Category: Zero Waste

bookmark_borderHow to Zero Waste Your Period ❣️

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Hey earth muffins! While my “How to Zero Waste Your [insert room here]” series was originally supposed to only focus on certain rooms of the home, I really wanted to write about periods today (don’t ask me why 😆). I have tackled everything from the laundry room to the kitchen in my “How to Zero Waste Your —” series, but periods happen every single month for 50% of the population… That is a lot of waste that can be avoided! Here are some great ways for you to mitigate your own waste during that time of the month:

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1. Menstrual cups – After going through the pros and cons of a menstrual cup here on Life of an Earth Muffin, I decided to purchase a Lena cup for Plastic Free July. If you read my Waste Audit at the end of the challenge, you will know that I struggled to get the cup to work for me… But menstrual cups are definitely one of the best options for a zero waste period! I am continuing to try out this cup, and I am extremely hopeful that I will be able to make the switch eventually. 😊

2. Reusable pads – Just like reusable diapers for babies, these cloth pads can be washed and washed again and again. 👍 Disposable pads are often filled with chemicals, which can make your period smell unpleasant (it isn’t actually supposed to smell ladies!). You can purchase these reusable pads on many websites, but Amazon and Etsy both have a bunch of options for cheap prices.

3. Herbal remedies – Medicines like Midol and Tylenol can be helpful during your period, but these lead to plastic waste. Try to incorporate more natural ways to reduce menstrual cramps – like these herbal remedies from Our Blue Ridge House. A DIY heating pad made from an old sock filled with rice is another great way to reduce period pain.  

4. Period panties – While these are more expensive than the other options (as you will need to purchase a few pairs to last for your period), you might want to make the investment. 🤔 I don’t know if I would personally like to “free bleed”, but it definitely would give you the freedom to not have to worry about your period during that time of the month!

5. Reusable tampon applicators – This is obviously not completely zero waste as you would need to still use tampons, but reducing the plastic of an applicator per each tampon is definitely a win! 🎉 This is similar to a menstrual cup as you would need to wash/sanitize it after each use to keep it bacteria free.

How do you try to reduce your waste on your period? 

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_border10 Things I Don’t Buy Anymore ft. Low Waste Living

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Hey earth muffins! Ever since starting my journey towards living low/zero waste I have been making a lot of changes in my life. 😃 This has been an amazing experience for me, and it has definitely changed my life for the better. Today I wanted to share with you all some things that I have stopped buying “cold-turkey” because of this journey. Here are the things I don’t buy anymore!  🎉

A picture of a plant with the words Things I Don't Buy Anymore over it

1. Paper towels – As I’ve mentioned in both my How to Zero Waste Your Cleaning Supplies and How to Zero Waste Your Kitchen posts, I have replaced paper towels with rags and washcloths. This change was one of the first ones I made, as my mom gave me a ton of old washcloths that she was going to get rid of. 👌

2. Ziploc bags – The news is full of horror stories about plastic grocery bags, but Ziploc bags are used almost as much. Why do you need to use three bags for one packed lunch? To get around this I use Tupperware, reusable sandwich bags, and mason jars!

3. Plastic wrap – Instead of this disposable wrap try using Tupperware instead! I haven’t even thought about using plastic wrap since I stopped using it, which shows just how unnecessary it is. Pyrex makes some great containers (both glass and plastic), and you can also buy (or make!) some beeswax wrap. 😊

4. Q-tips – I used to use two Q-tips every night after I showered… And you aren’t really even supposed to use those to clean your ears! I briefly mentioned ear picks in my very first Living a Lower Waste Lifestyle 101, and I definitely recommend checking them out. Such a great alternative!

5. Clothes that aren’t second hand – I shouldn’t say I NEVER buy new clothes, but it is a very very rare occurrence. Thrift shopping is a new hobby of mine, and it is actually much easier than people think. Check out my top tips if you are new to the thrifting game!

6. Laundry detergent – I don’t buy laundry detergent after getting myself an EcoEgg instead. This little device lasts for over 200 washes(!!) before the pellets need to be replaced. Saves on plastic, is all-natural, and makes my clothes so clean!

Buy on Amazon for only $20!

7. Dryer sheets – I found myself some dryer balls at TJMaxx as I was starting my journey to sustainable living, and I love the fact that I don’t find the dryer sheets in random arm/leg holes because of all the static. 😝

8. Disposable toothbrushes – I guess I never really used disposable toothbrushes unless I was traveling due to the fact that I love my electric toothbrush… But now I just bring my electric one when I travel too!

9. Plastic water bottles – I have mentioned this is multiple Plastic Free July posts, but you should NEVER use plastic water bottles unless the water is unsafe to drink. End of story.

10. Snack foods – After falling in love with shopping in the bulk bins, there is really no reason to buy individually packaged snack foods. This has probably been the hardest switch for me as I love the junk foods that I have been eating for years, but I am slowly replacing all of them!

I may or may not still buy Sour Patch Kids from time to time 😬

What have you been giving up to be more sustainable?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderPlastic Free July Wrap Up – My Waste Audit

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Today is the last day of July, which means the Plastic Free July challenge officially ends tomorrow. 🎉 While the month long endeavor might be coming to a close, I will (obviously) continue to avoid plastic as part of my journey towards living a sustainable low-waste lifestyle. As a wrap up for this month, I wanted to share with you all today the plastic waste that I created. 😊 Let’s dive right into it!

All of the plastic used in July:

 

Along with these plastic items, there were a few other things that I was unable to collect:

-Hot dog container from work event
-Approx. 12 pads and their wrappers from my period
-Two trash bags

Overall, I think that I did a nice job… But there are definitely areas I need to improve on! First, I really want to strive towards making my period zero waste. As I knew it was going to start the second week of July, I wanted to try out a menstrual cup. I bought the Lena cup off of Amazon and instead of a cardboard box they shipped it in a bubble mailer. 😑 That was a fail and then I also just could not get the menstrual cup to work for me (hence why there are 12ish pads in my total plastic haul). As I mentioned in my Should I Get a Menstrual Cup? post, cups are “easy to use” in theory… But it was just a huge struggle for me. While I haven’t given up on the Lena cup yet, it just didn’t pan out for Plastic Free July.

I think the second area of improvement would be making my work office more sustainable. Not only did I attend a baseball game event where it was expected of us to eat the food that was provided by the firm (resulting in the hot dog container and Gatorade bottle), but they also only have individually packaged snacks and candy in the office building (which resulted in me indulging in some Hershey Nuggets without thinking about the challenge). 🤷‍♀️ As an intern, I felt uncomfortable going against the norm especially at the baseball event… But when I start full-time with the company next year, I will definitely be having a sustainability chat with my supervisors!

What can be recycled or reused:

Not all of the plastic that I collected will be going to the landfill however. 🥳 My local recycling pick up will be able to recycle all of these things, and I will be re-using the Amazon bubble mailer when I move out of this apartment and into my school apartment in August.

What is going to landfill: 

Even though I grocery shop locally and use my own bags, it seems like a majority of the waste I created was related to food. For the whole month of July I collected 17 stickers from various fruits and vegetables as well as a rubber band holding broccoli stems together at the farmer’s market. I was able to find a local health food store that sells milk in glass bottles, but the lid was still plastic. However, I am proud to say that I avoided a lot of plastic packaging by not purchasing any meat, getting bread from a local bakery (and having them put the bread in my own bag), and shopping from the bulk bins. 😃

Overall, I definitely learned a lot of the same lessons as last summer from participating in Plastic Free July. However, I avoided a lot more plastic this year because I held myself accountable to the goals I created at the end of June. 💚 I look forward to this challenge again next summer!!!

How did your Plastic Free July go??

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Zero Waste Your Kitchen 🍽️

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Hey earth muffins! It has been a long time since I wrote a “How to Zero Waste Your [insert room here]” post… 🤔 Previously in this series, I have written about how you can zero waste your laundry room, your bathroom, and even your cleaning supplies. Today I would like to focus on one of my favorite rooms – the kitchen! As I love to cook and bake (plus eat haha), I spend a lot of time in this space. When I started my journey towards living zero waste, I made some of my first habit changes in the kitchen. Hopefully this post inspires you all to make these changes as well! 😊

Dishes, Silverware, Pots, Pans, and Other Kitchen Utensils
–Use what you already have! You don’t need to go out and buy “sustainable” kitchen gadgets if you already have perfectly fine kitchenware.
–Shop secondhand. If you are looking to buy a new potato masher, ladle, etc., why not check your local thrift store, yard sales, or Facebook Marketplace? I was looking to buy a silverware holder the other day and found one for only $1 at a garage sale 🎉 Not only did I save a bunch of money, but I also prevented this product from going into the landfill.

–Acquire unused kitchen accessories from family and friends. A lot of people own too many dishes, mugs, utensils, etc. There is a high chance that if you ask around someone in your network will be more than willing to give you something that is just taking up space in their cupboard!
–Buy new products that are made of sustainable materials. If all of these other suggestions fail, then feel free to buy something new. Try to make sure it is stainless steel or glass (not plastic!) so that it will last a long time and can be recycled at the end of its use.

Storage Containers
–Mason jars! I own about 40 different mason jars in various brands and sizes, and I absolutely love using them to store food in my pantry, fridge, freezer, and for packed lunches. If you all are interested in me writing a post about my mason jar collection, just let me know! 👍

Goals for my mason jar collection 😍

–Use the plastic tupperware you already have. Just because your tupperware is plastic doesn’t mean you have to give them away after becoming zero waste. The whole point of this lifestyle is to reuse as much as possible, so definitely continue to use those plastic tupperware containers!
–Buy stainless steel and glass containers. I find that the stainless steel ones are lighter to carry around with me, so I use them if I want to take out food somewhere or am taking lunch with me. Again, check around your secondhand options before buying new! 😊

Dish Towels
–Ask around for old towels. There is really no reason to buy dish towels new as no one really sees them… I have a gigantic collection of old dish towels and washcloths that I use for both cleaning and in the kitchen that were given to me by my parents and other close relatives.

Washing the Dishes
–Get a dishwasher if you can. It is actually better for the planet to use a dishwasher instead of washing your dishes by hand, as you save water using the machine. 💧 However, make sure you only run the dishwasher when you have a full load or that is wasteful!
–Do NOT use a sponge; try rags or a bamboo/wood dish brush instead. 

Kitchen Electronics (coffee makers, KitchenAids, etc.)
–Look on Facebook Marketplace. While you can find a lot of kitchen electronics at the thrift store, Facebook Marketplace is more reliable when it comes to the machines actually working. But, many thrift stores do have return policies in place, so I would still check secondhand stores before buying new.

How do you cut back on waste in your kitchen?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderTough Teeth Tooth Powder ft. Primal Pit Paste!

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Hey earth muffins! After struggling to find a low waste deodorant a few months ago, I stumbled upon Primal Pit Paste (now Pretty Frank) and their amazing selection of sustainable products. I have talked about both their Wild Woods Natural Deodorant and Charcoal Whitening Tooth Powder in the past, so I am excited to share my thoughts on P3’s Tough Teeth Tooth Powder with you all today! 😊

The first thing I obviously love about this product is that it comes in a glass jar. As I am on a journey towards being as sustainable as possible, this is a huge pro for me! The only negative I found about their packaging is that there is a band of plastic around the lid when it comes in the mail. 😕 While this makes it not fully “zero waste”, the jar can be reused or recycled after the product is used up, making it way more Earth-friendly than other fully plastic toothpaste tubes.

I also love that there are only 7 ingredients in this tooth powder: Kaolin Clay, Bentonite Clay, Non-Aluminum Baking Soda, Organic Peppermint Essential Oil, Sea Salt, Myrrh Powder, Organic Spearmint Essential Oil. When I started making more sustainable choices last summer, I realized just how many chemicals and un-natural substances I was putting in/on my body. This powder definitely makes me feel good about avoiding those nasty things 😍

The powder is super easy to use, and the small jar will last me quite a long time! Compared to using toothpaste from a tube, there is a small learning curve to figuring out how to use a powdered toothpaste. Here is what works best for me:

1. Wet your toothbrush
2. Dip the brush into the jar until there is a generous layer of powder covering it
3. Brush your teeth as normal (making sure to leave the faucet OFF as you brush 💧)

I was quite surprised how clean my teeth feel after using this product! I am curious to see if my dentist says anything to me after my visit next month… (*Will update this post if she does or not!*) The only downside I have found is that it does have a salty mint flavor that was a bit off-putting at first. However, I got used to this flavor after only a few brushes and it doesn’t bother me at all! 🙂

Overall, I have absolutely loved all the products I have used from Primal Pit Paste. This tooth powder is great, and I will definitely continue to use it. 🎉 What toothpaste are you currently using?

*The Primal Pit Paste products were sent to me for free, but all opinions are my own. The link to P3’s website is an affiliate link. 😊*

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderThe Ultimate Guide to Recycling Plastic ♻️

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Hey earth muffins! As it almost halfway through Plastic Free July, I thought I would write a post about something many people still don’t understand – recycling plastics. Even if something has that three arrowed recycle symbol on the bottom of it (♻️), that doesn’t mean that it can be recycled (or should be recycled). If you truly want to live a low waste lifestyle, try to avoid recycling completely – it actually isn’t as green as you’d think. BUT, I totally understand that there are lots of people who can only recycle instead of reduce their waste, so I wanted to share a quick guide on the plastics you should and should not be putting into the recycle bin. 😊 Let’s jump right into it!

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The first step in assessing if your plastic can be recycled is to find that recycle symbol on the bottom. In the middle of it, you should see a number between 1 and 7. This number tells the real story, as it tells you exactly what type of plastic it is, which can help you decide to throw it into the recycle bin or not. 😊

Can it be recycled curbside? YES! Most of the plastic containers you think of (water bottles, dressing bottles, etc.) are made from this type. It is widely accepted by most recycling programs, but make sure to look at your local town/city’s recycling guidelines!

Plastics #2 – Can it be recycled curbside? YES! Milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and plastic bags are all this type. I suggest recycling any plastic bags to special drop off places (I know Walmart has them!), as they can clog up the machines in recycling facilities.

Can it be recycled curbside? NO! While many recycling programs do not accept this plastic at the curb, check to see if there are any recycling centers that you can drop it off at… You’d be surprised how many “specialty” recycling places there are! 👍

 

Can it be recycled curbside? YES! Hooray – drop them in the recycling bin!

 

Can it be recycled curbside? YES! Straws are made of this type of plastic… But we don’t need straws anymore after reading 6 Easy Ways to Participate in Plastic Free July now do we? 😉

 

Can it be recycled curbside? NO! Again, check to see if there are any drop off places!

Can it be recycled curbside? Sometimes – as this is the “other” category it really depends on the product… If you are interested in more details on plastic recycling, check out this handy PDF guide from PBS! 😃


How often do you recycle? What plastics have you been avoiding this Plastic Free July?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_border5 Zero Waste Sunscreens for the Summer 🌞

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Hey earth muffins! With the summer months comes lots of sun which leads to many sunburns (for me) if I’m not careful. 😬 I am about to use up the last of the aerosol sunscreens I had tucked away in my bathroom… That made me think – are there zero/low waste alternatives? And I found that there are a TON of products on the market that have a much smaller impact on the environment. As I assume you won’t want to research about this yourself, I compiled a list of 5 sunscreens you should give a try! 😃

1. Taylor’s Elevated – SUN! Natural Sunscreen ($11.99, 2 oz., SPF 30)

This product is not just all-natural, it comes in a glass container that is completely plastic-free (which is perfect since it is Plastic Free July!!). The sunscreen is also made in the US, which is perfect for any of my domestic followers. 😊

2. Butterbean Sunscreen ($12.50, 3 oz., SPF 30)

 

While this brand is targeted towards babies and kids, there is no reason why an adult can’t use a nice zero waste sunscreen too! For less than double the price, you can get a larger 7 oz. container as well!

3. All Good Water Resistant Zinc Sunscreen ($9.99, 1 oz., SPF 50)

This sunscreen only uses 6 ingredients, which is definitely WAY less than those found in aerosols. The container is fully made out of tin, so it could be reused or recycled once the product is used up. 😊

4. Rare Earth Skincare Sun Cream ($10, 1 oz., SPF 20)

Advertised as a “sun cream”, this sunscreen will not only protect your skin from the UV rays of the sun but will also give your skin the moisture it needs after a nice long day at the beach. This brand has a lot of other great zero waste products, so definitely check out their website!

5. Not the Norm Shade All-Natural Sunscreen ($4.72 USD, 0.5 oz, SPF 25)

Not the Norm’s sunscreen has four different size options and is only made with four ingredients. The product itself is in a tin and is unscented (if that is an important attribute for you!). 🎉

What is your favorite sunscreen in the summer?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_border6 EASY Ways to Participate in Plastic Free July!

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Hey earth muffins! For those of you who don’t know, Plastic Free July is almost here!!! 😮 To raise awareness for the plastic pollution epidemic that our world is currently facing, this global movement aims to inspire people to reduce their plastic usage. I learned a lot by participating in the challenge last summer, so I am super excited to take part in it again! If you are interested in trying to reduce your use of plastic in July, here are my top suggestions. 🥳

An image that links to the Plastic Free July website will be on the sidebar of my blog throughout July! 😁

1. Avoid all fruits and vegetables wrapped in unnecessary plastic. Why do cucumbers (or any produce item) need to be shrink wrapped when they have a skin that protects them? Put loose fruit and veg into a reusable bag instead!

PC: link

2. Refuse all plastic water bottles. This can be difficult at first, but you will get the hang of carrying around a reusable water bottle wherever you go! It is one of my top ten ways to reduce plastic consumption, making it a perfect thing to focus on for Plastic Free July 😊

3. Find an alternative to plastic wrap. You can purchase or DIY beeswax wrap or use mason jars/other containers instead! 🐝 Such an easy switch!

Purchase this set on Amazon! 

4. Be conscious of what food is packaged in and make the switch! If you can find a similar item with less or no plastic, I’d say it’s a no-brainer.

5. NO STRAWS. “I’d like a water with no straw please.” -Me when ordering a drink at a restaurant

PC: link

6. Figure out the single-use plastic you use the most and try to avoid it! Plastic Free July has a great Pesky Plastics Quiz that will tell you exactly what items you use the most… So really try to cut back on them this month (or cut them out completely!). 🎉

PC: link

Will you be participating in Plastic Free July?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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