Baby Steps

As excited as I am to embark on this journey down the road to zero, I realized quickly that this will not just happen overnight.  Just walking through my house and rummaging through my cupboards made me realize that I have so many things to change before reaching my goal.  It's great to have other sites and blogs (like http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/) to inspire me and give me many tips, but they don't cover everything for which I need to find a solution.

As anxious as I am to reach (or get as close as possible) to having a zero waste home, I am not about to just toss out the offenders and replace them.  I still have to use up (which could take a while) what I have before implementing the zero waste alternative.  There are, however, a number of things that I have been able to change right out of the gates.  These immediate changes have helped temper my anxiety.  It's silly how excited I get when I find a new zero waste alternative.

I think the biggest offender in our household (despite the fact that we recycle or compost as much as possible) is packaging.  Whether it be a bottle, box, bag, wrapper or carton, I am on the hunt to replace all the things I buy with a non-packaged alternative.  So, for this week's post, I wanted to share some of the exciting changes I have already implemented on the road to zero.

• Milk/Yogurt/Juice: Step one was finding a replacement for my endless buying of cartons of milk and yogurt (which I hope people recycle instead of tossing in the trash).  While desperately searching for an old school delivery service in my area where you can get organic milk in glass bottles that you return to the "milk man" the following week (I actually found a site in LA: outoftheboxcollective.com), I discovered that Whole Foods (which I could bike to from home) actually has a program in place.  They carry Strauss brand organic milk in all levels of fat content in glass bottles and St. Benoit organic yogurt in glass jars.  You simply pay a deposit for each unit you buy that you then get back when you return the empty bottles/jars (similar to how some states treat soda cans).  How easy is that?  What's more, I am now SAVING money as the glass bottles are cheaper than the equivalent sized cartons I had been previously buying!  Score!  My kids prefer vanilla and strawberry yogurt, so I just add honey and either vanilla bean or fresh pureed strawberries to the yogurt to make it taste the same.  I also discovered a specialty store in the Grove (on my way to work) called Erewhon who also has a bottle return program for all sorts of organic juices & milks (including almond milk and soy) and soups.  We use these daily in our smoothies, so I was so excited to have found this place.  I am now officially bottle and carton free!

• Cheese: While I have enrolled in several upcycling programs to guarantee that those items would not end up in landfills, including one for all cheese packaging (to learn more, go to terracycle.com)  this was actually a pretty easy fix.  My family LOVES cheese in all shapes and sizes.  So I now buy cheese off the block.  Most deli sections (mine of choice is Whole Foods where I can get no hormone/no antibiotic and often organic cheese) will cut you a chunk of cheese right from the block or wheel, which you can put in a reusable container (I prefer glass) from home.  This weekend, I got a huge block of medium cheddar.  From that I had them cut me 12 slices for sandwiches and such.  The rest I took home and cut into sticks (like string cheese) or grated (for tacos and quesadillas).  You can grate by hand or use one a food processor with a grater blade.  I then store each cut in it's own container.  Cheese 3 ways with zero waste.

• Meat/Fish/Poultry: I now bring glass containers into which I have the guys behind the respective counters put my items once weighed.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that no one has seemed the slightest bit phased by the fact that I am asking them to put it in my own container as opposed to plastic disposable deli containers or butcher paper.

• Produce/Bulk Items: I now opt to buy things out of bulk dispensers or that are unpackaged, including my produce and many dry goods.  Erewhon has an enormous selection of bulk items, including spices, bake goods, chocolate, grains, nuts, fig newton-style bars (to replace my Trader Joe's cereal bars for the kids) etc.  I purchased great reusable cloth produce bags http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UXQ7QQ/ref=oh_details_o03_s02_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1  that I take with me to the farmer's market or a grocery store.  I am training my brain to only buy things sans packaging.  If I can't find what I am looking for, I first ask myself if I can either go without or use an alternative item.  Most times, I just opt not to get it.  I have yet to find non-packaging solutions for certain items such as olive oil, salty snacks (e.g., crackers) and eggs.  For now, I am getting my eggs in non branded cardboard cartons from the farmers market, which I return to the vendor to reuse once emptied.  That's as good as not tossing it.  In cases where I have no choice by to get a packaged item, I try to opt for one that is in compostable packaging such as paper, cardboard or compostable pastic (made from vegetables).  

• Salad Dressing: I now make everything from scratch.  And with this handy dandy glass salad dressing bottle (for less than $8!!) that has recipes for all the well known types right on the bottle, it couldn't be easier: http://www.amazon.com/Kolder-21DRS-Salad-Dressing-Bottle/dp/B002OOVB0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365727436&sr=8-1&keywords=salad+dressing+bottle.   And, in my opinion, they taste better.  

• Pasta: I am now bringing my own containers or bags to a restaurant that I frequent often for work (and that is easy to get in/out on my way home from work) and purchasing homemade pasta right on the spot.  Nothing beats homemade.

• Take Out: Given our busy schedules, we have 2 nights a week that are our standing pizza and Chipotle nights.  While not the perfect scenario, the pizza boxes are recyclable (if no grease or other food residue) or compostable (if they contain grease or other food residue).  As for Chipotle, I bring in my own reusable containers and they put my "made-to-order" meals inside.  

• Toilet Paper: There is no waste free solution here.  But you should opt for TPs made 100% from post-consumer waste and in paper packaging as opposed to plastic, such as these: http://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Generation-Bathroom-Tissue-500-Sheet/dp/B000C7OHFK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1365728073&sr=8-5&keywords=Seventh+Generation+Bathroom+Tissue.

• Papertowels: You NEVER need to buy or use them again!  Solution = rags.  We all have them, whether they are old tee shirts, towels, sheets, or napkins that are stained to the core.  I keep a bin of them in my closet and have never had any issues resorting to them in lieu of papertowels.  For windows and mirrors, get microfiber cloths (http://www.amazon.com/Zwipes-Microfiber-Cleaning-Cloths-36-Pack/dp/B000XECJES/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1365727816&sr=1-1&keywords=microfiber+cloth).  For surfaces, I LOVE  my Skoy cloths (http://www.amazon.com/Skoy-Eco-friendly-Cleaning-Cloth-4-pack/dp/B00275BB6S/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1365727846&sr=1-1&keywords=skoy+cloth).  They don't leave streaks and can be washed in the washing machine and zapped in the microwave to sterilize them.

• Napkins: Again, no need to ever use these either.  I use black ones for every day use since you don't see stains.  

It is amazing how much my cupboards and refrigerators (yes, I have 2) are freeing up and now have so much more room. My house is becoming less and less cluttered, which always lifts my mood being a clean freak.  What's more, since I have been shopping and eating this way, I've actually lost weight!  I don't feel like my eating habits have changed at all, but in hindsight, I am eating even healthier than before.

Have a great weekend!  And don't hesitate to share any tips or ideas you have.