^ PP -- Also started getting compostable garbage bags. We have a preschooler, toddler and baby so we go through small trash bags in the bathroom and for diapers daily. At least these trash bags won't last forever 🗑:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B085NLQ58Z?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

For diapers: we use Dyper brand.
https://dyper.com/
You can even compost them.
I found them the most eco-friendly and least gimmicky ecofriendly diapers. We also use their wipes. Minimal plastic used and what is seems to be 100% recycled or plant based

Toiletries that use paper or not packaging. I like Silver Falls Sustainability (though Lush and others also offer options).

Nixing straws and the plastic cutlery when ordering out (some will allow you to opt out of getting these in your bags).

There is a company called Responsible Products that offers a lot of compostable/biodegradeable options for things like ziplocks. So far we've had good luck with their products (though I haven't use them yet to freeze things, the real test).

Switch to something like Dropps (delivery to your door of no plastic laundry detergent).

Get on a Buy Nothing group. Great for discarding or acquiring items without purchasing and contributing to the trash/landfill cycle.

We have one kid.

Doing our part with a small family and consuming less of everything.

That one kid going forward will have one household, fewer kids, etc. that all the larger families trying hard to save plastic based on how they purchase blueberries.

Anonymous wrote:Switching to your own container or cardboard may not be better. It’s complicated, and you have to follow whole lifecycle. For example, milk in glass jars weigh a lot more, are more prone to leaks and breakage, and require more energy to manufacturer and sterilize. You may burn more carbon making, hauling, and washing that bottle than a single use plastic jug. Lots of trade offs like that (it’s why plastic bags are more green than paper bags or canvas bags unless you use them 1000 times).

How can plastic bags be more green?

Anonymous wrote:Dog poop bags?
Diapers?

Not perfect but Bambo Nature does ecodisposable diapers. (Cloth can be good but generates a lot of waste water in the washing and isn’t appropriate for all babies/situations.) I’ve been having issues with my repeat delivery recently though, so if anyone else has ideas for this, let me know!

Switching to your own container or cardboard may not be better. It’s complicated, and you have to follow whole lifecycle. For example, milk in glass jars weigh a lot more, are more prone to leaks and breakage, and require more energy to manufacturer and sterilize. You may burn more carbon making, hauling, and washing that bottle than a single use plastic jug. Lots of trade offs like that (it’s why plastic bags are more green than paper bags or canvas bags unless you use them 1000 times).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've been reducing plastic bottle waste from our house. This is thanks to the zero waste store near my house. I refill shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and liquid soap (castille soap). The store lets you choose whatever scent you want for the lotion, I love the rosemary and the lavender. The lotion is really rich and good. I use very large pump shampoo and lotion bottles from old plastic purchases and have 3 of each. I use large castille soap bottles to refill. When I go, I fill up 2 or 3 so I have backup to store when I need it. It costs about $100 a trip. I use the liquid soap to refill hand soap dispensers at home.

I don't want to add any plastic bottles to the landfill/oceans.

I absolutely make buying decisions based on packaging and so do many people I know. When I see ads on TV for household or personal care products or especially bottled water, tea or sports drinks, I just see plastic bottles washing up on a beach. I'm not having anything to do with it.

I found this website for shopping lower waste in the DC area:
https://packagefreedc.com/where-to-shop/

I'm looking for ideas on reducing berry and veggie plastic waste. The farmer's market seems like the best option but I don't always get there each week.

Also trying to get in the habit of sticking a tupperware in my bag when we go out to eat for any food we want to take home.

I actually stopped buying drinks other than tea leaves. I drink water from my faucet.

I found some recipes for iced tea
Make my own now

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone found a menustral cup they like? I suppose now that I am working from home until god knows when, I should try. I switched to organic pads and tampons a while back and much prefer them.

I really liked the Diva Cup. There's a bit of a learning curve with using a cup, but after getting over the hump, I used it for many years and never had any problems with leaks, and it was so much more comfortable than a maxipad or tampon.

However, that was before having kids. The size 2, which is recommended for women who've given birth, doesn't work as well for me and I had issues with leakage where none existed before. I might try the size 2 again, or try a different menstrual cup brand, at a later time... but for now I'm back to using maxipads.

Anonymous wrote:We've been reducing plastic bottle waste from our house. This is thanks to the zero waste store near my house. I refill shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and liquid soap (castille soap). The store lets you choose whatever scent you want for the lotion, I love the rosemary and the lavender. The lotion is really rich and good. I use very large pump shampoo and lotion bottles from old plastic purchases and have 3 of each. I use large castille soap bottles to refill. When I go, I fill up 2 or 3 so I have backup to store when I need it. It costs about $100 a trip. I use the liquid soap to refill hand soap dispensers at home.

I don't want to add any plastic bottles to the landfill/oceans.

I absolutely make buying decisions based on packaging and so do many people I know. When I see ads on TV for household or personal care products or especially bottled water, tea or sports drinks, I just see plastic bottles washing up on a beach. I'm not having anything to do with it.

I found this website for shopping lower waste in the DC area:
https://packagefreedc.com/where-to-shop/

I'm looking for ideas on reducing berry and veggie plastic waste. The farmer's market seems like the best option but I don't always get there each week.

Also trying to get in the habit of sticking a tupperware in my bag when we go out to eat for any food we want to take home.

Any chance you’re in the DMV and can tell us the location?

Has anyone found a menustral cup they like? I suppose now that I am working from home until god knows when, I should try. I switched to organic pads and tampons a while back and much prefer them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe this. Regular powder detergent in a CARDBOARD BOX works just fine.

I thought you couldn’t use it on a HE washer? I also don’t think I’ve seen it since the 1970s! If I can use it in my HE and it comes in unscented, I’d buy that.

there are powder HE detergents

I use powdered HE Tide. Target carries it.

Does it come in a cardboard box? I was buying Tide at Costco specifically for the cardboard box instead of thick plastic bottle, until my washing machine repairwoman told me I needed to use HE. So now I want to find HE detergent in a cardboard box.

Alternatively, I might buy one bottle of HE liquid at the grocery store, then start refilling it at my zero waste store. What I won't do is buy plastic bottles of detergent or soap of any kind.

Yes, it is available. Many brands in powder and HE. They all work well enough when you consider what we are up against.

Anonymous wrote:We've been reducing plastic bottle waste from our house. This is thanks to the zero waste store near my house. I refill shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and liquid soap (castille soap). The store lets you choose whatever scent you want for the lotion, I love the rosemary and the lavender. The lotion is really rich and good. I use very large pump shampoo and lotion bottles from old plastic purchases and have 3 of each. I use large castille soap bottles to refill. When I go, I fill up 2 or 3 so I have backup to store when I need it. It costs about $100 a trip. I use the liquid soap to refill hand soap dispensers at home.

I don't want to add any plastic bottles to the landfill/oceans.

I absolutely make buying decisions based on packaging and so do many people I know. When I see ads on TV for household or personal care products or especially bottled water, tea or sports drinks, I just see plastic bottles washing up on a beach. I'm not having anything to do with it.

I found this website for shopping lower waste in the DC area:
https://packagefreedc.com/where-to-shop/

I'm looking for ideas on reducing berry and veggie plastic waste. The farmer's market seems like the best option but I don't always get there each week.

Also trying to get in the habit of sticking a tupperware in my bag when we go out to eat for any food we want to take home.

I actually stopped buying drinks other than tea leaves. I drink water from my faucet.

We've been reducing plastic bottle waste from our house. This is thanks to the zero waste store near my house. I refill shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and liquid soap (castille soap). The store lets you choose whatever scent you want for the lotion, I love the rosemary and the lavender. The lotion is really rich and good. I use very large pump shampoo and lotion bottles from old plastic purchases and have 3 of each. I use large castille soap bottles to refill. When I go, I fill up 2 or 3 so I have backup to store when I need it. It costs about $100 a trip. I use the liquid soap to refill hand soap dispensers at home.

I don't want to add any plastic bottles to the landfill/oceans.

I absolutely make buying decisions based on packaging and so do many people I know. When I see ads on TV for household or personal care products or especially bottled water, tea or sports drinks, I just see plastic bottles washing up on a beach. I'm not having anything to do with it.

I found this website for shopping lower waste in the DC area:
https://packagefreedc.com/where-to-shop/

I'm looking for ideas on reducing berry and veggie plastic waste. The farmer's market seems like the best option but I don't always get there each week.

Also trying to get in the habit of sticking a tupperware in my bag when we go out to eat for any food we want to take home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe this. Regular powder detergent in a CARDBOARD BOX works just fine.

I thought you couldn’t use it on a HE washer? I also don’t think I’ve seen it since the 1970s! If I can use it in my HE and it comes in unscented, I’d buy that.

there are powder HE detergents

I use powdered HE Tide. Target carries it.

Does it come in a cardboard box? I was buying Tide at Costco specifically for the cardboard box instead of thick plastic bottle, until my washing machine repairwoman told me I needed to use HE. So now I want to find HE detergent in a cardboard box.

Alternatively, I might buy one bottle of HE liquid at the grocery store, then start refilling it at my zero waste store. What I won't do is buy plastic bottles of detergent or soap of any kind.