinner the previous night(s). I generally eat them for lunch, however, some days I will cook something or make a salad just to mix things up. My favorite leftover is taco meat. I almost always incorporate this into a taco salad the next day for lunch.

A big change has been keeping rags/cloths in an obvious and accessible place in the kitchen. It is so easy while cooking to automatically reach for a paper towel to clean up messes. I now have a cleaning rag visible and ready to use so that I grab it first rather than wasting paper towels. To be honest, we do still have a container of clorox wipes, but they make compostable wipes now(!) and we only use them for on-the-go or disinfecting items like phones, keys, and such in this time of coronavirus. If you are interested in the compostable clorox wipes, only buy the Free & Clear version. The lemon-scented ones are not recommended for home compost systems.

There are many things around your house that have multiple uses! Old t-shirts? Cleaning rags. Empty pasta sauce jars? Jars for bulk bin shopping and storage. It is also easy to get caught up in the Instagram "zero waste" look and do an overhaul of plastic products in your home. HOWEVER, your plastic toilet brush is still working just fine and probably will for a few more years if you are cleaning properly. You don't have to immediately buy a bamboo/wooden brush just because that is "the look" for zero waste. Use up what you have completely before replacing!

I have a Quip toothbrush and after a brush head delivery I emailed them about their packaging. They sent me back a general response, but when my most recent delivery came they had changed their packaging to be paper/cardboard based for easy recycling! They had also cut down on packaging in general. Who knows if they actually read my email, but it was cool to see that change! I also reached out to a local small business plant shop that had been wrapping plants in plastic to keep them safe as folks purchased them. I offered biodegradable or compostable alternatives but never heard back from them. It is awkward to reach out to a company, but SO worth it. We have to stand up for the planet.

Never buy plastic water bottles (I already am largely against this.) Find drinks that are in glass which is much easier to recycle and more likely to actually be recycled. Cut down on any drinks that you are buying in plastic bottles and look for alternatives at bulk stores/diy recipes.