Lindsey's Story

Courtesy of Lindsey Whitlock

Right on, and oh so well said. Thanks Lindsey for your participation!

"Why Ditching the Garbage Bin is Good for Community
by Lindsey


 On Sundays after church, my mom and I would go grocery shopping.  The full aisle of breakfast cereal, the endless freezers of ice cream: to tell you the truth, the whole thing delighted me.  The supermarket felt impossibly big.  In navigating it, I felt very very savvy. I liked carrying coupons.  I liked looking at the magazines at the check-out line, and picking out just the right candy bar.  On top of that, we always ran into someone we knew.  In that way, the supermarket was kind of homey.  It was a small town, and my mother was well-loved.  I ate my pack of Rolos on the drive home.

 My shopping life now is very different.  My two-year old son could probably count on both hands the number of times he has been to a large supermarket.  There just isn’t much there for us anymore.  We are not a no-waste family, but as time goes on, we have become more and more aware of our responsibility (and too often, I am afraid, culpability) as members of this country and this world.  We continue to move farther and farther away from packaged products, especially in the kitchen.  And I find that the closer my family comes to being a waste-free household, the more entrenched I feel in my community.  It is a strange side-effect, one I hardly expected.  And it makes me believe that waste-reduction is a lifestyle change that can heal more than our landfills.

 Years ago, it was the case that if I wanted cheese, I would peruse my options and pluck a vaccuum-packed hunk of this or that from a display of other vaccuum-packed hunks of cold cheese.  I might even bypass the lines at the traditional check-out to swipe my own purchases and feed my cash into a machine.  But to buy cheese without waste is a different experience entirely.  Because to buy cheese without the plastic, someone has to cut it for you.  They do.  And, somehow, that makes all the difference.  Now we go to our cheese shop every week.  It is a humble Midwestern place, owned and run by good people.  We go, and my son presses his nose to the glass display.  Someone always slices him a bit of this or that to snack on.  They note how big my baby girl is getting.  They do that because they know her, they know us.  I pick my cheeses and they slice it, and put it in the little tin I use.  Then often we talk just a little bit longer before I go.  It is so nourishing, so good.  It is something I look forward to every week.

 Buying no-waste often looks like this: if you want cheese, a person will have to cut it for you, and if you want strawberries, you will have to buy them in June from a person who grew them, and if you want bread, you will need someone to hand you the loaves; they will be good and a little warm.  After a while, these people handing you your bread, slicing your cheese, selling baskets of berries will begin to know you.  You will begin to know them.  They will know your children and watch them grow up with you.  In a country fed by food wrapped in plastic, there is something almost unspeakably human about being handed something to eat by another person- even if it is just deli ham in a funny tub you brought to avoid a plastic bag.  We need more of that in this country.  We do.  My hope is that as more of us become aware of our waste and choose to live without so much garbage, that we will find ourselves opened up to these everyday experiences: warm hands, warm days, warm strawberries.  And maybe as we get rid of our trash, we will find that we have more room for one another.  We need more of that."

Have a Zero Waste story or thought to share? Send it along with a picture to zerowastestory at gmail dot com (750 words max).

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Sarah's story

This week, Sarah shares her frustrations about ways to raise awareness in her community. I am truly impressed with her persistence. Thanks, Sarah for all you do and please keep in mind: "Energy and persistence conquer all things" Benjamin Franklin.


"In my Utah city, I am fortunate to feel a sense of community.  We watch each others’ kids.We bring dinners to families who have just had new babies.  We lend skilled labor and share knowledge.  I am proud to say that there is a high rate of volunteerism here—highest in the nation, in fact.

There is also a high rate of acquiring stuff.


Though there are regional pockets where prevailing trends advocate and facilitate reduced consumption, the American Dream of a big house, a bigcar and lots of beautiful things is still culturally relevant across much of the country.


Though we are nowhere near zero waste and have plenty of room for improvement, my family of 5 has been ahead of the trend when compared to the rest of our community.  Last year I took our (rather large) garbage bin out to the street only 5 times.  A lot of garbage to zero waste proponents, extremely little to my peers.


Because of this distinction of being comparatively weird (though lovably so), I try to act as an easy-going guide to my peers in this foreign world of less waste.


I started blogging. My tone was mostly to show a self-mockinghumor in daily green living.  People living conventional lifestyles can be easily spooked by what they perceive to be militant hippie-ism.  (Let’s face it, people, we can get a little freaky at times.) If I can introduce new ideas while infusing a bit of levity, maybe readers would be willing to at least listen. Then maybe give it a try.  Even if it’s just one thing.


I am not a natural at self-promotion or social media, so readership was minimal.  I decided to expand my outreach: community education through the local university extension.  I persuaded the administrators to add two new classes.  Two people signed up.  The classes were canceled.


Next attempt.  I approached newspapers to become a contributor in online communities.  One local paper took me on.  It’s hard to say how high the readership is.


On to civic involvement. I addressed the city council regarding environmentally-sustainable initiatives.  The council invited me to present at a work session at an upcoming meeting.  Nothing immediate or tangible came of that meeting.  But, maybe—I hoped—it got afoot in the door.


In another attempt at community education, I approached a large gardens/museum complex in the area and proposed a series of classes.  The first month, one person signed up.  The classes were again canceled. 


A few months later I met with a couple of the directors there to propose a revised approach.  They seemed hopeful.  Unfortunately nothing has, as yet, come of that meeting.


Being ahead of the market is frustrating.


Because this lifestyle is uncommon here and because most members of my community are beginners (if not pre-beginners), it is taking a while to lay the groundwork.  It is arduous and discouraging.  Though the feedback is positive when it is given, there is little action so I am often left with question marks.


At the same time, it is invigorating.


On my second attempt to work with city government, I approached the mayor and city council with a request.  For the past 7 summers I have organized a neighborhood “free yard sale.”  I am interested in expanding it to a citywide event and, therefore, need the city’s help.  I was asked to leave my contact information for follow-up.  After the meeting a couple of council members approached me with appreciation.  The mayor asked me to please call to make anappointment to meet with him.


Not quite sure what will happen, but it’s another foot in the door.


Utah’s recent history is shaped by the devoted footsteps of thousands of pioneers searching for a land they could call home.


Today there is a new generation of pioneers.  In communities across the world, people are steadfastly, footstep by symbolic footstep, sharing ways to live in greater harmony with nature and each other.


I reach out to the Zero Waste community and ask: what are some more ways I can get the word out? What are you (or someone you know) doing in your community?"

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Parastoo's story

Wow. This letter gave me goosebumps. A big thanks to Parastoo for sharing such a personal and powerful story with us!

Parastoo and her husband

“I was born in Iran and lived in Europe for seven years before immigrating to the United States, fourteen years ago.

When I moved here with my husband, the unlimited amount of stuff got to me. It all looked very exciting and the options to buy things felt unlimited... but we had just finished dental school, and could not spend much. So when we got our dental licenses, and finally started making a decent income, we got wild :) We moved into a 3700 square foot house and filled it up with all the stuff we could possibly buy and all the junk you can imagine.

We opened our own practice (huge loan), and we worked overtime to get it off the ground. But the guilt of leaving our one-year old daughter at the day care (sometimes 10 hours a day) was weighing on us. So everywhere we went, we came back with some toys for her. And since we worked so much and never had much time to spend in our huge house, we bought and bought... just to feel homey and feel like we were doing something for our home and family. But as years went by, we felt more and more unhappy.

In 2005, we expanded our office that had become too small for the amount of patients we now had (another loan), we bought a house in Arizona for my sister as an investment (another loan), and we refinanced our home three times to cover the expenses (another loan). And then when the economy changed and took its toll on our office, I opened another one 45 min away with the hope to build a plan B (another expense, another stress). It seemed that the more we worked (sometimes until 4 AM to finish paperwork), the poorer we became. We were drowning in debt and I was exhausted.

Two years later, we adopted our son and I reduced my work. It helped a lot, but having so much stuff drove me crazy. I cleaned all day and got nowhere. I tried to simplify and reduce, but the amount of stuff coming in was a problem.

A year ago, we tried to renegotiate our office’s loan with the bank and rent with the landlord. But both turned us down, and when our payments became late, they sued us. The stress was huge in our life and the economy had made us vulnerable. In February of 2011, with three lawsuits in hand and financial and emotional disaster, we filed for bankruptcy and soon closed our offices, moving it all into our home and three car garage.

February 2011 is also when I found your blog for the first time. I saw your story on Yahoo and fell in love with your blog. It was exactly what I needed. The best anti-depressant, the highlight of my day, every day. It gave me hope and a goal to strive for during the most hopeless, goal-less and difficult time of our life. Your whole lifestyle represented my perfect dream life. Along with zero waste, your de-cluttered and simple life appealed to me. Your tasteful and functional system was in perfect harmony with my perfectionist personality and your smart ideas made it doable. I started to follow your system and it changed my life (de-cluttering proved to be the hardest considering the amount of stuff we had).

We are moving more and more toward your lifestyle. It has reduced our expenses a lot, and as my house gets more and more organized, we are all happier. My husband got a job and I stay home with my kids, working on de-cluttering and zero waste, a little bit every day. I go on your blog daily to renew my energy. At this time, our home's payment is late and we will soon go into foreclosure. But we have never been so happy.  It even seems that the more we loose, the happier we get.

I am forever thankful and really appreciate you opening your home's door and exposing yourself and your family to make a difference.You might get comments about your white walls, or critics about your trip to France, but please never forget the huge positive impact you have had on my life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. “

Want to share your journey to Zero Waste with us too? Email us your story of 750 words or less, accompanied with a picture to: zerowastestory at gmail dot com.

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Penni's Story

Zero Waste is providing relief to a debilitating health condition... Thanks for sharing, Penni! (beautiful backyard you have there!)

"My name is Penni and I live in extreme Northern California. Our home for 35 years has been our ranch and we are ten miles from the nearest small community. A weekly 70 mile round trip is required for almost all shopping. We have been careful to maintain three quarters of our land in a wild state and farm organic hay. We grow a large garden each year, and have a solar net metering system for all domestic use. I’ve been carrying cloth grocery bags for a decade, I recycle, buy organic, hang my laundry in the sun or by the woodstove. All my friends think I am the epitome of “green” and I thought so too, even with the bag of trash I hauled out every night after dinner. I was pretty smug.

When I picked up a Sunset magazine at the acupuncturist’s I was amazed at the idea a zero waste home could even exist in mainstream America, let alone so stylishly. Obviously I was way too smug. We have made many small changes in our household this past year that have reduced our garbage by about half, everything from installing a composter to drinking bulk tea. None have been major and none are particularly time consuming. It is more a matter of making thoughtful choices. I find myself envying the bulk food choices available to the more urban bloggers. Oh to have a Whole Foods Market within driving distance! But in the absence of that I have sought out local sources for soap, lotions, candles, honey, smoked turkey, bread, beer and eggs.

As a long time Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patient my energy is a valuable commodity. Before reading the column on “Guiltlooms” I had already come to the conclusion that the hand me downs, gift books to read, projects to finish and other things I might need sometime were really sapping my ability to enjoy the here and now. It was incredible how draining, how time consuming it all was. CFS affects one’s ability to focus and my house had become impossible to get anything done in.Armed with “permission” from your blog I have sold, given away, worn out and donated nearly 2000 objects. Nothing enters now unless something leaves. What a relief! My home is easier to clean, more beautiful and far more serene. I have even had the energy to take up a little running again, an old favorite pre-syndrome activity.

The information I have gained from the Zero Waste Home blog and the swell of excitement in the voices of the bloggers has encouraged this old environmentalist to take the next step and in doing so it has improved my health and the quality of my life in ways I did not anticipate. Goal for new year…………..get rid of the trash bin entirely!"

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Yvonne's Story

Yvonne's story is a great supplement to last week's post ;) And I love your picture, Yvonne! Thanks for sharing with us.

"One Modern Day Woman's Journey Towards Zero Waste

Recently I was introduced to Bea’s blog. Like many others, I poured over every entry, amazed at the lifestyle of this family of four in Northern California. I considered myself “Eco-friendly.” I drove a fuel efficient car, recycled, minimized power usage by turning off lights, took short showers, etc. I thought I was doing my share. Seeing the lifestyle of a nearly Zero Waste Home, however, felt like removing blinders from my eyes. The Johnsons had shown that it was possible in modern day America. If we view the Earth as a biosphere, it becomes easier to see that resources are finite, and this country’s habits are not sustainable. And if we, like the Iroquois, were to consider the impact of our actions on our seventh generation descendants, we would all start living like the Johnsons. So I decided to try.

My first project was my overflowing closet. It was really helpful for me to think of donating my unused items as good for the environment, since it allows others to acquire it and reuse it. I began a daily process of evaluating each article of clothing. If it was weather and occasion appropriate, yet I was still reluctant to wear it, it was donated. It also became easier to see what items I desired, and I would acquire it at the local Goodwill. I discovered that I was able to find clothes that I liked for a fraction of the price of a new item. In this manner I have halved my wardrobe, yet increased the number of wearable things.

I have to admit, the decision to try to achieve Zero Waste was due to eco-conscience, but the drive to continue stemmed from the improvements to my clutter. Once the benefits of Zero Waste was evident in my closet and wallet, it began to build momentum. I expanded my efforts. I began to examine my trash and view each piece of garbage as a problem to be solved. It appealed to my intellect. Doing so has had some significant benefits. I now have healthier eating habits and improved cooking skills because cutting out food packaging meant learning to cook things from scratch and decreasing the amount of preprocessed foods and chemicals. My knowledge in generally “handy” things increased. In order to cut down on the most frequent item in my garbage, soy milk containers, I learned how to make soy milk and do so weekly, immediately cutting our trash output by a third. I found it to be an easy and fast process, negating the need to haul heavy boxes from Costco, and it was more cost effective. I researched and started vermicomposting, reducing both the odors of our kitchen trash and the need to empty it frequently. Installing a dual flush device to decrease the amount of water wasted with each toilet flush led to me learning how toilets work. Each waste problem solved led to an increase in knowledge and capabilities. Shockingly, once I put some habits in place, the Zero Waste lifestyle has been sustainable on a day-to-day basis, leading to choices that are more healthful, efficient, and economically sound. The feeling is ironic, of course, since “sustainability” was the whole point of starting this journey.

I look at my world with different eyes now. Rather than mindlessly buying products made to be discarded, I have made “Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” a life philosophy. I ask, “How can this goal be achieved with less waste?” and try to think out of the box, if necessary. It won’t be as convenient as the neatly packaged item on the store shelf, at least not at first. But most things worth doing are hard at first. When we examine Zero Waste in a historical context, it truly is tragic that to really put those four words into effect in modern day America, one must be resourceful. 100 years ago, people wouldn’t have dreamed of one time use products, a cup simply thrown away after taking one drink. To this day still, in some countries, it is a matter of routine that groceries are bought using your own reusable containers, and places don’t have trash service because the people produce no trash that needs to be hauled away. Zero Waste is not a new concept, it is an ancient one that we must re-embrace. I still have a long journey towards Zero Waste, but already I feel so much more productive, knowledgeable, useful, and sustainable. And my house is cleaner.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead "

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Sandra's Story

This week Sandra talks about the benefits that she too has discovered in the Zero Waste lifestyle. Thanks for taking the time to write about it, Sandra!

"In a February 2010 issue of The New York Times, I read about a family that did not own a trash can, and thought, “That’s impossible, how could someone live without a trash can?”

Managing the trash was an unfortunate necessity in my household. Filling the trash bin, bagging it, and hauling it to the curb: this was a routine I thought could never change. It was the first of many assumptions I had about zero waste that would ultimately prove to be untrue.

Friends laughed when I told them about my plans to zero waste my home. Out of all of us, I was the last person you would consider to be environmentally friendly. After all, one of my favorite activities was shopping at the mall, not hugging a tree or saving a whale or eating granola. (Silly misconceptions about zero waste advocates, I admit, and ones that were quickly dispelled. I even learned that I like granola.) But, I had recently moved across the country and experienced the horror that is the moving process. Yes, packing up everything we owned into boxes and hauling them into a moving truck was a tedious endeavor, but it did leave a strong visual impression. I had a nice image of just how much random stuff my family and I had accumulated over the years. Half of the items I packed up I do not even remember purchasing, or using, for that matter. I started to look for a better way, and the article on the Johnson family’s efforts arrived at just the right time.

I started applying Bea’s zero waste tips to my household, at a pace that my family and I could adapt to. Our first steps were grocery shopping with reusable bags and jars, and paring down the number of items we already owned. I worked the zero waste concepts in room-by-room, tackling the kitchen first, as this was where we produced the most trash. It was easy to see how much excess we had: three sets of measuring spoons, a junk drawer filled with expired coupons, two rice cookers that took up valuable counter space. I quickly filled up a moving box with stuff and donated it.

Grocery shopping with reusables proved to be less arduous than I had thought, especially after I learned to contact customer service about the store’s bring-your-own container policy. Once I had the store manager’s okay, it was easy to ask the counter service employees to fill up my glass jars with meat, cheese, etc. I even got a store credit for each bag or container I used.

I learned that going zero waste did not mean deprivation, as I had feared. If anything it has actually opened up more opportunities. Healthier meals, more time to spend with the family, a home that feels uncluttered and comfortable to live in, money savings, learning to buy smart instead of buying a lot. More importantly, it has taught me that the choices I make each day do add up to a difference. Naysayers may discourage my efforts by saying one less plastic cup will not save the environment, but they are missing the point. Making the choice everyday to not produce unnecessary waste shows me that I can shake up my old routine, that change is possible, that I can live with less waste. Each time I refuse a plastic straw or ask that my beverage be served in my travel mug, I am standing up for what I believe in and taking action. Working on zero waste in the home has awakened my interest in the larger environmental issues at hand, whether it is reading up on food and agriculture policy, questioning ingredients in personal care products, or getting involved in my community’s recycling practices. It has even opened up my eyes to the amount of waste that I produce at work and inspired me to get involved with a waste reduction committee at my workplace.

What has kept me going with zero waste for more than a year and a half is that it is not just about reducing trash. It has helped me reevaluate what is most important to me—my family and friends—and given me time to spend with them instead of going on an endless shopping spree. I now have more happy experiences to share with my family, a growing interest in the environment, and, thankfully, fewer things to pack up on our

next move."

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Ratna's Story

Ratna's Chicken Supplier

This week, Ratna shares her experience with Zero Waste in China. I always enjoy getting a point of view from far, far away;) Thanks for sharing with us, Ratna!

"I am from Bali but have been living in Beijing for almost 12 years. I have seen how bicycles are replaced by cars, aluminum containers by plastic ones, water thermos by bottle water, home style cooking by McDonald, traditional snacks by packaged biscuits, reusable chopsticks by disposable wood ones, traditional market by Carrefour, saving food by wasting food and early morning Tai Chi by late noon hangover. I have also read about the rise of diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, heart attacks and other life style related illness. In Bali I have seen the river and beaches filled by plastic, more of them every year.

Then I came across you in Second Act and I thought wow… that is kind of extreme. I have always thought that our household is quite environmental conscious. We only take the car for groceries shopping to the market and one of the days on the weekend to take the 3 kids to their gymnastic class. During the financial crisis we had to forgo the taxi (privilege 1 in Beijing) and it is normal now to take the bus and subway or simply walk. We are never keen on shopping, which is limited at the change of season if the kids outgrown their clothes or when ours are getting too discolored (from black to grey). What 10 years old girls can wear we try to pass to our 5 years old son the rest we donate. We always take our bags to the market, our part time helper (privilege 2) cooks most meals. We limit boxed fruit juice and cookies, we don’t eat canned food. We only fly twice a year to visit family (in France and Bali) I fly more for more work. I thought that was pretty good.

After I watched your video and checked on your blog via VPN (all blogs are banned in China) I started to look at what we already do and try to do better. So for the course of a few months now we have gone back to soap bar for washing but still have shampoo & conditioner bottles, toothpaste, deodorant and cosmetics (for work only). I started to take my Tupper ware that are usually sitting in the cabinet to the market and put the meat as well as cheese, bacon, croissant from deli/bakery in them. I made clothes bag from old Halloween costume for the rice, egg (carefully) and beans. I use the Nutella jars for the nuts. Kids refuse to forgo Nutella for now, but we agree to limit the amount we consume monthly, let me know if you have the recipe. Clothes that are no longer appropriate to be donated became rag to clean floors and counters. I am using soap nut when I do the laundry on the weekend, I still can’t convince my helper to do so during the week days. I am now checking on how to make jam as we have a lot of jars from those strawberries and blackberries jam and getting those spray bottles for green cleaning solutions.

My husband and I are taking it one step at the time; we change a few of small habits and make sure the new one is becoming a habit instead of an effort. I can’t for now commit time to jar tomatoes, making jams and other things as I am working full time, but I am making an effort to bake more cookies on the weekend, kids are having fun and love the taste.

There are a lot of obstacles to do zero waste in Beijing as it is embracing consumerism. Second hand clothes shops are uncommon (and not allowed by government), buying in bulk for vinegar, soy sauce and liquid things is not easy. Dry ingredients are easier to buy in bulk. As we are not sure of the quality of the milk, we have to stick to milk in bottles or brick. We can’t refill our wine bottles, so have to recycle them. We still have lot of paper, books, crayons etc, but we are committed not to buy anymore crayon until they are all done with. It is a process and we are trying.

I just came out of the closet to my friends here, received a lot of surprises face and comments like “See how long you gonna last”. I am hoping that by showing that reducing waste is not that painful maybe they will follow suit. The other day in the market some of the other shoppers took notice of my container and said, “ That is a very good idea, we should bring ours too’. Thank you for your weekly story, they remind me on the goal and keep me motivated."

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Becca's Story

This week, Becca shares her journey with us. I love her writing style and how she and her family have evolved in the past year!

"thanksgiving 2010, while visiting my aunt, i picked up a magazine and began to thumb through it. my eye caught a glimpse of the type of decor i love, minimal, clean and modern. i choose to read the article and my first thought was these people are crazy! i handed the article over to my husband whom also loves that type of decor and his thought was the same, beautiful home and crazy lifestyle. on our drive home we started talking about how we should start to get rid of all our junk, that slowly turned into trying out as best as we could at living this lifestyle. we knew all of it wasn’t for us but we tried to began to change. we were a “leave the lights on in all the house, let the water run forever, never recycled type of family.” soon we were making our own dishwashing and laundry soap, bringing all our containers, veggie bags and grocery bags to the grocery store.


i was in process of learning how to sew before finding this article and now really have a passion for up-cycling or refashioning clothing. this is someone who would never set foot in a goodwill (i couldn’t handle the smell).


i find myself actually thinking about things before i throw them away. can i reuse it? should i of even purchased it in the first place? did i really need a bag inside my bag? can someone else use this?


i was so excited for living this way that i thought i should start blogging about it. by the time i got a blog together my zero waste lifestyle was more like a little less waste lifestyle. i decided not to blog about it because i felt like we failed.


my husband was not going for the handmade laundry soap and many times we would forget our bags when we headed to the grocery store.


even though my kitchen does have a few plastic bags in it, i realized we really haven’t failed. my mind set has completely changed. we are not a “leave the lights on, let the water run forever, never recycle type of family.” i think about refusing and sometimes i do. i think about reusing and sometimes i do. i think about recycling and sometimes i do. sometimes is better than never.


we have no desire to live in a big house. we have been fine with one car and hope to get my husband a nice bike. keeping our house clean has been so much easier. my desire to have a clean minimal home has happened. our kids don’t need anymore toys than what fits in their toy box, we too just want to share experiences with them more so than things. i can’t believe it but i actually don’t feel like i need a closet packed full of clothes. i don’t hold on to all my girls art work and church crafts, we take pictures of it.


we really have changed! thank you for your inspiration! if we can change anyone on can!"

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Chevanne's Story

Thanks so much for your submissions, and please keep them coming!

Our first guest is: Chevanne.

Coincidently, Chevanne posted one of my favorite comments a while back and that comment is what motivated me to host guest posts!

Needless to say more, other than: Thank you Chevanne for participating!

________________________________

Zero waste means discovering
new ways to enjoy my community.

"Approaching Zero" by Chevanne S., NJ


In February 2011, I read an article on Huffington Post about a family that produced less trash in six months than most people did in a day. Impossible. I mocked the whole idea after seeing a picture of their six month trash tally that could fit into the palms of my hands. Just another crazy set of hippies on their high horse. The cacophony of the "green" movement was all the same junk. Soon I forgot about it.


I can't deny though, that I was intrigued by the concept. A few months later, I revisited the idea of zero waste by asking myself a simple question: Is it possible to produce no waste? Theoretically, yes, but this modern society is full of things we must throw away and the trappings of luxury we've become accustomed to would be difficult for anyone to shake. I'm a woman of science and logic before all and decided to be charitable. I began to read all the articles posted on the ZWH blog, but was still relatively unconvinced. I got ahead of myself and like others, judged the language as condescending and the tone, annoying casual.


Then I started to think a bit about the context of the message and play devil's advocate against my own judgments, shifting my focus in order to look at both sides of the argument and find slivers of truth. I found that most of the objection to zero waste was a matter of perspective from a cluttered life. The issue of time commitment kept coming up and I realized the lost potential in days spent stocking our cupboards with food we will never eat, reorganizing things we don't need and still buying more stuff. It was also a false perception of cost. I realized I had learned that a long time ago. I found a recipe for scones and could make them for pennies, instead of buying them for $4 a piece. I never bought another again. Why are we so afraid to admit what we already know is true?


I became a believer in the zero waste journey when I decided to clear out my cupboards. I threw away about $100 worth of expired food, finally realizing what terrible shopping habits I had. I didn't even know what food was in my house and I piled on more. After that experience, there was no turning back, but in order to make the changes, I had to start phasing out a life of waste. I also started thinking about donation. It was an unnerving prospect at first, but an essential part of decluttering my life. I went through old clothes that still had tags on and wondered why was I making space in my home to keep junk. Over the next few weeks, I donated one third of my clothing.


I was still fumbling through the process when I had a revelation. In math, there is what's called an asymptote. It's a curve that infinitely approaches zero, but never gets there. That was the secret. It's about getting as close as you can to zero and posing the question over and over: Is it possible to produce no waste? From then on, every challenge I met was treated like an experiment beginning with that same question. It has spurred a host of small experiments all over the house. I decided on a transitional strategy of observing, weaning and replacing. Examine the routine, try out less wasteful solutions and replace wasteful products when they run out. I have come to know what exactly is in my cupboards with no duplication of products. I am phasing out use of plastic containers and replacing them with glass or reusable bags. There have been no paper towels for months. I'm even toying with homemade facial scrubs. It's almost as if this journey has been a exercise in logic and so far everything I'm doing makes sense.


There is a bigger picture we don't see which keep us focused on our own silo, forgetting that each one of us makes an big impact, good or bad. We really have to start thinking about what choices we make and keep heading toward zero. I've changed the way I think because I've altered my perspective, seeing truly the consumerist machine for what it is. It takes a while to realize what you really need and week by week, month by month, letting everything else go. It's like shedding your skin and you are all the more free and liberated because of it.


Despite my failures and setbacks, I know I've come a long way. I recently ordered reusable sandwich bags and the website offered a free gift with my purchase. I happily refused.

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There I was yesterday (my scheduled blog day), in a strapless dress, sitting on the sunny deck with my computer, squirrels and hummingbirds hopping and chirping all around me. I did not want to be blogging, I just wanted to celebrate and enjoy the most beautiful day of fall (maybe the last) with them.

Want to take my place writing?

Ever since I started this blog, you have shown a great deal of patience and understanding reading through my posts of frustrations, growing pains, and self discovery.

Sometimes you relate to my stories, sometimes you do not, but through the comments we connect, and support each other. Yet, comments only offer a glance at your personal journey.

I invite you to share further with us by submitting your story (zerowastestory at gmail dot com) of 750 words or less in the body of an email (no text attachment please), with a picture attached of you, or whatever would illustrate your words. Let us know what got you started, what keeps you going, what your biggest challenge is (or was), or all of the above. The possibilities are infinite.

I'll alternate my posts with guest articles each week.

Inspired?

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