6 Months of Zero Waste: March Switch Review

If you’re looking to reduce your waste or your plastic consumption, you might already know that giving up plastic bags is an easy first step.

Whether a this is a first step or a fiftieth, giving up plastic bags just make sense. Every time we go to the grocery, big box store, etc… we are given a plastic bag out of hand. When we pick up some rolls at the grocery, some lemons, or a head of lettuce, etc… we put them in or they come in a plastic bag. The best solution for this is to simply bring your own reusable bags, made from mesh, clothe, recycled materials, and old tee shirt, whatever!

If remembering to bring a reusable bag is still a hard step for you, consider switching to paper.

Granted, this is a lateral move, bc it’s still creating waste, but asking for paper is a good way to be mindful of your plastic intake. In stead of taking a plastic bag for your self serve rolls, cookies, or produce look around the grocery for a paper bag, or ask at the check out for a small paper bag. A lot of times these live by the bakery section.

Many groceries now have a bulk section which usually have a plastic bag to store your items in. You can use a paper bag! Ideally, you’ll graduate to bringing a cloth bag or reusable jar for this, but for now using paper is a great first step!

By choosing paper over plastic at every opportunity in the grocery, your reducing your plastic waste but you can also reuse the paper bags in many ways! We get our groceries in paper and then use those bags for all our trash and recycling. In our area, we can’t put our recycling out in plastic bags, by putting it in paper, it allows us to store it and toss it, with out unnecessary plastic. You can reuse your paper bags by returning them to the store and using them again, you can pack your lunch on them, use them to donate clothes to the thrift, use them for book covers or wrapping paper, shelf liners, or litter box liners. When your bags are too crinkled to reuse, toss them in your compost pile and they will turn into soil for your garden.

A few tips for switching to paper:
Go for brown bags - they aren’t bleached and therefore better to eventually compost or dispose of.
Don’t use bags if you don’t have to - If you can go with out a bag, that’s ever better than switching to paper! Potatoes, apples, and other veggies or larger items that come in their own containers don’t need to be in a bag at all.
Make sure to reuse your paper bags - An issue with switching to paper is that your house can be overwhelmed with paper bags. Using them to hold trash, or in any number of ways, make sure that they aren’t cluttering up your home.
Try to bring them back to the store when you can - Remembering to put your used paper bags in the car or in your purse/backpack to bring back to the grocery is a good way to get the hang of bringing your own bag.

At Mad Cat Quilts, we’re still catching up with our 6 month of Zero Waste Challenge. Here’s what we’ve done so far:

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
April - Compost
May - Meatless Monday
June - No Bottled Water

How are you doing with your 6 month of zero waste? Are you following along or are you challenging your self in other ways?

6 Months of Zero Waste: February Declutter Review

In January I posted about 6 ways to reduce you waste, or become closer to the Zero Waste lifestyle. Here is a little refresher of something to do each month leading up to Plastic Free July:

January - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February - Declutter Everything
March - Switch to Paper
April - Compost
May - Meatless Monday
June - No Bottled Water

How have you you been doing so far? I’ve gotten behind in reviewing and documenting each month, so hopefully you’ve been following along on your own. If not, no worries, it’s never too late to jump on and start! If you need the push to get started here is the February Review:

In February we declutter.
That could be a motto for America this year, right? With Marie Kondo’s method for clean living being on the top of everyones to watch list, this was an easy month to get your self and your stuff sorted. Whether you use her life changing magic, or you just had some good old fashion cleaning sessions, decluttering and minimizing is a great step towards Zero Waste. Like the trash audit, it allows us to see what we are using and what we are wasting. Once we have established that, it’s easier to see where we can reduce in out day to day.

Personally, I didn’t get a lot decluttered in Feb, but I have been trying to declutter as I go, day to day. I know that I still need to take a full day for each area that needs to be reassessed.

What’s great about this challange, is it’s ok to go at your own speed. Starting to think about waht your wasting, cstarting to be aware of waste that’s created day to day is the biggest piece of the puzzle. Changing your midset to think like a zero waster is the hardest part of being sero waste, but it’s also the biggest step, so once you’ve made that mindset shift, you’ve already come a long way!

How did your declutter go?

6 Month of Zero Waste: Trash Audit Review

In January, I wrote about some things to do each month leading up to Plastic Free July. Are you following along?

Last month, we separated and audited our trash. What did you learn? Here are some questions to ask your self:
How much was trash?
How much was food waste?
How much of your trash was recyclable?
What part of each contained plastic?

Now that you know what your trash really looks like, where can you reduce it?
Go ahead and answer these in the comments below so we can share in your observations!!

You may want to keep separating and auditing your trash for another month, or for several month to see how your waste changes now that you are more mindful of what you throw away.

Now that we are making our way to mid February it’s time to start decluttering things, if you haven’t already. All the things. The decluttering craze is upon us so you can find a lot of resources and ideas out there. I suggest paying special attention to duplicates, paper clutter, clothing, as well as little or never used items and appliances. The goal here is to get rid of lots, but also to organize what’s left.

Do as much as you can do until we talk again!

Chagrin Valley Soap And Salve Company Review

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

Last year, while spending time in Cleveland, I came across the Chagrin Valley Soap shop. I brought home one of their shampoo bars and very much enjoyed it! Since then, I’ve tried several different shampoo bars but none were as nice. Last month, I ordered a few more bars from them.

From start to finish, I had a great experience!
I chose the Citrus Chamomile Shampoo Bar, the Citrus Soapnuts Shampoo Bar, and the Cocoa Butter Hair Balm. Ordering from the site is very easy, and shipping was shockingly fast.

I was so pleased to see that all the packaging was plastic free! One never knows what to expect with packaging, and it made me thankful to that I didn’t have to worry. The first bar that we opened was the citrus chamomile and so far we love it. We’ve used the hair balm a few times, and it’s also quite nice. The soap bars are large and judging from the one I got over the Summer, it will last a long time.

I look forward to using these products more. The plastic free packaging pretty much guarantees I’ll be purchasing from Chagrin Valley Soap again. I can definitely recommend these soaps if you’re looking for a reliable shampoo bar!

Zero Waste Fail for Xmas

Each year at my work we have a holiday party. For 2017 I implemented ditching plastic straws at work, moving to paper straws and only giving them out upon request. At the holidays I thought it would be fitting to give everyone on staff a metal straw.

To keep the tradition of zero waste gifts up in 2018 I decided to get everyone some bamboo utensils. I found some super cute little sporks. I tried to make sure they were sustainably made, a good company, the right fit for what I wanted to convey with the gift. I felt at least mostly satisfied and made my purchase. 50 bamboo sporks.

And then they arrived.

Yes, every single one of the 50 sustainable zero waste-use items I had bought was wrapped in it’s own plastic bag, and each 10 in turn were wrapped in another plastic bag.

The horror.

The absolute horror of it when I opened the mailer (also plastic, BTW). Even though I tried to be as zero waste as possible I was wasn’t at all. But it happens. You can only do your best, and work with what you have.

As I unwrapped every single spork, I thought about how my coworkers would like them and how it might save them from using disposable utensils. I thought about how more people know about or ask questions about zero waste bc they work with me. And I thought about how I would have to drop all these tiny plastic bags off at recycling.

Even though the was a fail, I will learn from it. What fail have you had recently?

My Favorite Thrifted Items from 2018

I’ve been seeing a lot of posts about people best thrifted items from 2018. I started to think about what I would include in my own. 2018 was the year that I really rekindled my love of thrifting, even opening an online vintage clothing shop. Looking back these were the thrifted items that really stuck out to me.

Black Wool Coat
I love this coat!! It’s almost a bat wing coat in black wool with suede details on the shoulders. It’s cozy and warm and makes me feel very scandanavian chic.I got this coat for $10 at a local thrfit shop.

Oversized Chair
We knew for a long time that we wanted a big puffy chair to cozy up together in. Something bigger than a chair, but smaller than a loveseat. We found the perfect chair at our local ReStore shop. We paid $49 for this chair and every single person in the house loves and uses it.

Rainbow Mugs
In 2018, I decided that I wanted more rainbow mugs and kept an eye out for them throughout the year. I use them every day and they make me happy! I like that they have become a collection and they lend themselves to the curated living feel that I want to achieve.

Spiderman Notebook
I’ve talked about this one a lot already bc I use it as my bullet journal, but I love it!! I love using a thrifted bok, I love the size, I love that someone else lived this book and there are drawings scattered throughout.

As you can see all my favorites this year are very useful or utilitarian but also my personal style definitely shows through. What have been some of your favorite or most used thrifted items from 2018?

6 Things To Do This Year to Become More 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.

One of my 2019 goals is to be come better at being Zero Waste and Plastic Free. I made huge strides in this effort in 2018. If this is your goal too, here are 6 ideas, one for each month in 2019 until Plastic Free July, of things to do to generate less waste.

January - Trash Audit
Since we are mid way thru the month, this is a perfect time to take the next few weeks and observe what trash you are generating. This is a very easy way to see areas where you might reduce your waste. Use paper grocery bags to separate your trash into at least 4 categories: plastic trash, other trash, plastic recycling, other recycling. At the end of January, share your thoughts and results here in the comments!

February - Declutter Everything
The beginning of the year is always a good time to clean and declutter your space. Feb is the perfect month for this bc it’s short! Use whatever method you most like and works for you. Go crazy Marie Kondo style, or just your usual cleaning and declutter routine. When the month is over, give yourself a break, whether you’ve finished or not! Make sure you let us know any insights or tips you might have at the end of this month! What was wasted, what was essential?

March - Switch to Paper
An easy beginner switch to make is to ask for paper bags at the grocery or for your take-out lunch. Asking for paper is a good start to prime you to bringing your own reusable bags. Paper bags can be reused and recycled or composted. These paper bags are great to use as your trash bags. Now you’re choosing to use paper over plastic for trash bags, too! (See how many paper grocery bags you reuse and fill for the month. Was it less or more than your January trash audit?)

April - Compost
I know this one is scary for a lot of people, but composting is super easy. You can compost anywhere and there are more resources than ever before. All you really need to start is a bucket or a bowl and a place to take your compost. This can be your back yard, your balcony, your local dump, your local farmers market, a community garden, or one of many more options. How much food waste do you collect in a day, week, month, year? In April, we’ll talk about what we can do with the compost we are creating.

May - Meatless Monday
The meat, fish and dairy industries are notoriously wasteful. A great way to make an impact is to lessen your participation with them. A lot of people transitioning to a meat free diet will start with one set day a week where they avoid meat. Variations on this could be going dairy free or vegan one day a week, going raw one day, or raw before four, or eating only local, etc… The beginning of Summer (in the US) is a great time to work on this bc there are so many fresh food options. Share what you might give up or some recipes below!

June - No Bottled Water
The month before Plastic Free July can be all about giving something up. If you are still buying bottled water it’s time to give it up!! If you’ve already given up bottled water, try giving up disposable coffee cups, say no to plastic straws, stop using plastic utensils or plastic food wrap. There’s a ton of things that can be given up this month and it will prep you for a month of plastic free living. What will you stop using this month?

I hope these simple zero waste tips help you in the months to come. I will post more about each of these ideas in the month they take place. Would people be interested in a link up for each month?

Remember, going zero waste, low impact isn’t easy. We can only start where we are and do what we can. Every little bit helps.

Mad Cat Capsule | Winter 2019 (Jan, Feb, Mar)

For this Winter capsule, I started collecting some of the items I wanted to include early, and yet it still snuck up on me! That’s kind of how I’ve felt about Winter in general.

I knew months and months ago that I wanted the weird cat dress two piece that I found thrifting to be a focus of an upcoming capsule. In Winter I got to bring it out and use it as inspiration! I’ve liked black and white in the last few capsules and I was happy that this piece had those colors. I also picked up the dark red, teal and navy blue. The main colors in my Winter capsule are black & white, brown, navy blue, maroon, dark grey with pops of teal and light pink.

For this capsule, I think I chose far too many dresses and skirts. I really love them all and I want to wear them, but I know myself and I doubt I’ll use all the ones I picked out in the next three months. But I really want to have the option of wearing them, so I did include them. The way that I use my capsule, I could always go to my back stock of clothing, but I prefer to only use what’s in my current capsule if possible.

10 dresses - Black and white rabbit dress (3+ years old), “new house” dress (3+ years old), velvet dress (new second hand vintage find), blue floral dress (5+ years), black sweater dress (3+ years), denim dress with pockets (10+ years), spaghetti strap midi dress (not pictured, thrifted), brown floral wrap dress (not pictured, 10+ years), grey long sleeve (hand me down, 10+ years), cat dress (thrifted and vintage).

6 skirts - midi black skirt (5+ years), leather (vintage, thrifted), velvet (vintage, thrifted), sweater (new to me but vintage and thrifted), blue cord (vintage and thrifted), red with pockets (new to me but vintage and thrifted).

10 pants - Cat leggings (these are part of the set with the cat dress but together they are a look and a little hard to wear. Vintage, thrifted). silk harem pants with pockets (new to me, vintage, thrifted), engineer jeans (thrifted), brown pants (thrifted), black skinnies (thrifted), levis (thrifted), black wide leg (vintage and thrifted), eileen fisher brown linen (sustainable, ethical, thrifted, new to me), high waisted plaid (new to me, thrifted and vintage), black AA leggings (ethical, sustainable, 10+ years).

9 sweaters - teal (3+ years), wool raindeer (10+ years), wool turtleneck (new to me, vintage and thrifted), black eye (vintage, thrifted), dark gray “katie” (gifted, second hand), cashmere (thrifted, new to me), blue stripes (10+ years), brown floral crewel (from one of my first jobs, vintage), black turtleneck (not pictured, new to me but a new favorite!! Vintage and thrifted).

12 “fancy” tops - brown silk (thrifted, vintage), blue silk (thrifted, vintage), nubby blue silk (thrifted, vintage), gold secretary (vintage thrifted), “versace” print (new to me, vintage, thrifted), levis tunic (thrifted), stars button down (10+ years), b&w floral (5+ years), brown floral (vintage, thrifted), everlane pocket top (ethical, sustainable), silk mock neck (thrifted, vintage), grey mock neck (thrifted, vintage)

11 layering tops, tees, tanks - grey waffle tee (10+ years), brown waffle tee (10+ years), brown henley waffle tee (10+ years), work tee (locally made), AA dark grey v neck (10+ years, ethical, sustainable), Happy Birthday Sandwiches tee (thrifted), the following are not pictured: maroon crew neck (ethical, sustainable, 10+ years), teal v neck (ethical, sustainable, 10+ years), 2 black tanks (10+ years), another black tank (5+ years).

9 shoes - velcro vans, brown pointy booties (vintage, thrifted), zipper boots (thrifted), emily boots, black flats, white vans, black snow boots, feral robbins buckle boots (small business, 10+ years), high suede boots (vintage and thrifted).

I don’t usually count leggings in my capsules, but I want to really pare down and make sure that I am only keeping what I actually wear. I don’t yet include outer wear, sleep wear or intimates. This capsule comes in at 57 pieces which is right around where my capsules usually land. Around 45 of the items are slow fashion with many being second hand. I think this capsule is very much different than my last one and I’m excited to wear it!

Once I complete my capsule, I try to leave it alone. I often find pieces to add or substitute but I never try to find them. For this capsule, I will keep my eye out for a few new to me items. I would love to have a few more light pink accents. I’ll look for a tank top or tee for layering, or a cozy sweater.

What are you wearing this season?

Mad Cat Capsule: Sometimes It's Sad to Say Goodbye

There is a great Joy in Using Up, but sometimes it’s sad to say goodbye.

I was going thru my clothes in anticipation for my next capsule wardrobe and realized that there are a lot of items I will be getting rid of. It feels good to declutter, pass on items that I no long want or need or that don’t fit right. But some of the items I love so much!

The high top vans were a lost and found from one of my old jobs. They were well loved when I got them, but I was able to get a few more years from them. I had to let them go when they were so used that they had holes in the bottom and hurt my feet to wear. I haven’t figured out how to recycle these yet, so I’m storing them until I do.

I’m giving up two thrifted pants that I have had for for several years. They happen to both be J Crew, a brand I don’t ever buy new but I find that I enjoy second hand. They both are mid rise, a style I never really wear any more bc I don’t enjoy the fit. They also both do not fit me now that I have gained some weight. I of course, have the impulse to keep them until I lose weight, but why? If the size were the only reason, I might try to keep them, but there are other reasons to pass these along as well.

Some items I want to keep bc of the good memories attached to them, or the feeling they gave me when I could wear them. I think that’s ok! If the item still brings me joy, I want to have it around. I have a small space I keep for nostalgic clothing, and some of the items I’m de cluttering might end up there. Another great way to “save” clothes if you will no longer wear them is to take pictures!!

The Joy of Using Up

“There have been a lot of panties in the trash lately…” my husband mentioned the other day.

And I thought, yeah! isn’t it great!?

I have barely bought any underwear since I started my zero waste journey. Once I started a capsule wardrobe, I realized how many socks, panties, and bras I had. I decluttered many, but most were perfectly good and I saw no reason to throw them away or get new. When it comes to underpants, I did cull for comfort but many that I kept are simply not my favorite, many are not my style, but I thought it would be better to use them up, than trash them right away.

I’ve talked about it before, but there is a certain kind of joy when you use something all the way out or up. In this time of disposables, single use, fast fashion, and convenience in all things, we have forgotten how great it is to use objects to the end of their life.

It may seem a little woo woo (definition: witchy, crazy, new agey) but I feel that using something to the end of it’s life helps to honor that object and it’s creator. It’s a way to be mindful about what we own and therefore more mindful about what we buy/get/make next. It’s a great way to be low waste, make new habits and be more present.

Ideally with textiles, I would send them to be recycled. A lot of the underwear and socks that I have been throwing away have micro plastics. Tossing them in the trash isn’t the greatest solution. But these are items that are too far gone to donate, too intimate to pass along. Even though I wish I had a better option than throwing them in the garbage, I feel good knowing that I’ve used them up, and won’t have the same dilemma in the future.

Recipe | Zero Waste Vegan Baked Oatmeal

I usually like my oats pretty simple. Hot water, fruit, sweetener. The other day I made this baked oatmeal for a brunch and it was a huge hit! It requires slightly more work, but it’s still really easy and can be made very low waste! This recipe is easily adaptable, you can swap out your favorite flavors and change it up often, make as little or as much as you want, and eat hot or cold!

Ingredients
Quick oats
Dried spices. I used nutmeg and ginger.
Lemon Zest
Sugar
Frozen berries. I used bluebs and cherries.
Plant milk. I used cashew.

Equipment
Oven safe dish
Micro plane or zester
Spoon for mixing

Put your oats into your baking dish. I used about a cup of oats, but you can add more or less depending on who your feeding. Add dried spices, lemon zest, sugar to taste, and mix. Add frozen berries and twice the amount of milk as oats, mix well and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Mix again and pop in a 375 degree oven until oats are cooked and the top starts to brown a little. for the amount I made it took about 20 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or cooled. This would be great served with some warmed milk poured over it or with yogurt.

A few notes:
- The lemon zest is key!! used about half a lemon’s worth of zest But I could have done the whole lemon. if you don’t have a zester or micro plane, you can slice off the skin and fine chop.
- I used white sugar bc that’s what I wanted to use up, but this recipe would be great with brown sugar, maple syrup or any other sweetener you like. You can also change up the spices and fruit added.
- To be extra fancy, sprinkle some brown sugar on top and pop in the broiler to brown and crystalize the top of your oatmeal.
- My oatmeal came out a little dry this time bc I didn’t add quite enough milk. It was still good.

To make this recipe low waste, I used bulk oats and spices. I also used up some of my spices, which feels so good! I used pre packaged frozen fruit; I like the fruit from Whole Foods bc you can rinse out and recycle the plastic bags they come in. To make even more low waste, use fresh fruit or fruit that you have frozen yourself.

I didn’t plate mine up very beautifully, but it was still delicious!

This is an easy meal to make in advance. What are some of your favorite easy breakfast foods?

Vegetarian, Vegan, Plant Based, Flexitarian

People use the food, diet, and lifestyle related words Vegetarian, Vegan, Plant Based, and Flexitarian a lot these days. When I was growing up these were “new” terms but now, they are spoken like everyone knows what they mean. In this series I explain low impact terms like these, simply, in case they are new to you. I wanted to take some time and explain these food terms. I have done some research on them, but these definitions are mostly what I understand them as and how I use them.

When describing these terms I will speak of them as they pertain to people’s diets, only touching on lifestyle. But many of them can also be used to describe products, foods, and lifestyles, and more.

Vegetarian
People who eat a vegetarian diet do not eat any foods that require killing an animal to obtain. Vegetarians no not eat chicken, cow, pork, fish, insects, or any flesh of animals. Vegetarians do eat cheese, milk, eggs, honey, (and more) as well as lots of fruits and vegetables, grains, etc… Vegetarians do not use items that require the killing an animal, like leather and fur*.

Vegan
Vegans do not eat, wear, or promote in anyway anything that come from animals at all. Vegans do not eat meats, fish, eggs, honey, dairy… Or use any animal products like leather, beeswax, wool, silk, etc… Vegans can be and often are very stringent about making sure they are not exploiting animals in anyway in their lifestyle. Vegans do eat lots of fruits, veggies, grains, and foods created from those things.

Plant Based
From Wikipedia: “A plant-based diet is a diet based on foods derived from plants, including vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits, but with few or no animal products. The use of the phrase has changed over time, and examples can be found of the phrase "plant-based diet" being used to refer to vegan diets, which contain no food from animal sources, to vegetarian diets which include eggs and dairy but no meat, and to diets with varying amounts of animal-based foods, such as semi-vegetarian diets which contain small amounts of meat.”

Flexitarian
This is the newest term, entering the dictionary in 2012. This refers to anyone who generally has a meatless diet and/or lifestyle but might eat meat, fish, use leather, etc… depending on circumstance. Flexitarians might eat meat or dairy when going out to eat, or when they really want to try a dish or product, or when someone cooks them something or gives them a animal product present. Flexitarian eating and lifestyle, sometimes called semi vegetarian, is often used as a gateway to be more strictly vegetarian or vegan.

These basic terms have more nuances, but I think this is a good over view for anyone who is learning about these matters. Which diet or lifestyle do you fit in or aspire to?

What other Low impact terms are readers interested in learning about? Please leave your suggestions below!

*Often times vegetarians and vegans will use vintage leather, fur, etc…

Recipe | Zero Waste Vegan Croutons

I love croutons. But they were one of the first things I gave up buying pre-made when I started going plastic free. It was an easy decision bc croutons are so easy to make!!
Here’s my go to, easy, vegan, zero waste recipe!

Ingredients
Bread (preferably a baguette or other crunchy loaf, preferably day old or bread ends or scrapes)
Olive oil
Spices (whatever you have at hand)
Salt & Pepper

Equipment
Bread knife
Cutting board
Baking pan

Cut bread into bite sized pieces. My bread was a few days old and too stiff to cut up safely, so I just tore mine to pieces. Place on the baking tray and add spices and salt and pepper. I used onion powder (old plastic jar that I’m using up, next I’ll buy glass), garlic powder, thyme (bulk and put in a reused jar), pink salt and fresh pepper. You can use whatever you have but a combo kinda like this is what I usually use. Douse generously with olive oil. Toss well to coat. Place tray in preheated oven. Bake until golden, tossing occasionally, about 20 min depending on oven temp.

A few notes:
- I usually bake these when I’m already using the oven, which is why I don’t have a set temp.
- I have made the spice mix with so many different variations! I really like to add cayenne or chili flakes to make them a little spicy. I also like mine really salty!
- These keep for about a week in an air tight container stored in a cool dry place.
- Use these on salads, soups, stews, or just as a crunchy snack!

Using up old bread, that hopefully came in paper which can be recycled or composted, or from the bulk section and using spices and oil that can be bought in glass or bulk are the biggest reason that this is a zero waste recipe. It is also a great way to save bread that wold have otherwise gone in the trash. And think about all the waste your saving by making these yourself as opposed to buying them in conventional packaging at the store!!

What are some items you used to buy but now make yourself?

Why I Hate My Bamboo Toothbrush

How many toothbrushes have you used in your lifetime?

Think about this: Every plastic toothbrush you’ve ever used still exists on the planet.

You may have thrown them out, but they didn’t actually go anywhere. They’re still hanging out in some huge trash pile somewhere.

One solution, or partial solution, is to use a bamboo toothbrush. Bamboo is a sustainable crop, biodegradable, compostable, etc… so it’s definitely a better option than plastic. It’s an easy choice when trying to be more sustainable and mindful.

Over the years, I’ve tried a few bamboo toothbrushes and one thing I can say about all of them is that I hate them. I know they should be the right choice for someone on a plastic free, low impact lifestyle and I do highly suggest trying them out for anyone who is interested in these things. But for me, they just don’t function the way that I would like. Here’s why:

All the bamboo toothbrushes I have tried are very “soft”.
I’m sure you can get a “medium” or “hard” version, but they were all too soft for me.

They don’t last very long.
I use my toothbrushes far longer than the suggested time period, so this is partly my fault. I find that all the bamboo toothbrushes I have had have only lasted about two months and that’s just not practical for me.

THE BRISTLES FALL OUT!
The reason they don’t last is bc the bamboo degrades and the bristles fall out. Let me tell you, if you’ve ever been brushing your teeth and suddenly you have a mouthful of spiky plastic threads choking you, it’s NOT FUN.

The bristles are mostly plastic.
In order to compost these toothbrushes you have to pull out the plastic bristles. But what do you do with them??

Since starting this journey towards a more sustainable, slow lifestyle, each choice I make is more weighed and more weighty. The option that is most used isn’t always the right right one for everyone. In this case, I have to look for an alternative. This gives me opportunity to research and explore new companies and methods. Doing so isn’t always easy, but not everything has to be easy. Even if it’s just brushing your teeth.

What Plant Based Means to Me and How We Eat

My mom was a vegetarian while I was growing up. I was used to having tofu, tempeh, fresh veg, lots of legumes, fruits and homemade foods. Bc I grew up with it, it never occurred to me that other kids didn’t live that way. My father was always a healthy eater and great cook, but he ate meat. As I see it, I had the best of both worlds.

When I met my husband, he was vegetarian and had been on and off for most of his life. I ate meat then, but I never had any issues eating less or no meat during our meals together. Eating less meat made me realize that when I did eat meat, I didn’t feel as good as when I ate more fruits and veggies.

By the time we moved to New Jersey, we were eating fish, but little to no land meat. We wavered back and forth some (my husband even ate chicken for a while) but it was mostly ovo lacto vegetarian for us. Some events in the Summer of 2018 lead us both to come to the conclusion that we would give up all meat, from land and sea, in a serious manner.

Personally, I think humans are supposed to eat animals. We, ourselves, are animals and omnivores as far as I can tell from the evidence I know. But I think the way most people currently eat animals is unsustainable and inhumane, wasteful and unnecessary. In an attempt to lead a more sustainable and less wasteful life, eating plant based is an easy and obvious choice.

I’ve been trying to eat more rice, as it is a great staple. This is a good example of a fresh whole foods meal. Rice, carrots, onions, celery, sweet potato, squash, apple cider vin, soy sauce, pepper.

Now we eat what I like to call a vegetarian, plant based, whole food diet. That’s a mouth full and what does it even mean? We stopped eating any fish and sea creatures. We do eat dairy like cheese and butter and sour cream. We try to eat mostly fruits and veggies and eat whole foods that have not been overly processed. We eat fermented foods like miso, pickles and vinegar.

We try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Some with every meal! The term Plant Based really refers to a diet that is only plants but I use it to mean a diet that is based on plants, which we definitely do.

We also try to keep local stores, growers, producers in mind when we eat. This year was the first one where we grew our some of our own food and it was a game changer. It’s important to us to eat this way so that we are conscious of the environment, animals, our home and our health.

There are, of course, some ways we could improve our current diet. An example would be to make our own cheeses, sour cream, and yogurt, or only buy local cheese and dairy. But right now this diet works for us.

Some of our typical and most eaten meals are:

Quesadillas with black beans, corn, olives, fresh veggies, sour cream and hot sauce.

Cheese, crackers, veggies, mustard, pickles, olives, and mustard.

Miso soup with veggies and noodles.

Pasta with red sauce or pesto or cheese or garlic oil.

Sides meal with potatoes, veggies, grains, and various other “sides”.

Salads with home made croutons, veggies, sometimes we add fake chicken patties, and dressings.

Tofu, rice and broccoli with soy sauce, peanuts and chili garlic sauce.

Peanut butter and jelly (and sometimes hot sauce) sandwiches.

Bean and rice bowls.

Grilled cheese sandwiches with red onions and hot sauce.

Pierogies with onions, sour cream and veggies.

Smoothie bowls with various toppings.

Oatmeal with fruits, nuts and nut milks.

Beans on toast.

Chickpea salad sandwiches with carrots, onions, celery, and mayo.

This is an example of a more processed meal I might eat. The cheese bread is made fresh daily at our local grocery store and the beans are vegetarian. Beans on toast is a favorite breakfast of mine but I only eat it once in a while.

Let me know in the comments if you also eat meals like this! Or if you would like recipes or more info on any of the meals listed above. What kind of diet do you eat? What role does your diet play in your lifestyle?

Mad Cat Capsule: Fall 2018 (Oct, Nov, Dec)

For this Fall Capsule, I did things a little differently. I still eased clothing that I wanted in the next capsule in over the last few weeks of the previous one, but this quarter I divided the items by color. I usually try to only have a few colors in each capsule, aside from certain neutrals. But for this, I didn’t hold back.

The result is that the color themes in this capsule includes cream, light blue, green, black & white, yellow, black, white, and grey.

I also paid close attention to texture, fabric and weight in this quarter’s capsule. I’ve been working my way towards a plastic free wardrobe, but this capsule has a few synthetic pieces I’ve had for a long time and want to see if they are worth keeping in my closet.

This capsule turned out quite large. The weather has been all over the place, so partly the capsule reflects that but also I had fun putting this one together and getting out of my comfort zone.

14 shirts - Black and white ribbed mock neck (thrifted and vintage), silk mock neck (thrifted and vintage), snake skin turtleneck (thrifted and vintage), boat neck tee (ethically made, 10+ years old), waffle long sleeve (ethically made, 10+ years old), silk blouse (thrifted), black and white flral crop (5+ years), black and white dot crop (second hand), white floral crop (thrifted), mustard silk (vintage and thrifted), denim crop (vintage and thrifted), cream silk blouse (vintage and thrifted), floral long sleeve (thrifted and vintage), mustard silk knit (thifted and vintage. Not pictured).

10 tee shirts - grey crew (ethically made, 10+years), cream crew (ethically made, 10+years), green v neck (ethically made, 10+years), dark grey v neck (ethically made, 10+years), team sandwiches cat crew (thrifted), forgotten boardwalk (local biz), pizza and bee (local biz), MLB crop, yellow attendance (vintage and thrifted. Not pictured).

4 skirts - wool grey (thrifted and vintage), black suede (vintage and thrifted), black and white stripe (10+ years), long black.

6 pants - black skinny (thrifted), everlane (ethically made), light grey (thrifted), black mom (thrifted and vintage), green silk (thrifted and vintage), blue sailor (thrifted, not pictured).

6 sweaters - Grey kimono (thrifted), dark grey, cream crop (thrifted), yellow cardigan (second hand), green confetti (hand made, vintage, and thrifted), black holey.

4 over shirts - yellow cowl neck sweatshirt (10+), grey crop (thrifted), denim (found, not pictured), linen (vintage and thrifted, not pictured).

Edit: Light has not been my friend lately. While creating this post, I was only able to get limited photos. I’ll add more as soon as I can capture them.

6 dresses/jumpsuits - Long hippy (vintage, handmade, thrifted), black and white pineapple, black and white rabbit, cream cats, blue denim, grey jumpsuit (thrifted).

4 tanks - Black strappy tank (10+ years), black ribbed (10+), grey ribbed (10+), yellow.

7 shoes - bright vans, cat vans, velcro vans, zip booties (thrifted), emily booties, brown suede booties (vintage and thrifted), high tops.

In total this capsule has 61 pieces. 46 of them are slow fashion. I have also been trying to remove micro fibers/plastics from my wardrobe. It’s not easy, and I worry that I will never be able to fully eliminate them. I have to count exactly how many non synthetics.

Who else is starting out a capsule around now? Share your posts, or closets below!

Zero Waste vs. Low Impact Movement

I use the terms Zero Waste, Low/No Waste, and Low Impact Movement a lot these days.

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.

I wanted to take some time and explain these terms. I have done some research on them, but these definitions are mostly what I understand them as and how I use them.

Zero Waste
According to the Zero Waste International Alliance the definition of zero waste goes like this:

“Zero Waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use.
Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.
Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.”

This definition is geared towards big business as well as every day life. The idea is to create systems so that all aspects of industry that are circular, both in production and product, and do not end in landfills or the ocean. For individuals this means changing day to day life before the corporations come around. Living a Zero Waste lifestyle does not mean that one will not generate a single piece of trash, which is of course, impossible, but it means to strive to create as little trash as possible, to seek alternatives avenues that might not generate waste. Zero Wasters consider all sorts of waste when trying to reduce; plastic, water, food, fuel, and all sorts of more traditional trash.

In short, being Zero Waste means trying to live up to the impossible task of generating zero waste of any kind by making mindful decisions in everyday life.

Low/No/Less Waste
This is a more gentle term, a less harsh way to state the above lifestyle but follows the same principles. Whatever they call themselves, one of the tenants that most Low Wasters follow a Low Waste Inverted Pyramid. Remembering to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot, can help to keep Low Waste.

In more recent times, as we see that recycling is not a sustainable solution, recycle and rot would be in the opposite spots on the inverted pyramid.

Low Impact Movement
This term was recently created by a Zero Waste Youtuber Sustainably Vegan. She felt that the term Zero Waste was confining bc it is technically unachievable, zero wasters had become judgmental and that it only explored a small portion of all the ways to reduce ones impact on the environment and global community. By creating the Low Impact Movement, she created a lifestyle movement to incorporate low impact mindfulness in all aspects of daily life from reducing your trash, going no plastic, ditching disposables, reducing your carbon footprint, vaganism, activism, etc…. The Low Impact Movement also emphesizes social action and activism. Their motto is “We strive for a LOW environmental impact through a HIGH social impact.”.

TL:DR
Zero Waste - Controversial term used for and by companies and individuals who are trying to reduce waste in all aspects of production and life.
Low/No/Less Waste - Similar to Zero Waste but less rigid and more practical.
Low Impact Movement - A more inclusive, all incompassing term for reducing ones environmental impact.
Zero/Low/No/Less Waster - Someone who practices a Zero/Low/No/Less Waste lifestyle.
Low Impacter - Someone who takes part in the Low Waste Movement.

I hope these definitions are helpful! Please let me know any questions or comments you might have in the comments!

Everlane Undies Review

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

I've been waiting to make another Everlane purchase for quite a while. I look thru the website every month or so, put things in the cart, take them out, leave, come back and do it all again. I've only ever bought from Everlane once before. 

There’s been a lot of debate on the internet and in the world of the low impact movement about Everlane. Once touted as the greatest and most assessable sustainable fashion makers around, Everlane has come under a lot of distain lately. Many people believe that it has out grown it’s title as Slow Fashion.

I’m on the fence. Everlane still says it upholds it’s sustainable standards, but it has been producing at a faster and faster rate. Is it possible that the level of care is being taken for each and every piece? Ultimately, I decided that at least they must be a better choice than regular fast fashion brands. Although I mostly buy everything second hand, there are some items that have to be bought new.

Which brings me to underwear!! From the first moment that Everlane announced their underwear and bras, I knew I wanted to try them. Undies are really hard to buy sustainably without breaking the bank. But I have a lot of undies so it was almost a year before I actually made a purchase. I waited until some of my old panties literally fell apart and I had to get rid of them before I decided it was ok to buy some new items.

I bought three matching pieces; the Tank Bra, the Hipster, and the High Rise Hipster all in grey. Having matching undies still give me a thrill. I waited until Everlane offered free two day shipping so these items came really fast. The last Everlane purchase I made, I was disappointed that the pants and top I bought came wrapped in plastic and in a plastic mailer bag. I was happy when all the underwear came in recyclable cardboard boxes with paper info cards. They came in a plastic mailer which I recycled at a local drop off location.

I like how simple, soft and easy these panties and bra are. The bra has a wide, tight lower band and straps that are about an inch wide. The straps sit far out on the shoulders which I wasn’t expecting, but I really like bc I do have quite a few tops that have wide or boat necks. The high rise panties are my favorite and sit right at or just below my belly button. The seat is a bit cheeky, which again, I wasn’t expecting. I’d love to get a full coverage bottom set of these, which they don’t make yet, but fingers crossed. I will definitely get more pairs of these undies when more of my current pairs wear out.

Overall, I’m still skeptical about how Everlane works and it’s impact. But as a middle ground of affordable, well made, and better than fast fashion, I’ll continue to use them for purchasing some items.

Have you tried buying the Everlane underwear line? What are your thoughts?

Mad Cat Capsule: Thinking About Fall

I’ve actually been thinking about my next capsule for some time. I have my inspiration piece and I’m excited to get started. I’m trying to pace myself this season, though. Usually at this point in the month before changing over my capsule, I’d already be wearing new items of the next capsule.

But I’m taking a different tactic this quarter. I’ve gathered quite a few pieces but I’m pointedly putting them aside and savoring thinking bout what my Fall Capsule will look like.

What I am doing is paring down what’s in my current capsule. I have already started to take out all the items from Summer (July, August Sept) that I haven’t been wearing as much, or that I’m ready to stop wearing.

It’s a nice time in the capsule process to work with an even smaller closet of clothes. The excitement of the clothes I can revisit in my new capsule is always so fun! I love knowing that I’ll get rid of even more clothing when I go thru everything in storage.

The anticipation for the next capsule isn’t always my favorite part, but this quarter it is! What’s your favorite part of building a new capsule? Does your favorite part change?

Mad Cat Market

Since I have renewed my love of thrifting, I wanted to have an avenue to pass on some of my favorite finds. A great thing about thifting is that I find a lot of amazing peices of clothing, homewares, and unique items, but the downside is that I can't keep them all. So, welcome to the official launch of Mad Cat Market, an online shop to share my thrifting finds with everyone!

I view thrifting as a way of saving items that might otherwise end up in a landfill.  Things I love to "save" are made of natural materials, are vintage, hand made, or unique. My favorite clothes to thrift are made from cotton, linen, silk, tencel, or other natural fibers. Sometimes I have to pick up a synthetic fiber bc the item is so awesome! For homewares I like porcelain, wood, stoneware, embroidery, wicker, etc... 

One of my goals is to pass along these saved treasures at a reasonable rate. I want these items to be loved as much as I might love them if I could keep them all. I'm using an existing Big Cartel shop and keeping it at the lowest plan, which dictates that my collections are kept pretty small but means I can pass the savings on to the buyers! Each is hand picked and curated and I hope that the shoppers like them!

I also invite everyone to visit the Mad Cat Market instagram. I plan on posting sneak peaks, sales, and inspiration there!

The current collection is a mix of Summer and Fall transition pieces in a range of sizes and styles. 

I'd love to hear what people like or want to see or see more of! I'd love this space to also become a place where people can let me know what items them might be seeking and a conversation about thrifting and sustainable shopping. This is a new experience for me, so I'm thankful for people bearing with me while I work out the kinks and the mission of this shop! Thanks for checking out the new shop!!