A few weeks ago, I received a note from a reader asking for help avoiding plastic. (S)he wrote:

“I’m so interested in reducing waste but struggle with plastic as it seems to be part of every food item not bought in bulk! Please help!”

The struggle is real.

As much as this might sound defeatist: I’ve completely given up being “zero waste.” It’s just not possible. Instead, I’m focusing my efforts on the ways my family can have the greatest environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

That does not mean I am blasé about tangible waste! Just today I went out to lunch at a new restaurant that’s touting itself as sustainable but was serving in-house diners on disposable plates. I voiced my concerns to the staff about this. I had my own forks in my bag so I didn’t have to use their disposable ones.

We have to be realistic about what we can do. We have to operate within the system we find ourselves even as we work to change it. With that in mind, here are eight tips for reducing your environmental impact around eating, both at home and from restaurants:

one // Buy in large quantities. The original “bulk.” Even though I can’t fill with my jars at my local grocery store anymore, I try to reduce packaging but buying the same size bags that grocery uses in their bulk section. Costco is great for this, as is Walmart. Local suppliers can be found too; depending on your region. Always buy the biggest bag you can when it’s a product that will keep.

two. // Avoid animal products an other emission offenders. Eating less meat and animal products is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint. It has a much larger impact that “going zero waste.” Also consider limiting foods that are known to be bad for the environment such as palm oil.

three. // Use your voice. This is particularly relevant when it comes to eating out. So many restaurants and food suppliers have made the choice to refuse personal containers from customers and mandate the use of single-use plastics/disposables. This is of course their prerogative, and it comes from a good place (trying to keep everyone safe and healthy), but as a consumer you have the right to voice your opinion and point out that the risk of surface transmission of coronavirus is not eliminated by using more plastic products. And you can always choose not to visit an establishment!

three // Make it yourself. We can’t make everything ourselves, but if you think about what foods you consume most often, maybe you can make some of them. I’m making less things myself because we’re currently doing a kitchen renovation, but thanks to a friend’s bread maker, I’m still making my own bread. This saves me so many plastic bags per week! Do what you can.

four // Avoid food waste. Food waste is a significant source of emissions, especially if they’re not composted. Try to make the amount of food your family will consume, and remember that most things freeze well. If you have unopened goods you know you won’t use, consider sharing them with neighbors or a food pantry nearby.

five. // Compost! Composting is the #1 thing I suggest to people looking to decrease their environmental footprint. There are more and more easy ways to compost in Denver, and perhaps in your city too! We have the municipal pick up, as well as several private companies who offer service to apartment dwellers and local businesses. A backyard bin or a vermicompost is always a good option too! Here’s an excellent guide to composting at home.

six. // Support “good” companies. Research the companies you’re supporting. Look beyond the advertising on the packaging to see what their corporate sustainability practices are. Do they do any work to help the environment? Wind energy? Regenerative farming? Carbon neutral? A company’s website is usually a good indication of what they’re committed to: look for details and not just vague statements. And being a certified B Corp is always a plus.

seven. // Resist “kid-friendly” or convenience foods. Convenience foods are the main plastic packaging culprit. Companies try to make their products more convenient for consumers and this typically means putting things in individual packages. Likewise, there tends to be a pervasive culture that suggests kids “have” to eat certain foods: juice boxes, cheese sticks, Z bars, etc. But truly, they don’t. Cut up some cheese. Pour them a glass of juice from a large bottle. I’m not saying you can’t give your kids some treats from time to time, but if you’re willing to do just a little more work in the kitchen, you can save yourself a lot of plastic and money!

eight. // Eat local. By buying local products, you cut down significantly on the shipping emissions related to a product. Visit farmers’ markets, sign up for a CSA, grow your own food. Reducing the semi trucks on the roads delivering food can have a huge impact.

What suggestions do you have ? There are so many other things we can do; but don’t forget to use your voice to advocate for more systemic change! The burden cannot and should not be placed entirely on the shoulders of individuals.

A few months ago, I was honored to be featured in Colorado Parent magazine as one of “4 Colorado Families Lowering Their Environmental Impacts.” I mentioned it on my Instagram account, but also wanted to share it here! Click the screenshot below to view the article.

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!

I hate spray sunscreens. I know that’s a controversial position to take among parents. Putting sunscreen on your kids is a legit pain, and spray sunscreens often seem like they’re easier. But here’s the rub: they’re shown to be less effective and they’re also terrible for the health of the planet and those nearby when you’re spraying.

Here’s something else I dislike: non-recyclable plastic. And that’s what packages many sunscreens. But thankfully, there are a few companies out there doing their part to make their sunscreens the best they can be for both the health of the users and the health of the planet.

I’ve received some questions lately about what kind of sunscreen we use, so here are my thoughts on how to make the best possible choice for yourself and your family when choosing a sunscreen. Sometimes we forget that our skin is our body’s largest organ, so we shouldn’t be blasé about what we’re putting on it!

THREE THINGS I LOOK FOR IN A SUNSCREEN

one // Proven “non-toxic” ingredients. As you may know, in the US, beauty products are only very loosely regulated by the government. It can be hard to know what ingredients are safe and which ones aren’t. And on top of that, hundreds of sunscreens (and other beauty products) promote themselves as “green” or “natural” or “non-toxic.” In many cases this is just greenwashing; they just want you to buy their product. To determine if a product is really safe, you should be able to find clear information about their products’ ingredients on their website. You can usually tell if they’re bluffing about the natural nature of their sunscreen or if their claims are legitimate.

two // A company with sustainability practices. Many companies are making improvements on their plastic packaging. Reusables are always the best choice, but we’re seeing more and more stainless steel containers and compostable paper sticks. These are fantastic choices. But it’s good to remember that even if a company is using plastic for their products, they still might be doing great things on the sustainability front. Their manufacturing and shipping practices has a lot to do with how many emissions are created through their business. Do some research so you can be informed about the companies you’re supporting with your wallet.

three // Zinc oxide; preferable non-nano zinc oxide. Instead of trying to figure out which weird-sounding chemical ingredients are safe and which aren’t, I look for sunscreens that are made out of zinc oxide and other ingredients I can recognize. As for why you want “non-nano zinc oxide,” it’s essentially because nano particles can enter the bloodstream and that’s bad. So you want not super small particles. You can do a quick internet search and find out lots more information on this topic.

OK OK, SO WHICH SUNSCREEN SHOULD I BUY?

Raw Elements - I love all the products Raw Elements make. All their sunscreens are reef-safe, which is extra important if you’re swimming somewhere besides swimming pools. I can get their sunscreen at my local refill shop, but I also like ordering directly from their website. Their kids sunscreen is great and I also love the tinted face moisturizer. Their biodegradable sticks are super for face application as well. I haven’t yet tried their lip products, but I bet they’re fantastic too.

While writing this post, I realized I could sign up to be an affiliate with them, so here’s a 10% off code if you choose to order from their site: deliberateless10
If you chose to make a purchase with this code, I get a very small commission. But please know that I was planning to promote their sunscreen anyway; I truly love their products and what their company stands for!

Meow Meow Tweet - I use Meow Meow Tweet Everyday Sunscreen year round. It’s light and goes on easily. It gives me less protection than the Raw Elements products, so I use it on days I don’t plan to have a lot of sun exposure. I really love the metal dispenser and the smell. If you’ve never checked out Meow Meow Tweet, you’re missing out. I love all their face products!

//

These are by no means the only great sunscreen options on the market. They’re just the brands I know and trust. What other companies are working hard to create sustainable and healthy products for sun protection?

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!)

I no longer own any cloth diapers.

After almost eight years of cloth diapering my three little ones, the youngest is officially potty trained. HURRAY!

Cloth diapering actually came pretty easy to me. It always just made sense to me. Use, wash, repeat. No trips to the store, one-time investment, use for multiple children.

However, while the big-picture decision to cloth diaper was a no-brainer, there was definitely a steep learning curve and several bumbles along the way. There are literally thousands of guides to cloth diapering on the internet, so I’m not going to rewrite one of them here. Instead, I’m going to give my eight biggest tips for cloth diapering. One for each year!

one // All-in-one diapers (AIOs) are a great starting place, but they are less versatile and don’t last as long as other diaper options. With my oldest, Willa, I registered for exclusively cloth diapers. I got bumgenius newborn diapers and a set of 12 bumgenius AIOs. They worked great and I loved them! But, I’d gotten one pocket diaper for free with one of my bumgenius orders, and found myself gravitating towards it when we had babysitters or wanted to stuff the diaper with extra cloth for nighttime. By the time my second baby came, I wanted more pocket diapers. But pocket diapers need to be stuffed, and when you’re sleep-deprived and swimming in laundry, that’s a lot. Enter: diaper covers. Just lay the cloth inside the cover, and you’re done. By the time I had my third baby I was using mostly diaper covers with cloth, and a few pockets.

two // Do not use too much detergent. Less is more! I completely whiffed on this one. The first time I cloth diapered I used way too much detergent and ended up with terrible build-up in my diapers. This means the soap is lodged in your diapers and so they can’t absorb the pee. I had to wash those first AIOs I had a bagillion times to get the build-up out and that ruined the elastic. I gave them away to someone who knew how to sew, and got new diapers for my second baby. This was a big fail, as ideally cloth diapers should last for multiple babies. Don’t use too much soap! Less is more! Just a teaspoon or so, depending on the soap.

three // Babies get diaper rash. Statement of the obvious, right? It is, but I think often parents think one type of diaper is more likely to give them a rash than others. This may be true (it probably is; you know your baby!) but I think it’s good to just accept that your baby will have some rashes and carry on with the cloth. That said, I recommend using diapers of natural fibers (cotton, usually). And there might be bits of time when you need to use some disposables, but don’t give up on the cloth. Change is the only constant and everything is a phase. I recommend a cloth-friendly cream for daily use. There’s a good list here, and I like this one.

four // Use what you have or what’s cheap. The cloth diaper options these days are extensive. It’s a huge market. There are tons of cute patterns and fancy buttons etc. etc. It’s easy to drop hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of dollars on new cloth diapers. But I don’t recommend that! If you get diaper covers, you can use a variety of cloth inside to absorb your child’s pee and poop. We used cotton towels that we already had, and I also bought some 100% cotton flour sack towels from WalMart. At less than $1 per towel they’re much cheaper than what you’ll find from the cloth diaper companies.

five // It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. So often people make a decision that they’re going to use cloth diapers OR disposable diapers. While I would obviously encourage you to use cloth diapers, replacing even a small number of disposables with cloth will save you money and help the earth.

six // You can travel with cloth! I shied away from traveling with cloth diapers for a long time. It just seemed like disposables were what you should use “on the road.” But eventually I realized that it’s not that hard to bring the cloth along. If your destination has a washing machine that you and your host are comfortable with you using, you’re all set. Or, if it’s a short trip (such as a long weekend camping), just bring a wet bag for the dirties and bring them home with you. I always figure it’s better to lug home laundry than trash!

seven // You do not need disposable swim diapers OR a special cloth diaper for swimming. Just use one of your diaper covers! Or even an all-in-one diaper. You’re going for containment not absorbency. Any tight fitting undergarment will do. These are one type of diaper we can definitely keep out of the landfill.

eight // It’s not easy, but nothing is with parenting… Oftentimes people will remark that cloth diapering is hard, or not as easy as disposables. I would respectfully disagree. Meeting a baby’s needs takes time and energy and diapers don’t change themselves. Any way you slice it, you’re parenting.

//

Did you cloth diaper? What would be your biggest tip?

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.

I know it, you know it: we have a toilet paper problem right now.

For many, that problem is that they keep running out and there’s not enough in stores. But from my perspective, the problem is much bigger than that. Americans use a disproportionate amount of toilet paper compared to the rest of the world. And that’s becoming even more obvious in this time of global pandemic which has increased demand and disrupted supply chains.

According to a 2019 article in The Guardian:

“[A] report found that major brands’ refusal to switch to sustainable materials in toilet paper is having a devastating impact on forests and climate. About 28m acres of Canadian boreal forest have been cut down since 1996, an area the size of Pennsylvania. Virgin pulp, the key ingredient in toilet paper, accounted for 23% of Canada’s forest product exports.

Americans are particularly to blame for this crisis. They make up just over 4% of the world’s population, yet account for more than 20% of global tissue consumption. The average four-person household in the US uses over 100lb of toilet paper a year.”

I’ve thought about writing this post for awhile, but avoided it because it’s a bit “icky.” People don’t like potty talk. None of us really want to think about how others clean their bum.

But it’s time. Time to get real. Time to push you to reevaluate your systems. As I see it, there are several easy ways YOU could reduce your toilet paper use. Or at the very least, become a more responsible consumer of the product. Let’s run through them in order of the easiest to hardest changes you could make if you grew up using toilet paper:

EASIEST // Buy thinner toilet paper.
Sacrifice just a tiny bit of luxury. The thinner your paper, the fewer trees were used to make it. You don’t have to have quadruple soft Charmin. I promise. Your bum will be okay.

EASIEST // Use less toilet paper.
Obvious and easy: use fewer squares each time you pee. Teach your kids to do this too; in my experience, they’re big offenders!

EASY // Buy “tree-free” toilet paper (and paper towels and tissues!).
Several companies make toilet paper from bamboo and other resources, such as sugarcane, that are much more renewable than trees. Yes, these products might be a tad more expensive than the big-time name brands, but use a few fewer squares a week and it’ll all even out. Some brands to check out: Who Gives a Crap, Grove Collective, Public Goods, Rebel Green, and Caboo.

MODERATE // Switch to “disposable” cloth for pees.
Cut-up some old cotton clothes that were destined for the landfill anyway. Cut them so they’re about the size of 4 squares of toilet paper. Place them in a container near the toilet. After you use one to wipe, throw it in the trash. Wash your hands.

HARDER // Switch to reusable cloth for pees.
Same as above, but add a bin or wet bag for the used clothes, and then wash in hot water. I use a two compartment wet bag, which allows me to put the clean cloths in the front compartment and then the dirties go in the back compartment. When it’s time to wash, I throw the whole bag in the machine.

HARDER // Buy a bidet or bidet attachment.
I can’t speak to this one first-hand, but I plan to try it out in the near future. Aside from a few bidet experiences in Europe and Japan, I am firmly in the wiping camp. But those in the bidet camp feel strongly that it’s the only way to go. That it’s the cleanliest. People love the relatively inexpensive Tushy toilet attachment, but there are tons of options out there at every price point. Can you say heated seat? Many are sold out at the time being though.

HARDEST // Use cloth for everything.
If you’ve used cloth diapers on your kids, this shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. A little poop comes off in the wash. A lot of poop? No. But Most of the poop is going into the toilet, right? Right.

Lastly, remember it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. We use a combination of these methods in our house. Any reduction of toilet paper consumption will help the forests. And you wallets!

With that, I’m out. I know it’s easiest to keep doing things the way you’ve always done things, but think about the forest people. Think about the trees. Think about your kids and the air you want them to breath. And they ask yourself if you really, really need super-soft toilet tissue.

What do you think? What do you use? Could you make a change?

A few weeks ago, some friends and I were talking about what we feed our kids for breakfast. One mentioned waffles, and I thought to myself, “geesh, I cannot get it together enough to make waffles on a school day.” It honestly didn’t occur to me right away that she meant frozen waffles you buy from the store!

I don’t say that to be holier-than-thou, it’s just representative of how much my thinking has shifted on food preparation. I certainly don’t make waffles every day, but when we do have waffles, they’re homemade.

A big part of reducing waste from the grocery store is making your own food. And a big part of making your own food is having easy, reliable, recipes at your fingertips. Waffles aren’t something you can just wing. If the ingredient ratios are off, they’ll stick to the waffle maker (the key is plenty of fat!).

Finally, after many misfires, I’ve found a simple recipe that works for us. Maybe it’ll work for you, too? The recipe makes just enough for our family of 5. Double if you want leftovers!

Whole Wheat Waffles

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (120g) whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups milk, any type (or use yogurt whey!)
1 cup oil (olive, grapeseed, coconut…)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

one / Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.

two / Add milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to a bowl or blender. Whisk or blend until well combined.

three / Add dry ingredients and continue to whisk or blend until batter is uniform.

four / Cook on a waffle iron to desired crispiness.

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!