Less Waste // What we're trying

House cleaning has been going in cycles. But the simple tricks are definitely helping. Still, it seems like no matter what we do, we get one area clean . . . move to the next . . . and then it just starts all over. Obviously this is what happens, but why is it so darned frustrating? I've turned my nesting to things that we need to check off the list before baby comes, like cleaning car seats and getting our van setup for three kids versus two. I also made a quadruple batch of naan bread for our freezer yesterday afternoon.

But today I wanted to share a quick post because some of you have requested it. For my birthday this year, I decided to get more serious about lowering our waste. I bought a few things that have actually helped quite a bit! And I get lots of questions about what they are, where I got them, and if they're working, so I figured I'd just give you the low-down here.

Silpat Mat

We do a lot of baking in our house, and -- as a result -- I go through a lot of parchment paper. I had used a Silpat Mat years ago but then ruined it doing so very high heat baking (bagels on 550+ degrees). One of my friends posted a picture of hers and I decided to give it another try. It's a silicone baking mat that you can use up to 480 degrees F. I use it every single day! So, as long as you don't bake really high temps (consider getting a pizza stone for that), I'd highly recommend this mat.

Cloth Bags

I have expanded our fleet of cloth zippered bags for snacks and lunches. So much better than using countless Zip-Lock bags that are used for five seconds for Cheerio's or pretzels and then tossed in the trash. They're cute, too. C'mon, you know they are. Mine are from Planet Wise and BumKins. I tend to get the sandwich size bags, but I may get some of the small snack baggies too.

I also see that Planet Wise now makes clear baggies, and I love that idea for more everyday things in my fridge.

Which leads to . . .

Silicone Bags

Then I needed reusable bags for all the refrigerated stuff -- leftover chickpeas, opened cheeses, stray avocados, etc. -- and I've always had such a hard time figuring out what to do. I did the whole beeswax wrap thing for a while and it worked OK. But I never totally got on board. Then I found these Silicone Bags . . . and they are MAGIC. They're the product I'm most enthusiastic about because they work really well and things don't spill. They're also very thick and you can use them for freezing, steaming, cooking, and even Sous Vide (which I don't have). But still, cool.

Also -- Amazon has many similar bags for sale, but the ones I got (and linked to) seem to have the best reviews. I have read it matters which ones you get. I have used mine daily for over a month and have absolutely no tearing or other issues.

Bowl Covers

Lots of baking, again, leads to lots of plastic wrap usage. I was using tea towels as well, but decided to up my game and get some proper bowl covers. I got two different types of sets. One that's breathable -- Earth Bunny 100% cotton -- and one that's more like wet bag material -- Wegreeco. Of the two, I actually use the Wegreeco (less expensive) more because it's air-tight in the fridge and helps create a nice moist rising environment for breads. But the fabric ones let air through and are good for popping over baked goods like muffins. Stephen also uses the largest one to put over his kombucha brew.

Each set came with a large, medium, and small. And they are all currently in use! I toss the Earth Bunny in with the wash and rise the Wegreeco out in the sink and let air-dry.

Lunch Box

Every year I cheap out on lunch boxes. And every year I am frustrated because I find myself packing the same old thing over and over again for lack of proper storage options. I decided to indulge in a YumBox Bento Box  for Ada after seeing a snack-sized box in person at an L.L. Bean outlet this summer. I actually bought the snack box on the spot because it was so well made and really seems to be a tight seal. Ada's has five compartments and the specific design I got for her labels different food groups so that she can get involved with packing her own lunch.

She's really excited about this box, and I will report back on how it works from week to week. I read countless bento box reviews and this one consistently gets the highest ratings from parents. I may even want to get a second one, but they are $30, so I'll wait and see if just one will work for now.

Silicone Straws

The most awesome thing of all? The straws we're using now. I had used metal straws was liked them OK . . . and kind of cringed at the thought of glass straws. But I happened to find Silikids silicone straws at Target on clearance once day. Brilliant. They've been a total game-changer. They come in different sizes so they fit all our cups. I immediately went and bought another set on Amazon. I also got a few of their silicone cup toppers because all my Boon cup toppers have torn. These ones seem like they'll last a lot longer. I just rinse them out ASAP and let them dry standing up in our grass drying mat.

I'll be back soon with some thoughts on sending Eloise to "school" this fall and more nesting notes. It's getting crazy over here. In a good way.

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12 Tools to Help You Go Zero Waste

Alright, I'm still learning so much about becoming less wasteful. While ZERO WASTE is definitely a good goal to have, it's very difficult. I am far from being there, but I am learning that there are many things I can do to improve on where we're at in the present moment. This involves getting some things on the front-end to set up for success later on.

Here are my favorite products* and tools to eliminate waste:

Mesh Produce Bags. Comes in a set of 9 assorted sizes. I've shared these with you before. I love them. When I was using them at the store on Monday, I got several compliments and requests to share where I got them. They work wonderfully for produce and bulk items. I used them specifically this week for garlic, sweet potatoes, ginger, broccoli, and lentils.

WeeSprout Pouches. A reader shared the idea with me to start using reusable food pouches for applesauce, yogurt, and other things I like to include in Ada's lunches. Not only is this less wasteful, but it also saves a ton of cash. I'll report back on how they work, how to clean them, etc.

MIRA Stainless Steel Food Containers. We've been through plastic containers, glass containers, etc. The thing is, we were using glass for a while . . . but it's breakable. Stephen has broken so many Ball jar salad containers. Ada took applesauce in glass to school, but I worried about her breaking them, too.

Stainless steel containers come in assorted shapes + sizes, they're also awesome, BPA-free, and won't break!

Blue Avocado (re)Zip Bags. I've come to the conclusion that I need to buy several sets of these reusable freezer bags. I love my freezer cooking. If you follow me on Instagram, you see that I cooked 11 dinners yesterday alone. Everything is in gallon zip bags. It's wasteful. But it's also something I need, so there's tons of room for improvement here.

There are other brands of reusable zip bags, too. Do you guys have a favorite?

Wegreeco Reusable Snack Bags. Here's something else we've been using for Ada's lunches - reusable fabric snack bags. You can pop these guys in your washing machine to clean them. The kind we have uses Velcro closures, but if I buy more, I will get this brand because it's zip and won't let stuff out.

ECOHip Shopping Bags. I have a lot of different kinds of reusable grocery bags. When I went to buy a few more last month, I decided to get a set of these ECOHip ones because they are so darned compact. This is good because I have started bringing them with me whenever I'm out shopping for non-food items as well. They fit conveniently into my purse and stretch to fit all sorts of stuff.

Klean Kanteen Water Bottle. I bought this specific bottle because I found it while shopping at Wegmans. I didn't give it a lot of thought, but it's a great, sturdy bottle. Much lighter than glass, better than plastic, etc. I even got Ada a kid's kanteen -- she loves the purple color and the sport cap.

And while researching this post, I discovered that they also make a kid's kanteen with a sippy top that I may get for Eloise.

Stanley Vacuum Mug. I bought Stephen this mug for Christmas and he says it's the best one he's ever used. It's definitely life-proof. I got him the 16-ounce version that keeps stuff warm or cold for 7 hours.

Bee's Wrap. If you don't want to make your own reusable wax food wrap, you can buy it online. This pack comes with three different sizes and will last you up to a year if you take care of it properly.

Silicone Wrap. I'm also intrigued by these stretchable silicone bowl covers. I think they might be useful when prepping food or making bread (as a cover during rise times). Has anyone used them? Different brands get mixed reviews. Like the bee's wrap, it comes in three different sizes.

32-Ounce Ball Jars. We use these for storing bulk foods, making pickles, drinking glasses, and food storage. I cannot go on enough about how awesome Ball jars are. Yes, you have to be careful because they are glass. But they are OK for freezing stuff and -- if you know how -- even canning.

My tip is to get the plastic lids so you can close them up really well if you plan to use them for storage.

Bar Towels. I also know I've shared this trick many times, but we have TONS of these bar towels in my house that we use as napkin and as paper towels for wiping up messes. No paper towels needed. Just get a good system going and it becomes very automatic.

What?!

You may be thinking: "But, Ashley! Buying stuff online means lots of packaging before it gets to your house." And, I get it. I don't really know what to do about that. I cannot buy some of this stuff locally, so I'm not sure what I should do. I could travel an hour away where I think the store may carry a few items, but I'd be taking gas money ($) and also spending some CO2 emissions to get there.

You see how this all becomes very difficult. While I say "zero" waste is the goal, I do not know if ZERO is totally realistic for our family. I know people do it. Instead, I'd like to work toward leaning out our recycling to just one bin per week (we have several each week) and maybe just one trash bin every week or maybe even two.

Related

• Green in 15 // Living a More Sustainable Life 
• Zero Waste Family? 
• No More Paper Towels -- Our System
• DIY Reusable Food Wrap 
• 5 Green Cleaners That Work
• 5-Minute Homemade Deodorant
• 8 Ways We've Eliminated Plastics
• Cleaning Produce The Natural Way
• Chemical-Free Clean With Castile Soap

 

* These are affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase these products, I will get a (very!) small kickback. But I want you to know that I am sincere in my sharing. We actually own most of these items and plan to purchase the rest as we move toward less waste. Thank you for supporting the blog!

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Green in 15 // Living a More Sustainable Life

When I was deep into my college years, I was taking mostly writing + anthropology classes. I also flirted with a minor in environmental studies. Over and over again, we'd calculate our ecological footprint and then spend a lot of time talking about ways to be more sustainable. It was a practice I completed often. And -- at the time -- my footprint was impressively small.

I've toured pioneering co-housing communities, interviewed people who have built their own straw-bale houses, lived in a town where composting has been mainstream even at restaurants, farmers markets, and beyond for years longer than I've been alive. Where local food and farm-to-table seems like the natural choice.

It's funny how moving an hour or so away can make sure a difference . . . but when you don't have a community set up for cultivating this type of lifestyle, it's much more difficult to do it on your own.

So, I thought I'd revisit this whole activity of calculating my carbon footprint. (Here's how you can, too. It takes less than 15 minutes!) The quiz is sort of difficult and required a bit of estimation on my part. Anyway, our family's result was 35 tons of CO2/year. That's actually pretty good. Apparently 44 percent better than average. Before I pat myself on the back, I think a lot of that has to do with not doing any air travel or travel in general, basically ever.

If you're not thrilled with your results or -- like me -- you just want to do better, there are tons of little tweaks you can make in your routine to get there. These are the absolute basics. Consider it a refresher course. In other words, we ALL know this stuff and just need reminding.

If you eat meat, you can try eating less of it. 

Obviously, this is a vegetarian site, so you know I'm all about loving plant foods and all. I think our family could shift to a more plant-based diet because we do get dairy heavy from time to time. Even people who are hardcore carnivores can make a big impact by going meat-free at least some of the time. If you do choose to eat meat and animal products, try choosing local sources as often as possible.

Do the waste-free thing. 

One of my professors used to carry around a fork and spoon inside of a clean napkin everywhere he went. That way, he wouldn't need to use plastic utensils AND he'd have some easy "packaging" if he wanted to take something home. And the man even used that large napkin to bring salad greens home -- sans dressing, of course.

I've written more about our quest to create less waste, so if you're interested you should give it a read.

Some of my favorite waste-free tools include:

• Earthwise Mesh Produce Bags ($11 for set of 9)
• ECO Hip Grocery Bags ($13 for set of 3)
• Ball Jars in assorted sizes for storing, drinking, bulk buying, etc.
• Wax Food Wrap (or you can make your own)
• Utopia Bar Rags ($12.50 for 24 -- for no-paper towel system) 

Use your car less often. 

This seems like an obvious, but if you live in an area like we do -- public transportation (or alternative modes, like biking or walking) isn't so friendly. Small communities like Ithaca and large cities have it figured out. But where we live, the routes are spotty (and dangerous) between areas and at times quite inconvenient. Still, this is an area where we could surely improve. I'm trying to group my shopping trips with other errands so we don't need to head out on multiple occasions, for example.

I also try to walk as much as possible to run errands despite not living in a very pedestrian friendly area overall. Our neighborhood, though, does have some spots that are handy and close-by. For example, we've changed our pharmacy to the one that's closest to our home, we use the vet that's closest, we use the doctor (for Stephen and myself) that's closest, we chose the preschool that was closest so I could walk, etc., we often go to the diner that's a half mile away simply because we can walk there.

Turn out the lights.

One thing I always find funny (and I mention this because they're coming today), is that my in-laws are always turning all the lights on in our home. I never notice it being dark or too dim when they aren't here. We just . . . don't turn on many lights. Maybe in the kitchen while we're cooking. Otherwise, I try to rely on the daylight and as few lamps as possible. We've also moved to LED bulbs in many rooms.

Now that the daylight hours are longer, this one is an easy change! At very least, turn out the lights when you leave the room.

Buy less, want less, etc.

This whole minimalism trend (because you have to admit, it's become a trend) does have something worthwhile inside of it. And I know not everyone does minimalism because it's the "cool" thing -- but all the videos on YouTube may make you scratch your head. Anyway, buying less is great for your footprint. Or if you do buy, maybe consider buying more items second-hand. (Poshmark, ThredUp, and other online shops make this easier, too. But I still favor my local stores because they are the least expensive.)

Here's an outfit I wore this week that was entirely second-hand, save the VT-made bag I bought on Etsy from my talented internet-friend Tessa at Foliage.


Of course, always try your best to reuse and repurpose your stuff before buying, too. I'll be back in the future with some more specific ways you can move toward sustainability in your home. If you're new to the blog, check out my Green in 15 series, my homesteading posts, and some of the related links below. There's tons of good reads in the archives!

// RELATED

Green in 15: Revamping Your Cleaning
DIY Natural Lotion Cubes
Powerful DIY Laundry Detergent
Cleaning with Vinegar
5 Green Cleaners That Work
5-Minute Homemade Deodorant
8 Ways We've Eliminated Plastics
Cleaning Produce The Natural Way
Chemical-Free Clean With Castile Soap

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Birdcage Bohemia -- Giveaway Winner

Hey, everyone. Happy Wednesday! I quite honestly don't know how we're already on hump day -- seems like this week is just breezing by. Anyway, we're happy to announce the giveaway winner to you all this morning. You know, the one who will receive this gorgeous necklace designed just for (never home)maker by Beatrice at Birdcage Bohemia!

The winner is . . . LUCKY NUMBER 13! (Special thanks to Tara's Random Number Generator.)


Our winner is Amy, who is a student living in Nashville, TN. She wrote us: "Oh, my! That's some snazzy bling bling, if I do say so myself. I rarely wear jewelry except for my 3 or 4 necklaces i randomly interchange (I went through a fit two years ago and gave nearly all of my jewelry box away), so I would love a new addition to my newborn jewelry collection." Amy writes the blog Little Wonder, (her "little escape from anything that has to do with [her] daily life") if you'd like to check it out. So, congrats to Amy -- she'll now be the envy of all her friends (and likely 79 of you readers who also participated).

If you didn't win this time around, don't fret. We're close to reaching 1,000 subscribers (966 is the Feedburner count this morning). So, you know when we hit that milestone, it'll be cause for an EPIC celebration.


And be sure to check out some of Beatrice's lovely, eco-friendly works of art (I mean, just look at them -- they're amazing!), at Birdcage Bohemia on the web!

Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BirdcageBohemia
Website/Blog: http://www.BirdcageBohemia.com
Email: Beatrice@BirdcageBohemia.com

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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