TRASH-FREE TIPS
This page has been organized by category to show you how we are eliminating trash from our everyday lives. If you have any tips or tricks of your own, please feel free to leave them in the comments section of this page, below.
GENERAL TIPS
Contact your local recycling company with questions about what can/can’t go into curbside bins. Some things to consider:
- Try to locate a recycling facility beyond your curbside recycling. We’ve contacted Far West Fibers in Portland, and this recycling depot recycles practically anything that can be recycled. We’ll be sorting our recycling into two bins: curbside and Far West Fibers.
- Many communities won’t curbside recycle frozen food boxes as they’ve been treated with a chemical to help them hold up in the freezer.
- Plastic lids on everything from soda to ketchup is usually not curbside recyclable.
- Generally, don’t recycle plastic bags in curbside bins. Walk these into a supermarket, and be sure to ask what else can be recycled in the plastic bag recycling containers. Often, clean cling wrap, bread bags, and zipping baggies are taken.
- A Far West Fibers representative told me that a general rule is to stretch plastic between your hands. If it stretches, and you can stretch a finger into the plastic without it breaking, it’s recyclable somewhere.
See if there is a bulk foods store in your area and utilize it. Spices, nuts, flours, candy, soup mix, granola, dried fruit, and a lot more can be purchased without any of the usual packaging.
FOOD
Sour cream, yogurt, and cream cheese: We have found a recycling depot that will recycle the plastic sour cream and yogurt tubs, usually numbered plastic 4 or 5. As long as we locate products with true aluminum or foil tops and clean these (Tillamook brand is local for us), they can also be recycled at the depot. Eventually, I’d like to try my hand at making these products, which would eliminate any need for recycling in the first place.
For a site about making your own cheese, try www.cheesemaking.com
Milk and juice cartons: Recyclable in our curbside bin. Try to find ones made from one material instead of the composite-style cartons made from cardboard with plastic pour spouts.
Margarine/butter: Can be recycled at depot if in tubs. If in stick form, the cardboard can be recycled curbside and the waxed paper can be cleaned and burned. Or, trying making your own! All you need is heavy whipping cream – pour into a glass jar, add a marble, and shake until butter forms.
Condiments: Plastic containers are usually recyclable curbside, but the foil or plastic seal isn’t. Look for condiments in glass jars instead. The metal lids are recyclable at our depot. I’ve found that by going to restaurant supply chains like Cash and Carry, I can sometimes find things like ketchup and mustard in glass jars.
Breads, tortillas: Try making your own, or check to see if recyclable with grocery bags in supermarket.
Chips, crackers, packaged cookies: In general, these produce waste and there’s no way around it. Cracker mixes and cookies can be bought in bulk, or try making your own.
Fruits and veggies: These are easy because they’re compostable. Buy from farmer’s markets and avoid the plastic produce bags at supermarkets. Compost the produce stickers or save for the sticker man.
Cheese: We’re lucky enough to have a local dairy supply many cheeses from mozzarella to Havarti. For hard cheeses, we have the cheese weighed on paper at the deli, and then placed in a container we brought with us. I’ve also found that some stores like Whole Foods cut and package specialty cheeses – usually, these are wrapped in plastic cling wrap or waxed paper. The clean cling wrap can be recycled at some grocery stores with the plastic bags.
Meats: Use the same approach in the supermarket – bring your container and have the meat wrapped in paper. Or, support a local butcher. Select meat items come in recyclable, albiet plastic, packaging – our deli sells rotisserie chickens in # 5 plastic containers.
Frozen foods: Pretty much nonexistent in a Green Garbage diet. Make your own or check to see if a recycling depot will take the treated cardboard and inside plastic packaging.
Eggs: If bought in cardboard (not Styrofoam), the cartons and eggshells can be composted.
Cereal: Inside packaging is generally not recyclable. Instead, buy bulk or make granola.
Oatmeal, hot chocolate, or spice packets: These are made from composites of plastic, foil, and paper and are not recyclable.
Pasta: Buy bulk or check to see if plastic window is recyclable.
Flour, sugar, baking soda/powder, confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar: All recyclable or can be bought in bulk.
Shortening: Haven’t yet found a substitute. Some come with peel-back metal-looking tops. I need to contact companies to see what these are made from.
Cooking oil: Watch out for the little metal/plastic seal that is sometimes inside the lid. Otherwise, recyclable.
HOUSEHOLD
Waxed paper: Not recyclable but can be burned if clean and untreated. This can also be composted.
Foil and plastic baggies: Sometimes recyclable if clean, but check with local facilities first. If you have to buy plastic baggies, buy the kind without the Ziploc. Ziplocs have to be cut off before the stretchy plastic can be recycled, and the zipper part becomes garbage. Twist-ties can be reused over and over. Better yet, buy reusable baggies.
Sponges: We’re using dish clothes that can be washed in a washing machine and reused. After their life in the kitchen, they will be moved to the cleaning bucket and used as household rags.
Cleaning supplies: We found this article from Real Simple magazine helpful; it contains recipes for making homemade cleaning supplies using everyday non-chemical agents like lemon, vinegar, and baking soda. We’ll be trying these out over the course of the year and will let you know how they work.
- Go to: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/all-natural-cleaning-solutions-00000000011547/index.html
- We are also loyal users of Method cleaning products which smell great and are almost entirely recyclable. We’ll have to stop using the few that come in containers/packaging destined for the landfill, but will otherwise continue to use our favorites. These are available online, in bulk at Costco, and at Target. Check out www.methodhome.com
- I’ve become a big fan of two other green companies - Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products. Not all are 100% recyclable, but all I’ve tried have worked great.
Paper towels/napkins: Use cloth instead, which saves both the paper and the plastic the towels/napkins come in. If you do buy paper products, the plastic packaging can be recycled at the grocery store with the plastic bags.
Toilet paper: We buy Seventh Generation toilet paper, which is made from 100 percent recycled paper and comes in plastic wrap that can be recycled at Far West Fibers.
Batteries: Buy rechargeable, and when they run out of juice, recycle them. We also use the Eneloop battery system.
Light bulbs: Compact fluorescent bulbs work better than traditional light bulbs, use less energy, and last longer. Why not use them?
Vaccum cleaner dust: Our vaccum cleaner does not use bags, so the dust can simply be emptied outside.
Dryer lint: Can be burned (if the lint comes from organic fabrics, as opposed to man-made) or composted.
BATHROOM
The bathroom is by far the hardest area in the house to make “trash-free.” Here’s what we’re doing so far.
Deodorant: Amy is using a deodorant crystal and so far has had excellent results. Adam is using a deodorant stick in recyclable packaging found at Whole Foods, but so far he’s skeptical. We have to deal with sensitive underarms, so aerosol deodorant isn’t an option for us, but if you can find a facility that recycles aerosol cans, this is an option, too.
Toothbrushes: We’re still using battery-powered toothbrushes with replaceable heads that are, unfortunately, garbage. We have also used Preserve toothbrushes – the handles are made from recycled plastic yogurt tubs and once used, the toothbrushes can be shipped back to the company to be made into plastic lumber.
Toothpaste: We use Tom’s of Maine toothpaste, which works really well and comes in a recyclable metal tube.
Shampoo/conditioner: Readily available in recyclable containers – just watch out for the lids, which are often not made from the same materials as the bottles and may not be curbside recyclable. Another option is shampoo soap.
Shaving cream: Later, I plan to try my hand at making shaving soap, but in the meantime, I (Amy) use regular shaving cream in an aerosol can that, once empty, is recyclable.
Razor: Uh-oh, this is a problem area for Amy, who is quite devoted to her razor with replaceable heads. Waxing is an option, and so is an old-fashioned safety razor with replaceable metal blades (which can be recycled). Adam uses an electric razor with a rechargeable battery. A product called Moom has been suggested and looks intriguing.
Feminine hygiene: Giving the Diva Cup a try … and liking it as a realistic alternative to tampons.
Mouthwash: We can’t find anything in stores that comes without that pesky plastic seal, so maybe I’ll try my hand at making my own – the recipes I’ve found are easy and involve water, vodka, essential oils, and glycerin.
Floss: Currently trying to obtain a rubber gum exerciser to replace floss.
Sunscreen: Far West Fibers tells me that, as long as the tube is made from recyclable plastic, we can cut it open and rinse out residue, then recycle the tube.
OFFICE
Paper: Recyclable, of course! Use both sides, if possible.
Pens: Best to use pens with replacement ink cartridges. Or, use fountain pens, or even colored pencils.
Pencils: Regular old wooden pencils are the best, because the pencil shavings can be burned. However, my trusty Bic mechanical pencils also last me years if I replace the lead and erasers.
White-out: No known solution – these are pretty much trash.
Tape: Paper tape is an option, but it’s a little fussy to use. Otherwise, tape is a major problem area. Small amounts are okay on paper put in recycle bin, but tape is still not technically recyclable.
Printer ink cartridges: We take these back to Staples for recycling and they give us cash back on a rewards card. It’s win-win!
PETS
Kitty treats: Our cats are really not on board with the project, so to avoid a cat revolt, we buy Goodlife kitty treats in sparing amounts. The resulting plastic is sent to Lou’s UpCycles or used by Amy in fusible crafting projects.
Dog treats: Dog bones come in cardboard, and we found dog chews in bulk bins.
Dry pet food: We transferred our current dry food to containers and are currently using this up. In the meantime, we are searching for a dry food bag that is lined with wax paper, not plastic. Suggestions?
Wet dog food: I buy meat from the meat counter at a grocery store or from a butcher shop, and the meat can be wrapped in waxed paper, which can be cleaned and burned. Also, canned dog food is completely recyclable, but the newer plastic containers are not always.
Litter: We’re trying different, earth-friendly litters, which our cat is systematically rejecting. Regardless, in our challenge, litter goes in the trash to avoid transferring bacteria to the water supply (see Ground Rules on homepage).
AHEM … ORGANIC WASTE
Meat: One of two types of trash we expect to generate over the course of the year, meat scraps and bones will go in the trash. However, since Amy is a vegetarian and Adam eats very little meat, this should be quite minimal.
Cat poop: Cat poop is going straight into the trash because, after much research, this seems to be the safest route. From an article on the subject from Grist.com, “Cats can carry the disease toxoplasmosis and pass it on to us via oocysts (a dormant stage of the disease) in their feces. This disease can be fatal to infants and immune-system-deficient adults, and make the rest of us sick. Do not handle cat poop if you are pregnant, and don’t let small children do it either. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling cat poop, no matter who you are.” It is recommended that cat feces are not flushed, buried, or composted due to the danger of toxoplasmosis. We want to be safe, so used kitty litter gets trashed.
Dog poop: Buried.
Nail clippings and hair: Buried
HOBBIES
I’m an avid sewer, scrapbooker, and general crafter so these will be challenges I have to overcome during the year. I’ll update this section as needed, but suggestions are welcome. So far, I’ve avoided things wrapped in plastic, which is surprisingly easy at craft stores.
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Hey Amy– just read through almost your whole site! Very inspiring. Good luck– I am really interested to read about your experience.
I just missed your whole story on the news so went to my computer to read all about your great project. How exciting. We’ve done a lot around our yard and house in a canyon in Beverly Hills, CA to try to cut down on the trash. We bought a huge composter years ago and toss all the natural kitchen scraps into it…egg shells, carrot peelings, old lettuce, lemon rinds, cantaloupe rinds, etc., etc,. We have the best compost/organic fertilizer to fill in the holes on our hillside to plant anything from roses to tomatoes. We also started filling a hole in the hillside where a tree use to be with more scraps. The birds love the seeds from the fruit and vegetables and therefore stick around and eat the bugs. We have a very balanced backyard with squirrels, birds, ducks, rabbits, snakes, lizards and owls enjoying flowers, bugs, and fruit. Get started everyone. Virginia and Hugh
Interesting and very inspiring! My husband and I are early in our conscious effort in creating a greener community. I look forward to your tips and experiences!
Let me know when you find a good source for wooden tooth brushes etc. I’d like to get my family away from plastics. I have been using an eco friendly brush, made with recycled plastics, but it’s still plastic.
Okay, I will not go to the extreme that you guys are doing but I am inspired and will use some of the tips that you are posting. I will check in from time to time and wish you guys the best of luck.
In regards to the cat litter situation did you ever consider just training the cat to use the toilet. Then you can eventually eliminate the need for any litter all together. Check out citikitty or litterkwitter good luck.
Hello! Just saw you on TV this afternoon and came straight to your site. I am also part of a pet owning couple, and I found a pet waste composter a year or so ago. I haven’t tried it myself, and I now see that the “Pet Friendly” model has been discontinued. I don’t know why they discontinued it, but in theory it looks like something that might provide safe composting of cat feces (and other pets, too). The website is naturemill.com, and the url for the pdf of the owners manual for the discontinued Pet Friendly model is: http://www.naturemill.com/downloads/INSTRUCTIONS_PET.pdf.
Also, you might be interested in these links that I found when searching the internet for the NatureMill Pet Friendly Composter to send to you today:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h238manure-dog-cat.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/rge/archive/010209_14781.html
The first link explains that dog and cat feces can be safely composted if the temperature of the compost is hot enough for long enough. The second link explains that both heat and also freezing temps will kill the parasites of concern in both dog and cat feces. Both give some specifics on how to achieve those goals.
I’m thinking that if the current models of the NatureMill composters achieve a high enough temperature to kill the parasites of concern in dog and cat feces, then one could be used for your cat feces, probably located outdoors or in a garage for added safety. It may be possible to contact the company to find out why the Pet Friendly model was discontinued and what modifications if any would be necessary to use the current composter models for cat waste.
If not that then you may still be able to compost cat waste if you can have a hot enough compost pile or enough freezing weather in the winter.
I hope this helps. I have wanted to compost animal waste for years, but have not had much success, support, or answers. Initially, we used a Doggie Dooley system for our dog waste. We actually had 2 of them set up because we had 4 dogs at the time. Unfortunately, those won’t work for us all year long because our winters here are too cold for the enzymes, so that didn’t last long for us.
After the Doggie Dooley, I composted our dog feces for a couple of years. I knew our dogs were parasite free, so I felt safe regarding the parasites even if I didn’t do a perfect job. I found in our yard that it was necessary to allow the compost to rot for a full year when dog feces were part of the mix, and there were times when I found turning the pile to be somewhat unpleasant. I think it took a full year because we are not very diligent composters. By this I mean that we do not usually try to follow the rules of mixing green and brown in equal ratios nor do we turn the pile regularly. We also do not add any “activators” to our piles, and we do not have a sunny spot available for the piles, so we are composting in shade. Now I see that a full year for decomposition of dog waste may have been a good idea anyway because our winters are definitely cold enough to meet the criteria mentioned in the 2nd link above (and then some!). Even with our somewhat lazy approach to composting, “compost happened”, and I had what I believed to be usable, safe, and effective compost in the end. And, further, I used it, even in our vegetable garden (gasp!), without obvious harm to any of us. However, my husband and pet sitter were both squeamish about putting dog feces into the compost pile, despite my success, and were unhappy and unwilling to participate in my project, so I eventually caved to their wishes. So, since then, all dog and cat waste has been going to the landfill (ugh!).
More recently I noticed the NatureMill Pet Friendly composter, and had hoped to get one eventually, but had put it off due to the price. Now I see that it is discontinued, so it may not have been a viable solution anyway. I imagine that someday I will look into the possibilities again, but for now I thought I’d pass this along to you. I hope it helps you with your project. I’ll be checking back with your site to see if you have any information to add, especially regarding pet waste composting and/or disposal.
Thanks,
Cathy Porter
Riverside, IL
I saw your story on CNN and had to check out the website. I think what you are doing is great! Even though I don’t know that I have the dedication to go as far as you are trying, my husband and I have made a big effort to reduce our own waste, right now by mostly recycling and using reusable containers. We are lucky to live in a city where they take SO many items curbside. It makes me sick when people throw away bags upon bags of trash twice a week. Unfortunately I foresee mandatory recycling coming in the future, and hope people can take start making a change- NOW!
I have cut my trash down to usually just a 13-quart bag per week with two people in the home and an even smaller bag of recyclables. Hint-make everything you can from scratch (and I do mean everything). I even decorate my house with arts and crafts I make myself from recycled materials like old magazines, calenders, buttons, old jewelry, etc. I make my own breads, yogurt, candies, granola, greeting cards, soap, jams and jellies-you name it. I crochet everything possible from wool or cotton yarn, including gifts. I still got a lot of good ideas from your website. Still haven’t figured out how to replace deoderant, floss,and mouthwash. Natural cleaning from things like vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice are wonderful.
Very inspiring. You can do it. You are doing it. We can do it. I am going to do it. We all can do it. Consciousness is a choice that I choose. Thank you for choosing to share your conscious choice.
SUGGESTION:
I use Dr. Du-More Toothbrushes. Made of OXO biodegradable plastic, that biodegrades to nothing more than CO2, water and humus without leaving fragments of petro-polymers in the soil.
All packaging is also 100% recyclable (plastic #1 for packaging)
Plus: They are only $0.99 at my local Walmart!
Hi, I just heard about you on cnn. My tip for you (and everyone else) is to check out freecycle.org — this is a great way to get rid of virtually anything in your house that you no long want but that is still usable so that it doesn’t go into a landfill. Also, a great way to pick up things that you may need/want for your household. There are individual freecycle groups all over the country. Good luck with your project!
As for feminine hygiene, check out Party in My Pants (partypantspads.com). Not only is the name adorable, but they seem to be pretty great, for me anyways.
I was at work today and I keep CNN on the TV. I heard a bit about what you were doing and wrote down the info to look up on line tonight. If everyone did a little of what you are doing we’d be headed in the right direction. I know I will follow your tips, and try to do my best. I want my grandkids grandkids to have somewhere to play
Well, good luck and best wishes. Have fun! I’ll check in regularly.
Hey your best bet in regards ti the cat poop problem is just let it go outside. I wish you guys the best of luck I hope the world can go as green. Even if you have some garbage you will none the less be successful in open the eyes of a lot of people.
Love it! I already have my family of 5 (me, husband, three teen boys) down to one bag (the bag is biodegradable too!) of trash per week. I was pretty impressed by that.
Try Preserve products (also called Recycline), they have good toothbrushes and razors made out of the hard-to-recycle #5 plastics, and the packaging is used as a travel case while you have it. When you are done with them, you send the toothbrush/razor back to the company in the original package and they recycle it again. The razor heads are replaceable and can be purchased in their brand or you can use Gillette Sensor heads. You could probably recycle the used razor heads if you separate the metal from the plastic.
Good Luck!!
Good luck with the project! I use vinegar and baking soda for cleaning whenever possible. A dash of white vinegar in the laundry instead of fabric softener is my favorite trick. Also, I read that you can leave dryer lint outside in the winter for birds to pick and use in their nests.
I work in a factory, and in the garbage/recycling center. They want zero landfill too. We have recycling companies for the primaries, but would appreciate any ideas as to not having ten different bins in every department. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thankyou in advance,
Toni
You guys go!! I have reduced my waste appreciably but still have a way to go.
Here’s a tip for you. I got flour sack towels from a restaurant supply store. Seamed them up and use them to cut down on the plastic bag waste at bulk food stores and the local farmers market. I pay a little bit more buying bilk since they are heavier than the plastic but it’s worth it to keep as much plastic out of my house as I can. Reusable and you can throw them in the wash every so often.
I will follow you and tr to keep up over the year along with you. You have inspired me to do even more.
salt and water is the best mouthwash you can use .
i never understand why people waste money on mouthwashes , which are mostly coloured flavoured water.
Kudos to you two! You are an inspiration! I was reading your list of what is recyclable, and was surprised that so much is not in the US. I am American living in Germany. They make it so easy to recycle here, and almost everything seems to be recycleable, even milk cartons and paper that is lined with foil or wax, and microwave dinner packaging. They also recycle organic waste. The biggest amazement for me was how little landfill trash we created when we are able to so easily recycle everything! All residents of our city are provided with a brown “bio-waste” container, yellow plastic bags for plastic, foil and other non-paper recycleables, white plastic bags for paper, and a black can for “the rest” (landfill trash).
The main thing that goes into our landfill trash is meat scraps and packaging from meat. I really like your idea of bringing your own containers to the store for items like that! We can recycle batteries at various locations. A german resident told me that the plastic recycling bags can be used for anything plastic, not just items with recycling symbols on it.
So, all this makes me wonder, if the Germans can do this much recycling, why can’t the US? I guess the answer is economics. The US still has alot more space for landfills than they do here in Europe. So, this puts more pressure on Europeans to Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.
When I lived in the US, I was treated liked somewhat of a freak for bringing my own cloth bags to the grocery store. The baggers didn’t like them because they didn’t stand up by themselves. Here in Europe, most people use re-useable bags. You’re weird if you don’t!
Cat litter is a dilemma that I don’t think even the Europeans have come up with an answer for. I’ve never heard that flushing wasnt’ safe for it though!
Anyway, keep the tips coming! I plan to check back and learn from your experiences to further reduce what waste I create. Good luck!
Hey! Love what you guys are doing.
Just my two cents: I LOVE my diva cup. It is a amazing. And as far as deodorant – I just use baking soda as soon as I get out of the shower. Here’s some more info: http://thegreenists.com/beauty/give-it-a-try-lets-talk-about-my-armpits/1460
Hope it helps!
To eliminate parasites from the feces of meat eaters, the consistent high temperature is important to achieve. In the experience of researchers I’ve queried, only industrial composting achieves this result. The mention of the composting machine interested me and I’m making inquiries about its temperature and effectiveness against parasite ova.
The Green Garbage Project originators have my admiration and I look forward to each report. Best of luck.
You could use a hot composter / wormery for the meat and bones etc. Greencone sell them in the UK, I imagine there’s similar in the US
For a solution to Floss you should look into a Water Pik. Does the job well. The trick will be finding one that has recyclable packaging.
Amy, try reusable cloth pads for your monthly, You soak them and then wash them. No waste and they’re very comfortable.
I came to know about you on a local newspaper, and visited this site. In our country the lifestyle is such that it produces least amount of garbage, but because of increasing Westernization we are moving towards a throw away culture. There are some organizations working to educate and help people about increasing garbage. Your work will certainly help and will be propagated as much as possible.
Dear Amy and Adam Korst,
This is a good beginnng and a mission worth emulating.
Best Regards
Greetings, read about your project in the Gaurdian Newspaper and just wanted to say congratulations and keep up the good work.
And thanks for the tips.
Damian
I did some reading of your blog.
My concern is the burning of waste, as smoke is not good for the environment. Is there another way to get rid of anything you are considering burning?
So far I have a Prius, started my compost pile less than an hour ago, and I’m looking into wind/solar power.
Keep up the good job!
Dear Amy and Adam Korst,
You are doing a wonderful job. This can be adopted by millions of my countrymen. I am trying to follow you. Please help me. With best regards.
Awesome idea! I love how you are putting it into practice.
We have been working on it little by little rather than all at once. So far we are a family of 5 down to 1 bag of garbage a week. Composting is not allowed here, and there is nowhere close to recycle anything but #1 and #2 for plastics. We do have a great recycling program, tho, it’s just the other plastics we have to be careful not to buy. You have given me some great ideas! Thanks 
Shellie
Thank you for the link for lemon and vinegar home-made detergents. We stay in India which has a tradition of recycling practically everything, but of late we have been inundated with the plastic and supermarket syndrome. re toothbrush and scrubbers, I have two suggestions.
Tender Neem (Azadiractha Indica)branches make excellent toothbrushes – traditionally used in India – now sadly less commonly in use;i am sure there must be such local practices in each culture which can be restored.
Scrubbers: coconut fibre; please investigate in your individual areas about such plant fibres and try to use them.
Above all, as far as possible if we use local products and produce, the problem of plastic packaging and prservatives automatically reduces.
These are probably already things you’ve thought of, but just in case, I wanted to bring these up just in case.
1. Feminine hygeine: reusable, washable pads. You can buy them on etsy.com from lots of different talented seamstresses in a variety of fun fabrics.
2. Deodorant: here’s a recipe for deodorant: http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2008/07/homemade-deodor.html . Then there is:Weleda spray deodorant http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/shop/wild-rose-deodorant.aspx in recyclable plastic. I tried this out at a co-op in Arcata (they had a tester), and it seemed to work. I’ve been looking into making my own too as the main ingredient seems to be alcohol.
3. Cleaning: Dr. Bronner’s soaps. You can buy them in bulk at many natural food stores, and I use them for everything from dish soap to cleaning the floors to shampoo/soap. Regular shampoo is also sometimes available in bulk.
4. Trash service: Waste Management just started offering on-call garbage pickup. I’m not sure what company you have, but I was really surprised when I found that out. Basically, there’s no monthly charge, you just pay about $7 when you want your garbage picked up. I’m going to have to find a 32 gallon container, since that is all they’ll pick up from. I’ve been using a 20 gallon steel container, which I’m going to repurpose for my chicken feed.
5. Shaving cream: old shaving kits came with a brush that you would use to lather up a bar of soap. (Dr bronners soaps work well!)
Also, I wanted to add that if anyone gives you crap about your “human waste”, tell them that when you buy a house you’ll be installing an “envirolet”.
http://www.envirolet.com/
I didnt have time to read everyones comments yet, but heres some suggestions
toothbrush
http://www.recycline.com (preserve is the company)
they sell many products including toothbrush made from recycled products, when u have used it for 3 months you mail it back to the company and they recycle your tothbrush)
razor — look into some sharpening things like save-a-blade or xtendablade
some people use a razor for over a year
gl, and keep up good work with having zero waste. I work very hard at zero waste but live with my mom(im only 20) so some of the products she buys are of course not recyclable because she is not nearly as devout as I am in the environmental area. However.. I one day plan to have a very environmental home and produce absolutely zero waste.
I found some brown paper tape with lickable backs that can be used for packaging at a dime store. Unfortunately, it went out of business.
I haven’t tried this, but maybe you could use cotton thread and run it through beeswax for dental floss.
You guys are super inspirational! I see you hadn’t found a good solution for cooking oils and shortening. I also noticed that you use cruelty-free products. But maybe a suggestion for other users that are not vegetarians. You can make your own tallow from beef fat you can get for free at your local butcher. This can be used in place of cooking oils and is MUCH healthier! You can google tallow making and find several suggestions as to the best way. Good luck in your endeavor.
Congratulations on making a big effort to be responsible with the waste you produce! Just a thought about deordorant. I find it completely unnecessary and I can assure you I do not pong. I wash all hairy places with soap in the shower, keep my underarms hair free and wear clean clothes each day. I run for exercise as well! We are brain washed to believe that we should spray ourselves with toxic smelling substances so we do not cause offense to others! Deordorant smells bad to me and I am sure it is not healthy or kind to the environment.
You guys are living my dream! Everyday I get closer to having a trash free life. But there is one thing that concerns me on your tips page. You suggest using CFL’s. I don’t find these to be at all environmentally friendly. The plants that make these light bulbs are big polluters and the light bulbs themselves have to be disposed of in a very specific recycling center (there isn’t even one where i live). (you are not legally allowed to throw them in the trash) And if you are unfortunate enough to break one, be prepared to shell out big bucks to have a special environmental cleaning crew come to your house and rid your home of all the toxic mercury that will be dispersed into the air. They’re not worth it to save a few pennies on your electric bill.
Outside of that… You guys are doing a great job! Keep it up! I’ll be following your adventure!
Congratulations on your efforts. My girlfriend tried a similar month-long project last year and blogged about it at: http://notrashchallenge.blogspot.com/
Some other people caught on and took up the challenge in following months, and it ran about 4x as long as she’d planned.
Re: Cat litter. After many attempts, we found a respectably non-stinky compostable litter called Swheat Scoop (which is avail at our local PetSmart). We scoop & flush the poops and take the rest to the city’s compost. I’d recommend it to anyone!
Cat Litter: I use Sweat Scoop, which is made of wheat, and flush used litter and poop down the toilet (I generally do this when I’m going to flush anyway to avoid an extra flush). It took my cat a little bit to get used to it. For one thing, try putting half the depth they recommend (1.5 vs 3 inches)in the box.
As for zip-lock bags, I wash them out and reuse them several times. When they start to leak I use them to store odds and ends.
WOW! I wish I could be as good as you guys! I’ve got 2 teenagers at home and a husband that thinks its rubbish to go to these pains……
I’ve been composting for years and recycling, hanging my clothes out to dry and so on……but no where as dedicated as you all have been…….GOOD LUCK! I’ll be watching reading and learning! Thank you!
For girlie shaving needs, try Moom – it is even better than wax because unlike wax where the strips become garbage it is made from sugar and lemon juice so you can just rinse the muslin strips and reuse – wonderful! Also, an added bonus, it hurts waaaaay less than wax and cleans up so much easier. I say this as someone who has tried pretty much every home and salon wax offering out there – not affiliated with the company, just a very very very satisfied customer. Enjoy
… and PS – for serious cleaning that is eco-minded, check out a book out from the library called Easy Green Living or something from Renee Loux. Multnomah County Library has it.
you guys are great! i hope to be at that level some day! unfortunately recycling isn’t really done here, so irritating, and cant compost where i am, but i try most of the time to reduce the trash. most weeks i just have one 13gl bag of trash and i have a 2yr old and an 8 week old. I do feel good that when i go shopping i don’t go down the baby isle, i cloth diaper and breast-feed, and since i have 2 boys everything is handed down, and i usually get my 1st sons clothing from thrift store or hand down form others.
i hope by the next move i will live in a place that i can garden and compost, and live in a state that has bottle returns (bc it doesn’t “hurt” as much throwing them in the trash when you don’t view it as a nickel..lol)although i do recycle these, it was fun living in NY when i had a HUGE collection of these and when you bring it back t was like $40. but now we dont have that joy, oh and so many ppl here just through it in the trash, makes me mad.
im also going to try to remember to bring my own containers when we eat out for left overs. i never think of it going out the door(bc now it takes forever to get out the door,) i comes to me right after im asked if i need a box at the end of dinner.
thank you guys for showing the world that you can do this and live in w/ the rest of society (some ppl think you have to live in a commune or something to be trash free)
Hello, here are a couple of items…
bones – put into a solar oven for a day, dries them out, scrape the bits of meat and fat off, those can be composted as long as it is a small portion of your compost, leave the bones somewhere that they can dry for about a year or so, then crush up, and add to your compost to add calcium.
cat poop – if you have a separate solar oven or make a small cheap one to put it in, it will kill the parasites, then you can compost it. I leave it in there for several days to be safe. my oven gets to 325 to 350 degrees, so I’m sure it’s safe after even an hour or two, but I keep anything that I want to make sure I kill in there for several days. Obviously, I don’t use this solar oven for any kind of food. I don’t do human poop (yet, see humanure.com), but my loveable lou (from below) will be in a separate compost pile for now.
water – I pee in a large mouth container in the garage and then in the summer, mix that with water to water plants urine is a great fertilizer, but not straight. every flush is a gallon and a half or so (unless you have a very low water flush toilet, then it’s at least a half gallon). I’m going to build me a Lovable Lou (humanure.com) soon and try to stop using the toilet all together (I’d like to get an electric composting toilet, but the wife won’t go for that yet in the house).
Compost – anything I can eat, I can compost. I’ve read alot of stuff about all kinds of crap not to compost (from citrus to onions and meat, bones and such). as long as you put meat and bones in in small amounts you can. I have for a couple of years with no problems. My composter gets 5 or 6 hours of sun in the summer, and I can kill anything pathenogenic in the solar oven first if needed (see above).
Dryer lint can be composted. I don’t bother pulling out when we don’t have all cotton. I also use it and some wax in paper egg cartons to make firestarters for my fire stove.
also can compost hair and nail clippings.
Want to compost in the winter? get worms (red wigglers do best). we compost all year long.
great site, great tips!
Dan
TN
Mouthwash is completely unnecessary unless you are at a very high caries risk and need a flouride mouthrinse. Good oral hygiene involves the mechanical removal of the bacterial biofilm. That is why flossing is of such importance to reach areas where a toothbrush does not so that inflammation is reduced. The rubber tip is meant to be more of a stimulator than cleaner. I have heard of people washing their dental floss and letting it dry prior to the next use.
Best wishes for your success and good health.
Hi Amy, After talking to you tonight at class, I thought I’d explore your blog. You may have already gotten a recipe for yogurt, but here goes:
. On a low heat, bring 1 gal milk to a slow boil (or adjust amount as desired) (Do Not allow bottom of pan to burn – yuk!)
. Allow milk to boil slowly for 5 minutes
. Turn off heat and move pan. Let cool to slightly more than lukewarm. (If you can swish your pinkey in the mild for a few seconds and it doesn’t feel too hot, it’s ready.)
. Skim off skin that forms on top
. Add a starter of plain store bought yogurt of your choice and mix
. Put into container or containers of your choice.
. Cover & keep warm for 12 hours
. Refrigerate and enjoy
A cheaters way to make yogurt is to use powdered milk with Warm Water to dilute it (using 10% less water) and add the starter right away and put into containers.
I think you can use same process with half cream and half milk mixture or half and half to make sour cream.
You can make cream cheese by straining yogurt in cheese cloth until liquid runs out and only the curd remains.
It’s a little time consuming, but you don’t get the additives or the yogurt containers.
Amy, you may have already figured out the whole menstrual cup thing, but just in case, http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups has great info. The Diva is a little long, so if you’ve tried it and it isn’t working for you, there are options.
Since you are so close to Salem, have you checked out Agri-Plas (http://www.agriplasinc.com/) in Brooks for a recycling option. They take almost all hard plastics regardless of code as well as film. I don’t know if they allow individuals to drop off, but I’m sure the owner would be interested in your project and would show you around the place.
A couple of thoughts for others:
Cat waste: Flushing Swheat Scoop – check with your local water treatment plant before flushing this. Here in Corvallis, OR, they have to treat the system heavily because of people flushing cat waste.
In Oregon our landfills are very clay poor, and clay/rock is needed to make the system work, so using clay cat litter isn’t the worst option (although I haven’t looked into the supply side of using clay) – I do get it in bulk at our local pet store.
If you live in an area that doesn’t allow outdoor composting, you may want to look into a worm bin. These can be housed right under your kitchen sink!
Great to see all your effort and welcoming comments as well – a good forum to learn from and share tips! I saw the Garbage Revolution documentary earlier this year and loved it as well – proof positive that parents can affect change and not let initial whining keep them from enforcing good habits. My own comments to your tips and others’ comments in here:
* Love the tip on Waste Management ‘on call’ pickup. I currently get garbage once a month and it’s usually always only half full.
* Also a big fan of Far West Fibers. NOTE: They aren’t the only option though! For a majority, yes, but if you go onto Metro’s page for ‘find a recycler’, you can put in your address and what you want to recycle and it will give you a list of names. One BIG example was the place on Marine Drive that recycles foam packaging – a really big deal since FWF no longer accepts it.
* Toothbrush: Whole Foods and New Seasons both sell toothbrushes made from recycled plastic that have replaceable heads – so you are only replacing a very small portion.
* Plastic baggies can be recycled with all of your other ’stretchy’ plastic (plastic shopping bags, shrinkwrap, ziplocs, bubble wrap, and plastic packaging similar to what your TP comes wrapped in) at Far West Fibers. But I recommend reusing – turn inside out, rinse, air dry.
* Great tip on composting dryer lint!!! Also, I learned this year that dog hair from the pet brushes, etc. can be put in the compost pile.
* The anti-CFL comment has a lot of inaccuracies. First of all, Home Depot recycles CFLs. Second, there is less mercury in a CFL than in your old mercury fillings or in your watch battery, and you do NOT need to get a ‘hazmat team’ if one breaks, you just need to clean it up and air out the room. CFLs are a VAST energy efficiency improvement and are going to become code, so instead of fighting this how about going to the next level and choosing LED?
* When people say they ‘can’t recycle’ in their neighborhood, I shake my head. Just because you don’t have curbside doesn’t mean you cannot recycle. It just takes more effort. A friend of mine in Dayton, Ohio, started a recycling project in her apartment complex and they each take turns hauling everyone’s combined recycling to the recycling depot in their community until they can convince their city to begin curbside recycling.
* I’ve found that buying in the bulk aisles is a killer way to not only reduce waste but to save money. People say that organic is too expensive? Buy in the bulk aisle of Whole Foods or New Seasons or your local co-op – it’s WAY cheaper than Walmart or Kroger, and you are supporting organizations that, unlike Walmart, are socially and environmentally responsible. I get everything from pasta and rice and flour and sugar to spices and laundry detergent and olive oil in the bulk aisles.
* I agree on finding dog food in large supply without the awful packaging. I did see a guy repurposing them into cargo bags, etc., but would rather be able to buy dog food in bulk and just refill my storage bin rather than buy a bag. New Seasons sells it in bulk but not in 30 lb quantities like I need for my Rottie!
I continue to be impressed in how much knowledge you must be gaining on the specifics of waste reduction in general. Over halfway done with the year–will be looking forward to hearing how it ends, how much, or how little, trash is generated. Maybe you can re-visit Beth Casper of the Statesman for a final recap.
In the news article, it was mentioned that you had some bubblewrap in your trash box–I am betting you have already looked into this, but there is a company in Beaverton, Postal Annex, that will take clean, reusable wrap. Mail Depot, here in South Salem, will occasionally take it, if it comes in a box with packing peanuts included. I know we in Marion County have a few more local resources for our recyclables than you do in Dallas, which makes even more impressive your efforts.
I think you had mentioned something about an aerosol can? If hadn’t heard, our county haulers are now taking those curbside, along with cooking oil and most metals–new within the last 5 months.
Keep up the good work, looking forward to hearing of your final success in July!
Brian