I did the math on my canvas tote bags, and I found that I needed to use them regularly for three years to break even on resources. I’ve been using mine for 5 years so far, and they’re still in excellent shape! Plus, I made mine out of second-hand canvas, so I think I’m well beyond breaking even 🙃 it’s disappointing that the tone of the article seems to be discouraging people from making the switch 😕
you need to use a tote bag every day for 45 years for it to be carbon neutral, so i’m glad you use the same ones ! don’t buy any more, just keep using all the ones you already have
For anyone wondering, bamboo fabric is very chemical intensive. Bamboo wood is sustainable, but not the fabric. I would still choose bamboo fabric over polyester, acrylic, or other plastic fabrics. That's because plastic never actually biodegrades. However, hemp and cotton are way better.
It has also been discovered that bamboo fabric breaks down very quickly, meaning the clothes and fabric products will wear out MUCH faster than other materials.But cotton farming is also terrible for the environment because of the water and chemicals necessary to grow it. It's best to reuse and avoid virgin materials as much as possible. :)
Do any of you guys know of any eco friendly duvets? Not the covers, but the duvet. The only one I had I gave to my child and it's cold so I was wondering if there was a eco friendly option I can buy.
I think thrifting would be the best bet. Just use what's been already made instead of encouraging new production. Just my thought. I have no research to back that up though.
I would like to note- Plastic grocery bags are used by MANY daycare centers for diaper disposal. They are always needed and teachers really appreciate them. I know it’s better to recycle however giving to daycare centers is much better than throwing them away!
Thank you so much for this tip! I try to use reusable grocery bags when I go shopping but sometimes we forget and end up taking so many plastic bags home. They end up filling up our cabinet and then I end up throwing them away. This helps so much!
@@shywiz1543 I’m so happy I could help!! I keep every grocery bag just to bring to the daycare I used to work at!! They will always need them and they seriously appreciate when people bring them in!
I have an elec car, Nissan Leaf had it for 4 yrs now, love it....we charge it every other day (charger in garage) & house runs on solar so no gas bill no electricity bill , great for wallet & for environment....🌎recycling is broken in USA, 90% of what’s in recycle bin doesn’t actually get recycled goes to dump because people don’t rinse items first....refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, & rot
I know people say elec cars are environmental but where is the battery made and where does it go, the battery is literally so dangerous for the environment when you can’t use it anymore :/
@@HosCreates They said the house runs on solar. & in any case even a conventional coal plant is more fuel efficient than an internal combustion engine running on gasoline in a car. Given the choice between a fossil fuel power plant or a fossil fuel car engine, the power plant is the better choice.
1. Recycling something just in case 2. Putting plastic bags in any single-stream recycling bin 3. Using tote bags 4. Organic cotton 5. Buying new more sustainable versions of things you already have 6. ... Especially cars 7. Taking rideshares 8. Assuming anything vegan, organic, local or non-GMO is environmentally innocent 9. Putting compostable or biodegradable stuff in the landfill not the compost bin
Thanks for this. A lot of these are pretty common knowledge for people already in the environmentally friendly lifestyles. ... And her personality is not working with me.
@@mariahbutterflyy uhh... No? Ii dunno it was a while back. Think ii was just thanking the original commenter since ii wasn't enjoying the video for whatever reason
Something that really bothers me is that in Australia, majority of the organic produce is wrapped in plastic and it doesn't even need it... Like sweet potatoes, they don't need to be wrapped up! The other day I literally saw packs of bananas in a polystyrene stray and plastic wrap over the top... I cannot believe people really but this stuff!!
Same here in Germany. I think that this is done so that the organic produce does not come in contact with the conventionally grown, where pesticides have been used, and thus get contaminated. This is not the case for grocery stores, where all produce is organic; almost no packaging is involved.
yeah and they're doing more if it too which is the opposite of the direction we need to go. I don't understand it. It's like the bags of apples, can't I just collect them in my cart? Why do I need a big plastic ziploc for them?
5:30 If I remember correctly the cotton bag in the example was a new bag in organic cotton. They don't account for a used bag or recycled materials. Also, what adult doesn't already own at least one cotton tote bag? If you already own the bag, the 131 plastic bags are not appliable because all those resources have already been used.
That's exactly what I thought. I already have a lot that I've been randomly given when I was out or even been sent in the post. I am trying to use them but it's hard to remember to bring them when I'm out. I am going to put them in my car boot when we finish moving house and I find them all.
That organic cotton part is really enraging, especially because we know some other articles are going to reference this and this misinformation is going to spread. In a time where many fast fashion companies are tentatively introducing an organic cotton line in their stores this is really not the time to start demonising it. Buying second hand is the best, but for those who want to only buy at H&M and get a new shirt every few months, the organic cotton is sooooo much better than what is usually being done, such as the 1$ polyester t-shirt.
The thing is... this video doesn’t disprove what the article says? She just gets very frustrated at what they say, but she answers with facts that don’t exclude the possibility of what the article stated being true. I think it would’ve been better if she either debunked the article’s statements directly or said that they were true, but explained how overall organic cotton is much better. Because I found the facts in the article interesting if true; if they can’t use the variety that is resistant to bugs, and they use more eco friendly but potentially less effective pesticides (or no pesticides at all? Idk?), then it makes sense that more of the cotton produced will be affected by bugs or disease. I think that the eco friendly pesticides are good, even if they might be less effective, but this is still a trade off and the article’s point is valid, and yes obviously organic cotton used way less water and is much better environmentally, but it’s still cotton so it’s still ressource intesive. Also, if the bug-resistant variant isn’t used in organic cotton, why not? I think she got too frustrated and didn’t bother fact checking but instead added facts onto the article... but ultimately didn’t disprove the claims. Wow sorry if anyone reads this
If you’re just switching to a “zero” waste lifestyle and you have a bunch of plastic grocery bags saved up, you can reuse the plastic bags! That way you won’t have to buy new tote bags for awhile.
If you can’t find a proper way of recycling plastic bags, you can actually weave them into a string that’s pretty strong. You cut them into like 1 1/2 inch strips, tie two together , twist one away from you and bring it over the second one towards you and repeat til you have a rope. It should be decently easy to find online if I explained it bad
About the grocery bags: 7 years ago, when I went to uni, I needed a backpack. My brother had a spare one he wasn't using, so I got that one. I'm still using it every day (I've washed it a few times of course). I used it every day to carry my laptop and books and stuff. I also usually do groceries with my backpack, it's large enough. When it isn't large enough, I bring a tote bag I already had anyways.
Yes, the tote bag has an impact that's why we need to use it multiple times to make it worth that impact. You can't do that with a plastic bag. Plus you can find a lot of tote bags second hand, I just found really cool on the last time I was at the thrift store and got it for a dollar.
i live in a place where i am able to grow my own food which is nice. We can also compost in our garden, so If that's something you have access to look into it, it's pretty cool to be able to eat a meal you grew
As for the bags, almost everyone probably has a bag filled with other plastic bags at home. It's probably good to keep one of them in your backpack/car/purse at all times just in case you forget your fancy reusable bag. Not buying a new bag is equally good, whatever you put your groceries in :)
I never use soaps, detergent powder, cosmetics and chemical product to keep the environment of my village free from sewage. I know that only me doing this wont help, but "I should be the change, I want to see in the world".
I get my reusable bags at the thrift store. The large canvas bags or even old beach bags (for large items). I mean, I had one that was so big I got five boxes (the family size) of cereal in it without stretching. It would have taken five plastic bags or two regular reusable bags to do that! I do have the conventional grocery store reusable bags. My oldest one was 20yrs old. I finally retired it a few weeks ago as the bottom was pretty worn out. But since it was still mostly good I put donations in it and gave it to the thrift store. Maybe someone else will upcycle it, who knows.
In regard to cotton though, it is pretty water-intensive. I think it would have been better to suggest alternatives like second hand, bamboo, and hemp fabrics at least. But yes, I see your frustration. haha
I didn't have the facts off the top of my head, but organic cotton uses 88% less water and 62% less energy! However, Tencel is a zero waste fabric that uses 100% recycled water in a closed-loop system which is pretty cool if anyone is looking for a less thirsty crop.
Hemp is hardier resists pests and requires less land and water. To make bamboo fiber it has to go into large vats of chemicals to become softer. The chemicals can be recycled but natural fibers like cotton are already soft and don't need extra energy and chemicals to break it in. Bamboo is a hard fiber
All I can think is organic cotton doesn’t require as much chemicals and pesticides, but MAY use more water. But let’s break that down. Chemicals and pesticides require industry intensive production, heating/cooling, electricity, and mining for certain minerals, chemical creations requiring inputs. Now they have to be packaged. Packaging is usually plastic intensive. Now they need to be transported. That uses a large carbon foot print for the machinery that transports, and the fuel to transport it. Now compare that to the water system. Obviously it is going to be watered using a watering system. That water may be natural with rain fall or used from a hose/reservoir. Most crop water does not need to be potable, so it is not going through the intensive filtration process for it to be safe to drink. EVEN IF it used more water, it’s using more non potable water. Water that was not intended for human consumption. Does it use more crop water? Sure. Even with that give, the lack of using the pesticides and chemicals to grow it puts less strain and demand on the chain of agriculture and reduces the farming footprint of that crop significantly. Soil degradation can happen when over farming a plot of land and neglecting to do crop rotation. Except most organic farms are smart enough to understand the importance of crop rotation and organic soil amendments (rotating chickens, cattle, etc). So even if they were not doing crop rotation, GMO and conventional cotton are GUARENTEED to not be rotated in their plots, which causes environmental degradation from the pesticides and chemicals used not only to grow the crop, but to artificially amend the soil for the next season, but also erodes the soil quality over time. So even if the organic cotton farm was being a silly billy and not doing their crop rotation and organic amendments, it would still be better than the regular GM or Conventional cotton, which uses TWICE the amount of pesticides, in EACH growing season. Thank you for reading my Ted Talk! 😅 My mother was a big hippie farmer growing up, and often took me and my little brother to our local CSA farm and we learned a lot about the environment and farming.
I had a question about organic food vs non organic and the environmental impact. I was reading an article that was looking at studies on how each effects the environment. They were saying that more often organic produce contributes more nitrogen run off (which creates dead zones in the water) vs non organic produce. They said this was because you can’t measure out manure (organic fertilizer) as precise as conventional fertilizer, so they usually end up putting to much, which creates more run off. Honestly would love a video about getting into the nitty gritty sustainability of certain things like organic and GMO
Love this video! I have a big bag made with old clothes and lil ones to put fruits and vegetables in, and it's my personal tip!
BUT what I do when sometimes we have plastic bags or plastic packages, it's crochet (if they are too little to do the crochet line you can use as a type of cushion padding foam).
My ex makes fun of my vehicle, but my parents bought it new in 2003, my brother drove it for 5 years and now I've been driving it for 4 and a half and have no intentions of buying another vehicle till this one gives out. I feel no desire to upgrade when there's no need
I think their number 4 item is right on the money, at elast in the fact that organic cotton isn't necessarily sustainable. I think the comparison to convential is a little off, but the plant usage statistic is right. It takes more land area to grow the same yield of organic cotton compared to conventional. You even say later in the video: "organic isn't necessarily sustainable". Cotton is still cotton. It's still a resource and land intensive, pest and disease prone crop. Linen, hemp, and wool can be far more sustainable depending on the circumstances than any cotton can ever be.
Great video!!!!! I really HATE, when somebody criticise my lifestyle, just, because they read some article like this one. Some people are crazy, they believe to that informations, just because somebody wrote them to newspapers. I'm sometimes sooo desperate about that🤦
Me too! Try not to worry about them. People love to find anything 'wrong' just so they make themselves feel better. But, really it's a deep insecurity because they know they should be doing more. Keep at it. ❤️
I have been using the same 3 cloth bags for 5 years! I actually found one of them on the floor of a parking lot and it has been great. 1 of them is starting to wear and I know I'll have to replace it soon. I actually think the rise in bags that do not have a square base are terrible. They are so thin and really you cannot comfortably fit a lot in it. The best way to get people to convert and stick to them is to have bags that they feel they can haul everything in! Great tips and lists!
I noticed that you didn't comment on GMO/non-GMO. 😅 I'd love to see a video on that in the future. Personally, I'm pro GMO and think people who are against it are just uninformed. GMO crops have the potential to end world hunger by increasing the resistance to freeze, drought and pests, thus increasing the yield, as well as tweak the nutritional composition (eg. golden rice). GMO is also much safer than conventional breeding since you know exactly which genes you are modifying and what those genes do, while conventional breeding is basically Russian roulette.
Well said Ellen! So many people in the sustainable & cruelty-free world are pro-"natural" and anti-gmo. They forget that sustainable also means the ability for humans to sustain themselves on less resources, which GMO crops definitely help with. Organic is also a bogus concept as organic crops are not pesticide free, they simply contain other pesticide/fertilizers that don't work as well (thus requiring more to work) and use waste from animal agriculture/slaughterhouses (definitely not sustainable!).
There was a lot to unpack in that one subheading for this video, I think there are beneficial aspects of GMOs but also drawbacks depending on the case and scenario. With everything, it's way more complex than just good or bad.
you may have a small point. however, it's my understanding that its because of GMO wheat that the cases of gluten sensitivity and allergens are on the rise. GMO crops are also not able to propagate themselves, forcing the farmer to repurchase each year. Making the nation you are trying help by sending them crops/seeds solely dependent on the sender. these companies also make the farmers but each seed even though they come in X lb bags. And if the seeds get rained out or go through a drought then the farmer gets the pleasure of re-purchasing each seed again. Again I'm not an expert, this isn't my field of study and I'm still learning about it.
I often like to point out there is a difference between large scale farming and small scale farming. It is 100% possible to grow organic using the principles of Permaculture on a small scale farm. Using heirloom seeds and seed saving is a form of self sufficiency where every season you do not have to repurchase seeds to feed your family. Rain water barrels, wells, saving water from boiling eggs or your showers can also aide in preserving water. I cannot speak on million dollar revenue farms but the every day person with 5 acres or less of land can 100% grow organically without pesticides!!! Growing your own should be spoken about more in the zero waste community rather than buying produce with "no stickers".
Unfortunately, it's not a sustainable diet for many such as me. If you have auto-immune diseases or inflammation problems or even digestive problem GMO is life-threatening and dangerous. They make our health much less manageable and increase pain significantly. I am personally Pro-Non-GMO for these reasons. I believe that instead of having to label things organic and Non-GMO that all food that doesn't meet the criteria should be the one's having to label their products GMO and Not Organic.
THANK YOU! I've been saying this for years with canvas tote bags and that's why I've decided not to sell them in my eco-friendly store even though it's the most requested item.
Nova Scotia banned plastic bags a few years back. It is great. I have reusable bags that I have used since the 1990s. It makes me happy to see the planet organic or amaranth logo from years back. So much of what the kids are calling sustainable we used call being frugal. When you are poor, you find ways to save money, use things to their end and buy less.
I absolutely love reusable grocery bags. I use them for everything. Grocery shopping, clothes shopping, if I have to take something to work, if I’m going to the gym, if I’m going to the beach/pool, etc. I use my reusable bags everyday. I’ve had some of my bags for 4+ years. I’ve definitely used 85% of bags more than 100 times!
There is truth to that organic cotton statement. I work in agriculture and have spent time on cotton farms and every time I see organic cotton held on a pedestal I get so frustrated because unless you’re growing it yourself, it’s an industrial scam. Most organic cotton comes from industrial monocropped farms where ‘organic’ pesticides are applied that are super poisonous to all bugs, people, and soil, compared to the conventional pesticides that are highly targeted to the bollworm. And because the organic pesticide is not as efficient at far getting bollworms, there are smaller cotton yields for organic, raising the price, but also meaning that more land and water is wasted to produce the same amount of cotton. The only way organic cotton is better than conventional cotton is if it’s grown on a small family farm style operation intercropped with many other crops and no pesticides (organic or not) are applied.
My oldest tote bag is 9 years old. My second is about 6 years old and my third is two years old. I use two and sometimes all three at least three times a week. So way more than 140 times mentioned in the article
I like your chanel because you educate us. You don't just say something, you give us arguments. You use different perspectives to teach us smt. Thank you.
I’d love to hear more about this organic cotton debate. Organic doesn’t mean you can’t use any pesticides, you can actually still use some of the most environmentally harmful pesticides including heavy metals. Having a pesticide produced by the plant itself not only improves yields, but also decreases the number of times a tractor would need to pass over a field. Organic also doesn’t mean that you can’t irrigate, so I’m not following the argument that organic cotton would use less water. I may be missing some parts of the pro-organic argument here, but from my experience in both agriculture and plant science I think the conventional cotton argument makes total sense
Is that a peace lily behind you?? Please be careful as you have a absolutely gorgeous doggy. THE BAULBS FROM THE PLANTS ARE POISONOUS !!! Some flew over our fence during a storm and my dog ate them, it turned her blood black, paralysed her back legs and she died. Please be careful with your pup ❤️ Love your videos, so helpful!!!
My plastic bags get an average of two uses before breaking down, paper ones, about four maybe, nonwoven fabric about 100, coated fabric about 200 or more, and woven fabric totes, IDK, many hundreds I think. And if I have extra I sew with the fabric. Trying to learn plarncraft. And worn out paper bags make good compost carbon, scratch paper and construction paper.
6:06 omg finally! I know this video is from 2 years ago but I see a lot of people still going on about how reusable bags are bad and I have no idea why that even is a thing. They don't take into account how plastic will end up in landfills and that reusable bags can be upcycled from anything, it's only bad if you don't use it enough.
ive used my cotton bag (calvin klein bag i got for free instead of a plastic bag) for 4 yrs, and it still looks brand new 🤷♀️ I use it for everything.
UK farmers make no money from their wool. It gets given away. It's a waste product nowadays as they are only used for the meat unfortunately. I spin and have gotten a loom to make my own materials. Wool is also a fantastic product to use for covers for babies instead of disposable nappies, as lanolin in wool changes the wee into water and Salk and the water evaporates as it dries. This means the nappies can be reused for weeks as long as poo doesn't get on them, this uses less water. Wool is also fire resistant, it also keeps you cooler in hot weather and warm in cold weather so it is great in duvets and also blankets if you don't want to turn the heating on. Socks, most people wear them but most are made from cotton or worse polyester and they are not made to last, there is no reason not to learn to knit your own, RUclips can teach people how to knit and crochet. Even some suits are made from wool. There are a lot of uses and if you make your own items you will be more likely to repair them instead of replacing them with new items. There's no point in wasting a perfectly usable material and then grown and making more. There are also materials like ramie that are make from Chinese nettles that are a lot more absorbent than cotton. They can even make fibres from seaweed that goes like silk but without killing silkworms.
I bought a Hybrid in Dec. 2005 and drove it till it died 12 years later and fixing it would be more expensive than getting another vehicle. I bought a used Grand Cherokee Jeep from 1996. I average 6 to 7 thousand miles per year.
I totally have recycling anxiety because #1 in Oregon the garbage handlers go though your garbage and leave warning notes , they also overcharge you if your lid on the garbage isnt completely closed . Talk about invasion and overcharging ! Try no thanks . I am super careful not to buy anything i have to throw away . And i dont have garbage service
I have a question about reusable bags. I have started to make my own out of acrylic yarn. How damaging is acrylic yarn, and do you think it's worth it?
Me too!! I've seen some people turn plastic bags into jump ropes, coasters, crafts and so much more. Do a quick google search and you'll find tons of ideas!
Natural Presentations are way better than acted ones. Perfection and brand personality will come with time. Don't chase away new visitors with bad acting.
I hate the tone about reusable grocery bags. Like… it’s not better to let plastic sit in landfills for a hundred years and break down into microscopic plastics that poison our soil. Also, what about linen or hemp reusable bags instead of cotton? Besides that, I’ve reused my produce bags and insulated grocery bags weekly for three years. That’s at least 78 times, if I only use them ever other week. And they’re in excellent condition.
I'm really interested in the webinar you mention at the start of the video, but I think the link in your notes section is incorrect. Could you please provide the correct link? Thanks!
All of my reusable bags are either bags I've been gifted or the ones those organizations give you at events lol. Making them out of secondhand fabric is a more sustainable option for those that need it!
Cotton, organic or otherwise, is and has always been an incredibly water intensive crop. It also consumes a *lot* of nutrients and minerals from the ground that isn't replenished easily. Compared to other types of fibers, plant or animal, cotton as a crop is pretty harsh to at least the local ecosystem. Humanely and locally sourced wool or alpaca/llama fleece is the *best* fiber for the environment but that is largely unattainable for much of the world even ignoring just how much more it would cost.
RECAP: 1. *Wish-cycling.* 2. *Plastic bag in single stream recycling.* 3. *Using tote bags.* -> don’t buy a new tote bag, if you are going to buy one buy it second hand. 4. *Organic cotton.* -> water and chemical intensive crop. 5. *Buying new sustainable versions of things you already have.* -> use what you have. Don’t go buy new things. 6. *Don’t buy new cars. Try to carpool.* -> electric car? A little controversial 7. *Ride-shares.* -> you can use the pool feature and travel with larger groups of people 8. *Assuming anything vegan, organic and Non-GMO is environmentally friendly.* -> is complex and vegan doesn’t necessarily sustainable. 9. *Putting compostable and biodegradable containers into landfill instead of compost.*-> “compostable” containers are baloney, bring your own containers wherever you go.
I contend that eating local even if packaged is a smaller foot print than eating something that had to fly half way around the world and then be driven by truck to your local.
I would looove to know more about how good electric cars are. I've been dreaming about getting a nissan leaf for a little while whenever its time to return my lease and I stumbled upon an articles that forbes published that made me feel really uneasy about this subject so I would love to hear your input on this!!
I don't really get the organic cotton one...I mean that's not a must for going zero waste at all right? You'd just buy secondhand clothes, whatever they're made of.
Tip when buying meat: there's no harm in politely asking the retailer what they are doing to mitigate the climate impact of the meat product. Perhaps you will find yourself satisfied with the answer, and if not your question could prompt the retailer to take action. Of course there's also an argument for asking retailers of vegan produce that they are doing to mitigate their climate impact, particularly if their product isn't sourced and processed locally.
would it be better to make your own re-usable bags ( if you don't have any or as they wear out)? if so then would using upholstery material be a good idea? as for the car thing. it would be much better if car dealers/manufactures would discount "out of season" vehicles instead of parking them on a massive empty lot to rust out. the plastic category system I find really confusing. I live in a VERY small town in the midwest ; so we don't have a lot of choices. ( seriously its small, we have 1 Walmart and 1 other grocery store..... that's it for food places...sign. and dont dget me started on the clothing shops we get to choose from.) . anyway, I find it frustrating when I want/need to get ,for example, sour cream for something ( like clotted cream for scones... sooo good...) and all I can find are containers with a number 5 or 7. If I need to get something that is in plastic I try to find the one that is a level 1 ( so it can be processed and not put into the landfill) but also doesn't have high fructose corn syrup. can you explain ,in regular language, the plastic categories? should this be something that I'm considering in the current corona climate we are in?
Only one I don't agree with so far (even though you said what I was thinking) is the reusable bag one... I use them every time I go into the store or I just don't use them at all. I try not to get the polyester ones but my mom is the one who buys them so I don't have much of a choice.
@@heatheralisa8658(sorry this is late lol) Electric cars are actually far more harmful for the environment since only 2% of the batteries from them were recycled. Also all the rare earth materials are harming some countries like China where they source them etc the plants don't grow anymore and the huge water waste of them so some places where it's hard to get water are suffering bc of it too.
@@nayttolleyoutube3308 Yeah currently batteries aren't that great but there is some fairly promising news that a few companies have found ways to significantly increase the ability to recycle lithium ion batteries. Not to mention that there's been some big leaps forwards with solid state batteries that in some tests wouldn't need as rare of materials and last far longer. It's still being tested and modified to find what's the best variation but things are steadily changing. We just cant change too fast since that would crash the economy and then no one can afford anything rip.
Yes to the car video you are thinking of making! That is a decision we will have to make once our current car putters out... which hopefully is a long ways away :) Thanks for another great video!
Yes, please make the car video! I've been wanting to research how your electricity is generated will effect that equation. So if you could consider it from the aspect of all green energy production (say wind/solar), vs. mixed, vs. 100% coal, that would be amazing!
Love buying local , i especially love buying produce that is marked down because of overripeness or blemishes . Safeway takes the blemishes off and refuses to sell or give away its less desirable produce even for livestock feed or compost . I dont like that !
I hate articles like that, they spread misinformation among other correct tips and give off the impression that everything is soooo complicated. So a person informed on sustainability can learn something new, but someone that randomly reads it will just say "huh, these environmentalist snobs don't even know what they're talking about" and then will just go on commenting on random instagram posts "omg my plastic bag is much more sustainable, get educated plz" XD well maybe not exactly like that but you get my point hahaha. I was always a bit interested in veganism (finally became vegan a year ago) and I remember reading tons of stupid articles like that, explaining how unsustainable and horrible avocados or almonds were (compared to what...?). We must always draw the full picture, guys.
I'm late to this video, but I would definitely be interested in the electric car video. I will be getting a new car in the next year or so, and want to make smart choices!
Can you do some home composting videos?! I want so badly to compost now that I own my own home. Last year was our first year in the home and I started very imperfectly composting, by that I mean I was throwing food scraps into the wood after some meals, then on days it was raining I tried freezing it until a nice day. Then I would leave it in the freezer till it was full and would lead me to lazily throw out scaps ☹ (it hurts me to write, I don't want to do that). Anyways, I need a good composting system that I don't have to bring outside daily, it won't smell in the mean time. And when it is outside its not unsightly. I'm currently just throwing it over the fence into the woods... so the bright red pepper scraps, etc. Are garish. Please help!
People kept gifting me the cute reusable bags they sell like at the front of TJ Maxx and Marshall’s and I’ve always just used those. A few weeks ago one of mine that I’ve been using for about 12 years started falling apart and I was looking at it and realized they’re made of plastic 5 and I’m just so confused now on all my decisions because like… what next? Anyway I won’t be buying anymore of those but also will keep using the others till they disintegrate like my blue one did.
I'm trying to use my bike more going on in my journey. I hate rideshare apps so expensive, the bus right now i think is free. I'd rather take the bus and leave earlier.
You don't say why organic cotton uses less water and I couldn't find any reputable sources saying that. Are we supposed to believe it cause you said so? Im really not trying to hate. I just think having good sources and sharing them is crucial.
4:19 are you saying tote bags aren't actually more environmentally friendly than plastic bags? Because that's kinda the alternative. Consider most people will take one or more new plastic bag(s) every single shopping trip and that's generally at least every week and several times a week is common. At least that's my experience and observation. Dont you think the amount of bags used matter? Especially when the ones with higher number is that damaging in nature and often "strays"
Tote bags are far more energy intensive to make than disposable plastic bags, and emit higher levels of greenhouse gases per bag. So you have to use them over and over again to break even. However, unlike plastic bags they are biodegradable and don't cause plastic associated pollution. Hope that helps.
Imperfect produce doesn't go to waste, it goes into soups, smoothies, pies, etc. This is the most annoying prevalent theory I've run into that's just incorrect. What is the carbon footprint of that box?
I think what they mean about assuming vegan things are environmentally innocent is that technically pleather is vegan. I don’t want pleather shoes. They don’t last long and are just plastic which will end up as microplastics in five years. I’d rather get woven shoes or used leather shoes.
The idea that pleather or PU leather is worse than cow skin leather is false. There was a huge analysis of fashion items and their environmental impact (see Earthling Ed’s video ‘animals and fashion’ for a breakdown) and PU still far less damaging. Think about it - how much does it take to raise an animal to be large enough to kill, then to turn a part of their dead body into a product that won’t rot? The amount of water, land, land to grow the food, and food used to raise these animals is ridiculous. People working at these tanneries get skin diseases and more because of the chemicals used. But even if you’re worried about PU, there’s cactus leather, apple leather, pineapple etc which still contains plastic but is longer lasting. Cork is also great. And more people are experimenting with other leathers, some of which are even compostable (but they’re pretty expensive). And all that isn’t even mentioning the ethics! If we wouldn’t wear dog leather, why should we wear cows?
I did the math on my canvas tote bags, and I found that I needed to use them regularly for three years to break even on resources. I’ve been using mine for 5 years so far, and they’re still in excellent shape! Plus, I made mine out of second-hand canvas, so I think I’m well beyond breaking even 🙃 it’s disappointing that the tone of the article seems to be discouraging people from making the switch 😕
Same, I've had some for 10+ years now and no plans to replace as they are in great condition still.
Also, most people already own a bag that can be used for this so you don't have to buy a new bag just to get groceries.
@@mickb.8925 Yess exactly, people already own things like beach bags, backpacks and company merch totes that could be used as a shopping bag.
you need to use a tote bag every day for 45 years for it to be carbon neutral, so i’m glad you use the same ones ! don’t buy any more, just keep using all the ones you already have
Instead of buying reusable bags you can make them out of old clothing. Super cute and fun.
My grandpa sells bags made of old clothes and he earns well
Or use the ones you already have.
Or you can use a pillow sack. I know people use them for Halloween. But, it doesn't hurt to try anything new.
Omg that’s so smart!!
@@janinedear-barlow Not all of us already have them...
For anyone wondering, bamboo fabric is very chemical intensive. Bamboo wood is sustainable, but not the fabric. I would still choose bamboo fabric over polyester, acrylic, or other plastic fabrics. That's because plastic never actually biodegrades. However, hemp and cotton are way better.
It has also been discovered that bamboo fabric breaks down very quickly, meaning the clothes and fabric products will wear out MUCH faster than other materials.But cotton farming is also terrible for the environment because of the water and chemicals necessary to grow it. It's best to reuse and avoid virgin materials as much as possible. :)
Tencel is also a very sustainable fabric (from what I've heard)
Do any of you guys know of any eco friendly duvets? Not the covers, but the duvet. The only one I had I gave to my child and it's cold so I was wondering if there was a eco friendly option I can buy.
What about linen?
I think thrifting would be the best bet. Just use what's been already made instead of encouraging new production. Just my thought. I have no research to back that up though.
I would like to note- Plastic grocery bags are used by MANY daycare centers for diaper disposal. They are always needed and teachers really appreciate them. I know it’s better to recycle however giving to daycare centers is much better than throwing them away!
Thank you so much for this tip! I try to use reusable grocery bags when I go shopping but sometimes we forget and end up taking so many plastic bags home. They end up filling up our cabinet and then I end up throwing them away. This helps so much!
@@shywiz1543 I’m so happy I could help!! I keep every grocery bag just to bring to the daycare I used to work at!! They will always need them and they seriously appreciate when people bring them in!
Other good option is using plastic grocery bags as trashbags for smaller trashcans ^-^
@@shywiz1543 don't shops in your area offer the option to use empty boxes that used to hold the goods from te store?
@@koekie159 Omgsh shops around you do that?? Literally only Costco or some farmers markets offer that near me :(
I have an elec car, Nissan Leaf had it for 4 yrs now, love it....we charge it every other day (charger in garage) & house runs on solar so no gas bill no electricity bill , great for wallet & for environment....🌎recycling is broken in USA, 90% of what’s in recycle bin doesn’t actually get recycled goes to dump because people don’t rinse items first....refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, & rot
Unless the electricity is produced by solar, or wind your electricity is produced by coal and putting polution into air still.
I know people say elec cars are environmental but where is the battery made and where does it go, the battery is literally so dangerous for the environment when you can’t use it anymore :/
@@HosCreates They said the house runs on solar. & in any case even a conventional coal plant is more fuel efficient than an internal combustion engine running on gasoline in a car. Given the choice between a fossil fuel power plant or a fossil fuel car engine, the power plant is the better choice.
1. Recycling something just in case
2. Putting plastic bags in any single-stream recycling bin
3. Using tote bags
4. Organic cotton
5. Buying new more sustainable versions of things you already have
6. ... Especially cars
7. Taking rideshares
8. Assuming anything vegan, organic, local or non-GMO is environmentally innocent
9. Putting compostable or biodegradable stuff in the landfill not the compost bin
Thanks for this. A lot of these are pretty common knowledge for people already in the environmentally friendly lifestyles.
... And her personality is not working with me.
Think your electric car is worth deformed babies?
ruclips.net/video/ipOeH7GW0M8/видео.html
@@mariahbutterflyy uhh... No? Ii dunno it was a while back. Think ii was just thanking the original commenter since ii wasn't enjoying the video for whatever reason
Something that really bothers me is that in Australia, majority of the organic produce is wrapped in plastic and it doesn't even need it... Like sweet potatoes, they don't need to be wrapped up! The other day I literally saw packs of bananas in a polystyrene stray and plastic wrap over the top... I cannot believe people really but this stuff!!
Ridiculous! Email the supermarket and suppliers.
@@Ad-Infinitum good idea! I will!
Same here in Germany. I think that this is done so that the organic produce does not come in contact with the conventionally grown, where pesticides have been used, and thus get contaminated. This is not the case for grocery stores, where all produce is organic; almost no packaging is involved.
Coles and woolies, yes. But you can often find them unpackaged at local grocers (and they’re sometimes cheaper too)
yeah and they're doing more if it too which is the opposite of the direction we need to go. I don't understand it. It's like the bags of apples, can't I just collect them in my cart? Why do I need a big plastic ziploc for them?
5:30 If I remember correctly the cotton bag in the example was a new bag in organic cotton. They don't account for a used bag or recycled materials. Also, what adult doesn't already own at least one cotton tote bag? If you already own the bag, the 131 plastic bags are not appliable because all those resources have already been used.
They didn't account for recycled materials! I would love to see a much broader study done on impacts.
That's exactly what I thought. I already have a lot that I've been randomly given when I was out or even been sent in the post. I am trying to use them but it's hard to remember to bring them when I'm out. I am going to put them in my car boot when we finish moving house and I find them all.
That organic cotton part is really enraging, especially because we know some other articles are going to reference this and this misinformation is going to spread. In a time where many fast fashion companies are tentatively introducing an organic cotton line in their stores this is really not the time to start demonising it. Buying second hand is the best, but for those who want to only buy at H&M and get a new shirt every few months, the organic cotton is sooooo much better than what is usually being done, such as the 1$ polyester t-shirt.
@シチョコレート unfortunately not. If it's not labelled as organic it's full of pesticides...
The thing is... this video doesn’t disprove what the article says? She just gets very frustrated at what they say, but she answers with facts that don’t exclude the possibility of what the article stated being true. I think it would’ve been better if she either debunked the article’s statements directly or said that they were true, but explained how overall organic cotton is much better. Because I found the facts in the article interesting if true; if they can’t use the variety that is resistant to bugs, and they use more eco friendly but potentially less effective pesticides (or no pesticides at all? Idk?), then it makes sense that more of the cotton produced will be affected by bugs or disease. I think that the eco friendly pesticides are good, even if they might be less effective, but this is still a trade off and the article’s point is valid, and yes obviously organic cotton used way less water and is much better environmentally, but it’s still cotton so it’s still ressource intesive. Also, if the bug-resistant variant isn’t used in organic cotton, why not? I think she got too frustrated and didn’t bother fact checking but instead added facts onto the article... but ultimately didn’t disprove the claims. Wow sorry if anyone reads this
@@gabrieller4474 the bug repellent type is genetically modified, or GM. GM is not organic, at least not the type that's modified in a lab.
If you’re just switching to a “zero” waste lifestyle and you have a bunch of plastic grocery bags saved up, you can reuse the plastic bags! That way you won’t have to buy new tote bags for awhile.
If you can’t find a proper way of recycling plastic bags, you can actually weave them into a string that’s pretty strong. You cut them into like 1 1/2 inch strips, tie two together , twist one away from you and bring it over the second one towards you and repeat til you have a rope. It should be decently easy to find online if I explained it bad
About the grocery bags:
7 years ago, when I went to uni, I needed a backpack. My brother had a spare one he wasn't using, so I got that one. I'm still using it every day (I've washed it a few times of course). I used it every day to carry my laptop and books and stuff. I also usually do groceries with my backpack, it's large enough. When it isn't large enough, I bring a tote bag I already had anyways.
Yes, the tote bag has an impact that's why we need to use it multiple times to make it worth that impact. You can't do that with a plastic bag. Plus you can find a lot of tote bags second hand, I just found really cool on the last time I was at the thrift store and got it for a dollar.
Thank you for mention second hand bags!
i live in a place where i am able to grow my own food which is nice. We can also compost in our garden, so If that's something you have access to look into it, it's pretty cool to be able to eat a meal you grew
How do you compost?
As for the bags, almost everyone probably has a bag filled with other plastic bags at home. It's probably good to keep one of them in your backpack/car/purse at all times just in case you forget your fancy reusable bag. Not buying a new bag is equally good, whatever you put your groceries in :)
I put mine in a giant plastic bag lol
I never use soaps, detergent powder, cosmetics and chemical product to keep the environment of my village free from sewage. I know that only me doing this wont help, but "I should be the change, I want to see in the world".
Wonderful!
I get my reusable bags at the thrift store. The large canvas bags or even old beach bags (for large items). I mean, I had one that was so big I got five boxes (the family size) of cereal in it without stretching. It would have taken five plastic bags or two regular reusable bags to do that! I do have the conventional grocery store reusable bags. My oldest one was 20yrs old. I finally retired it a few weeks ago as the bottom was pretty worn out. But since it was still mostly good I put donations in it and gave it to the thrift store. Maybe someone else will upcycle it, who knows.
In regard to cotton though, it is pretty water-intensive. I think it would have been better to suggest alternatives like second hand, bamboo, and hemp fabrics at least. But yes, I see your frustration. haha
I didn't have the facts off the top of my head, but organic cotton uses 88% less water and 62% less energy! However, Tencel is a zero waste fabric that uses 100% recycled water in a closed-loop system which is pretty cool if anyone is looking for a less thirsty crop.
@@GoingZeroWaste Always looking for a less-thirsty crop when I'm not shopping second hand! Thank you :)
Hemp is hardier resists pests and requires less land and water. To make bamboo fiber it has to go into large vats of chemicals to become softer. The chemicals can be recycled but natural fibers like cotton are already soft and don't need extra energy and chemicals to break it in. Bamboo is a hard fiber
All I can think is organic cotton doesn’t require as much chemicals and pesticides, but MAY use more water. But let’s break that down.
Chemicals and pesticides require industry intensive production, heating/cooling, electricity, and mining for certain minerals, chemical creations requiring inputs. Now they have to be packaged. Packaging is usually plastic intensive. Now they need to be transported. That uses a large carbon foot print for the machinery that transports, and the fuel to transport it.
Now compare that to the water system. Obviously it is going to be watered using a watering system. That water may be natural with rain fall or used from a hose/reservoir. Most crop water does not need to be potable, so it is not going through the intensive filtration process for it to be safe to drink.
EVEN IF it used more water, it’s using more non potable water. Water that was not intended for human consumption. Does it use more crop water? Sure. Even with that give, the lack of using the pesticides and chemicals to grow it puts less strain and demand on the chain of agriculture and reduces the farming footprint of that crop significantly. Soil degradation can happen when over farming a plot of land and neglecting to do crop rotation.
Except most organic farms are smart enough to understand the importance of crop rotation and organic soil amendments (rotating chickens, cattle, etc). So even if they were not doing crop rotation, GMO and conventional cotton are GUARENTEED to not be rotated in their plots, which causes environmental degradation from the pesticides and chemicals used not only to grow the crop, but to artificially amend the soil for the next season, but also erodes the soil quality over time. So even if the organic cotton farm was being a silly billy and not doing their crop rotation and organic amendments, it would still be better than the regular GM or Conventional cotton, which uses TWICE the amount of pesticides, in EACH growing season.
Thank you for reading my Ted Talk! 😅 My mother was a big hippie farmer growing up, and often took me and my little brother to our local CSA farm and we learned a lot about the environment and farming.
I had a question about organic food vs non organic and the environmental impact. I was reading an article that was looking at studies on how each effects the environment. They were saying that more often organic produce contributes more nitrogen run off (which creates dead zones in the water) vs non organic produce. They said this was because you can’t measure out manure (organic fertilizer) as precise as conventional fertilizer, so they usually end up putting to much, which creates more run off. Honestly would love a video about getting into the nitty gritty sustainability of certain things like organic and GMO
Seems to be a lot of interest in a video like that! I will work on it. :)
had my car 14 years also. will keep using it.
Love this video! I have a big bag made with old clothes and lil ones to put fruits and vegetables in, and it's my personal tip!
BUT what I do when sometimes we have plastic bags or plastic packages, it's crochet (if they are too little to do the crochet line you can use as a type of cushion padding foam).
My ex makes fun of my vehicle, but my parents bought it new in 2003, my brother drove it for 5 years and now I've been driving it for 4 and a half and have no intentions of buying another vehicle till this one gives out. I feel no desire to upgrade when there's no need
I think their number 4 item is right on the money, at elast in the fact that organic cotton isn't necessarily sustainable. I think the comparison to convential is a little off, but the plant usage statistic is right. It takes more land area to grow the same yield of organic cotton compared to conventional. You even say later in the video: "organic isn't necessarily sustainable". Cotton is still cotton. It's still a resource and land intensive, pest and disease prone crop. Linen, hemp, and wool can be far more sustainable depending on the circumstances than any cotton can ever be.
Great video!!!!! I really HATE, when somebody criticise my lifestyle, just, because they read some article like this one. Some people are crazy, they believe to that informations, just because somebody wrote them to newspapers. I'm sometimes sooo desperate about that🤦
Me too! Try not to worry about them. People love to find anything 'wrong' just so they make themselves feel better. But, really it's a deep insecurity because they know they should be doing more. Keep at it. ❤️
You like deforming children for your electric cars then ruclips.net/video/ipOeH7GW0M8/видео.html
I have been using the same 3 cloth bags for 5 years! I actually found one of them on the floor of a parking lot and it has been great. 1 of them is starting to wear and I know I'll have to replace it soon. I actually think the rise in bags that do not have a square base are terrible. They are so thin and really you cannot comfortably fit a lot in it. The best way to get people to convert and stick to them is to have bags that they feel they can haul everything in! Great tips and lists!
I noticed that you didn't comment on GMO/non-GMO. 😅 I'd love to see a video on that in the future. Personally, I'm pro GMO and think people who are against it are just uninformed. GMO crops have the potential to end world hunger by increasing the resistance to freeze, drought and pests, thus increasing the yield, as well as tweak the nutritional composition (eg. golden rice). GMO is also much safer than conventional breeding since you know exactly which genes you are modifying and what those genes do, while conventional breeding is basically Russian roulette.
Well said Ellen! So many people in the sustainable & cruelty-free world are pro-"natural" and anti-gmo. They forget that sustainable also means the ability for humans to sustain themselves on less resources, which GMO crops definitely help with. Organic is also a bogus concept as organic crops are not pesticide free, they simply contain other pesticide/fertilizers that don't work as well (thus requiring more to work) and use waste from animal agriculture/slaughterhouses (definitely not sustainable!).
There was a lot to unpack in that one subheading for this video, I think there are beneficial aspects of GMOs but also drawbacks depending on the case and scenario. With everything, it's way more complex than just good or bad.
you may have a small point. however, it's my understanding that its because of GMO wheat that the cases of gluten sensitivity and allergens are on the rise. GMO crops are also not able to propagate themselves, forcing the farmer to repurchase each year. Making the nation you are trying help by sending them crops/seeds solely dependent on the sender. these companies also make the farmers but each seed even though they come in X lb bags. And if the seeds get rained out or go through a drought then the farmer gets the pleasure of re-purchasing each seed again. Again I'm not an expert, this isn't my field of study and I'm still learning about it.
I often like to point out there is a difference between large scale farming and small scale farming. It is 100% possible to grow organic using the principles of Permaculture on a small scale farm. Using heirloom seeds and seed saving is a form of self sufficiency where every season you do not have to repurchase seeds to feed your family. Rain water barrels, wells, saving water from boiling eggs or your showers can also aide in preserving water. I cannot speak on million dollar revenue farms but the every day person with 5 acres or less of land can 100% grow organically without pesticides!!! Growing your own should be spoken about more in the zero waste community rather than buying produce with "no stickers".
Unfortunately, it's not a sustainable diet for many such as me. If you have auto-immune diseases or inflammation problems or even digestive problem GMO is life-threatening and dangerous. They make our health much less manageable and increase pain significantly. I am personally Pro-Non-GMO for these reasons. I believe that instead of having to label things organic and Non-GMO that all food that doesn't meet the criteria should be the one's having to label their products GMO and Not Organic.
THANK YOU! I've been saying this for years with canvas tote bags and that's why I've decided not to sell them in my eco-friendly store even though it's the most requested item.
Nova Scotia banned plastic bags a few years back. It is great. I have reusable bags that I have used since the 1990s. It makes me happy to see the planet organic or amaranth logo from years back. So much of what the kids are calling sustainable we used call being frugal. When you are poor, you find ways to save money, use things to their end and buy less.
Have you got any written info on cooking from ingredients up rather than recipe down?
Thank you for explaining things so thoroughly and precisely-And defending organic cotton and tote bags. That article 🙄
I absolutely love reusable grocery bags. I use them for everything. Grocery shopping, clothes shopping, if I have to take something to work, if I’m going to the gym, if I’m going to the beach/pool, etc. I use my reusable bags everyday. I’ve had some of my bags for 4+ years. I’ve definitely used 85% of bags more than 100 times!
So true! Same here! They are SO versatile!
There is truth to that organic cotton statement. I work in agriculture and have spent time on cotton farms and every time I see organic cotton held on a pedestal I get so frustrated because unless you’re growing it yourself, it’s an industrial scam. Most organic cotton comes from industrial monocropped farms where ‘organic’ pesticides are applied that are super poisonous to all bugs, people, and soil, compared to the conventional pesticides that are highly targeted to the bollworm. And because the organic pesticide is not as efficient at far getting bollworms, there are smaller cotton yields for organic, raising the price, but also meaning that more land and water is wasted to produce the same amount of cotton. The only way organic cotton is better than conventional cotton is if it’s grown on a small family farm style operation intercropped with many other crops and no pesticides (organic or not) are applied.
My oldest tote bag is 9 years old. My second is about 6 years old and my third is two years old. I use two and sometimes all three at least three times a week. So way more than 140 times mentioned in the article
I like your chanel because you educate us. You don't just say something, you give us arguments. You use different perspectives to teach us smt. Thank you.
I’d love to hear more about this organic cotton debate. Organic doesn’t mean you can’t use any pesticides, you can actually still use some of the most environmentally harmful pesticides including heavy metals. Having a pesticide produced by the plant itself not only improves yields, but also decreases the number of times a tractor would need to pass over a field. Organic also doesn’t mean that you can’t irrigate, so I’m not following the argument that organic cotton would use less water. I may be missing some parts of the pro-organic argument here, but from my experience in both agriculture and plant science I think the conventional cotton argument makes total sense
Is that a peace lily behind you?? Please be careful as you have a absolutely gorgeous doggy. THE BAULBS FROM THE PLANTS ARE POISONOUS !!! Some flew over our fence during a storm and my dog ate them, it turned her blood black, paralysed her back legs and she died. Please be careful with your pup ❤️
Love your videos, so helpful!!!
As a dog owner I will keep that in mind!
My plastic bags get an average of two uses before breaking down, paper ones, about four maybe, nonwoven fabric about 100, coated fabric about 200 or more, and woven fabric totes, IDK, many hundreds I think. And if I have extra I sew with the fabric. Trying to learn plarncraft. And worn out paper bags make good compost carbon, scratch paper and construction paper.
Ive been using my bags for literally 15+ years.
6:06 omg finally! I know this video is from 2 years ago but I see a lot of people still going on about how reusable bags are bad and I have no idea why that even is a thing. They don't take into account how plastic will end up in landfills and that reusable bags can be upcycled from anything, it's only bad if you don't use it enough.
So I have to use my cotton bags for my weeks shop for 3 year to offset creation? That I can do :) most of mine are 2 year old now :)
ive used my cotton bag (calvin klein bag i got for free instead of a plastic bag) for 4 yrs, and it still looks brand new 🤷♀️ I use it for everything.
UK farmers make no money from their wool. It gets given away. It's a waste product nowadays as they are only used for the meat unfortunately. I spin and have gotten a loom to make my own materials. Wool is also a fantastic product to use for covers for babies instead of disposable nappies, as lanolin in wool changes the wee into water and Salk and the water evaporates as it dries. This means the nappies can be reused for weeks as long as poo doesn't get on them, this uses less water. Wool is also fire resistant, it also keeps you cooler in hot weather and warm in cold weather so it is great in duvets and also blankets if you don't want to turn the heating on. Socks, most people wear them but most are made from cotton or worse polyester and they are not made to last, there is no reason not to learn to knit your own, RUclips can teach people how to knit and crochet. Even some suits are made from wool. There are a lot of uses and if you make your own items you will be more likely to repair them instead of replacing them with new items. There's no point in wasting a perfectly usable material and then grown and making more.
There are also materials like ramie that are make from Chinese nettles that are a lot more absorbent than cotton.
They can even make fibres from seaweed that goes like silk but without killing silkworms.
So if I were to use the single use walmart plastic bags to put all my recyclable bottles in and throw it in the recycling bin is that bad?
Woah. Just this video proved to me I know nothing about sustainbility or about anything you’re talking about. Damn.
Is linen also a eco friendly fabric?
I bought a Hybrid in Dec. 2005 and drove it till it died 12 years later and fixing it would be more expensive than getting another vehicle. I bought a used Grand Cherokee Jeep from 1996. I average 6 to 7 thousand miles per year.
Can't wait for you to produce stuff about electric cars and breakdown the sustainability / unsustainability of things like that!
My Mom and I recycle the plastic bags from grocery stores to trash bags. Is that ok?
I totally have recycling anxiety because #1 in Oregon the garbage handlers go though your garbage and leave warning notes , they also overcharge you if your lid on the garbage isnt completely closed . Talk about invasion and overcharging ! Try no thanks . I am super careful not to buy anything i have to throw away . And i dont have garbage service
I use a cart for shopping, never bags. Done so for 23 years, still same cart. How is my footprint? Really wanna know.
I've had my totes for 10+ years so I guess I used them for like 1000 at least :)
I have a question about reusable bags. I have started to make my own out of acrylic yarn. How damaging is acrylic yarn, and do you think it's worth it?
Acrylic is a synthetic material so it will shed microplastics. However, I love the fact you want to make your own reusable bags!
I LOVE up cycling! I need some ideas for single use plastic bags.
Me too!! I've seen some people turn plastic bags into jump ropes, coasters, crafts and so much more. Do a quick google search and you'll find tons of ideas!
My oldest cotton tote is more than 35 years old.
Some are upcycled from old shirts or bed sheets.
Can you get more sustainable?
Natural Presentations are way better than acted ones. Perfection and brand personality will come with time. Don't chase away new visitors with bad acting.
I hate the tone about reusable grocery bags. Like… it’s not better to let plastic sit in landfills for a hundred years and break down into microscopic plastics that poison our soil.
Also, what about linen or hemp reusable bags instead of cotton? Besides that, I’ve reused my produce bags and insulated grocery bags weekly for three years. That’s at least 78 times, if I only use them ever other week. And they’re in excellent condition.
I'm really interested in the webinar you mention at the start of the video, but I think the link in your notes section is incorrect. Could you please provide the correct link? Thanks!
All of my reusable bags are either bags I've been gifted or the ones those organizations give you at events lol. Making them out of secondhand fabric is a more sustainable option for those that need it!
That's a great idea and I agree! If you can make it out of secondhand fabric, all the power to you.
Cotton, organic or otherwise, is and has always been an incredibly water intensive crop. It also consumes a *lot* of nutrients and minerals from the ground that isn't replenished easily. Compared to other types of fibers, plant or animal, cotton as a crop is pretty harsh to at least the local ecosystem.
Humanely and locally sourced wool or alpaca/llama fleece is the *best* fiber for the environment but that is largely unattainable for much of the world even ignoring just how much more it would cost.
I called the place I use for single stream recycling.... they said do not bag the bags, and if they are clean, toss them in.
OMGGGGG ORGANIC COTTON!!!!!!!!! Is there a way to email the author or send them this video???!!!!
RECAP:
1. *Wish-cycling.*
2. *Plastic bag in single stream recycling.*
3. *Using tote bags.* -> don’t buy a new tote bag, if you are going to buy one buy it second hand.
4. *Organic cotton.* -> water and chemical intensive crop.
5. *Buying new sustainable versions of things you already have.* -> use what you have. Don’t go buy new things.
6. *Don’t buy new cars. Try to carpool.* -> electric car? A little controversial
7. *Ride-shares.* -> you can use the pool feature and travel with larger groups of people
8. *Assuming anything vegan, organic and Non-GMO is environmentally friendly.* -> is complex and vegan doesn’t necessarily sustainable.
9. *Putting compostable and biodegradable containers into landfill instead of compost.*-> “compostable” containers are baloney, bring your own containers wherever you go.
ruclips.net/video/OCaMFvijaZc/видео.html u can clear ur misconceptions here as well!
I contend that eating local even if packaged is a smaller foot print than eating something that had to fly half way around the world and then be driven by truck to your local.
I'm excited about the webinar to cook ingredient up. But, I clicked the link and not sure it's the right one...
I would looove to know more about how good electric cars are. I've been dreaming about getting a nissan leaf for a little while whenever its time to return my lease and I stumbled upon an articles that forbes published that made me feel really uneasy about this subject so I would love to hear your input on this!!
I don't really get the organic cotton one...I mean that's not a must for going zero waste at all right? You'd just buy secondhand clothes, whatever they're made of.
Yay Nala! I'm all for her co-hosting with you!
She needs more air time.
Tip when buying meat: there's no harm in politely asking the retailer what they are doing to mitigate the climate impact of the meat product. Perhaps you will find yourself satisfied with the answer, and if not your question could prompt the retailer to take action.
Of course there's also an argument for asking retailers of vegan produce that they are doing to mitigate their climate impact, particularly if their product isn't sourced and processed locally.
Question about the tote bag - would it be considered more environmentally friendly if they were made of recycled material?
Yes, totally ^-^
would it be better to make your own re-usable bags ( if you don't have any or as they wear out)? if so then would using upholstery material be a good idea?
as for the car thing. it would be much better if car dealers/manufactures would discount "out of season" vehicles instead of parking them on a massive empty lot to rust out.
the plastic category system I find really confusing. I live in a VERY small town in the midwest ; so we don't have a lot of choices. ( seriously its small, we have 1 Walmart and 1 other grocery store..... that's it for food places...sign. and dont dget me started on the clothing shops we get to choose from.) . anyway, I find it frustrating when I want/need to get ,for example, sour cream for something ( like clotted cream for scones... sooo good...) and all I can find are containers with a number 5 or 7. If I need to get something that is in plastic I try to find the one that is a level 1 ( so it can be processed and not put into the landfill) but also doesn't have high fructose corn syrup. can you explain ,in regular language, the plastic categories? should this be something that I'm considering in the current corona climate we are in?
That "This is so wrong .. Oh God .. Oh No!" is so iconic
The dog is joining the video? Well now I'm REALLY intrigued!
Only one I don't agree with so far (even though you said what I was thinking) is the reusable bag one... I use them every time I go into the store or I just don't use them at all. I try not to get the polyester ones but my mom is the one who buys them so I don't have much of a choice.
I also wish I could get a fully electric car but we don't have much of infrastructure for it but we were able to get a hybrid instead of gas.
@@heatheralisa8658(sorry this is late lol) Electric cars are actually far more harmful for the environment since only 2% of the batteries from them were recycled. Also all the rare earth materials are harming some countries like China where they source them etc the plants don't grow anymore and the huge water waste of them so some places where it's hard to get water are suffering bc of it too.
@@nayttolleyoutube3308 Yeah currently batteries aren't that great but there is some fairly promising news that a few companies have found ways to significantly increase the ability to recycle lithium ion batteries. Not to mention that there's been some big leaps forwards with solid state batteries that in some tests wouldn't need as rare of materials and last far longer. It's still being tested and modified to find what's the best variation but things are steadily changing. We just cant change too fast since that would crash the economy and then no one can afford anything rip.
Yes to the car video you are thinking of making! That is a decision we will have to make once our current car putters out... which hopefully is a long ways away :)
Thanks for another great video!
Yes, please make the car video! I've been wanting to research how your electricity is generated will effect that equation. So if you could consider it from the aspect of all green energy production (say wind/solar), vs. mixed, vs. 100% coal, that would be amazing!
Love buying local , i especially love buying produce that is marked down because of overripeness or blemishes . Safeway takes the blemishes off and refuses to sell or give away its less desirable produce even for livestock feed or compost . I dont like that !
Meta moment; I’d simply reuse my canvas bag lol
You should comment in the blog page as well :)
man i wish more people were like you
i would love to see a video on electric cars!!
I love your channel!!!! What lip color are you wearing??
I hate articles like that, they spread misinformation among other correct tips and give off the impression that everything is soooo complicated. So a person informed on sustainability can learn something new, but someone that randomly reads it will just say "huh, these environmentalist snobs don't even know what they're talking about" and then will just go on commenting on random instagram posts "omg my plastic bag is much more sustainable, get educated plz" XD well maybe not exactly like that but you get my point hahaha. I was always a bit interested in veganism (finally became vegan a year ago) and I remember reading tons of stupid articles like that, explaining how unsustainable and horrible avocados or almonds were (compared to what...?). We must always draw the full picture, guys.
1:42 for those looking to skip to the part everyone is interested in.
I'm late to this video, but I would definitely be interested in the electric car video. I will be getting a new car in the next year or so, and want to make smart choices!
Can you do some home composting videos?! I want so badly to compost now that I own my own home. Last year was our first year in the home and I started very imperfectly composting, by that I mean I was throwing food scraps into the wood after some meals, then on days it was raining I tried freezing it until a nice day. Then I would leave it in the freezer till it was full and would lead me to lazily throw out scaps ☹ (it hurts me to write, I don't want to do that). Anyways, I need a good composting system that I don't have to bring outside daily, it won't smell in the mean time. And when it is outside its not unsightly. I'm currently just throwing it over the fence into the woods... so the bright red pepper scraps, etc. Are garish. Please help!
You got it!
Yes! I am on the fence with doing one...plus I live in Ohio....what do you do with it in winter?
REusable bags: Make sure your cloth bags are washed after use. ONe of the favorite homes for e-Coli.
Hi, could you link any good videos/articled about this topic? I want to swich to reusable bags and I want to know how to take care of them well ^-^
I am from Russia. Your videos is so interesting.
I love this style of video!
thank you for sharing
People kept gifting me the cute reusable bags they sell like at the front of TJ Maxx and Marshall’s and I’ve always just used those. A few weeks ago one of mine that I’ve been using for about 12 years started falling apart and I was looking at it and realized they’re made of plastic 5 and I’m just so confused now on all my decisions because like… what next? Anyway I won’t be buying anymore of those but also will keep using the others till they disintegrate like my blue one did.
I'm trying to use my bike more going on in my journey. I hate rideshare apps so expensive, the bus right now i think is free. I'd rather take the bus and leave earlier.
You don't say why organic cotton uses less water and I couldn't find any reputable sources saying that. Are we supposed to believe it cause you said so? Im really not trying to hate. I just think having good sources and sharing them is crucial.
Thank you for this video! Very informative and I learned some new things. Looking forward to watching some of your other videos.
Glad it was helpful!
4:19 are you saying tote bags aren't actually more environmentally friendly than plastic bags? Because that's kinda the alternative. Consider most people will take one or more new plastic bag(s) every single shopping trip and that's generally at least every week and several times a week is common. At least that's my experience and observation. Dont you think the amount of bags used matter? Especially when the ones with higher number is that damaging in nature and often "strays"
Tote bags are far more energy intensive to make than disposable plastic bags, and emit higher levels of greenhouse gases per bag. So you have to use them over and over again to break even. However, unlike plastic bags they are biodegradable and don't cause plastic associated pollution. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much, maam
Okay but you are super pretty you remind me of Anne Hathaway 😂
The bag thing is crazy to me like, if you don’t reuse the bag obviously it’s not environmentally friendly…
Exactly! Like, reusing the bags are so much better and reduces the impact.
Imperfect produce doesn't go to waste, it goes into soups, smoothies, pies, etc. This is the most annoying prevalent theory I've run into that's just incorrect. What is the carbon footprint of that box?
Really nice video ... thanks for such a nice information
I think what they mean about assuming vegan things are environmentally innocent is that technically pleather is vegan. I don’t want pleather shoes. They don’t last long and are just plastic which will end up as microplastics in five years. I’d rather get woven shoes or used leather shoes.
The idea that pleather or PU leather is worse than cow skin leather is false. There was a huge analysis of fashion items and their environmental impact (see Earthling Ed’s video ‘animals and fashion’ for a breakdown) and PU still far less damaging. Think about it - how much does it take to raise an animal to be large enough to kill, then to turn a part of their dead body into a product that won’t rot? The amount of water, land, land to grow the food, and food used to raise these animals is ridiculous. People working at these tanneries get skin diseases and more because of the chemicals used. But even if you’re worried about PU, there’s cactus leather, apple leather, pineapple etc which still contains plastic but is longer lasting. Cork is also great. And more people are experimenting with other leathers, some of which are even compostable (but they’re pretty expensive).
And all that isn’t even mentioning the ethics! If we wouldn’t wear dog leather, why should we wear cows?