6 More Months of Zero Waste: Use Mass Transit in February

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

In 2019 we started a monthly journey towards a more zero waste lifestyle. Each month you can follow along. Here is what we have done so far:
January 2019 - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February 2019- Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March 2019- Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April 2019- Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May 2019- Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish) for at least one day.
June 2019- No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.
July 2019 - Plastic Free July!
Go plastic free this month!

In late 2019, we continued our journey to becoming more zero waste. The current list has changed a little since the beginning. See the list below to follow our progress:
November - Zero Waste Kit
We created a zero waste kit to help us be more zero waste in our day to day life.
December - No Gifts
We took Dec to give no gifts and get no gifts.
January - Clothing and Fast Fashion
This month we explored what fast fashion is, and how we can stop buying it forever.
February - Mass Transit
March- Bathroom Make-over
April - Grow Your Own Food

As with all the zero waste switches we have made, changing how we get from place to place begins with a mindset shift. We use our cars every day for our every whim and most of don’t think much about it. We create waste and pollution by prioritizing our own convenience. We must change to be mindful of the impact that is incured every time we drive. Once we assess when and why we drive we can formulate ways to change this behavior. This will look different for each person.
Like many of the ways we can reduce waste, we must look at our consumption. The first step is to take a driving audit. When do you use your car most? What are you doing with it? Is there a way to lessen your usage? Are there times that you drive when you could use public transit, take a car pool, or walk? Take note in your phone, or write your findings down.

Mine would look something like this:

9 hours is probably less than many people drive but to me, that seems like a crazy amount!! Since I wrote this off of memory, I will take some time to do an actual audit next and see how my actual driving looks compared. After that, I will see where I can cut down.

Once we know why and how much we are driving we can see where we can cut down. Perhaps you can carpool to work or take mass transit, cut your shopping trips down to once a week, or take one day per week to not use your car at all. The more you think about your car use, the more you will be aware and mindful of when you can reduce your usage.

Like all our swaps, getting out of the habit of using your car won’t happen all at once. We can take small steps that will lead to a big change. Try using public transit a few times a month to start or work from home if possible. Coordinate with family and friends who live near by for grocery shopping. Set up days where you can walk instead of take the car. Each little step will help us pare down to what is essential and important, even if we cannot eliminate using the car completely.

Hopefully by reducing our car usage, we will see an improvement on our impact on the environment, on the waste we create, but also on our the enrichment of our lives. Living a more local and less far flung lifestyle, more slow and mindful lifestyle, might have a great effect on our communities and our lives.

**Editor’s note: Because of an unexpected blog break in February, this article is quite late. We apologize for any confusion. Keep a look out for March’s 6 More Months of Zero Waste coming soon.

Zero Waste Recipe: Chickpea Salad

This recipe is so simple, it’s barely a recipe even, I always forget how good it is! It’s simple, can easily be made vegan, delicious and doesn’t try to be something it’s not. And it’s practically zero waste, of course.

If you like tuna, chicken, or egg salad, you’ll enjoy this dish.

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas, or dried and soaked equivilant
1 medium to large carrot
1 small or 1/2 bigger red onion
1 to 2 stalks celery
mayo or vegan mayo
salt and pepper to taste

bread, crackers, rice cakes, lettuce wraps, or whatever you most like to eat your salad on.

Equipment:
bowl
fork or spoon

Drain and rinse chickpeas. Chop veggies in to preferred size (I like mine in a rough dice). Combine veggies, chickpeas and as mush mayo as you like in a bowl. I like my sandwich salad to not be too wet, or too dry. For 1 can of chick peas, I usually use 1 1/2 tablespoons. Make sure to mix well using a fork to help chop up the chickpeas. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on your favorite bread.

Some notes:
- I usually eat mine on potatoes bread or rolls, as I love the contrast of the crunchy salad on soft bread.
- This is a great recipe to make vegan, and a good way to introduce simple vegan and zero waste food to those who are new to these ideas.
- This recipe can be used as a dip as well. Simply dice veggies very small and mash the chickpeas more when combining.

Using loose veggies and bulk or canned legumes make this recipe low waste. Making your own bread or crackers, or getting it from a local shop in your own bag would help even more.

This is a good simple dinner or lunch, great to take to work or school, and keeps well in the fridge for a few days for a snack. What are some of your easy go to recipes?

Please note, In my excitement, I ate the final product and neglected to take photo. When I make another batch I will add the finish product photos, here.

Update 3/30/19: Photos added.

6 More Months of Zero Waste: January and Giving Up Fast Fashion

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

In 2019 we started a monthly journey towards a more zero waste lifestyle. Each month you can follow along.

Fast Fashion is like fast food, it’s cheap, quick and easy but it’s junk, not healthy for you or the world. Chances are 99% of your clothes are fast fashion. If you shop at target, the gap, banana republic, the mall, amazon, etc… you are buying fast fashion. Fashion is one of the most impactful industry on the environment using millions of tons of water, creating millions of tons of pollution, enslaving men, woman and children all over the world, and creating millions of pounds of trash as most fast fashion ends up in landfills.

The myth of buying cheap clothes is also similar to fast food. It seems cheap at the time, but the long term cost is huge. The impact on our health and the world is terrible. The monetary cost is far greater than you think when you buy too many “cheap” items. When you are accostomed to buying a few new things every week, or month, you spend way more money than you would if you bought less clothes but at a high price point. That being said, switching to slow fashion doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

The mental cost of adhering to the latest trends and constantly shopping, never loving what you are wearing, decision fatigue, wearing ill fitting or unflattering clothing that makes you feel bad about your self, mental and physical clutter, plus more, are all hidden costs of fast fashion.

A great step to take towards a more zero waste and low impact lifestyle is to give up fast fashion.

As with all the steps on this journey, this one starts with a mental shift. The hardest part is changing the way you think about clothing, shopping, and how those things make you feel. Once you have accepted and resolved not to purchase fast fashion and start your slow fashion lifestyle, here are some things you can do to help you on your way.

Do a closet declutter.
Get rid of the items you don’t love or don’t wear.

Remember older clothes are slow clothes.
Fast fashion wants you to believe that old clothes are obsolete, but our most loved and most worn clothes are often ones you’ve had a long time. Slow fashion starts with the clothes you already have.

Shop your closet.
Revisit what you already have instead of buying new.

Start a capsule wardrobe
Make a capsule for each season, put the other clothes away. When you go thru those clothes in a few months, it’s like you have all new items!

Have a clothing swap.
With all those items you decluttered! Your friends and family, or larger community might also be trying to give up fast fashion and become more low impact. A clothing swap is a great way to get new items (for free!!) And get rid of what you don’t want or need at the same time. Pro tip: Arrange to donate all the clothes that are left over immediately after the swap.

Buy second hand.
While not as easy as shopping fast fashion, the thrill of a good thrift find can be just as up lifting. This is also a great way to still get the fast fashion brands you might love and not be ready to give up yet. Shopping second hand forces you to slow down, avoid impulse shopping, and saves clothes from the landfill among many other benefits.

Shop ethical and sustainable clothing.
There are more and more ethical brands out there!

Choose only natural, sustainable, and ethical fabrics.
Now you are shopping second hand or ethical and sustainable, another way to be more low impact is to only shop fabrics that are renewable, sustainable, and ethical.

Concentrating on giving up fast fashion this month will make it easier for us to now revel in slow fashion. Each time you are tempted, remember the environmental and social impacts of Fast Fashion and how you are actively working to combat them.

Here are other things you can do to move closer to a zero waste and low impact lifestyle.

November - Zero Waste Kit
December - No Gifts
January - Clothing and Fast Fashion
February - Mass Transit
March- Bathroom Make-over
April - Grow Your Own Food

Below are the previous month’s projects:

January 2019 - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February 2019- Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March 2019- Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April 2019- Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May 2019- Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish)
June 2019- No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.
July 2019 - Plastic Free July!
Go plastic free this month!

Mad Cat Capsule | Winter 2020 (Jan Feb Mar)

In Fall, the weather was all over the map. I think my capsule treated me well, but all I really wanted was big snuggly sweaters. I was excited to go thru my sweaters in Winter and get more of that cozy vibe. That’s where my head was at when starting my Winter Capsule.

I‘ve been doing capsules for several years now, trying not to buy any new clothes and trying to limit the second hand clothes that come into my closet. Every season I pare down my back stock of clothing. But I’m still surprised every three months about what I have, or in Winter’s case, what I don’t have. I was pretty surprised that I thought I didn’t have very many cozy sweaters.

This made me think about a few things: Where did all my sweaters go? How many sweaters do I need? Am I going to get some new sweaters?

I love making a post for each season’s capsule bc this is the time that I really get to answer those questions or any questions I’m having.

Here’s my Winter 2020 Capsule.

5 Jeans - Can I do three months with only 5 pairs of pants? Everlane blue high waisted (ethical, sustainable) , everlane grey button fly (ethical, sustainable), white button fly (thrifted), black wide leg (vintage and thrifted), fleece lined wranglers (vintage and thrifted).

11 tops - Mostly long sleeve and for layering. American Apparel green waffle (ethical, sustainable, 10 years +), grey stripe (10 year +), blue henley (hand me down), grey ribbed henley (5 year +), Grey waffle henley (5 year+), Baseball tee (local biz), floral waffle (10year +), green waffle (10 year +), snake skin turtleneck (vintage and thrifted), ribbed mock neck (vintage and thrifted), rainbow mock neck (thrifted).

10 Sweaters - To answer some of my earlier questions: I have plenty of sweaters! And quite a variety. Sparkly mock neck (vintage and thrifted), teal (5 years+), chenille (hand me down), eye sweater (vintage and thrifted), grey light (5 year +), grey kimono (thirfted, 3 year +), John cardigan (vintage, hand me down), grey wool (hand me down), black cardigan (5+ years), Katie sweater (hand me down).

3 dresses - Denim (10 year +), silver (ethical and thrifted), burn out (hand me down).

4 tanks and under shirts - I mostly use these for layering. Salmon crop (thrifted), grey tank (10+ years), teal (5 year +). black (10 year +).

1 shirt - I’ve used this black skirt (8 years +) in just about every capsule.

12 t shirts - Again, I layer with these a ton in every season. Teal talula’s (local biz, gifted), white floral (thrifted), minutemen (10 years +), grey waffle (10 years +), AA green crew (ethical, sustainable, 10 year +), AA grey crew (ethical, sustainable, 10 year +), green band (local artist, 5 years +), spiritualized (artist tee, AA ethical, sustainable, 10 year +), Happy Birthday Sandwiches (thrifted, AA ethical, sustainable, 10 year +), Mets (thrifted, 10 year +), long sleeve black (local biz, gifted)

4 shoes - velcro vans (3 years +), floral vans (3 years +), brown boots (thrifted), black boots (3 years +).

This capsule rounds out at 50 pieces. The color theme is grey (as always), black, sage green, teal, with a bit of white. I would like there to be a few more pops of salmon, so if I find anything like that, I might swap some items out. I feel good about this capsule, I’m interested to see how it treats me for the next three months. I’ve got plenty of cozy sweaters!

Are you switching out your capsule every three months? Do you change it seasonally? What arre some of your Winter staples?

Mat Cat Capsule | All the Clothes I Didn't Wear in Fall

As I was sitting down (ok, running up and down the basement stairs) to create my Winter 2020 Capsule Wardrobe, I realized just how many clothes that were in my Fall Capsule that I hadn’t worn once. Many might think that 65 items of clothing is too few to get them through 3 months of wear. But I only actually wore 48 between Oct and Dec bc there were 17 items that I didn’t even touch.

Here’s what I didn’t wear and my thoughts on why not.

I didn’t wear any of these white tops. Each of them is not my favorite for different reasons. The Bahamas shirt is too tight at the collar, the floral is cropped, the Japan shirt is very fitted.

I’ve never worn this vintage wrap shirt/over shirt but I would like to fit it into my wardrobe.

A few more t shirts taht I didn’t wear. I love the deep v, and they used to be my uniform for many years, but now it can be too tricky. I often wear the other two shirts, but always ended up grabbing other shirts in my capsule.

This new hyper color t is also tricky to wear. The tank was just too summery.

This cardigan is not overly easy to wear or match with other items. It works really well over lighter clothing, but is hard to pare with fall/winter items.

I love this dress, it has pockets! I never reached for it this Fall.

I got this Eileen Fisher silver dress this summer, but haven’t worn it yet.

I thrifted these leather joggers a long while ago, but I have never worn them. I really want to, I think it would be a look. This super soft leather skirt was bought at a stoop sale many years ago, and I wish I wore it more.

I love this light over shirt that was found at my old bar but it never worked out this Fall. The next shirt is just a little tight around the middle and a little stiff. I This I’ll like it when I can wear it in, but I haven’t yet, The last denim dress, I really enjoy, but it wasn’t right for this capsule.

Setting aside the clothes that I didn’t wear in my capsule was an interesting experiment. I would like to try it again at the end of Winter. I ended up putting some of these items into Winter, let’s see if they end up on the didn’t wear pile again in three months.

6 More Months of Zero Waste: December - Buy No Gifts

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

One of the mosrt important aspects of the zero waste/low impact movement is to reexamine the way we think of seemingly normal activities and standards. It might seem totally normal and harmless to buy a plastic water bottle each day but we now know that this isn’t true. The truth is that this action hurts our planet, our health and the health of our communities. The only way that we can make a change is to change ourselves and our actions.

When we talk about gift giving, for xmas, for birthdays, for any reason, we must first re-examine and rethink everything we have done in the past and change our mentality about gifts, both receiving and giving. December is a great time to think about all the gifts you’ve gotten in the past. Which were your favorites? Which made an actual impact on your life? Were they the gifts that were throw away items, trinkets, or bric a brac or were they the gifts that you really coveted, or really needed? Were your favorite gifts one you could experience or consume? Did your favorite gifts create waste, or did they serve a function and purpose? Now ask your self the same questions about the gifts you have given to someone else. Were the gifts given or received the best thing about the holiday? Or was it the time spent with family and friends?

When we think about zero waste gift giving the first step is to know that giving low waste and low impact gifts are the goal. This often takes more time and more planning and will result in giving less gifts overall.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to give something homemade. Baked goods, beauty products, sewing, dinners, kombucha, sweaters, whatever it is you know how to do, share it with your friends and loved ones. Be mindful that you are sure to choose your raw materials with zero waste in mind (bulk items for baking, humanely harvested wool, etc…).

Experiences are another great gift idea. Movie tickets, gift certificates to restaurants, classes, maid services, spas, etc… are all good options, but even better give the gift of you and your time. Teach someone something you know how to do (knit, sew, bake, yoga…) or give them help they’ve been needing (babysitting, cleaning, organizing, cooking dinner, a day of running errands…). Experiences are often more low impact and zero waste and the memories are often more special than an object.

If you know of something that someone really needs, or wants, by all means get it for them if it feels right. Try to use the gift giving experience to practice and teach low impact options. Buy second hand, ethical, local, handmade, and zero waste.

If you’re interested in the zero waste and low impact movement, you are probably already decluttering and streamlining your own life. You mostly likely don’t want many gifts, if any. Make sure you communicate this to all your friends and family. Make sure you let your workplace know. A great way to get people in the no gift mindset is to lead by example. Switching over to low waste or zero waste gifts or forgoing gift giving all together can be hard. Make sure that you are taking steps towards your goal at each opportunity. Make sure you are starting where you are and doing what you can.

What are some sustainable gifts you’re giving this year?

Are you following along with out 6 Months of Zero Waste? Here is the current 6 month plan:

November - Zero Waste Kit
December - No Gifts
January - Clothing and Fast Fashion
February - Mass Transit
March- Bathroom Make-over
April - Grow Your Own Food

Below are the previous month’s projects:

January 2019 - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February 2019- Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March 2019- Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April 2019- Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May 2019- Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish)
June 2019- No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.
July 2019 - Plastic Free July!
Go plastic free this month!

Zero Waste Travel Review 2019: Nashville, Pheonix

It’s been a lovely year for travel. We like to travel but we can’t always find the time. We have demanding jobs and cats. This means we don’t always get to stay as long as we would like to. This makes it hard to take the time to assess the city and it’s zero waste features and possibilities. But even a few days can give you an idea of how it is to travel zero waste. Here are my impressions of the 2 of the 4 major cities we visited this year.

There is a mix of old school spots, like the Nashville Biscuit House, and new more sustainable options in TN.

Nashville, TN
I’ve visited Nashville a few times previously but as we have family there, we usually stick close to home. This trip we got to visit with family and friends, but also ventured out a little more. There was a lot of plastic bags, styrofoam and plastic take out containers. Single use plastics and plastic packaging seems to be the rule with very little exception. When we went to restaurants of cafe, there was always disposable napkins. It was super hard to find vegetarian, let a long vegan options, but We did hear of a few new vegan places to try next time we are in town. A few places we visited had more eco friendly options and we saw a few places that let you use your own cup, or didn’t offer straws unless asked. We did happen upon a great zero waste shop, The Good Fill. And there were other signs of getting clued into a more sustainable lifestyle. Many people did carry their own grocery bags! There is a light rail that people can take in to the city center, but the entire time we were there I never saw it moving, let along in use. Driving is the main form of transportation and traffic was thick most of the time we were there.

Nashville seems to be a city on the edge of a possible sustainable revolution. But for now, the downside of waste seems to be catching up to other major cities, especially where to go containers, public transport, low cost zero waste alternatives, and normalizing non plastic options are concerned.

Overall, I think Nashville is a city to watch out for. Right now, it’s not anything too special where zero waste is concerned but it’s poised to turn an important corner. I feel like Nashville could use more zero waster citizens and tourist to keep it’s progress moving.

Being in the middle of the desert makes Phoenix unique.

Phoenix, AZ
This is probably the city I have visited the most out of all my travels this year. I’m always surprised by Phoenix. When I think of it, it is a waste land, a desert of similar looking houses and chain stores. But on this visit I took note on how many indy businesses there were, how many vegan options there were, as well as grocery shops with bulk sections and other low key resources for zero wasters. Disposable plastic is still the norm, but I saw many people carrying their own grocery bags, bringing their reusable cups and being more conscious about sustainable options. Phoenix is water conscious and so they are used to taking care of precious things, if they can make the mental leap to also care for reusables, it would go a long way. No one seemed to mind me bringing my own to go container, or to go cup but it was still an oddity. Hiking and out door activities are common there, so people are health conscious which can easily translate to being heath conscious for the planet. Driving is the only transport as far as I could tell, and traffic in the city can be pretty sticky. I was visiting and helping friends on this trip, so I didn’t do too much exploring, but I’m excited for the next visit to suss out more sustainable options and seeing how one can to be more zero waste in Arizona.

A downside of Phoenix zero waste is definitely awareness and communication. I saw resources in Phoenix that I had never seen before, like person who shreds documents and recycles the waste (he even reused any plastic bags that were brought in!) but generally no one is talking about reducing waste. Asking for “no straw” was still a novelty as was asking for other small things to reduce waste in restaurants or shops. People didn’t know how to react and were confused a lot of the time. A way to combat this would be for all those wanting to reduce waste and promote a low impact lifestyle to speak out more and make those conversations a more normal activity.

Overall, I think Phoenix has come a long way but has a longer road ahead.

These two cities had frustrating aspects for someone who wants to reduce their waste, forgo plastic and lead a more low impact life. But they also had exciting possibilities. I’ll be interested to revisit these cities and watch the progress that is made.

It was fun to think back to my travels this year and how they relate to zero waste. Each time I returned home, I was happy to be back in my comfort zone with my waste consumption but it also made me thnk of the changes I still need to work on and how my own city could improve.

Did you travel in 2019 with zero waste in mind? What were your observations?

Zero Waste Travel Review 2019: New Orleans and Denver

It’s been a lovely year for travel. We like to travel but we can’t always find the time. We have demanding jobs and demanding cats. This means we don’t always get to stay as long as we would like to when we do get to travel. It is some times hard to take the time to assess a city and it’s zero waste features and possibilities. But even a few days can give you an idea of how it is to travel zero waste. Here are my impressions of two of the four major cities we visited this year.

Jackson Square in the French Quarter on a cloudy day.

New Orleans, LA
NOLA is pretty much an anything goes kind of city. So it’s easy to ask for things in your own cup or bag, no one looks at you funny for bringing your own utensils or to go containers. There’s tons of cafes, restaurants, and shops that are easy to eat-in so as not to create waste. New Orleans is pretty environmentally conscious due to it’s precarious nature and history. When I was there in February, I noticed some places with paper straws, paper packaging, and other signs of awareness. There are a few places I have read about that are specifically geared towards zero waste, but I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting them. Hey! Cafe (where environmental activist and zero waster Rob Greenfield visited in 2017) and the New Orleans Food Co-op are definitely on my list for my next visit. There is a broad network of trolleys and buses, but it’s also easy to get around on foot as a visitor. I love New Orleans and think that it is definitely in my top ten cities that I would gladly move to.

Washington Square in The Marigny section of NOLA.

The downside of NOLA waste would definitely be the souvenirs, beads, and decoration waste mostly associated with Mardi Gras.

Overall, I think being zero waste in NOLA is pretty easy, as long as you stay conscious and avoid the really touristy things, like to go beverages in plastic cups, drive throughs and all the plastic trinkets. You can walk or take trolleys to explore the city. And feel comfortable that asking for no plastic is not the weirdest thing anyone has seen all day.

A vista near Buffalo Bill’s tomb outside of Denver.

Denver, CO
From what I had heard about the hippy dippy nature of Colorado (and I guess my preconceptions about all the pot smoking) I thought Denver would be very progressive. A “hippy” city. I was quite surprised with my observations. One of the first places that we went to get a bite to eat was billed as a veg and eco friendly. It seemed to be neither and didn’t herald a prosperous start. throughout our 3 day trip, I saw a lot of plastic, lots of straws, a lot a disposables. Some restaurants we visited, like Uncle Ramen, did have higher standards. Uncle uses disposable chopsticks and napkins but also makes sure these all go to composting. There were quite a few farm to table restaurants, used book shops, thrift and vintage shops that we found and really enjoyed. No one seemed to mind when I asked for things in my own cup and it was clear that water was a necessity in the hight elevation. We saw lot of reusable water bottles. Being a very health conscious and outdoorsy place, I’m sure there are a lot of resources for those activities, but we didn’t find them on this first visit. The main transport seemed to be driving but there was a light rail that went to the airport and the heart of the city.

The downside of Denver Waste seemed to be that it’s a very large and spread out city. It didn’t seem possibe to travel easily by public transport and walking was impossible. With that and the seemingly lack of awareness, it made it hard to feel comfortably zero waste. Many places still presented purchased items in plastic bags and the city streets had a lot of litter.

The Chatsfield Reservoir south of Denver.

Overall, Denver felt like a big dirty city to me. I felt that I mostly had to go out of my way for zero waste options. That is how it is in much of my day to day experience is, to be fair. But it surprised me bc of my preconceived notions about CO. After visiting Denver once, I would really like to see more, get a better feel for it and visit some of the surrounding cities that are supposedly more progressive (CO Springs, Boulder…etc…). But upon first visit it didn’t strike me as a place I could ever see myself living.

I definitely have a bias where these two cities are involved, as I LOVE New Orleans and already feel comfortable there. I did the minute I got there on my first visit. So it would be helpful to hear from my readers! Have you visited these cities? What were your thoughts on them from a zero waster or generally traveller?

We visited two other cities this year, stay tuned for the reviews on those places!

What My Capsule Wardrobe Has Taught Me About My Personal Style

I’ve been keeping a capsule wardrobe for about 10 seasons now . I don’t see anything that would make me stop keeping one. I can see a point in the future where I have pared down my clothes to the extent where I only have one capsule that encompasses everything I need. At the moment, I have way too many clothes for that.

There are many aspects of capsuling that I enjoy, but one that I have found the most helpful is how much it has taught me about my own style and the direction I want it to grow in. Here are some things that I have learned.

Plain and simple - I’m attracted to ruffles, to baubles, to puff sleeves, embellishments, fringe. I’ve probably bought clothing with these accents at some point, but I’ve hardly ever worn them. I find the clothes I like most are those that are simple, plain and easy to wear.

Well worn and loved - Once I started going thru all my clothes every few month, I saw how many of my clothes had holes, rips, bleach stains, or were thread bare. Many might want to get rid of these, but I found they were some of my favorites. I love when clothes tell the talle of how well they have been worn and loved.

Monochrome - I love to wear all the same color. Picking out all different hues of all the same color is something that seems to often happen when I’m getting dressed. Keeping a capsule wardrobe often means paring down your clothes to only the colors that you love and that go with everything. That often means you have a lot of the same colors no matter what the season.

Pattern mixing - I love wear like colors together but I also love patterns. And mixing them up is my favorite! I love the unexpectedness of this style. It adds some boldness to my otherwise tame wardrobe. Any pattern will so, but vintage and thrifted finds are usually my style.

One of the reasons that I started a capsule wardrobe was bc I felt that I had no personal style. But in doing so I found that I had merely lost touch with my style and was able to easily get back on track. One reason to keep a capsule wardrobe is to make it easier to get dressed each day knowing that everything you have fits in with your personal style. I was happy to reconnect with my style and feel confident that all my capsules will make me feel that way.

I highly recommend a capsule wardrobe if you’re feeling like you’ve lost your style, or are not sure what it is.

What are some of the elements of your style? If you have a capsule, how has it helped you identify your style?

MightyFix From Mighty Nest Subscription Review

Disclaimer: My product reviews are completely unsponsored and unsolicited. The opinions are my own from my own experiences. 

I found out about MightyNest and thier MightyFix through Reading My Tea Leaves When we first moved to Asbury Park. I don’t usually go in for subscriptions but this one caught my attention as it was based totally on sustainable items, fairly inexpensive, could be cancelled at any time. I also liked that you could choose exactly when and how often your package arrives. I signed up for the subscription box right away, but I really enjoyed that you could add anything from the site on to your delivery for free.

The first box arrived and had Bees Wrap! Bees Wrap, although not vegan, is a great alternative to plastic wrap! This was a perfect introdcutory items to send, I thought! Small, easy to use, but with big impact. The subscription also came with a recipe card. I ordered some walnut sponges with my order. The whole parcel was sustainably packed and plastic free.

I kept MightyFix for a little over a year and received so many useful items. Some of them I use consistently in everyday life. Here are some of the items that came in my mighty nest.

Bees Wrap
Cleaning towels
Felt dryer balls
Grocery produce bags
Fillable scrub brush
Compact cross shoulder bag
Silicon can toppers
Glass and silicon portion containers
Swedish "paper" towels
Bug Spray
Coconut lotion
Citrus deodorant cream 

Almost everything that I received was of a greater value than I paid each month. Almost all the items contained no plastic. The only exceptions were the beauty and body products. Each order came with a recipe and info card, and I often used my monthly subscription to add on sustainable orders from the main site.
After about about a year, I decided that I was getting too many items and using too few of them. I could have slowed the deliveries, chosen what I wanted to get in each delivery, or taken a break, but I chose to stop getting MightyFix.

I really enjoyed MightyFix and I think it was a great service for me at a time when I was learning about more sustainable and low waste items. I was able to get a package each month that I could use and learn from. After the year, I was getting items that were becoming redundant. I had also come to the point in my zero waste journey when I need far less things, not any more things even if they were inspiring.

I would highly recommend this subscription service. MightyFix would be good for those starting out on their sustainable journey, or a great transition to a more responsible version for those that love subscription boxes. One of the nicest features is that the subscriber can choose what they want to get, if they have a goal in mind. MightyFix would make a great gift, especially those new to a low impact lifestyle.

I would also highly recommend Might Nest as a place to shop for a wide variety of sustainable items for house, home, body, baby and pet. I get my compostable sponges, zero waste power laundry detergent and many other useful items here.

Have you tried MightyFix or Mighty Nest? What do you think? Do you know of any other sustainable subscription services?

6 More Months of Zero Waste: November and Your Zero Waste Kit

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

If you’ve been following along, you’re well on your way to becoming more zero waste and low impact in 2019. We’ve taken a little break after July, hopefully keeping up with the practices we learned in the beginning of the year. Now that the year is coming to an end, it’s time to continue this journey. By keeping to a schedule of new things we can do each month, we are breaking down a seemingly impossible task, giving up single use plastic and greatly reducing our waste, in to easy to achieve steps. Here’s what the next six months look like:

November - Zero Waste Kit
December - No Gifts
January - Clothing and Fast Fashion
February - Mass Transit
March- Bathroom Make-over
April - Grow Your Own Food

For the first month back at our goals, let’s set ourselves up for success by creating a zero waste kit we can carry with us to help us in our goals.

The more commercial aspects of the Zero Waste movement might have you believe that you have to go out and buy a fancy, expensive, ready made zero waste kit. But I suggest that to truly reduce your waste, you utilize items you already have or second hand items. Everyone’s kit might be different, depending on what will best help them reduce waste and refuse single use plastics in day to day life.

In my kit, I like to keep a fork, a spoon (or a fork/spoon combo), a metal straw, chopsticks, a container for to go items, a water or coffee cup, a napkin, and one or more small bags. I keep all these items in a small canvas bag that I got as a wedding favor. The whole kit is easy to carry on it’s own, or can fit into my larger shoulder bag. I also often keep extra utensils, napkins and straws in my kit in case someone I’m with needs them.

Maybe you only need a few of these items, or maybe you need more than this. Your zero waste kit should be unique to you!

Keep your kit in your car, on your bike, in your purse or in your pocket, by your desk, or where ever it will help you the most.

Ask yourself some questions to help determine what you might need in your kit. What disposables or plastic items do you end up buying or using the most? When do you most often cave to getting these items. What are the times that you end up using plastic, and how can you prevent that?

Do you already have a zero waste kit? What’s in yours?

For those following along, here are what we’ve already done to reduce waste in 2019. For those new to this challenge take a look here to get some ideas for what else you can be doing!

January - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February - Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March - Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April - Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May - Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish)
June - No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.

Zero Waste Travel | The Good Fill

One thing we love to do when we travel is visit the kind of shops and spaces tat we enjoy and see how they are different in each town or city. We always try to find thrift shops, toy shops (especially vintage toys), groceries, comic book shops and more. A new kind of place that we have started looking for is Zero Waste shops.

When we were in Nashville last week, our family told us about The Good Fill, in the Fatherland District of Five Points.

This was a very neat shop filled with zero waste supplies and refillable options. The stock was mostly focused on bathroom swaps like shampoo bars, shampoo in bulk, safety razors, dental floss, etc…

The shop is very tiny, nestled into an area where there are many such small shops. It carries a variety of items to help you shop in bulk, like cotton produce bags, food tins, keep cups, etc… The had cleaning supplies, and even some pet supplies.

While we were there, the shopkeepers were sorting out recycling that they collect. Hard to recycle items, like makeup cases, toothbrushes, and more are collected there. They also offer a discount for bringing an empty jar to donate for refills.

Like all the ZW shops I’ve been to, the items at The Good Fill were pretty pricey. This might be a constant problem in the ZW world, especially as it gains popularity, but I did feel this shop was trying to combat it to some extent. By providing other services and information and by allowing customers to bring their own bottles and bags to be filled The Good Fill is providing options for lower cost zero waste lifestyles.

I would highly recommend this shop to anyone looking to learn more about zero waste in the Nashville area. I was happy to support them on this trip and I plan to purchase from them again online.

Do you have a zero waste or package free shop in your area? Leave it in the comments!

6 More Months of Zero Waste

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

Starting in January and leading to Plastic Free July, we (readers of this blog and I) tried to become more zero waste. Zero waste is the goal, but creating less waste and having a lower impact on the destruction environment is the means by which we get there. Learning to set aside our own convenience and take personal responsibility for improving the world around us, for ourselves, for future generations, and for the planet, is the mental attitude needed to accomplish this goal. Each person’s journey is different and one can only start where they are and do what they can, but it’s now undeniable that each person should at least be trying. To help and inspire, I have chose to make our 6 Months of Zero Waste simple and easy to adapt to just about any lifestyle.

Here’s what the first 6 months looked like:

January - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February - Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March - Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April - Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May - Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish)
June - No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.

In July we participated in Plastic Free July where we used the month to give up as much disposable plastic as possible. Hopefully you were able to change your mindset with this exercise. Did it stick? Did PFJ change the way you look at disposable plastic? Maybe it did, maybe it didn’t, but just bc July is over, doesn’t mean we can’t keep thinking of how we use plastic and what we can do better.

Hopefully some plastic free habits that we learned January to July lingered in the following months and now were ready to take on some new challenges!

It’s time to look to the next 6 months:

October - Zero Waste Kit
November - Clothing and Fast Fashion
December - No Gifts
January - Bathroom Make-over
February - Mass Transit
March - Grow Your Own Food

Join us as we explore these topics and continue our journey to becoming more zero waste. Follow along in your own time, take what you can use, or share your progress and ideas in the comments below!

Mad Cat Capsule | Summer 2019 (July, August, September)

I have gotten to the place with my capsule wardrobe where I’m pretty tired of making them. I still really like having a capsule, but actually making it is tiresome. I certainly have enough clothes to make 10 or more capsules so making one only requires going through my stock. Even that has become quite overwhelming. Part of the reason to make a capsule is to have less options and pare down to only having clothes that you love. I love so many of my clothes that, while each time I go through my back stock I do let go of several items, there are so many that I cannot let go.

For my Summer wardrobe, I sort of wanted to go through every item of clothing, but I only made it about half way. Not only did I have enough clothes for my current capsule, but I was exhausted from looking through all the clothes. I gave up mid way and decided that most of the items that were in my Spring Capsule would work for Summer as well.

The result of which is that I never felt like Summer was a true capsule. Sure, I had a limited amount of clothes that I re-wore, instead of buying new or adding to my closet from the back stock of clothing I already own. I had this feeling a bit in Spring as well, Even though they were almost opposite conditions. In Spring I made the capsule a more fluid capsule, taking things freely from the back stock.

Instead of listing every items of my Summer Capsule, I’m sharing some of my key pieces, either those that I really enjoy or were the most worn.

For future capsules, I oscillate between the idea of only using my favorite pieces, most of which were in many of my capsule, and the idea of returning to my stock pile and creating a totally new wardrobe. I also have become aware that I require less items in my capsule over all. Having less items means that I might get a little more bored with my wardrobe and also that I use each piece more over the season.

What was your plan for your capsule this Season? Were you satisfied with it? What will you do differently next time?

I bought the tank tops at least 15-20 years ago. Still good and fun to wear!

A hand me down sweater that didn’t get much wear until Sept, but it’s getting wear now.

New favorite jeans, silk/linen thrifted pants (fully lined), perfect summer shorts now 10+ years old.

Misfits Market: A Review

Since first learning about “ugly fruit” boxes and subscriptions boxes for food that would otherwise end up in the landfill, I’ve been wanting to try one out. Supposedly, these subscriptions are helpful for food waste bc they take “ugly” or other types of fruit and veg that cannot or will not be used in supermarkets, and keep them from being thrown in the trash.

It’s definitely a neat idea. I’m sure that some of these subscription boxes do cut down on food that ends up in landfill to some extent but am not convinced that they are a sustainable option due to shipping, facility storage, and packaging required to take them from farmer to home.

There are many such subscription boxes available in many areas. It’s pretty easy to find them now, only a few years after they were invented. Misfits Market was suggested to me by a few friends and was the first such company I saw available in my area. I also liked the idea of Misfits Market bc they supply only organic foods.

It was easy to set up an account, choose a delivery schedule, and pay a reasonable price depending on the commitment level you choose. I chose to get a small box every two weeks. My first box arrived only a few days after I ordered. The first thing I noticed, while unboxing, was paper packaging for cushion, the next was plastic ice packs for cooling. I understand taht some fruit and veg might need to be kept cool during transport and these ice packs can be reused, or I hoped sent back to the company, perhaps?

But as I unpacked the produce, I found more and more plastic. Loose veggies were sealed in compostable and knotted plastic bags, a head of lettuce was in a plastic sheath, and some other lettuce was in a plastic clam shell. Almost all the fruit had stickers on them.

I wasn’t super pleased with packaging. The produce it’s self seemed in good condition, fresh and looked appetizing. I was was happy with the size box and delivery schedule I had chosen, as it look to be not too much to eat in 2 weeks. There was some fruit, some veg, and enough variety to use in many dishes or eat on their own.

I quickly wrote to Misfits Market to ask them to omit the plastic packaging from my next order, and got a completely impersonal, stock answer back. I replied letting them know I had hoped for an answer that actually answered my specific request. The follow up was vague, but at least more directed to my questions.

Although I had my trepidations, I continued my subscription. The second box had just about the amount of plastic as the first. Except that now the paper cushion now had plastic wrapped around it. It might take an order or two to complete my request, so I waited to pass judgement. The third box was slightly better: paper clam shells, no extra plastic beside the plastic wrapped cushion. But it still had plastic ice packs, stickers on fruit, etc…

After a fourth box, I cancelled my subscription. I couldn’t justify the amounts of plastic, and after one of the ice packs burst and leaked onto the contents I had had enough. I also found that I was not able to eat everything in the box. Although I had chosen the smallest box and at reasonable intervals, I ended up wasting a lot of food. Overall, Misfits Market was not for me.

Have your tried a “ugly” veggie box? What were your thoughts?

Mad Cat Garden | June

May was the first month we started working on and tracking out garden, but June was when we really got down to business. June saw us buying and plating more, making more beds, and seeing plants grow and change. The changes between the beginning and end of June were huge, but these photos and records are mainly from the beginning on the month.

June was extremely rainy. Many of the plats loved it! Our lilies returned and grew taller then me this year. They are not strictly part of the garden but a focus of June was to bring in pollinators with many flowers. The strawberries over wintered and started blossoming. We planted herbs and they thrived in the rain.

In out front bed, also our first bed, tomato volunteers started popping up like mad and we had to thin them out. Rather than just toss the extras, we planted them in small pots to give away, or replanted them in other areas. We made new beds in the back and planted lettuce, arugula, broccoli (one is pictured in the first photo), corn, beans, and cucumbers.

Many flowers helped attract bugs and bees. Our blueberries got off to a good start, enjoying the rain and producing lots of little soon to be bluebs.

Tom often helped by inspecting the catnip patches. In June we created three new beds and had a delivery of filtered soil dropped off to fill them. Although pricy, we found this to be a convenient and zero waste alternative to buying many bags of dirt. We are still contributing to our compost on a regular basis, but it’s not big enough to fill beds. We do use some compost to help enrich the soil.

By the end of June, the yard looked very different, but we’ll have to wait until July’s update to take a look!

How is your garden growing?

6 Months to Zero Waste: Welcome to Plastic Free July!!

In the first 6 months of 2019, we’ve been examining ways to reduce our waste and become more plastic free. Here are some of the things we’ve been working on:

January - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February - Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March - Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April - Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May - Meatless Monday
June - No Bottled Water.

All this has been leading up to now, when we can participate in Plastic Free July.

“Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics? Plastic Free July provides resources and ideas to help you (and millions of others around the world) reduce single-use plastic waste everyday at home, work, school, and even at your local café. Our movement has inspired over 120 million participants in 177 countries. You making a small change will collectively make a massive difference to our communities. You can choose to refuse single-use plastics in July (and beyond!). Best of all, being part of Plastic Free July will help you to find great alternatives that can become new habits forever.”

When I tell people I’m trying to become more zero waste and plastic free, they almost always ask, “so you have no plastic in your house??” or “but your glasses are plastic!” or some other pre formed concept that jumps into their head. Going plastic free is a gradual step and one that takes time. I have greatly reduced the amount of plastic in my home and daily life, but that stuff is everywhere!

Now, I’m not talking about my glasses, or the casing to my record player, or plastic used in hospital equipment, or cars, when I talk about going plastic free. Plastic is a miraculous and useful tool that’s helpful in many locations and situations.

But we have taken disposable plastic too far. We have put our own convenience over the safety and wellbeing of the planet, wildlife, and ultimately ourselves. The Plastic Free July challenge asks you to examine where you fit into this.

Plastic Free July is a great was to be more conscious of the plastic we consume and how we use it. Whether you give up all single use plastic, one type of single use plastic (perhaps the one you use the most?), or jus as a reminder to examine what plastic you do use (did someone say garbage audit??).

If you’re continuing on your plastic free and zero waste journey, participating in PFJ is a great step. How will you celebrate this year? What action will you take?

6 Months to Zero Waste: No Bottled Water

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

Since January, we’ve been taking some time each month for small ways we can reduce our waste and move towards a more zero waste lifestyle. Here are some things that we have tried in the last six month:

January - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February - Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March - Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April - Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May - Meatless Monday
June - No Bottled Water

Next month is Plastic Free July, so the last of our six months is a great time to start gearing up for a more drastic anti plastic challenge.
The perfect way to start is to give up some item of disposable plastic. Find one items that you use and stop using it. Hopefully in March we were able to give up plastic bag, so this month choose some other convenience, like bottled water, plastic straws, yogurt cups, plastic cutlery, or something else you use on a daily basis but might not think about.

By giving up one seemingly small item we can tangibly see how we can reduce our waste little by little. An important part of moving towards zero waste is moving away from the constant convenience of modern life. It doesn’t mean your life will get harder, but it hopefully will mean that your life becomes more mindful. This does take a mindset shift, a habit shift, and a being more prepared in daily life. Once we see how easy it is to live without our bottled water, it’s easy to start giving up other such items.

But how do you actually give up bottled water? Once you set your mind to it, it’s not so hard. A great thing to do is use a reusable water bottle. You can get in almost any grocery store, or better yet buy one second hand. But if you don’t have one yet, try refilling a disposable plastic bottle you already have, use a water fountain, instead of taking water to go stay where you are and use a cup or glass, bring a cup to work to use. Or simply go without until you get to a place where you can drink from non-disposables.

Next month we’ll take part in Plastic Free July and gain even more insights into what we can give up or change to be even more zero waste.

What disposable plastic item will you give up in June?

Something Nice : The Joy of Using Up

One of the great things about using what you have before buying new is that you see the whole life of an object. There is a certain joy to using something until it can’t be used any more. Each item’s like span is different.

Sometimes, like with these sneakers the joy of using up is also balanced with the sadness of saying goodbye. Once I felt the street more than the bottom of my shoes, I knew it was time to give these shoes up. Although I won’t wear them anymore, I’ll hold on to these until I find a place to recycle them.

What was the last items you used up?

6 Months to Zero Waste: Meatless Mondays in May

Last month we figured out how to compost to reduce our food waste. Another food related waste that we can start to combat is the to understand the huge impact the modern industrial meat has on the waste we create.

Some great ways to combat this kind of waste is to go totally vegan, only buy local meat from small farms, only grow your own food, fish for your sea food, etc… But a simple and good first step is to be more mindful of what meat, fish and dairy, you do consume.

It can be Monday, Wednesday, or whenever, but making sure to take one day a week to consciously be aware of what you’re eating and where it’s coming from. If you eat a lot of meat, take one day to be vegetarian, if you’re veg, take a day to be vegan. Eat local one day, eat raw, eat no processed foods, eat only from your garden, eat only foods not packaged in plastic… there are so many ways to be mindful of what you are eating and change your habits.

By simply changing how we think about what we eat, we can become more mindful of the waste our food creates, and become more mindful of how that waste effects our environment and planet.

Since January, we’ve been taking some time each month for small ways we can reduce our waste and move towards a more zero waste lifestyle.

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

Here’s what we have done each month, so far. Feel free to follow a long, do everything all at once, or come up with your own monthly challenge.

January - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February - Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March - Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April - Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May - Meatless Monday
June - No Bottled Water

Where are you in your zero waste journey?