Zero Waste Blog

If you haven't already heard, Portland is expecting quite a few zero waste groceries stores to pop up in the coming years. And if you're wondering what a zero waste grocery store is exactly, you're not alone. Because "zero waste" is a term used in so many contexts and to mean so many things, what these grocery stores will look like varies a lot. They do have one thing in common however: bulk. A hallmark of a zero waste grocery store is providing access to as much as possible

Welcome! You're probably here because you've jumped on the Zero Waste train and want to know where to start! Or you may have heard about the zero waste movement from a hippie friend of yours and just want to learn more. Well...this blog post is for you! Zero Waste is, in a nut shell, a movement that strives to raise awareness around the production, consumption, and disposal of products. We do this by promoting sustainable alternatives to disposables and encouraging reclaiming

It seems like every pantry these days is filled with beautiful glass jars layered with colorful bulk goods. And rightfully so! Buying in bulk dramatically reduces the need for plastic packaging and can also save you money if done systematically. But how, you might ask, do you actually buy in your own jars? In this blog post I'll walk you through step by step how to tare your jars and purchase items in bulk. By the end of this tutorial, buying goodies in your own jar will be a

For a lot of people, secondhand shopping can be unappealing. The volume of secondhand clothing in thrift stores can be incredibly overwhelming—where do you even start when there are rows and rows of shirts, dresses and jackets to sort through? It can also be nearly impossible to find what you are looking for, with plus-size options being slim and the idea going in that most of your options will be decked out with shoulder-pads and outdated pleats. That’s where keeping in mind

If you're like me, you might find thrift shopping a little intimidating and frustrating. Although it's a really important eco-friendly practice, that doesn't mean it comes easy for all of us. Thankfully, April from The Honest Root is here to share with us some tips for those that might be a little hesitant! I hope you enjoy her insights as much as I did! Consignment and thrift shopping can seem a little daunting if it’s not something you’re used to doing. Sifting through all

In honor of the completion of Plastic Free July, I've compiled a list of the thirty-one practices you should take up today to ditch plastic for good! How many of these do you already do? Tip #1: Don't rely on recycling! Relying on recycling doesn't always work in your favor. There is only a 30% recycling rate in the US and it is an energy intensive process. You can read more about why I don't think recycling is the answer in a separate post! Tip #2: Buy food without packaging

Food Waste In the U.S. alone approximately 30-40% of food produced is wasted and never consumed. That averages out to wasting 20 pounds per person per month. World wide, the statistics are similar with the entire population wasting over $1 trillion worth of food each year and 24% of all calories produced lost before they could be consumed. This disregard for the value in our food is causing millions of people to go hungry each day and causing unnecessary waste in our already

In conjunction with my recent post Zero Waste Grocery Shopping, I want to follow up with a post regarding what I actually buy that is still in packaging. If you’ve seen my monthly trash jars, you know that I put a small amount of packaging into the landfills each month. I still, however, have items that I purchase in recyclable packaging that don’t end up in the trash can but do end up in the recycling bin. Pause here for a minute – the zero waste movement is not just a movem