Zero Waste Living

[hjgbujhghg]

This thread is for tips and tricks on zero waste, whatever you've found that works for you, share it with others! Let's create a healthy planet without plastics and waste! I'll start:

I've been ill lately and I need a lot of tissues. I felt awful throwing to the bin that huge bundle of used paper tissues, so I went to my grandma's and borrowed some of her textil tissues. I have to confess...I had been against them a lot, because they honestly don't look very good, but I'm done with being vain. I only use them at home, so nobody can see me , but I want to buy some actually pretty ones. If you know of any, let me know.
It might be unhygienic for some, but if you'll wash them in the washing machine on a slightly higher temperature than usual clothes, (with towels for example), they're totally fine and you can use them again. I've heard some people wash them in a boiling water, I personally think it's a bit over the top, but if you're worried about the viruses or bacteria, you can do that too.

 

[ceecee]

Colds and flu are viruses it's really important to have single use items like tissue on hand. You can go the reuse route for plenty of other one use things - napkins, paper towels, sanitary napkins, diapers... I'm not for bringing back the handkerchief. But if you do - wash on a hot sanitizing cycle with bleach like diapers.

I think the most multi-use reuse item are wide mouth Ball jar, lids and rings. Dry goods, leftovers, frozen items, lunch, drinks and they can be vacuum sealed as well. Get all different sizes and you'll rarely need any other storage container.

 

[Virtual ghost]

This thread is for tips and tricks on zero waste, whatever you've found that works for you, share it with others! Let's create a healthy planet without plastics and waste! I'll start:

I've been ill lately and I need a lot of tissues. I felt awful throwing to the bin that huge bundle of used paper tissues, so I went to my grandma's and borrowed some of her textil tissues. I have to confess...I had been against them a lot, because they honestly don't look very good, but I'm done with being vain. I only use them at home, so nobody can see me , but I want to buy some actually pretty ones. If you know of any, let me know.
It might be unhygienic for some, but if you'll wash them in the washing machine on a slightly higher temperature than usual clothes, (with towels for example), they're totally fine and you can use them again. I've heard some people wash them in a boiling water, I personally think it's a bit over the top, but if you're worried about the viruses or bacteria, you can do that too.

I am going to be a bad person and say that this is questionable method in zero waste department (even if hygienic issues are the biggest problem here). The problem is that boiling water isn't a zero waste luxury, especially if you don't make it from renewable source. While on the other hand the tissues also require energy but they are fairly easy to decompose. Therefore if you really want to make a difference use public transportation or a bike, make your home more energy efficient, recycle what you can and eat less meat.

 

[Codex]

I am going to be a bad person and say that this is questionable method in zero waste department (even if hygienic issues are the biggest problem here). The problem is that boiling water isn't a zero waste luxury, especially if you don't make it from renewable source. While on the other hand the tissues also require energy but they are fairly easy to decompose. Therefore if you really want to make a difference use public transportation or a bike, make your home more energy efficient, recycle what you can and eat less meat.

That's always been my thought about zero waste- it takes energy to do the laundry for all those reusable napkins, for boiling all that water, and so on - where is the right balance?
I like your suggestion -

 

[Virtual ghost]

That's always been my thought about zero waste- it takes energy to do the laundry for all those reusable napkins, for boiling all that water, and so on - where is the right balance?
I like your suggestion -

At this tech level there is no such thing as zero waste, there is only more or less waste and more or less dangerous waste. So the general point is that you use the smallest amount of energy that will get the job done, cut out activities/processes that you don't really need and recycle/reuse everything you can. If you can't at least use stuff that can naturally decompose.


However there are traps and tissues are probably one of them. In order to wash textile you need hot water and you need to pollute the water with chemicals, while tissues simply decompose. So the odds are that what at face level may look more ecological isn't really ecological. Also electric cars that are powered by coal power plants are another example, globally pollution is bigger and you lost plenty of energy in "transportation" through miles of power lines. Therefore you just have to think about the cause and the effect regarding this.

 

[Polka]

Buy a worm bin and feed your extra peels and scraps to the friendly wigglers. They'll be your friendliest most low-maintenance pets you'll ever have. And they produce worm gold for your soil.
Worm poo can be made into compost tea, natural alternatives to fertilizers that leech soil nutrients. Worm poo adds to soil structure and biological diversity.
These guys are great eco-friendly pets. Red wrigglers especially!!