Household waste reduction feels harder than ever these days. The pandemic has forced our focus elsewhere, increased the emphasis on hygiene and safety, and created unprecedented circumstances for all of us to navigate. I’ve found myself contributing to the single-use madness with items like paper grocery bags, more restaurant take out materials, disposable masks (thanks Omicron), hand sanitizer and more.

But even with the pandemic concerns and constraints, there are a few things I just don’t buy. If you’re looking to reduce your household waste, maybe these are places you could make a change!

one // Tissues, paper towels, and napkins. Use cloth. Find a system that works for your family. I like to cut up old clothes and I have several wet bags around the house than can be thrown directly into the washer. I have smaller wet bags for my kids to keep in their backpacks for blowing their noses at school. Everyone’s lifestyle looks a bit different, but cloth is a sensational replacement for single-use paper products.

two // Baby wipes. And cleaning wipes. And makeup wipes. I bought a few packages of baby wipes for my first child, but after that we switched completely to cloth, even for traveling. Cloth works better than disposables for all messes, in my opinion, and I just hate the idea of so so so many baby wipes polluting the earth. As for Clorox wipes etc., I make my own bleach wipes with cloth and bleach + water. Most messes I clean up with a towel.

three // Bottled cleansers and lotions. These days, there are many ways to obtain zero-waste beauty products. I like to stock up on at a refill store near me (like Joyfill, Zero Market, or Simply Bulk) but there are also stores online that sell low- to no-waste shampoos, lotions, and soaps. I use soap bars for my face and body, and get liquid lotion in reusable jars. (I occasionally buy shampoo in a plastic bottle because I haven’t found a low-waste option that works for well for my hair, but I only wash my hair once a week so a bottle lasts me at least a year.)

four // Disposable period products. Menstrual cup, period underwear, and cloth pads. Nothing more to buy or throw away! There are several quizzes online that will recommend a good menstrual cup for you (based on how many kids you’ve had, your flow, etc.). Do a quick internet search and you’ll find one!

five // Plastic wrap. I haven’t bought any kind of plastic wrap for years. Occasionally a visitor to my kitchen will ask for it, but personally I’ve never missed it. I store food in jars, glass containers, and silicone bags. To cover items, I use clean cloth towels and beeswax wrap. I also just save plastic bags and aluminum foil that comes into my life; even when you don’t buy these items, they still appear! Which leads to:

six // Plastic baggies. Reusable containers and reusable bags serve our needs well, but we also manage to acquire a lot of plastic bags without buying them. Tortilla bags, produce bags, the occasional bread bag…Recently I bought my son some new face masks and each one came in a plastic ziplock bag. Ugh! I save these and reuse them when I need a bag. But typically, I have way more than I can use!

seven // Muffin wrappers. I make a lot of muffins. I invested in 30 silicone muffin wrappers a few years ago (24 regular size and 6 jumbo). I use them constantly. They’re a bit of a pain to clean, but I know the earth is thanking me. This is one of those items that might not seem like it has much environmental impact since they’re small and usually compostable. However, the production and shipping of paper products is significant. Reusables are a better choice when you’re going to use them over and over again. But, if you only make muffins once a year, then paper might be a better choice!

eight // Dairy milk. Until about a year ago, I was singing the praises of local dairy milk in a reusable glass bottle. But more learning taught me that there’s just too great of an environmental impact from dairy farms (and almost all animal agriculture, really), so I just stopped buying it. My kids missed it a little bit, and they still haven’t been able to give up cheese 100%, but we’re no longer buying dairy milk and it feels good from both a health and an environmental perspective. (Don’t let anyone give you a hard time about almond milk. Sure, almond growing uses a lot of water, but WAY less than dairy milk requires! The impacts of animal agriculture, particularly cows, on the environment is HUGE.)

nine // Dryer sheets. Wool dryer balls for the win! I also try to line dry my clothes as much as possible.

ten // Single-use batteries. This is a change I wish we’d made MUCH sooner. It was one of those “duh” moments…why had we been using disposable batteries for so long!? We now have a supply of reusable batteries in a variety of sizes, and a big plug-in charger in the basement. I worry so much less now about the kids leaving a flashlight on! It is also so nice not to have to deal with safely disposing of batteries since you should never put them in your regular municipal trash bin!

I am all about super practical tips that help us all make concrete changes that simplify our lives and reduce our environmental impact. I believe that individual actions keep us connected to the broader issues of the climate crisis. It also feels good to “do something” where you can.

I was thrilled when Redfin asked me share my best tip for a more sustainable kitchen.

I had trouble narrowing down my tips to just one, but thankfully they compiled tips from sustainability experts all across the country, so there is plenty of detailed advice. Read more:

Experts Dish Their Secrets for Keeping a Sustainable Kitchen

Which of these practices have you already implemented in your kitchen?

Are there any tips you’d add to the list?

What new habits would you like to adopt this year?

What changes do you think have the most environmental impact?

A few of you might remember: I set a goal not to buy any clothes this year. Definitely nothing new, but nothing consignment either. I’d been feeling like I had too many clothes, and a lot of my clothing was items I didn’t really like but I’d picked up at Goodwill or a clothing swap. I wanted to stop consumption of any kind and reassess my wardrobe.

Turns out, I unwittingly picked a pretty good year for this endeavor. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, I was certainly not doing any ambling Goodwill hunts.

Nevertheless, I haven’t managed to keep to my commitment 100%. I’ve had some slip ups. But I’ve also resisted a lot of shopping! Which, I’ve learned, can be extremely challenging for me.

Given that today is “Black Friday,” a day that tempts our materialistic tendencies with sales galore, I thought it’d be the perfect time to share an update on my successes and failures:

I had a few impulse-buy moments:

• An Everlane black cardigan.
  I’ve been on the hunt for a “go-to” black cardigan for years. Seriously. Might sound silly to some but I bet others can relate! In early 2020, an Instagram influencer I follow posted about her favorite Everlane cardigan being on sale, and when I clicked the affiliate link, I discovered not only was it on sale, but there was only one left in stock! Before I knew what happened, I’d ordered it. FAIL. The positive side is that Everlane is an awesome company doing good things, and I do think this will be a high-quality staple in my wardrobe for years to come.

• A J.Crew bikini from thredUP.
  I was very sad that the pools in Denver were closed this summer. Going to the pool with my kids has always been how we pass summer days. Then, mid-July, I found a pool that was open! As a result, my kids needed some new swimsuits. I took to thredUP.com to find some options, and late one night I suddenly was ordered a J.Crew high-waisted bikini in my size. Second fail. At least it’s pre-owned?

• A romper from Goodwill. When COVID-19 cases started to go down mid-summer, I made a glorious solo trip to Goodwill. I was mostly getting school clothes and shoes for the kids, but I stumbled upon a beautiful linen romper in my size that was only $2.99. Despite my 2020 goals, I’m not a complete idiot. You snatch up a 100% linen romper when you see one!

I made a couple thought-through purchases:

• Underwear. I needed a few new pairs. Ordered them from Pact, and awesome Colorado-based B Corp where I get most of my family’s undergarments.

• Gloves: I didn’t have a good pair of gloves to wear on school runs. I was always taking my mittens off to help the kids with their stuff and it was getting cold. Ordered some, pre-owed, from thredUP.

• Everlane jeans from Poshmark. As the weather got cooler this fall, all 3 pairs of my “around the house” jeans ripped. I was able to patch one pair, but the other two were beyond repair. I bought a used pair from Poshmark. I love Everlane and their jeans, but still always try to buy used when I can.

I accepted a few gifts:

• A bikini bottom from a friend: Like I said above, swimming was front of mind over the summer. I had to help a friend out when it didn’t fit her. ;)

• Shoes from a friend: I have trouble saying no to free things that are looking for a new home. And I thought it through long enough before saying “yes” to make sure they were shoes I’d wear regularly.

• A hand-knit sweater from my mom: My mom has knit sweaters for decades. They’re beautiful. When I visited her a few months ago, she had one that didn’t fit her that she wanted to give me. I will always feel good about accepting a made-with-love warm sweater from a loved one.

I donated repurposed a lot of clothes.
A big part of my mission this year was to edit my wardrobe. I had too many clothes that I didn’t like and didn’t wear. I tried to donate as much as I could, directly to people who could use it (thank you, Facebook!). I also have a few bags in the attic to take to Goodwill sometime soon. (I recently read Adam Minter’s new book, "Secondhand", and was pleased to learn that most clothes donated to Goodwill find a second life and don’t go directly to the landfill. But those details are for another post!)

In conclusion: I resisted so, so many purchases.
My experience this year has taught me that even though I like to consider myself a minimalist who’s against excess consumerism, I have a real problem with consumption! I felt myself turning to shopping as a response to a whole range of feelings: boredom, sadness, moments of low self esteem.

This year has been challenging for all of us (and yes, I’m fully aware I’m writing about something very insignificant right now!), and I found myself often looking for a little “pick me up.” Buying clothes is a way we try to make ourselves feel good; a way to bring some excitement into our lives.

And there’s not necessarily anything wrong with that. There are worse vices. But I think it’s important to take a metaphorical look in the mirror and decide what’s really driving your shopping. That’s my aim, going forward. I’m not sure what my 2020 goal will be in regard to buying clothes, but I am very glad that I made an effort to curtail my shopping this year.

Now, if I can also make it through Black Friday without any impulse purposes!

What about you? Do you have any thoughts or goals around shopping? Are you comfortable with how much you buy?

I grew up camping. From summer camp canoe trips to family hiking trips to the times we didn’t want to rent a hotel on a road trip, I camped a lot. I’ve always considered myself a “camper.” However, when we moved to Colorado eight years ago and got invited to go camping with friends, I realized family car camping was a whole different beast than the camping I grew up doing. There was no filling your sleeping bag stuff sack with dirty clothes to make a pillow. People brought pillows! And mattresses. And bikes!

In the past several years, we’ve embraced this type of camping. I love sleeping with my pillow. I recently bought a sleeping pad and it’s divine. And yet, I still seek some degree of simplicity when we’re out in nature. Less is more. And this is particularly true when it comes to waste. I have no interest in creating a bunch of trash while I’m communing with the great outdoors. There are few things that hurt my heart more than an overflowing dumpster at the edge of a campground.

Figuring out how to minimize waste while camping can be a bit daunting. Drawing on my childhood memories of minimalist camping and my more newly-developed “zero-waste” habits, I’ve come up with some tips for making your outdoor adventures more waste-free!

one // Compost. Whether camping or in your house, composting is the number one way individuals can reduce the amount of waste they send to the landfill. By some estimates, up to 50% of household trash is organic matter. So much of our camping “trash” is compost: produce scraps, coffee grounds, uneaten sandwich crusts that fell on the ground… Put all this in a compost bin and take it home with you. If you don’t have your own compost service, most cities have a free drop-off locations. Line your bin with brown paper to reduce smell and make sure to tie your bin up high in a tree or put it in your car overnight!

two // Bring your own plates, cups, and utensils. When we camp, we bring three large plastic bins. One contains dry foods, one contains cooking utensils, and the third holds miscellaneous camping items like matches, flashlights, a first aid kit, bug spray, etc.

I pack plates, cups, bowls, and silverware for everyone in our family. I also bring a lightweight placemat to use as a cutting board, a sharp knife, a peeler, a large bowl for prepping foods, a cast iron pan for cooking, a sauce pan for boiling water, a moka pot (small stovetop espresso maker)…and any other cooking tools I’ll need for the meals I have planned.

I beg you, do not use disposables when you camp. It just goes against the entire idea of enjoying nature. You’re going to eat off a plate that was made by cutting down trees while you’re enjoying the view of the trees?

three // Take your “rag system” with you. I always encourage people to adopt a “rag system” in their home to minimize the use of paper products like tissues, napkins, and paper towels. And it’s not that hard to take some cloth towels on the road!

Here’s what I do: I take a bag of clean cloths (mostly dish towels, but also smaller clothes to use for spills and noses) and a wet bag for dirties. When a dish towel is dirty beyond reuse, I throw it in the dirty bag. Any super dirty clothes might go in there too. Wash it all once you’re back at home.

four // Bring tap water in reusable containers. Years ago, we had a large plastic “bladder” for taking water camping. These are great, and I support anything reusable that limits single-use water bottles! But, we made the mistake of letting our kids play with it at home, and it inevitably sprung a leak. Instead of buying a new one, the next time we went camping I brought a six pack of old wine bottles filled with water. I put them in one of those reusable wine carrying bags to keep them organized. This worked well, so now we bring them every time we camp. I also have a few gallon-sized bottles we bring. If the campground has a water pump, bring a funnel and you can easily refill these bottles. When we go somewhere without a water source, we bring a large 5-gallon glass bottle I bought at a vintage store as a decorative item. (I was searching Amazon for a non-plastic water container and saw a bunch of large glass bottles and realized I already had one sitting in my dining room full of fake flowers!) #usewhatyouhave

five // Minimize individually wrapped foods. It can be tempting to rely on “convenience foods” when you go camping. Granola bars, juice boxes, applesauce pouches, chip bags… Marketers convince us our life will be easier if our food is “grab and go.” But, really, when you’re camping there’s plenty of time to cut up some fruit or bread for a snack. There are many delicious snacks that don’t come with a lot of packaging. Make a big jar of trail mix to dole out to the kids. Give them bananas or apples. For more ideas, check out my post on low-waste snack ideas.

six // Recycle. Properly. It ceases to amaze me how many people put their recyclables in a plastic trash bag. If you do this, they WILL NOT be recycled. Put recyclables in a recyclable bag, like a paper grocery bag.

Another “no-no:” can crushing. Do not crush your cans; this also reduces the chances they’ll be recycled because recycling machines have electronic readers that scan for the shape of cans.

Something else to consider: rural areas typically don’t have as robust of recycling facilities as urban areas. If you’re someone who lives in a city and is going camping in a more rural setting, bring your recyclables back home to ensure they get recycled.

seven // Meal plan. Just like at home, you’re likely to waste less food and maximize your ingredients if you have a plan. Some of my go-to meals for camping are:

• pasta with pesto and veggies/legumes

• tacos with sweet potato or mushrooms, avocado, salsa etc.

• lentil soup with rice (make both ahead and just reheat!)

• peanut butter + jelly sandwiches

• vegetable and hummus wraps

• scrambled eggs and potato hash

• oatmeal (oats, chia seeds, flaxmeal, coconut flakes, raisins…)

• pancakes (try my make-ahead mix!)

eight // Consider non-tangible waste. Reducing waste is a simple step we can all take to help the environment. I’m a big believer that the benefits stretch far beyond the trash bin by simplifying your life. But it’s also important to remember that our trash might not be the biggest way we pollute the earth. The fossil fuels burned by driving to a campsite are not insignificant, and neither are those powering a RV generator. Often, when we camp somewhere with a body of water or a hike, I’ll see people driving from their campsite to the lake or trailhead. If this is absolutely necessary, then by all means. But you already drove to the campground, so maybe spare the earth the extra pollutants while you’re there?

nine // Keep learning and researching. Every year I have new ideas about how to do something that I hadn’t considered before. I discover new ways to reduce my waste or accomplish a task in a way that has a smaller environmental impact. My next goal: cook while camping with fewer gas canisters. They’re not recyclable and they’re also a hazardous waste, so they need to be dropped off at drop off locations and should not be put directly in your trash bin. (But, if you’re like me, they just accumulate in you house because you can’t confront the waste you’ve created!)

ten // Teach others. We need to remind each other how to take care of the earth so it will always be enjoyable for camping trips. Talk with your family and friends about the importance of reducing our environmental impact. Pick up any litter near your campsite. Exploring and respecting nature is a key to becoming more eco-conscious citizens!

Today marks the first day of “Plastic Free July,” a campaign that aims to decrease plastic waste worldwide. By “taking the challenge,” you commit to decrease your plastic consumption in one or all of three ways: refuse single-use plastics, target the takeaway plastics, or go completely plastic free.

In the past, I’ve gone completely plastic free, but because of recent changes in the wake of COVID-19, it’s just no longer possible for my family. So instead I’m back to focusing on refusing single-use plastics. My other goals for the month to reduce my environmental footprint: refuse single-use items of all materials (glass, bioplastics, paper) and eat vegan except for the occasional pasture-raised egg.

Ok, so what exactly are “single-use plastics?”

This morning I posted on my Instagram to ask if the plastic bag from a pound of pasta counts as single-use if I’m using it in just one meal for my family. Many said yes. I totally agree with that logic, but for my goals this month, I’m not going to count it. I’m going to continue to try to avoid this type of plastic, but I my journey about environmental issues over the years has made me realize the environmental footprint of a product is much more than just its packaging. For example, I’ve stopped drinking dairy milk even though I was able to get it in a reusable glass bottle, making it zero waste.

The National Resources Defense Council has a great deal of useful information about plastics and plastic pollution. They define a single-use plastics as “goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use—often, in mere minutes. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags.”

But even though definitions are great, we all know I like the nitty gritty. What EXACTLY should we be avoiding this month and onward? To help us out, I created two lists, below: 1) Definitely avoid, and 2) Try to avoid.

Have a read and tell me what you’d add to these lists!

Single-use plastics to DEFINITELY avoid consuming this Plastic Free July (and beyond):

• Plastic straws

• Plastic water bottles (come on, folks, it’s 2020!)

• Plastic takeaway cups from cafes and restaurants

• Plastic and bioplastic cutlery

• Plastic or “paper” plates at restaurants or BBQs

• Plastic produce or grocery bags

• Individually packaged snack foods: granola bars, chips, fruit snacks, candy bars etc.

• Individual juice boxes/pouches or other drinks meant for one person to consume in one sitting.

• Meat or cheese that comes with plastic dividers between each slice. This includes cheese sticks!

• Single-serving yogurt cups

• Zip-lock bags for snacks or leftovers. Use reusable bags, glass jars, or even reusable plastic containers.

• Plastic wrap and wax paper for cooking or storing leftovers

• Six-pack rings (that commonly come on beer or soda cans)

• Baby wipes, clorox wipes, makeup remover wipes, ALL DISPOSABLE WIPES!

• Dental flossers

• Q-tips

• Balloons and other party decorations

• Plastic ribbons and other gift wrapping

• Disposable plastic gloves

• Chewing gum (it’s plastic, you know!)

• Glow sticks and other toy trinkets that won’t be played with longer than a few hours

Single-use plastics you should TRY TO avoid this Plastic Free July (and beyond):

• Food in plastic packaging that you’ll consume during one meal.

• Takeout containers that contain food to be consumed during one meal.

• Disposable diapers

• Disposable period products

• Plastic tape (sure you gotta mail stuff and your kids like to craft, but use it sparingly!)

• Plastic lighters (try long matches for lighting fires and camping stoves)

• Plastic packaging that comes with shipped packages (from places like Amazon!)

Conscious consumption is a goal of many, especially when it comes to food. As recently as a few months ago, my grocery shopping was guided by a commitment to minimizing my environmental impact. This meant buying food with no packaging, eating mostly vegan, and not wasting food. I rode my cargo bike to the nearest grocery chain store and filled my jars and cloth bags with the bulk goods and produce my family of five would need for a week.  I prided myself on being almost “zero waste” and making many things from scratch: bread, yogurt, nut milks and butters.

I did not shop at Costco. Other than a few jars of lentils, I didn’t stock much dried food in our pantry. But then, in early March, the bulk bins suddenly “closed.” They were replaced with items in pre-portioned plastic bags. The store asked customers to stop using their own containers. My world was turned upside down. And, worse, my flour jar was empty.

I was genuinely flummoxed: where did one buy raisins if not from the bulk section? Pepitas? What about flaxmeal; does that come in a plastic bag somewhere? All the staples my family was used to consuming seemed elusive. I couldn’t find them in bulk, or even in packaging for that matter. 

My main concern was, of course, the unsettling news about COVID-19. But, practically, I needed to feed my family. Amidst these worrying reports and “stay at home” orders, a glimmer of hope: I saw on social media that several Community Supported Agriculture options were providing local delivery. I immediately signed up for two, and felt the tension in my chest ease slightly with the possibility that I’d found a way to support the local food economy and nourish my family.

Now, once a week, the ultimate gift appears on my doorstep: minimally-packaged local produce. I peer into the boxes and then strategically plan our meals. I cook the most perishable vegetables first. I am careful not to waste anything edible. We’ve enjoyed wild mushrooms cooked in farm-fresh butter, sautéed carrot tops, muffins baked from bruised apples, and sour-milk pancakes. We are surviving without the bananas to which we were accustomed. I am pleased I’ve always known how to deliciously prepare those lentils I had in my pantry.

As for my flour jar, a generous Costco-loving friend gifted me a 25-pound bag. One of the CSAs offers bags of hard red wheat flour, too. It turns out flaxmeal and raisins aren’t too hard to find in packaging. The carbon footprint of that plastic waste is counteracted by the sustainable local agriculture I am supporting. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to return to the bulk bins. But I do know I’ll be keeping these CSA subscriptions indefinitely.

When I first started my “zero-waste journey” I was pretty singularly focused on the waste. I started buying more dairy milk than ever before because I could get it from a local dairy in a reusable glass bottle.

But, as my journey has progressed, I’ve become less focused on tangible waste and more focused on the broader environmental implications of what I’m purchasing and consuming. I recently read an article that included a comment from a food company executive. He said that consumers don’t care about the environmental impact of what they’re buying, they just care about the taste. I disagree. I think more and more of us are taking some time to weigh the ethical consequences of what we purchase and consume.

The issues that plague each variety of plant-based milk are particularly hard to sift through. Almonds are bad: too much water. Coconut milk is marred by the problems of worker exploitation in Southeast Asia. So what is one to do? Which milk should we drink? Thankfully, The Guardian broke it down pretty well for us last month. This article, along with others I’ve read on the topic, have formed my latest set of guidelines to inform which milk is “best” in terms of environmental impacts. These may change in time, but for now, here are my 5 tips for deciding which milk is “best”:

one // Dairy milk is always the worst choice. Even if it’s from a local dairy in a glass bottle, the environmental footprint of raising dairy cows for milk is significantly worse than any of the plant-based milk alternatives.

two // Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew, and rice milk are the worst of the plant milks, but they’re still much better than dairy! Not only does almond milk require way more water than any other dairy milk alternative, but 70% of bees are called on each spring to pollinate almonds. We don’t have that many bees! Cashews are pretty water-intensive crop, too, but the good news for consumers is that they’re relatively cheap. As for coconut milk, the international demand for it is ruining the lives of farmers. Rice milk is also a major water hog, and rice production contributes more greenhouse gases than any other plant (yikes I might need to reassess our rice consumption).

three // Hemp, hazelnut, flax, and soy are all good picks. I, personally, am thrilled that soy is “okay” again after people were all against it for a few years. The looks I sometimes get whey I try to order a soy latte! No one should be eating too much soy, and it should ideally be organic, but it’s totally fine in moderation. Hazelnuts grow on trees which help capture carbon, and are also grown in moist climates so they require less water. Hemp and flax are “niche crops” grown in northern hemispheres which makes them more sustainable than monoculture crops.

four // Oat milk and pea milk are good, with a few caveats: Oat milk is on the up and up (just check out any local cafe!), and it’s good from a growing viewpoint, but there’s a bit of concern about how many pesticides are used on oats. If you’re buying organic you might be better off, but there are unfortunately many organic forms of pesticides that are still pretty bad. Chobani just released an oat milk yogurt which kind of seems like both a good and a bad sign to me…As for pea milk, it’s pretty good on the environmental side, but the main producer Ripple ships it’s peas to the US from France, so that’s not ideal. I’m going to dig a bit deeper on this one.

five // Buy shelf-stable TetraPak cartons, not the ones in the dairy aisle. Milk cartons are made of three materials: aluminum, plastic, and paper. TetraPak presses these three layers together instead of gluing them. This means TetraPak is much easier to recycle than the glued ones. TetraPak also has a clearly defined sustainability mission in which they commit to many progressive environmental practices such as those that support a more circular economy.

What are your thoughts? Do you think this much about your milk? What are your favorites? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not 100% vegan. But you cannot deny the studies that show the immense environmental impacts of animal agriculture. Get informed and then make your decisions!

There was a fantastic piece on Colorado Public Radio earlier this week about recycling. CPR and two listeners went to the Alpine Waste and Recycling facility and talked with Brent Hildebrand, the Vice President of Recycling.

My friends regularly ask me about whether or not they can recycle X. The tricky thing is that the answer is highly dependent on where you live and what facilities your city has. When we had a friend from Germany visit a few years ago, she was shocked we couldn’t recycle potato chip bags!

To summarize some of the info in the CPR piece, combined with questions I think are on the minds of many, here are my top 10 recycling tips for DENVER. Chances are the system in your city is similar, but not identical. For example, Denver is one of the only cities in the US that can recycle coffee cups! (But you should still ditch disposable cups for a real one!)

10 Tips for Effective Recycling (in Denver):

one/ Clean it. But just a little. Jars and cans don’t need to be 100% free of food residue, but they should be lightly rinsed and empty of all food. A can half full of beans will be problematic for recycling machines, but a bit of nut butter residue is no big deal.

two/ Take off caps if they’re made from a different material than the container. Remove metal lids from jars. Remove plastic caps from glass bottles (like soy sauce). Plastic tops can stay on plastic bottles.

three/ Plastic smaller than 2 inches will not be recycled even if it has the recycle symbol on it. Small caps, contact lens cases, tiny toys, etc. are filtered out during the recycling process and go to landfill.

four/ “Extra” plastic doesn’t need to be removed, but it won’t be recycled. Plastic windows on envelopes or plastic film on the outside of a jar or bottle don’t need to be removed before you place the item in your recycling bin. However, this non-recyclable plastic will be filtered out during the sorting process, so it’ll end up in the landfill.

five/ Random metal is generally not accepted in single-stream recycling. Aluminum cans are HIGHLY recyclable and a fantastically sustainable material. Aluminum and tin cans are pretty much the only type of metal you can throw in your single-stream (purple) bin. All other metals need to be taken to a special facility.

six/ SOLO cups are not recyclable. Find some reusables for your next game of beer pong. Many single-use plastic cups are not recyclable. Try out bringing your own cup when you go out!

seven/ “Compromised” paper cannot be recycled. Think: pizza boxes or glittered paper. Paper gets turned into a pulp to make new paper, so if the paper is soiled this process won’t work. Remove embellishments on your kids’ art projects before recycling. Remove the greasy parts of food containers (they’re compostable) and recycle what’s clean. Similarly, very lightweight paper (tissues, paper towels, napkins, tissue paper) is too far down the paper chain to be recycled. It’s compostable.

eight/ You can never recycle plastic film or bags in your curbside bin, even if they have the recycling symbol on them. Recycling gets extra confusing because companies want you to think their packaging is recyclable. Manufacturers will throw a recycling sign on their packaging even if it’s not accepted in single-stream systems. For example, this dumpling bag pictured has a recycling symbol on the bag, but it’s from China, so of course they don’t know what our recycling system is like! In Denver, and most cities in the US, plastic film and bags have to be take to special facilities to be recycled. They’re a terrible problem for recycling plants like Alpine, so don’t put them in your bin!

nine/ Most shipping materials are not recyclable. Amazon has gotten some bad press lately for it’s bubble mailers. They’re using fewer boxes and more plastic wrap which is obviously terrible. Try to combine orders to increase the chance it’ll ship in a box (or better yet, just buy local as much as possible!). As for the plastic packaging you receive, the best bet is to reuse or to take them to a drop off location (find out where these are by Googling the info on the packaging).

ten/ Research your options for recycling “hard to recycle” materials. There are many drop off locations for these items. Things like clothing, technology, metals, styrofoam, and much more can be reused if you find the right place to take them. I’m planning to eventually put more info about this right here on my site, but in the meantime Google is your friend. If you can’t reuse it, try to find a new home for it before you throw it in the trash!

Denver Recycles has a great searchable directory to tell you how to dispose of anything you’re unsure about!

Ok, what did I miss? Recycling is incredibly complex. What materials puzzle you?

I love food: Trying new foods. Going out to eat. Ordering Chinese.

But you know what I no longer love? Take out.

Since becoming more intentional about avoiding single-use packaging, going out and ordering food has become more stressful. When I don’t feel like cooking, the option of ordering take out is not a suggestion that puts me at ease. It does quite the opposite.

So, what to do? Here are five ways I avoid the terribleness that is single-use foodware:

I rarely order “take-out” or “to-go” food. This might initially sound like a bit of a downer, but honestly I feel alright about it. Food never tastes as good when you order it as it does in a restaurant. And all the new delivery services are expensive. Plus, take-out food isn’t usually the healthiest. When I’m feeling lazy about making dinner, we eat something super simple like a frittata, baked potato, rice bowl, pancakes or granola. Even if what I come up with isn’t healthy, at least it’s a lot cheaper than take out.

I order pizza. Yep, that’s our main source of delivery. Pizza. It comes in a box that is reusable (great for poster making!) or compostable (the greasy bottom part). Just make sure to ask for no condiment packets and NO “PIZZA SAVER” (that silly plastic table they put in the center of the pizza.

I BYO utensils and cups. I always have small metal cups and reusable utensils and straws in my bag. This way, if we go to a restaurant to dine in, but they’re using disposables (the worst!) then I can still minimize my waste. The cups come in handy for splitting beverages amongst the kids. Or at an event where they’re serving wine in a plastic cups! I have about 10 of them that I bought at H-Mart. Asian grocery stores are a great place to find stainless steel cups and plates.

I take a container everywhere. I always have a little bag, beeswax wrap, or container in my bag for food. If we eat out and there are leftovers, I slide them into my container. Never once have I gotten any negative comments or looks from a server or fellow diner. It works great; you can even take the extra bread! Health codes have provisions about restaurants touching your container. But they can put it on their plates and then YOU can put it in your container. So, even if you don’t want to dine in, you can still order “for here” and then just take it with you!

I usually use an old plastic container because it’s light. But my favorite are the Onyx stainless steel containers. If you can’t find them at a store near you, order (with free shipping!) from the Package Free Shop!

I tell restaurant workers and managers how I feel about single-use foodware. Last month, in California, Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a groundbreaking ordinance aimed at reducing the use of single-use disposable foodware. Restaurants are now required to use real plates and cups and utensils for customers dining in. For takeaway, containers must be compostable and come only at a 25 cent fee. And that’s not all! The city is working on implementing a program of reusable to-go containers with pick up and drop off locations around the city.

This is an example of how real change will happen. We need our systems to fundamentally change. I haven’t started pushing the Denver City Council yet (frankly, our city has a lot of other issues to address first that Berkeley probably addressed in the 1990s), but telling restaurants that I don’t like their single-use foodware is a good place to start. Just last weekend we went to a great local restaurant and our only complaint the whole meal was the plastic drink stirrer in a cocktail.

Demand what you want as a consumer!

Below a picture from a trip I made to Safeway about 2 years ago. This was, clearly, earlier in my zero-waste “journey.” I used to buy some of these items regularly. Now, they are things I only buy a few times a year if I’m really in a food jam or it’s a special treat.

Nevertheless, these items show some of the challenges of shopping without packaging. There are many items you just can’t get. There was a time when I’d buy things anyway…I’d say to myself “well, raspberries only come in plastic, so that’s my only option.” But now, I just won’t buy raspberries. There are so many other fruits available without packaging. It’s hardly a sacrifice!

There are probably less than 1,000 people in the whole world who are actually going to sort of achieve a zero-waste lifestyle. For the rest of us, we have to use our consumer power to “vote.” If we won’t buy things in plastic packaging, we’re sending a message that we want different options. This is our power. Ask the manager at the store. Email the company. There are a lot of ways to make your opinion known. Don’t be shy; express it! And, if you really truly want the raspberries, get them!

1. Pasta. For some reason, pasta is rarely available in the bulk section. Occasionally I've found whole wheat macaroni at Whole Foods and tri-color rotini at Sprouts. But you can't count on it. So, I usually buy pasta in as much paper or cardboard packaging as possible (instead of in plastic bags). It's hard to find a box that's 100% recyclable, but most stores have pasta in cardboard boxes with just a tiny bit of plastic.

2. Alternative milk. I buy cow's milk in reusable glass bottles. I sometimes make nut milks at home. I buy coconut milk in cans. But as a family of 5, we go through a good amount of milk in coffee, cereal, etc. Tetra-pak (shown above, what many milks come in) is not at all a good choice. It's terribly difficult to recycle because it's a combination of plastic, aluminum and paper. Denver now has facilities to recycle it (as do most major U.S. cities), but it's questionable how many cartons are actually being captured and whether or not the material salvaged can really be used in any meaningful way. I buy in moderation and try to buy in a plastic jug if possible. because simply plastic is actually more recyclable.

3. Bread. Thanks to my mom, I have an awesome recipe for homemade bread. I make it regularly. If I don't have it in me to bake, I try to buy a loaf of bread without packaging from a local bakery. But let’s face it: life happens and the kids still need school lunches. Occasionally I buy bread at the grocery. I like this Dave's bread because it's one of few on the market that doesn't have added sugar. Plus it has a good amount of protein per slice. I reuse the bags and then take them back to the store recycling bins for plastic film.

4. Tuna + Beans. Aluminum is one of the most sustainable forms of packaging. Cans contain more recycled content than plastic or glass containers. They are easily melted and reformed into more packaging. They're light to ship. If a type of product is available in aluminum I will chose that over glass or plastic 100% of the time. When I occasionally buy my kids juice, I buy pineapple juice that comes in cans.

5. Yogurt. This is the worst thing I buy! Even though I've started making yogurt at home, and my kids enjoy it, when given the option to pick a "special treat" at the store, they often choose a fancy yogurt. They love the novelty of it, I guess? I hate it. I’ve gotten better at saying “no” or opting for the ones in glass instead, but occasionally I cave. I’m human. I like making my kids happy, and yogurt is a lot better than many things they could pick. I recycle the plastic...but that doesn't really make it much better.

6. Produce stickers and tags. Not much we can do about these unless the industry standards change. Even farmers' markets often have produce with stickers. I try to take the stickers off as soon as I get home so we don't accidentally compost them (on banana peels, avocado skin, etc.).

7. Tortillas. We eat a lot of tortillas. I really want to get a tortilla press and learn how to make my own, but in the meantime I reuse the resealable bags for storing food and produce.

8. Frozen peas. I buy almost all of our produce without packaging. But peas are the vegetable my kids will consume the most of, and so I like to have a “back up” bag in freezer for those times when there aren't any other vegetables in the house or I'm super tired or lazy. I wish fresh peas were more available. Maybe this summer I can find a bunch and shell them an freeze. #goals

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Other things I occasionally buy with problematic packaging:

• Cheese

• Fish/seafood

• Tofu

• Dates

• Potato chips

• Frozen foods at the Asian grocery - dumplings, baozi, etc.

Foods we love but I try not to buy because of their packaging:

• Clementines

• Grapes

• Cherry tomatoes

• Baby carrots

• Rice cakes

• Crackers

What about you? Do you think about the packaging on the foods you buy? What tips do you have to share?