My biggest regret is thinking it was more sustainable to make as many of our toiletries as possible. Had a miserable couple of years. Most things we’ve swapped have stood up well. We switched to steel water bottles when my oldest was starting Kindergarten and she turns 21 this week. I still have the same water bottle. Same with napkins. Switched from paper towels and napkins to cloth about 12 years ago and I just composted the first set of cotton napkins that were very ugly after 12 years of use. Functional sustainability doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing.
Uhhh, making cosmetics 🙈 I fell down that rabbit hole too, and now have a bunch of ingredients slowly expiring in a box because life got too busy for me to continue... I feel so guilty about the waste 🙈
making care products and cosmetics was a dark time in the zero waste movement 💀 but absolutely AMEN, sustainable living isn't always pretty, but heck it
@@Gittemary To be fair, the face cream formula I developed works better for my skin than any cream I had from the store. The problem is that in order not to waste the ingredients (since I can't buy only as much as I need), I should make other things with them, which also call for other ingredients and so it goes on...
I've often tried to remember first what my grandparents did: for instance, before the tupperware invention, they used their small and large bowls with a saucer or plate as a lid to keep food leftovers, so I've never bought beewax wraps. They always hang dried their laundry, so I've never bought a dryer. But I do use a washing machine, because it's a huge time saver. My favourite soap is green olive oil soap, I love a brush to wash the dishes, I still use pretty cotton handkerchiefs (except for a really bad viral cold), and in the kitchen we prefer basic, traditional metal or wooden utensils rather than those little fancy plastic gadgets that are trendy but never last. And I love vintage things/clothes/linen/furniture not just because they remind me of my childhood but also because they are such good quality and beautiful.
Yes on the wax wraps, same here with the beyond icky disintegration! Also the wool balls made my washing stink like sheep so that was a hard No from the first wash.... They now are played with by my kids as house balls because they're pretty soft and don't damage anything when thrown overly hard 😂
I really like the message of this video because it shows how we all try our best but all fail sometimes. I think not having a lot of money helps a lot to not buy stuff we don't need. My favorite example is metal tupperware. I found one of my favorite tupperwares in a box on the street. Just ran it through the dishwasher real hot. You could also thrift them. Buying a new metal container isn't better than thrifting a plastic one. I love that in germany we have lots of places where you can get almost everything for free and can bring stuff you don't need anymore. Another of my favorite examples are safety razors. I can't use them due to issues with sh. So I have one with an interchangeable head. Its not perfect, its not zero waste but it is what works for me. If we all do our bests we do way more than most people. Lets keep that in mind.
I tried SO many different ways of storing my food, from glass containers with plastic lids to silicone bags to wax wraps to the plate over the bowl thing and realized that I genuinely preferred using mason jars for everything. I’ve gotten all of my jars second-hand (mostly from buy nothing groups) and while I’ve had to purchase rings and lids, it’s been the best thing for me to use. If I forget to clean out one of my jars and I get mold, all I have to toss is the lid & it’s super easy to replace them when I need to. I also got a ton of beautiful antique handkerchiefs from a buy nothing group! The really delicate & hand-embroidered ones will eventually be framed and displayed as art because they’re truly so stunning (there’s one that was hand-embroidered with silk floss)! The rest get cycled through, mainly to cry into in therapy, and I can confidently say that ugly crying in therapy is much nicer with a pretty handkerchief.
Food storage tip: Most veggies keep the best just loose in the fridge, no packaging necessary. If you leave sliced tomatoes and avocados uncovered, they develop a pelical (basically the exposed part dries out) that will keep the flesh underneath fresh for a surprisingly long time. Then just slice off the thin "skin" and use the rest.
I love these! There are sadly times of the year (like now) when drying clothes outside isn't practical in my bit of the UK, so my whole house ends up draped in clothes drying over banisters and radiators and the tumble dryer is kept for bedding and blankets that need to be dried the same day. A quick PSA: be careful using wooden drying racks as they can mark clothing or start to grow mould!
I don't understand your comment. I lived in the Wigan basin (where the cotton mills were because of the damp climate) for 12 years in 2 different houses. I used the wooden racks all the time without a problem. Neither house had central heating and I would keep the windows open in the bathroom for air flow.
I've heard the best way to dry clothes indoors is to set up a rack in the bathroom and open the window or put the fan on. It's apparently air flow that dries clothes, not the heat
We got the bamboo curlery as company swag from an employer and I gotta say we use tgem all the time. Something about the cuteness of the bag triggers a motherly instinct in me to bring them into the house to wash, dry and restow in the car picnic basket. Before I never remembered to take the thrifted cutlery back to car . they just went back into the silverware drawer
One thing I regret buying was those fritter / cotton wipes for face cleaning. I used them maybe 5 times. I don't wear make up, I don't do face beauty routines. I fI have to clean my face I used a washing cloth or just my hand. So I gave them to my niece who just started wearing mascara and lipgloss and needed some wipes.
Thank you for talking about the bamboo toothbrushes! I’ve had a similar experience. They would really irritate the insides of my mouth and some of the bristles hurt my gums too. I recently switched to a toothbrush by the Humble Co (not exactly positive how sustainable they are), but the difference was AMAZING. There has to be a way to be sustainable and treat our teeth right.
Cool, had the same issue. In Germany, the cosmetic store chaine Rossmann has their own brand alterra, that works for me, but maybe I’ll try humble brush as well!
I loved Alterra as well, it was the first that I tried and I think the best as well. The first toothbrush that had bristles that aren't too hard for me (including the plastic brushes as well), but aren't too soft either. I'm now at my second brush from Humble Co, since I don't live near a Rossmann anymore, but I really hope that they're as sustainable as they claim, cause I find them very pricey
@@jankorebeka4997 yes, I hope, ecofriendly companies live up to what they claim… its difficult to weigh each action, there are a lot of ecofriendly products out there, that might be a good switch for conventional things in the mainstream shops, but does ordering it online negate this positive impact…
Okay, the bamboo toothbrush experience sounds AWFUL!! I can't imagine the pain endured from it, yikes. As for the dryer balls--as someone with severe allergies to dust and pollen, I have no choice but to use a tumble dryer. Do I think they reduce drying time--no. However, something I have noticed is if I use them with certain clothing types, it does make a significant reduction in the amount of wrinkles, therefore eliminating the need to use an iron or steamer on them, so that's a win. And I'm not walking around with a dryer sheet sneaking out of my pant leg LOL My biggest sustainability mistake was making my own laundry detergent. We have hard water and it wasn't dissolving properly, it made my clothes smell if it sat for a while--and it clogged our main drain to our home as well as broke our washing machine to the point it couldn't be repaired. Ooops.
The wool balls actually did significantly reduce the drying time for me, and I also experiece that they remove static and they also keep clothes from getting all tangled up in eachother it seems like. I really like them- I also have to use a tumble dryer bc I live in a VERY small apartment and we aren't allowed to dry our clothes outside (no space to inside).
I made some of those beeswax wraps myself. I can't say I ever liked using them. I do like the wool dryer balls because they keep the static out of my clothes. One has to have a bunch of them to work well. I have been using mine for 10 to 15 years.
I still use and love my wool dryer balls! I mostly only use my dryer for towels occasionally (like every second or third wash.) I feel like the dyer balls make them come out softer. Also, the wax wraps are so funny to me! My mom made me some several years ago and I literally never used them. I have never bought plastic wrap in my entire life and we didn't really use it growing up because we put leftovers in containers in the fridge and used plates to cover bigger containers that didn't have lids. So I don't know why my mom thought I needed these because they replace something that I have never used! 😂
Haha, basically the same stuff you mentioned: wax wraps, dental tabs and homemade tooth paste made with coconut oil and turmeric, bamboo brushes, but also soap nuts…. My favorite zero waste products I use for about 15 years are a shattaf / bidet function for the toilet, safety razor, and of course reusable water bottle and containers. Menstrual cup used to work quite good for me as well, but now I prefer period panties 😄
PS - I take a container from home, wrap some utensils in a cloth napkin and secure it with a found and washed hair tie. instant take out container that didn't cost anything.
I made my own wax wraps a few years ago and still use it for specific applications. When the wax cracks too much, I line a baking sheet with aluminium foil (and retain for future use), open the wax wrap onto the foil and heat it in oven at about 90°C for a minute or two until the wax is melted. Then remove from oven and very carefully lift the fabric at tips of two corners and hold it in the air for a few minutes. Totally refreshed! For storing premade or leftover food in fridge I use either glass bottles or cover the dishes with a plate. Works very well.
Wax wraps - never bought one, but made some out of cheese wax (parrafin based, requires less maintenance than bees wax). Have used every day since - about 3 years - to store cheeses (already plastic wrapped, just need protection from drying out) in my fridge :) Tooth tabs - never tried them. Good dental care is a priority for me, I am happy to use one tube of toothpaste per year and send it to TerraCycle via my low waste store. I see this as like the plastic straw thing... people made mountains out of a small waste source when there are bigger things to tackle. Lunch kits - bought one before going low waste, lives in my bag, use it losts. Never regretted (mine is made out of plastic so is light and doesn't add to the weight of my handbag substantially - have added a few of my own items including chopsticks etc since). Tumble drying - here in Australia line drying is the norm and accessible for most people, a washing line is included with nearly all freestanding dwellings. I haven't had access to a tumble dryer for over 20 years. Never missed it. Poor quality "low waste" products... I still use a normal toothbrush. I need 'extra soft' bristles and the low waste ones seem to not have that option, but in any case no toothbrushes have been thrown away in my house for ten years... they become cleaning and art supplies after use. My disposable razors last over a year, I get new packs second hand now - my level of use doesn't justify production of a safety razor. Regrets - 6 pack of metal straws. I'm a straw muncher and silicone is better for looking after my teeth when I still forget it's not plastic, but they weren't as widely available when I bought my reusable straws. I never really needed them as I have a selection of plastic straws I have saved to reuse (I use my straw cleaner to wash them well).
I'm glad you mentioned the bees wax dish covers. I have 3 and although they still work great, I wondered if they'd get too sticky eventually. So, now I know not to get any more, because I'm probably never going to relax them..etc
Thanks for the Leaf razor recommendation. I hate my current Bambu one as I keep cutting myself and have slipped back to disposables every now and again. Going to ask Santa to get me a new Leaf one!
So true about the wax wraps. They degrade rather quickly, I find it challenging that I had to only hand wash them (I need to use the dishwasher most of the time based on my life). I'd rather use reusable glass or silicone.
I bought a couple of tins of metal cutlery. I took out the straw cleaning brush and the chop sticks and added a teaspoon. I put them in a reusable bag with a couple of keep cups, hand sanitiser, napkins, sunscreen, a couple of foldable cloth sun hats and a couple of zip lock bags (we wash and reuse them and they are handy if we want to bring food home) and every time we go out I put it in the back of the car so we have everything we might need. Happy with this investment.
I use an electric toothbrush where i only have to replace the top, as found bamboo brushes werent good for my teeth, dont use a safety raze anymore as injured my hand when ii dropped one once and had to be all bandaged up, i use electric razer for most things and a disposable razer for others, i e face as having lazer but take care of it and use for as long as possible and downgrade it to less sensitive places when it becomes worn, important to find what works for you
I'm glad to see people being more honest and calling out the BS aspects of zero waste. (๑⚆‿⚆) For me, although I don't regret trying many zero waste items, it took me a bit to find the right brands or quality. So, even though the products I didn't like still got used, I spent a bit more money than I needed to. ʅ(๑´⌓`๑)ʃ I love videos like this because it helps me consider what I'm buying much more carefully. (๑•‿•๑)
Thanks for being honest about where you’ve changed your mind or maybe made mistakes in the past, it’s rare for content creators to do that! RE the ‘sustainable eating out kit’ or whatever you want to call it. I do agree for the most part, that products are pushed to help you be more sustainable, hit consumption in its nature is inherently unsustainable. However the cutlery set that my sibling gifted me a few years ago has got a lot of use. I’ve found it very handy to have some cutlery on the go, and the wrap keeps them clean and free from pocket lint or other debris from my bag etc, and it’s cute so I enjoy getting it out and using it. And it means I haven’t had to pick up disposable cutlery since having it. But I know what you’re getting at is the idea that you don’t *need* a kit for these things, it’s just encouraging us to be lazy about our sustainability. Keep up the good work Gittemary!
1) Wax wraps - I failed at using these too. I'm likely going to get rid of them too. 2) Tooth tabs - I'll have to watch that video. I had been concerned about the toothpaste packaging, so I do have some tooth tabs. 3) To-go utensils - I didn't get into those. I'll skip them. :) 4) Wool laundry balls - I've had mine for at least 10 years. I bought them to cut out dryer sheets. I have hard water and without them, our clothes don't come out at nice. I do use a clothesline to dry laundry, especially bulky items that would take extra time in the tumble dryer. But I have a dryer that supposedly senses how much drying time you need. But I also have solar panels on my house and use the dryer, when needed, on sunny days. 5) Bamboo toothbrushes - we use them. I've never had any issues with them. 6) Safety razors - I have one that you replace the razor part, not the whole thing, not wholly disposable. I feel okay that I've reduced my waste since I've had for about 15 years. I'm trying to make shampoo bar soaps work for me. But I haven't been able to yet. I don't want the plastic shampoo bottles.
i always use my wool dryer balls. They're a much better replacement for laundry sheets to reduce static. Didn't realize they were advertised as being able to reduce drying time.
A pair of stainless steel straws, I never used plastic straws so there really was no reason to suddenly get stainless ones and then I was also afraid the kids would ram them down their throats, so I decluttered them again. Typical example of trying to consume myself to sustainability with a totally unnecessary purchase
I bought a pack of wax wraps and used my large one once. I was unimpressed with it's ability to cover and maintain the seal over my bowl in the fridge. I never used any of the other ones, or that big one again.. that was some 5 or so years ago. I found silicone covers that stretched over my lidless bowls, and have been pleased with using those instead. I do still use the wool balls, when I tumble dry my bedding. It does seem to keep the layers separated to some degree, so the sheets aren't folding and twisting over themselves as bad. This has seemed to make it so that one cycle is sufficient for drying them, and reduces my need to pull the sheets out to untangle and redo the tumble dry cycle. I do hang dry most other clothes with plenty of success, as well.
I love the wax wraps, I use them mostly when travelling, to take snacks/sandwiches with me and wrap snacks/foods when travelling and having no access to other containers. I also use them to cover bowls and containers with no lid in the fridge = they rarely get in touch with moist foods. This way, they have been lasting me for years.
I also misused the beeswax wraps! Mine likewise began smelling bad even before the wax started flaking. And I really didn't like washing them, so would put that off... Personally, I am still trying to find the right balance between new well made clothes and second hand (sometimes including secondhand fast fashion). Some expensive clothes don't last at all, but really trick you before purchase.
Been hanging clothes outside since 70s,use 1/2 amount of detergent and sprinkle of borax. Used to use tumbler if rain caught me but hasn't been run in 13 years. Bought picnic basket at resale, stocked it with plastic plates,glasses, cutlery and cloth napkins or washcloth and put in trunk 25 yrs ago... countless spontaneous picnics from deli markdowns rather than drive through. Jeans last 15 years but now retired so wear scrub pants which dry quickly. Am a knitter again but alpaca and wool are expensive unless you get raw fleece from hyper local people and process it myself. Use hair clippers from when cut son's hair to do legs,so far lasted 15 years. Use manager markdown milk to make yogurt and lemon soft cheese spread or milk bread. This is how lived on $600/mo til disability came through. Helps bought fixer upper in 2010 for cash. Not restoring as fast as planned but no pne plans for disability! Just do the best you can.
I love my stashers but I never put them in the washing machine. The problem with silicone is that it starts to smell funky if you put it in a washer. I boil water and add vinegar and clean it that way. To the wax wraps-omg I hated them and felt so bad about it. Regarding toothbrush. I have raised gums so I never stoped using Curaprox. Health is my #1 priority and keeping my teeth:)
If you catch planes a lot the bamboo cutlery is useful particularly with knifes and meeting safety regulations for air travel. Otherwise an easy clean metal container and metal cutlery is the best option.
Years ago I bought a wooden bag drying stand for when you wash and reuse plastic bags. It was completely unnecessary: I could have just hung them on the indoor clothesline. It holds necklaces now.
Very true! I really liked the toothtabs, but our zero-waste shop closed over a year ago 😢. Regarding the wooden cutlery: if one keeps cutlery in their bag, incase they needed it and often goes to events where bags are looked into, wooden cutlery might be the best choice.
I never heard that dryer balls are supposed to dry your clothes faster, I thought their purpose was to replace dryer sheets as a more environmentally friendly way of getting your clothes static free. And for this they work wonderfully they also help towels be extra fluffy so they absorb well. I live someplace that is damp most of the time so line drying stuff is not an option unless it's small things I can do inside. You might ask how did my ancestors get things to be dry then they would dry it in front of the fire which I don't need to do anymore because I don't live without Central heating. I do line dry a lot in the summer when it's a little bit less humid. But when clothes go musty before they actually dry it's a bad sign that you need a dryer.
I've been trying the ZW lifestyle for a solid three years now. A lot of products have been working out really well for me, but here are the following I have given up on: ZW toothpaste and bamboo toothbrushes: I'm back to normal plastic toothpaste and toothbrushes from Target. They're just more affordable and also work better. Wax wraps: I actually still use these, but I agree I didn't need to buy them. I don't like them having contact with food, but I occasionally use them as cover-ups for bowls and they are also useful for wrapping in toiletries (like shampoo bars, which I still use) when traveling. Reusable to-go utensils: These aren't necessarily useless, but since the pandemic, I just don't eat out or get coffee that much anymore.
Gittemary, I am so sorry to hear about your experience with bamboo toothbrushes. That seems really awful... 😢 I never tried bamboo toothbrushes but I have one from a brand called Lamazuna that I really like. The handle of the toothbrush is made from a castor oil type of plastic and the heads are replaceable. Maybe you will like them too...
Same here on the waxed cloth, went back to my glass bowls and the dryer balls, bought a clothes line instead. I live in Texas sun & heat we have in abundance.
I'm here in the US, where I am at least, we can't air dry our clothes outside, and my apartment is so tiny that while i do have a drying rack it takes forever to dry anything and its not enough space for all my clothes (I do my laundry in one bigger load once per month to save on washing. i rewear a lot so one month is plenty) Anyway a tumble dryer is my best bet, and the wool balls (I was actually gifted them, didnt buy them) DO cut down on drying, and I tumble on low heat bc its better for the life of the clothes so that cut down in time is super important to me. I still air dry things if they come out not quite dry or if its very delicate or i hand washed it. But tumble drying is necessary (right now) in my life and so I could never regret (not buying) the wool dryer balls. Though, if I hadn't been gifted them, I would buy wool seconds/unwashed wool scraps (the stuff they can't easily use to create textiles) and try cleaning and felting the balls myself. I don't foresee ever needing new ones, but if I do I will do it that way, or second hand if I happen to see them.
I used bamboo toothbrushes for years and they kept triggering coldsores in the corner of my mouth from being too scratchy. I moved to a toothbrush by a brand called Lamazuna with replaceable heads made of bioplastic and love them!
About safety razors, I did buy one like 5 o 4 years ago, and recently I was starting to get little cuts every time, and then the blades literally lasted 1 shave , and at first I thought it was the blade, which it was funny because they were good quality blades. I recently went to visit my grandma and found my grandpa's safety razor, and I took it back home and since then I have never cut myself again. It was the razor and not the blades the ones failing for some reason. But I'm super happy now because I get to have something he used a lifetime, and now I get to use it a lifetime too 😊
I nearly got on the beeswax wrap and dryer ball train a while ago, but now thankful that I didn't... I did however have a bamboo toothbrush for a while. These days in Australia there are actually more sustainable options on the market, and I also didn't particularly enjoy the sensory feel of bamboo in my mouth 🤷🏼♀️
I had a safety razor, that worked quite well, not really more cuts than before. I kept it hanging on the metal shower basket and both metals reacted, and bits of metal flaked off the razor… so I bought a new one off Wilkinson, thinking, razor company knows what they’re doing, and when there are ones in local shops, I should buy it there and not get one online, less packaging etc. but now I get so many cuts…
Video topic request? I travel a few times a year for work and its consuming 90% fast food during that time. Would you be interested in doing a video on what to look for to waste the least? Zero waste isnt goung to happen but what should we be looking for?
As someone who's still fairly new to buying eco friendly / sustainable products, it's good to see that people have realised that you don't need a special set of cutlery. I tried to see where that would be applicable in my life, as I've always wondered where people are eating, where bringing your own cutlery might be a good idea, and couldn't work it out. I have cutlery at home and cutlery in my desk drawer at work. Everywhere else I eat, cutlery is provided! The thing that really made me laugh was watching a video where a girl was talking about how great it was that she'd found a company that sold 're-usable tissues'. Oh my god, you mean .... a handkerchief! Wow! I've tried dentatabs, and they were ok, but just made a load of drool that instantly fell out of my mouth. In the end I just wanted to crush them up and use them as a powder. I really want them to work, because they are the only toothpaste with packaging that I'm happy with.
The reusable cutlery is good for take away - it avoids getting the plastic or bamboo ones. A lot of coffee shops in Australia stopped using any reusable items during "the bug" and haven't started washing up again yet - my local coffee shop only uses disposable everything.
I wish that the intense humidity in my region was less so that I could hang dry my clothes. As it is, we hang dry about half of them and they take so long to dry that some days I end up having to rewash them because they're musty wet smelling
Can you recommend options for toothbrushes you now use please? I didn't use my stasher bag for years, but have just discovered the best use for it is marinating tofu as I know it's not going to drip like a regular plastic bag, and I can do it over and over with just the one. But it took me years to find the use for it.
My biggest regret has been using a shampoo and conditioner bar. Currently, I am using HiBar's Volumize shampoo and conditioner, but I have also used the Moisturize collection about two years ago. It has damaged my hair quite a bit as loved ones have pointed out that they see a lot of baby hairs floating on the top of my head as well as white gunky flakes. Also, my scalp is currently so itchy and broken out, and I am trying to find an eco-friendly replacement. Any recommendations for thin, wavy, and sensitive hair is welcome. Thank you!
I recommend Lush Big salt shampoo for an itchy flakey scalp - it’s amazing. And Glory conditioner for wavy hair. Both products are very sustainable and the containers can be reused by returning them to the store.
I have two regrets, both involving laundry. First, I made my own laundry detergent. It was very inexpensive, and I felt like I was helping the environment. That is, until I realized that after only a few months our clothes were rapidly losing their quality. They were fading unevenly, and the threads seemed weaker. The second regret is that last year I bought several brands of washer sheets, again to reduce my family's effect on the environment. After two months, we realized that we had to use 3-4 times as many sheets as recommended because the sheets weren't getting the clothes clean, and even then, just a day after washing, an odor would linger. Now I only use the washer sheets for rags.
For dental health I use The dirt's toothpowder and it has worked great. when my teeth are feeling a bit sensative (thank you chemotherapy for that lovely side effect) I use a tiny bit of my mom's sensadone tooth paste. And I do admit it, I wash and reuse my dental floss. I mean its my teeth and no one else's so reusing a couple of times before composting, yep. it's a thing. I also reuse my mayo plastic and peanut butter jars over glass ones when going to the grocery store due to weight and breakage issues.
Yep, I have a selection of plastic containers I take for low waste shopping, for the items where produce bags/calico bags don't work well. I store my dental floss in a little container I found in a thrift store that's tooth shaped (it's gorgeous) until it's no good for reuse.
Hi Gittemarie! Thank you for this video. I air dry all my clothes, but then put them in the dryer for 10 minutes to fluff them. If I don't do this, all the clothes are wrinkled and stiff. I'd love to be able to just air dry them, but the clothes wouldn’t really be comfortable if I did that. I don’t know if the problem is my washer or water. I don’t have very hard water, so I don't think that’s the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or even washing machine recommendations for when mine breaks because it’s not great and wears down the clothes quickly. Thank you!
My biggest regret is buying my husband a really nice reusable water bottle knowing that he’s the most forgetful sod about town, and he left it on a train within a couple of months 🙃 In his defence, he’s been using my old one since then and hasn’t lost it (nearly a year!) so I can’t be too mad!! 🤣 Sorry, I know that’s not exactly what you were asking for! The only eco product I regret buying was the wool drier balls that are still sitting in my cupboard, having been used once at the laundromat. I'd also heard that the research around them is (forgive me for this) a bit 'wooly' but not until after I'd already bought them. And then we decided to stop using the laundromat anyway and start air-drying our clothes. Other than that I've fortunately had great success with eco swaps for the most part! 🙌🏻💕
oh nonono, tumble dryer is a game changer. For whole my almost 30 years of life I didn't know anyone with tumblle dryer, never seen it never used it. But my fiance has dust allergy, tumble dryer is collecting particles of clothes and there is sooo much less dust around the house now! Also I don't have to step over drying rack and don't have to have this "decoration" in my home. Also I always hated putting those wet clothes one by one to drying rack and then folds clothes the next day (or week). Now the process is so much more covienient and painless
I have one of those cuttlery kits in my handbag, because I wouldn't take my metal "at home" ones outside the house. I got them as a present for my 18th birthday, I love them, and that's why I have a different set including chopsticks and a spoon for outside eating. I use those at work when eating at my desk or whenever I need them in public. But I can see how one should use their "at home" stuff for that, if it fits their needs :)
Ohh yeah buying cheap safety razor...I used one like a cheese slicer on my ankle 😅 My bf bought one for his beard and head and the quality! It bends the razor blade a bit which makes it so much safer to use. I dont know if the brand itself is sustainable and I don't remember what it is, but I dont think I'll ever buy another one. Unless I happen to loose it during a move or sth. 😅
I regret using Urtekram toothpaste just because the brand is supposed to be eco-friendly. Fortunately I used the one that had fluoride, but it still had too little fluoride in it. It baffles me that they proudly sell fluoride-free toothpaste as well. I have since then moved away from it to use toothpaste that has appropriate amount of fluoride in it. I hope I didn't do too much damage to my teeth in those couple of years.
im using a jordan* toothbrush which is supposedly made of recycled plastics and is boxed in paper, though i wasn't able to find any 3rd party sites verifying the legitimacy of the company. toothbrush works fine though!
I liked the idea of beeswax cloths, but found them (including home made ones) too hard to clean - especially since hot water and scrubbing isn't allowed and sweater lint loves to stick! 😣 I'm very happy with bamboo toothbrushes and I used to like the dental tabs when I could buy them from zero waste shops too - my dentist didn't look pleased when I showed them + dental powder but had nothing bad to say about my dental hygene so I cant complain about their efficiency. Since discovering Banish's BRAD recycling program (Sydney), I have felt less bad about buying toothpaste tubes. Re laudry sheets - I fell for their greenwashing promotion but will not buy them again as they didn't work on sweat... My picnic forks are the plastic ones from Thai airways meals though I'm not sure you're supposed to take those? 😅 Otherwise I use the single use cutlery from my flatmates takeaway orders... As much as I try to inspire other people (especially flatmate), you still have to live with their bad habits and unsustainable choices... A video on how to deal with that would be useful 😂
My biggest regrets: beeswax wrap, tin/stainless steel containers, small see-through cotton bags to carry fruit and verggies in in the supermarket (I literally never used them and now just place my food on the carrier belt), stainles steel/bamboo straws (never used them), bamboo tooth brush (switched to an electric toothbrush), stainless steel safety razor (now use a reusable lady shaver). Part of my regrets are due to me simply having changed my routine into one that is better suited to me but other regrets are due to the products simply not beeing useful at all - like the cotton bags to carry fruit.. Those fruits and veggies have already been through hell and back before landing up in the supermarket. That its temporarily going n a diry conveyer belt before landing in my fridge really wont make a difference.
I bought the leafshave twig razor showed in the video, lile u said I wanted a long lasting quality product, I also liked how it has a single edge. It broke down, came apart after 2 years. I bought a very cheap estimately 8$ safety razor that works the same, its double edged but its ok Need to ne careful tho bc I cut my hand pretty bad 2x reaching into my toiletry bag with the corner edge but the shaving is pretty much same. I regret buying the leafshave one
I regret my safety razors/shavers... they got ugly fast and rusty and decidedly unhealthy to use. Researched for a long time each time which one to buy and just got disappointed so many times. Now I have a shavermachine that can be cleaned thats better for me 😊
I use Truthpaste, a proper toothpaste, not a tab formula. They are organic, vegan, cruelty free, and have a return scheme for the packaging (this reduces their carbon footprint by 60%) - which is a glass jar with an aluminium lid. Personally I keep my empty jars as they are ever so handy!
I get a soft bristle green and kind bamboo toothbrush never had issues with it the only thing with it is you need to pay more attention to corners of teeth. I brought a so called sustainable brand of deodorant from wild at the chemist and straight away noticed my sinuses playing up I have sensitivities to perfumes I’m fine with most natural oils in products but not artificial scents. Wild deodorant is all chemical not plant/ natural derived and artificial synthetic scents. Set my allergies off. The tough canisters are a good concept especially in purses handbags backpacks but do require maintenance for hygiene it’s the ingredients they totally flopped at. I like the cardboard containers better but they don’t like certain conditions only industrial waste grade composting but not available in the majority of areas in my country. But still a better option. I wouldn’t put the synthetic chemicals in a compost for the wild deodorant refill. Total regret pure greenwashing.
I don't think I have product regrets, because I started my zerowaste/sustainability journey as a broke student and was thinking through every purchase. Aside from maybe some shampoos and deodorants that didn't work well for me, or some tooth brushes that had too hard bristles, but you never really know those things before you try a product for the first time. Some routines are a learning curve though. I guess the reusable produce bags are kind of not useful because I usually forget to bring them. So then I either put the label directly on the produce or get a thin plastic bag from the store. I don't buy trashbags because I reuse the small plastic bags from the store that come with different foods.
My biggest regret rn i think is wild deo. I hate how it leaves white marks badly. I have tried a few more eco deos so looking for more to try. Other things inc wax wraps. Laundry sheets i tried 4 brands they never really work so i went back to washing powder in a cardboard box.
I hate bamboo toothbrushes. I haven't had bits of wood coming off but bristles do and I worry about swallowing them. Also, I took one camping and it went mouldy, eek. An electric toothbrush is better for my mouth and I have learned to live with the shame.
i tried tooth tabs for a few years, and i didnt realize that fluoride wasnt in them. I got FOUR cavities. After switching back to normal toothpaste, im happy to report that no new cavities. Fluoride can be really good for your teeth's enamel, so i will not be going back
Did i get it right? You dont use tumble dryer but use a dishwasher? Dishwashers use a big amount of water and electricity too bec of the temp feature, which is same as in dyers. Where im from, handwashing dishes is the norm. I say just wash the dishes immediately after use so they dont pile up.
You did get that right, I use a dishwasher - because most modern dishwashers actually use less water than washing my hand. The main reason why I don't use a dryer is because it wears down the clothes and shortens the lifespan - while also taking up resources.
The Leaf razor has been such a disappointment. This much money for something that broke so fast. The "springs" that gives the wanted shape stopped working after 10 months of very occasional shaving. 😅 That's a big regret.
Off the topic, but people may not know that Amazon often destroys returned goods even if they are in a good condition. Please be mindful with your purchases❤
In some cases (rarely) you can find toothpastes in aluminium/metal tube. I think It could be a good step to make a lot bigger toothpastes to not buy them so often or pack them like cremes. It sounds easy. Why don't some brand do that? Or maybe yes? It's me who don't know.
Yes! I’ve been using David’s toothpaste (USA) and that’s their model and you can request that they only send the metal tube of paste; no lid, no tube key or box, after the first time. Loved it, until they reduced the size of their tube by almost a full ounce for the same price.
@@Britbec Wanted to try David's, but the price has put me off. You're right -- it's such a small tube! Been using Tom's of Maine, but the tube is plastic. It's not cheap either, but less than David's, which I would have to order online because no one around here carries it. Sigh.
Soapnuts is another produkt thst is not neded. Swedish cosumer magazine (råd och rön) showen cleanimg with only water in machine makes clothes just as clean. Soap nuts are grown and transported and makes no use.
This might just be a me problem, but if I hang dry my clothes, it leaves them smelling weird. It's like they catch all the funky smells from the air 😅. Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution?
Outside is fine, weather permitting, but if hang drying indoors I aim a fan at the clothes to speed drying. I either open the nearest window if not too cold out, or put a dehumidifier on to avoid dampness in the house.
Not so much that, but I do need to be careful with my days as someone with hayfever (line drying on warm windy days is best for drying but worst for pollens!). I have friends who tumble dry sheets for that reason - they wake up feeling ok not all groggy and congested. I just deal with it as best I can :)
I think you really had a bad toothbrush karma. Maybe it was due to the fact that you started your sustainability journey before it got more trendy, because I have bought the first type of bamboo toothbrushes I saw in Rossmann and I really liked it, I did the same in DM as well (I think these were both their own brands), I had one from I think Colgate and I also tried Humble Brush which was the most expensive from these and I have never encountered this problem. My problem is that if you live with more people and you put your toothbrushes in one cup, the water that comes off of them turns the wood black at the bottom of the brush. So I have plastic ones with changable heads at my parents' place and a wooden one at my dorm, because there I can avoid the problem as I dry the excess water from my brush after every use with a towel
My biggest regret is thinking it was more sustainable to make as many of our toiletries as possible. Had a miserable couple of years. Most things we’ve swapped have stood up well. We switched to steel water bottles when my oldest was starting Kindergarten and she turns 21 this week. I still have the same water bottle. Same with napkins. Switched from paper towels and napkins to cloth about 12 years ago and I just composted the first set of cotton napkins that were very ugly after 12 years of use. Functional sustainability doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing.
Uhhh, making cosmetics 🙈 I fell down that rabbit hole too, and now have a bunch of ingredients slowly expiring in a box because life got too busy for me to continue... I feel so guilty about the waste 🙈
making care products and cosmetics was a dark time in the zero waste movement 💀 but absolutely AMEN, sustainable living isn't always pretty, but heck it
@@Gittemary To be fair, the face cream formula I developed works better for my skin than any cream I had from the store. The problem is that in order not to waste the ingredients (since I can't buy only as much as I need), I should make other things with them, which also call for other ingredients and so it goes on...
I've often tried to remember first what my grandparents did: for instance, before the tupperware invention, they used their small and large bowls with a saucer or plate as a lid to keep food leftovers, so I've never bought beewax wraps. They always hang dried their laundry, so I've never bought a dryer. But I do use a washing machine, because it's a huge time saver. My favourite soap is green olive oil soap, I love a brush to wash the dishes, I still use pretty cotton handkerchiefs (except for a really bad viral cold), and in the kitchen we prefer basic, traditional metal or wooden utensils rather than those little fancy plastic gadgets that are trendy but never last. And I love vintage things/clothes/linen/furniture not just because they remind me of my childhood but also because they are such good quality and beautiful.
Came here to comment exactly this! Living like our grandparents is a really good compass to live sustainably. There are exceptions of course.
I'm also doing this thing with the plates/bowls and plates/lids. It is obvious to use what you already have!
Yes on the wax wraps, same here with the beyond icky disintegration! Also the wool balls made my washing stink like sheep so that was a hard No from the first wash.... They now are played with by my kids as house balls because they're pretty soft and don't damage anything when thrown overly hard 😂
Love that use for dryer balls you don't use any more!
okay that is actually brilliant!
I really like the message of this video because it shows how we all try our best but all fail sometimes. I think not having a lot of money helps a lot to not buy stuff we don't need. My favorite example is metal tupperware. I found one of my favorite tupperwares in a box on the street. Just ran it through the dishwasher real hot. You could also thrift them. Buying a new metal container isn't better than thrifting a plastic one. I love that in germany we have lots of places where you can get almost everything for free and can bring stuff you don't need anymore. Another of my favorite examples are safety razors. I can't use them due to issues with sh. So I have one with an interchangeable head. Its not perfect, its not zero waste but it is what works for me. If we all do our bests we do way more than most people. Lets keep that in mind.
I love that you start out by saying that MOST people want to live sustainably. A good reminder that most people have the best intentions.
I tried SO many different ways of storing my food, from glass containers with plastic lids to silicone bags to wax wraps to the plate over the bowl thing and realized that I genuinely preferred using mason jars for everything. I’ve gotten all of my jars second-hand (mostly from buy nothing groups) and while I’ve had to purchase rings and lids, it’s been the best thing for me to use. If I forget to clean out one of my jars and I get mold, all I have to toss is the lid & it’s super easy to replace them when I need to.
I also got a ton of beautiful antique handkerchiefs from a buy nothing group! The really delicate & hand-embroidered ones will eventually be framed and displayed as art because they’re truly so stunning (there’s one that was hand-embroidered with silk floss)! The rest get cycled through, mainly to cry into in therapy, and I can confidently say that ugly crying in therapy is much nicer with a pretty handkerchief.
How is this channel still under 1 million subscribers?
❤
Food storage tip: Most veggies keep the best just loose in the fridge, no packaging necessary. If you leave sliced tomatoes and avocados uncovered, they develop a pelical (basically the exposed part dries out) that will keep the flesh underneath fresh for a surprisingly long time. Then just slice off the thin "skin" and use the rest.
I love these! There are sadly times of the year (like now) when drying clothes outside isn't practical in my bit of the UK, so my whole house ends up draped in clothes drying over banisters and radiators and the tumble dryer is kept for bedding and blankets that need to be dried the same day. A quick PSA: be careful using wooden drying racks as they can mark clothing or start to grow mould!
I don't understand your comment. I lived in the Wigan basin (where the cotton mills were because of the damp climate) for 12 years in 2 different houses. I used the wooden racks all the time without a problem. Neither house had central heating and I would keep the windows open in the bathroom for air flow.
I've heard the best way to dry clothes indoors is to set up a rack in the bathroom and open the window or put the fan on. It's apparently air flow that dries clothes, not the heat
We got the bamboo curlery as company swag from an employer and I gotta say we use tgem all the time. Something about the cuteness of the bag triggers a motherly instinct in me to bring them into the house to wash, dry and restow in the car picnic basket. Before I never remembered to take the thrifted cutlery back to car . they just went back into the silverware drawer
Yes on the wax wraps! Mine completely stopped being sticky. I just have a set of glass containers now.
how did you wash them? harsh grease-removing dish soap or hot water will kill the wax
@@ultravioletcatastropheI wash them how you're instructed to wash them. They just aren't that great and there's better alternatives.
glass containers are my favourite choice, by far 🌿🌿
Would you film your kitchen declutter? That would be great 🤗
it's not pretty haha, but there will be a kind of update on it soon!
One thing I regret buying was those fritter / cotton wipes for face cleaning. I used them maybe 5 times. I don't wear make up, I don't do face beauty routines. I fI have to clean my face I used a washing cloth or just my hand.
So I gave them to my niece who just started wearing mascara and lipgloss and needed some wipes.
I thought about making some of those then I realized I would not be able to keep up with them.
Thank you for talking about the bamboo toothbrushes! I’ve had a similar experience. They would really irritate the insides of my mouth and some of the bristles hurt my gums too. I recently switched to a toothbrush by the Humble Co (not exactly positive how sustainable they are), but the difference was AMAZING. There has to be a way to be sustainable and treat our teeth right.
Cool, had the same issue. In Germany, the cosmetic store chaine Rossmann has their own brand alterra, that works for me, but maybe I’ll try humble brush as well!
I loved Alterra as well, it was the first that I tried and I think the best as well. The first toothbrush that had bristles that aren't too hard for me (including the plastic brushes as well), but aren't too soft either. I'm now at my second brush from Humble Co, since I don't live near a Rossmann anymore, but I really hope that they're as sustainable as they claim, cause I find them very pricey
@@jankorebeka4997 yes, I hope, ecofriendly companies live up to what they claim… its difficult to weigh each action, there are a lot of ecofriendly products out there, that might be a good switch for conventional things in the mainstream shops, but does ordering it online negate this positive impact…
Okay, the bamboo toothbrush experience sounds AWFUL!! I can't imagine the pain endured from it, yikes. As for the dryer balls--as someone with severe allergies to dust and pollen, I have no choice but to use a tumble dryer. Do I think they reduce drying time--no. However, something I have noticed is if I use them with certain clothing types, it does make a significant reduction in the amount of wrinkles, therefore eliminating the need to use an iron or steamer on them, so that's a win. And I'm not walking around with a dryer sheet sneaking out of my pant leg LOL My biggest sustainability mistake was making my own laundry detergent. We have hard water and it wasn't dissolving properly, it made my clothes smell if it sat for a while--and it clogged our main drain to our home as well as broke our washing machine to the point it couldn't be repaired. Ooops.
The wool balls actually did significantly reduce the drying time for me, and I also experiece that they remove static and they also keep clothes from getting all tangled up in eachother it seems like.
I really like them- I also have to use a tumble dryer bc I live in a VERY small apartment and we aren't allowed to dry our clothes outside (no space to inside).
I made some of those beeswax wraps myself. I can't say I ever liked using them. I do like the wool dryer balls because they keep the static out of my clothes. One has to have a bunch of them to work well. I have been using mine for 10 to 15 years.
I still use and love my wool dryer balls! I mostly only use my dryer for towels occasionally (like every second or third wash.) I feel like the dyer balls make them come out softer.
Also, the wax wraps are so funny to me! My mom made me some several years ago and I literally never used them. I have never bought plastic wrap in my entire life and we didn't really use it growing up because we put leftovers in containers in the fridge and used plates to cover bigger containers that didn't have lids. So I don't know why my mom thought I needed these because they replace something that I have never used! 😂
Haha, basically the same stuff you mentioned:
wax wraps, dental tabs and homemade tooth paste made with coconut oil and turmeric, bamboo brushes, but also soap nuts….
My favorite zero waste products I use for about 15 years are a shattaf / bidet function for the toilet, safety razor, and of course reusable water bottle and containers.
Menstrual cup used to work quite good for me as well, but now I prefer period panties 😄
PS - I take a container from home, wrap some utensils in a cloth napkin and secure it with a found and washed hair tie. instant take out container that didn't cost anything.
Same, though I usually just tie the napkin around the container and my silverware free-ranges in my bag.
I made my own wax wraps a few years ago and still use it for specific applications. When the wax cracks too much, I line a baking sheet with aluminium foil (and retain for future use), open the wax wrap onto the foil and heat it in oven at about 90°C for a minute or two until the wax is melted. Then remove from oven and very carefully lift the fabric at tips of two corners and hold it in the air for a few minutes. Totally refreshed!
For storing premade or leftover food in fridge I use either glass bottles or cover the dishes with a plate. Works very well.
Wax wraps - never bought one, but made some out of cheese wax (parrafin based, requires less maintenance than bees wax). Have used every day since - about 3 years - to store cheeses (already plastic wrapped, just need protection from drying out) in my fridge :)
Tooth tabs - never tried them. Good dental care is a priority for me, I am happy to use one tube of toothpaste per year and send it to TerraCycle via my low waste store. I see this as like the plastic straw thing... people made mountains out of a small waste source when there are bigger things to tackle.
Lunch kits - bought one before going low waste, lives in my bag, use it losts. Never regretted (mine is made out of plastic so is light and doesn't add to the weight of my handbag substantially - have added a few of my own items including chopsticks etc since).
Tumble drying - here in Australia line drying is the norm and accessible for most people, a washing line is included with nearly all freestanding dwellings. I haven't had access to a tumble dryer for over 20 years. Never missed it.
Poor quality "low waste" products... I still use a normal toothbrush. I need 'extra soft' bristles and the low waste ones seem to not have that option, but in any case no toothbrushes have been thrown away in my house for ten years... they become cleaning and art supplies after use. My disposable razors last over a year, I get new packs second hand now - my level of use doesn't justify production of a safety razor.
Regrets - 6 pack of metal straws. I'm a straw muncher and silicone is better for looking after my teeth when I still forget it's not plastic, but they weren't as widely available when I bought my reusable straws. I never really needed them as I have a selection of plastic straws I have saved to reuse (I use my straw cleaner to wash them well).
You only use one tube of toothpaste a year??
@@Hotdogswampwater yep. A pea sided amount morning and night as recommended by the dentist. A 200g tube lasts a whole year :)
I'm glad you mentioned the bees wax dish covers. I have 3 and although they still work great, I wondered if they'd get too sticky eventually. So, now I know not to get any more, because I'm probably never going to relax them..etc
The bamboo utensil kit😅 they don't feel nice to eat with and my friend was like why don't you just use cutlery from your house..... lol
Thanks for the Leaf razor recommendation. I hate my current Bambu one as I keep cutting myself and have slipped back to disposables every now and again. Going to ask Santa to get me a new Leaf one!
So true about the wax wraps. They degrade rather quickly, I find it challenging that I had to only hand wash them (I need to use the dishwasher most of the time based on my life). I'd rather use reusable glass or silicone.
I bought a couple of tins of metal cutlery. I took out the straw cleaning brush and the chop sticks and added a teaspoon. I put them in a reusable bag with a couple of keep cups, hand sanitiser, napkins, sunscreen, a couple of foldable cloth sun hats and a couple of zip lock bags (we wash and reuse them and they are handy if we want to bring food home) and every time we go out I put it in the back of the car so we have everything we might need. Happy with this investment.
I use an electric toothbrush where i only have to replace the top, as found bamboo brushes werent good for my teeth, dont use a safety raze anymore as injured my hand when ii dropped one once and had to be all bandaged up, i use electric razer for most things and a disposable razer for others, i e face as having lazer but take care of it and use for as long as possible and downgrade it to less sensitive places when it becomes worn, important to find what works for you
I'm glad to see people being more honest and calling out the BS aspects of zero waste. (๑⚆‿⚆) For me, although I don't regret trying many zero waste items, it took me a bit to find the right brands or quality. So, even though the products I didn't like still got used, I spent a bit more money than I needed to. ʅ(๑´⌓`๑)ʃ I love videos like this because it helps me consider what I'm buying much more carefully. (๑•‿•๑)
Your emojis are so cute I've been wanting to ne more sustainable as well
@@egbeetah4032 Thank you! (๑•‿•๑) Yes! It gets easier and easier once you get started and establish certain habits.
Thanks for being honest about where you’ve changed your mind or maybe made mistakes in the past, it’s rare for content creators to do that! RE the ‘sustainable eating out kit’ or whatever you want to call it. I do agree for the most part, that products are pushed to help you be more sustainable, hit consumption in its nature is inherently unsustainable. However the cutlery set that my sibling gifted me a few years ago has got a lot of use. I’ve found it very handy to have some cutlery on the go, and the wrap keeps them clean and free from pocket lint or other debris from my bag etc, and it’s cute so I enjoy getting it out and using it. And it means I haven’t had to pick up disposable cutlery since having it. But I know what you’re getting at is the idea that you don’t *need* a kit for these things, it’s just encouraging us to be lazy about our sustainability. Keep up the good work Gittemary!
1) Wax wraps - I failed at using these too. I'm likely going to get rid of them too.
2) Tooth tabs - I'll have to watch that video. I had been concerned about the toothpaste packaging, so I do have some tooth tabs.
3) To-go utensils - I didn't get into those. I'll skip them. :)
4) Wool laundry balls - I've had mine for at least 10 years. I bought them to cut out dryer sheets. I have hard water and without them, our clothes don't come out at nice. I do use a clothesline to dry laundry, especially bulky items that would take extra time in the tumble dryer. But I have a dryer that supposedly senses how much drying time you need. But I also have solar panels on my house and use the dryer, when needed, on sunny days.
5) Bamboo toothbrushes - we use them. I've never had any issues with them.
6) Safety razors - I have one that you replace the razor part, not the whole thing, not wholly disposable. I feel okay that I've reduced my waste since I've had for about 15 years.
I'm trying to make shampoo bar soaps work for me. But I haven't been able to yet. I don't want the plastic shampoo bottles.
i always use my wool dryer balls. They're a much better replacement for laundry sheets to reduce static. Didn't realize they were advertised as being able to reduce drying time.
A pair of stainless steel straws, I never used plastic straws so there really was no reason to suddenly get stainless ones and then I was also afraid the kids would ram them down their throats, so I decluttered them again. Typical example of trying to consume myself to sustainability with a totally unnecessary purchase
I made myself some wax wraps many years ago, and I am still enjoying them.
I bought a pack of wax wraps and used my large one once. I was unimpressed with it's ability to cover and maintain the seal over my bowl in the fridge. I never used any of the other ones, or that big one again.. that was some 5 or so years ago. I found silicone covers that stretched over my lidless bowls, and have been pleased with using those instead.
I do still use the wool balls, when I tumble dry my bedding. It does seem to keep the layers separated to some degree, so the sheets aren't folding and twisting over themselves as bad. This has seemed to make it so that one cycle is sufficient for drying them, and reduces my need to pull the sheets out to untangle and redo the tumble dry cycle. I do hang dry most other clothes with plenty of success, as well.
I love the wax wraps, I use them mostly when travelling, to take snacks/sandwiches with me and wrap snacks/foods when travelling and having no access to other containers. I also use them to cover bowls and containers with no lid in the fridge = they rarely get in touch with moist foods. This way, they have been lasting me for years.
I also misused the beeswax wraps! Mine likewise began smelling bad even before the wax started flaking. And I really didn't like washing them, so would put that off...
Personally, I am still trying to find the right balance between new well made clothes and second hand (sometimes including secondhand fast fashion). Some expensive clothes don't last at all, but really trick you before purchase.
Been hanging clothes outside since 70s,use 1/2 amount of detergent and sprinkle of borax. Used to use tumbler if rain caught me but hasn't been run in 13 years. Bought picnic basket at resale, stocked it with plastic plates,glasses, cutlery and cloth napkins or washcloth and put in trunk 25 yrs ago... countless spontaneous picnics from deli markdowns rather than drive through. Jeans last 15 years but now retired so wear scrub pants which dry quickly. Am a knitter again but alpaca and wool are expensive unless you get raw fleece from hyper local people and process it myself. Use hair clippers from when cut son's hair to do legs,so far lasted 15 years. Use manager markdown milk to make yogurt and lemon soft cheese spread or milk bread. This is how lived on $600/mo til disability came through. Helps bought fixer upper in 2010 for cash. Not restoring as fast as planned but no pne plans for disability! Just do the best you can.
I love my stashers but I never put them in the washing machine. The problem with silicone is that it starts to smell funky if you put it in a washer. I boil water and add vinegar and clean it that way. To the wax wraps-omg I hated them and felt so bad about it. Regarding toothbrush. I have raised gums so I never stoped using Curaprox. Health is my #1 priority and keeping my teeth:)
If you catch planes a lot the bamboo cutlery is useful particularly with knifes and meeting safety regulations for air travel. Otherwise an easy clean metal container and metal cutlery is the best option.
Years ago I bought a wooden bag drying stand for when you wash and reuse plastic bags. It was completely unnecessary: I could have just hung them on the indoor clothesline. It holds necklaces now.
Very true! I really liked the toothtabs, but our zero-waste shop closed over a year ago 😢.
Regarding the wooden cutlery: if one keeps cutlery in their bag, incase they needed it and often goes to events where bags are looked into, wooden cutlery might be the best choice.
I thought tooth tabs might be good for travel but I hated them and didn’t want to experiment with different brands to find one I liked.
@ yes, I guess, it’s not for everyone, it doesn’t foam as much , chewing them might feel weird etc.
I never heard that dryer balls are supposed to dry your clothes faster, I thought their purpose was to replace dryer sheets as a more environmentally friendly way of getting your clothes static free. And for this they work wonderfully they also help towels be extra fluffy so they absorb well. I live someplace that is damp most of the time so line drying stuff is not an option unless it's small things I can do inside. You might ask how did my ancestors get things to be dry then they would dry it in front of the fire which I don't need to do anymore because I don't live without Central heating. I do line dry a lot in the summer when it's a little bit less humid. But when clothes go musty before they actually dry it's a bad sign that you need a dryer.
I've been trying the ZW lifestyle for a solid three years now. A lot of products have been working out really well for me, but here are the following I have given up on:
ZW toothpaste and bamboo toothbrushes: I'm back to normal plastic toothpaste and toothbrushes from Target. They're just more affordable and also work better.
Wax wraps: I actually still use these, but I agree I didn't need to buy them. I don't like them having contact with food, but I occasionally use them as cover-ups for bowls and they are also useful for wrapping in toiletries (like shampoo bars, which I still use) when traveling.
Reusable to-go utensils: These aren't necessarily useless, but since the pandemic, I just don't eat out or get coffee that much anymore.
Gittemary, I am so sorry to hear about your experience with bamboo toothbrushes. That seems really awful... 😢 I never tried bamboo toothbrushes but I have one from a brand called Lamazuna that I really like. The handle of the toothbrush is made from a castor oil type of plastic and the heads are replaceable. Maybe you will like them too...
Same here on the waxed cloth, went back to my glass bowls and the dryer balls, bought a clothes line instead. I live in Texas sun & heat we have in abundance.
I'm here in the US, where I am at least, we can't air dry our clothes outside, and my apartment is so tiny that while i do have a drying rack it takes forever to dry anything and its not enough space for all my clothes (I do my laundry in one bigger load once per month to save on washing. i rewear a lot so one month is plenty)
Anyway a tumble dryer is my best bet, and the wool balls (I was actually gifted them, didnt buy them) DO cut down on drying, and I tumble on low heat bc its better for the life of the clothes so that cut down in time is super important to me. I still air dry things if they come out not quite dry or if its very delicate or i hand washed it. But tumble drying is necessary (right now) in my life and so I could never regret (not buying) the wool dryer balls. Though, if I hadn't been gifted them, I would buy wool seconds/unwashed wool scraps (the stuff they can't easily use to create textiles) and try cleaning and felting the balls myself. I don't foresee ever needing new ones, but if I do I will do it that way, or second hand if I happen to see them.
ive been pleased with our wool balls other than the fact that my daughter often neglects to bring them back to the laundry room
I agree that leaf shaving tools are excellent!
I used bamboo toothbrushes for years and they kept triggering coldsores in the corner of my mouth from being too scratchy. I moved to a toothbrush by a brand called Lamazuna with replaceable heads made of bioplastic and love them!
About safety razors, I did buy one like 5 o 4 years ago, and recently I was starting to get little cuts every time, and then the blades literally lasted 1 shave , and at first I thought it was the blade, which it was funny because they were good quality blades. I recently went to visit my grandma and found my grandpa's safety razor, and I took it back home and since then I have never cut myself again. It was the razor and not the blades the ones failing for some reason. But I'm super happy now because I get to have something he used a lifetime, and now I get to use it a lifetime too 😊
I nearly got on the beeswax wrap and dryer ball train a while ago, but now thankful that I didn't... I did however have a bamboo toothbrush for a while. These days in Australia there are actually more sustainable options on the market, and I also didn't particularly enjoy the sensory feel of bamboo in my mouth 🤷🏼♀️
I had a safety razor, that worked quite well, not really more cuts than before. I kept it hanging on the metal shower basket and both metals reacted, and bits of metal flaked off the razor… so I bought a new one off Wilkinson, thinking, razor company knows what they’re doing, and when there are ones in local shops, I should buy it there and not get one online, less packaging etc. but now I get so many cuts…
Video topic request? I travel a few times a year for work and its consuming 90% fast food during that time. Would you be interested in doing a video on what to look for to waste the least? Zero waste isnt goung to happen but what should we be looking for?
Start by finding places that lets you use your own container.
As someone who's still fairly new to buying eco friendly / sustainable products, it's good to see that people have realised that you don't need a special set of cutlery. I tried to see where that would be applicable in my life, as I've always wondered where people are eating, where bringing your own cutlery might be a good idea, and couldn't work it out. I have cutlery at home and cutlery in my desk drawer at work. Everywhere else I eat, cutlery is provided! The thing that really made me laugh was watching a video where a girl was talking about how great it was that she'd found a company that sold 're-usable tissues'. Oh my god, you mean .... a handkerchief! Wow! I've tried dentatabs, and they were ok, but just made a load of drool that instantly fell out of my mouth. In the end I just wanted to crush them up and use them as a powder. I really want them to work, because they are the only toothpaste with packaging that I'm happy with.
The reusable cutlery is good for take away - it avoids getting the plastic or bamboo ones. A lot of coffee shops in Australia stopped using any reusable items during "the bug" and haven't started washing up again yet - my local coffee shop only uses disposable everything.
what safety razor did you recommend please? thank you
I use a Leaf Shave razor, I have several videos about them and guides in the "beauty" playlist 🌿
I wish that the intense humidity in my region was less so that I could hang dry my clothes. As it is, we hang dry about half of them and they take so long to dry that some days I end up having to rewash them because they're musty wet smelling
Can you recommend options for toothbrushes you now use please?
I didn't use my stasher bag for years, but have just discovered the best use for it is marinating tofu as I know it's not going to drip like a regular plastic bag, and I can do it over and over with just the one. But it took me years to find the use for it.
im so happy i found toothpaste in a glass jar from a brand called ben&anna (german company) glad i have accessibility to it :)
I have bamboo tooth brushes and haven’t had that issue thank GOODNESS but the bristles are sometimes very rough
I absolutely regret the glass straws bc EVERY SINGLE ONE broke earlier or later... 😂
My biggest regret has been using a shampoo and conditioner bar. Currently, I am using HiBar's Volumize shampoo and conditioner, but I have also used the Moisturize collection about two years ago. It has damaged my hair quite a bit as loved ones have pointed out that they see a lot of baby hairs floating on the top of my head as well as white gunky flakes. Also, my scalp is currently so itchy and broken out, and I am trying to find an eco-friendly replacement. Any recommendations for thin, wavy, and sensitive hair is welcome. Thank you!
I recommend Lush Big salt shampoo for an itchy flakey scalp - it’s amazing. And Glory conditioner for wavy hair. Both products are very sustainable and the containers can be reused by returning them to the store.
I have two regrets, both involving laundry. First, I made my own laundry detergent. It was very inexpensive, and I felt like I was helping the environment. That is, until I realized that after only a few months our clothes were rapidly losing their quality. They were fading unevenly, and the threads seemed weaker. The second regret is that last year I bought several brands of washer sheets, again to reduce my family's effect on the environment. After two months, we realized that we had to use 3-4 times as many sheets as recommended because the sheets weren't getting the clothes clean, and even then, just a day after washing, an odor would linger. Now I only use the washer sheets for rags.
For dental health I use The dirt's toothpowder and it has worked great. when my teeth are feeling a bit sensative (thank you chemotherapy for that lovely side effect) I use a tiny bit of my mom's sensadone tooth paste. And I do admit it, I wash and reuse my dental floss. I mean its my teeth and no one else's so reusing a couple of times before composting, yep. it's a thing. I also reuse my mayo plastic and peanut butter jars over glass ones when going to the grocery store due to weight and breakage issues.
Yep, I have a selection of plastic containers I take for low waste shopping, for the items where produce bags/calico bags don't work well. I store my dental floss in a little container I found in a thrift store that's tooth shaped (it's gorgeous) until it's no good for reuse.
Hi Gittemarie! Thank you for this video. I air dry all my clothes, but then put them in the dryer for 10 minutes to fluff them. If I don't do this, all the clothes are wrinkled and stiff. I'd love to be able to just air dry them, but the clothes wouldn’t really be comfortable if I did that. I don’t know if the problem is my washer or water. I don’t have very hard water, so I don't think that’s the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or even washing machine recommendations for when mine breaks because it’s not great and wears down the clothes quickly. Thank you!
My biggest regret is buying my husband a really nice reusable water bottle knowing that he’s the most forgetful sod about town, and he left it on a train within a couple of months 🙃 In his defence, he’s been using my old one since then and hasn’t lost it (nearly a year!) so I can’t be too mad!! 🤣 Sorry, I know that’s not exactly what you were asking for!
The only eco product I regret buying was the wool drier balls that are still sitting in my cupboard, having been used once at the laundromat. I'd also heard that the research around them is (forgive me for this) a bit 'wooly' but not until after I'd already bought them. And then we decided to stop using the laundromat anyway and start air-drying our clothes. Other than that I've fortunately had great success with eco swaps for the most part! 🙌🏻💕
1. Wax wraps (need maintenance). 2. Tooth tabs (sometimes uses more water to produce than toothpaste). 3. Portable cutlery set (you’ve already got the items). 4. Wool dryer balls (air dry clothes!). 5. Poor quality ‘eco’ products (e.g. bamboo toothbrush, safety razor).
oh nonono, tumble dryer is a game changer. For whole my almost 30 years of life I didn't know anyone with tumblle dryer, never seen it never used it. But my fiance has dust allergy, tumble dryer is collecting particles of clothes and there is sooo much less dust around the house now! Also I don't have to step over drying rack and don't have to have this "decoration" in my home. Also I always hated putting those wet clothes one by one to drying rack and then folds clothes the next day (or week). Now the process is so much more covienient and painless
I have one of those cuttlery kits in my handbag, because I wouldn't take my metal "at home" ones outside the house. I got them as a present for my 18th birthday, I love them, and that's why I have a different set including chopsticks and a spoon for outside eating. I use those at work when eating at my desk or whenever I need them in public. But I can see how one should use their "at home" stuff for that, if it fits their needs :)
Ohh yeah buying cheap safety razor...I used one like a cheese slicer on my ankle 😅 My bf bought one for his beard and head and the quality! It bends the razor blade a bit which makes it so much safer to use. I dont know if the brand itself is sustainable and I don't remember what it is, but I dont think I'll ever buy another one. Unless I happen to loose it during a move or sth. 😅
I regret using Urtekram toothpaste just because the brand is supposed to be eco-friendly. Fortunately I used the one that had fluoride, but it still had too little fluoride in it. It baffles me that they proudly sell fluoride-free toothpaste as well. I have since then moved away from it to use toothpaste that has appropriate amount of fluoride in it. I hope I didn't do too much damage to my teeth in those couple of years.
im using a jordan* toothbrush which is supposedly made of recycled plastics and is boxed in paper, though i wasn't able to find any 3rd party sites verifying the legitimacy of the company. toothbrush works fine though!
I liked the idea of beeswax cloths, but found them (including home made ones) too hard to clean - especially since hot water and scrubbing isn't allowed and sweater lint loves to stick! 😣 I'm very happy with bamboo toothbrushes and I used to like the dental tabs when I could buy them from zero waste shops too - my dentist didn't look pleased when I showed them + dental powder but had nothing bad to say about my dental hygene so I cant complain about their efficiency. Since discovering Banish's BRAD recycling program (Sydney), I have felt less bad about buying toothpaste tubes. Re laudry sheets - I fell for their greenwashing promotion but will not buy them again as they didn't work on sweat... My picnic forks are the plastic ones from Thai airways meals though I'm not sure you're supposed to take those? 😅 Otherwise I use the single use cutlery from my flatmates takeaway orders... As much as I try to inspire other people (especially flatmate), you still have to live with their bad habits and unsustainable choices... A video on how to deal with that would be useful 😂
My biggest regrets: beeswax wrap, tin/stainless steel containers, small see-through cotton bags to carry fruit and verggies in in the supermarket (I literally never used them and now just place my food on the carrier belt), stainles steel/bamboo straws (never used them), bamboo tooth brush (switched to an electric toothbrush), stainless steel safety razor (now use a reusable lady shaver).
Part of my regrets are due to me simply having changed my routine into one that is better suited to me but other regrets are due to the products simply not beeing useful at all - like the cotton bags to carry fruit.. Those fruits and veggies have already been through hell and back before landing up in the supermarket. That its temporarily going n a diry conveyer belt before landing in my fridge really wont make a difference.
I bought the leafshave twig razor showed in the video, lile u said I wanted a long lasting quality product, I also liked how it has a single edge. It broke down, came apart after 2 years.
I bought a very cheap estimately 8$ safety razor that works the same, its double edged but its ok
Need to ne careful tho bc I cut my hand pretty bad 2x reaching into my toiletry bag with the corner edge but the shaving is pretty much same.
I regret buying the leafshave one
Hey, take the blade off and keep it in a container when you pack your razor, loose blades in a bag are ganderous!
That’s super interesting! I’ve been using their three blade one for about four or five years now and I love it
It wasnt a loose blade it was still in the razor
Im not THAT stupid
I regret my safety razors/shavers... they got ugly fast and rusty and decidedly unhealthy to use. Researched for a long time each time which one to buy and just got disappointed so many times. Now I have a shavermachine that can be cleaned thats better for me 😊
I use Truthpaste, a proper toothpaste, not a tab formula. They are organic, vegan, cruelty free, and have a return scheme for the packaging (this reduces their carbon footprint by 60%) - which is a glass jar with an aluminium lid. Personally I keep my empty jars as they are ever so handy!
Oooh share brand plz
I get a soft bristle green and kind bamboo toothbrush never had issues with it the only thing with it is you need to pay more attention to corners of teeth.
I brought a so called sustainable brand of deodorant from wild at the chemist and straight away noticed my sinuses playing up I have sensitivities to perfumes I’m fine with most natural oils in products but not artificial scents. Wild deodorant is all chemical not plant/ natural derived and artificial synthetic scents. Set my allergies off. The tough canisters are a good concept especially in purses handbags backpacks but do require maintenance for hygiene it’s the ingredients they totally flopped at. I like the cardboard containers better but they don’t like certain conditions only industrial waste grade composting but not available in the majority of areas in my country. But still a better option. I wouldn’t put the synthetic chemicals in a compost for the wild deodorant refill. Total regret pure greenwashing.
I don't think I have product regrets, because I started my zerowaste/sustainability journey as a broke student and was thinking through every purchase. Aside from maybe some shampoos and deodorants that didn't work well for me, or some tooth brushes that had too hard bristles, but you never really know those things before you try a product for the first time. Some routines are a learning curve though.
I guess the reusable produce bags are kind of not useful because I usually forget to bring them. So then I either put the label directly on the produce or get a thin plastic bag from the store. I don't buy trashbags because I reuse the small plastic bags from the store that come with different foods.
My biggest regret rn i think is wild deo. I hate how it leaves white marks badly. I have tried a few more eco deos so looking for more to try.
Other things inc wax wraps. Laundry sheets i tried 4 brands they never really work so i went back to washing powder in a cardboard box.
Not what I regret, but you should look up Suri toothbrushes!
I hate bamboo toothbrushes. I haven't had bits of wood coming off but bristles do and I worry about swallowing them. Also, I took one camping and it went mouldy, eek. An electric toothbrush is better for my mouth and I have learned to live with the shame.
Omg. The bamboo toothbrushes always looked, erm, scratchy to me but splinters and chunks?!? 🫢🫣
😬😬😬
What is the name of the safety razor that you use?
Leaf Shave :)
I have a toothbrush that's made from sugar cane, it looks like plastic but isn't
i tried tooth tabs for a few years, and i didnt realize that fluoride wasnt in them. I got FOUR cavities. After switching back to normal toothpaste, im happy to report that no new cavities. Fluoride can be really good for your teeth's enamel, so i will not be going back
You can get tabs with fluoride, dent tabs makes some, because I agree, and I have had a similar problem 😅
Did i get it right? You dont use tumble dryer but use a dishwasher? Dishwashers use a big amount of water and electricity too bec of the temp feature, which is same as in dyers. Where im from, handwashing dishes is the norm. I say just wash the dishes immediately after use so they dont pile up.
You did get that right, I use a dishwasher - because most modern dishwashers actually use less water than washing my hand. The main reason why I don't use a dryer is because it wears down the clothes and shortens the lifespan - while also taking up resources.
The Leaf razor has been such a disappointment. This much money for something that broke so fast. The "springs" that gives the wanted shape stopped working after 10 months of very occasional shaving. 😅 That's a big regret.
I used a safety razor and loved it, but i dropped it in the shower and it broke. Repurchased and aame thing happened.
Off the topic, but people may not know that Amazon often destroys returned goods even if they are in a good condition. Please be mindful with your purchases❤
In some cases (rarely) you can find toothpastes in aluminium/metal tube. I think It could be a good step to make a lot bigger toothpastes to not buy them so often or pack them like cremes. It sounds easy. Why don't some brand do that? Or maybe yes? It's me who don't know.
Yes! I’ve been using David’s toothpaste (USA) and that’s their model and you can request that they only send the metal tube of paste; no lid, no tube key or box, after the first time. Loved it, until they reduced the size of their tube by almost a full ounce for the same price.
In the UK the Waken brand uses aluminium tubes for toothpaste.
@@Britbec Wanted to try David's, but the price has put me off. You're right -- it's such a small tube! Been using Tom's of Maine, but the tube is plastic. It's not cheap either, but less than David's, which I would have to order online because no one around here carries it. Sigh.
I remeber years ago they all used to come in metal. I guess they changed cos cheaper?
Soapnuts is another produkt thst is not neded. Swedish cosumer magazine (råd och rön) showen cleanimg with only water in machine makes clothes just as clean. Soap nuts are grown and transported and makes no use.
I dropped my leaf razor once and it broke. So disappointed. 😢
what 😭
❤❤❤
This might just be a me problem, but if I hang dry my clothes, it leaves them smelling weird. It's like they catch all the funky smells from the air 😅. Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution?
Outside is fine, weather permitting, but if hang drying indoors I aim a fan at the clothes to speed drying. I either open the nearest window if not too cold out, or put a dehumidifier on to avoid dampness in the house.
Not so much that, but I do need to be careful with my days as someone with hayfever (line drying on warm windy days is best for drying but worst for pollens!). I have friends who tumble dry sheets for that reason - they wake up feeling ok not all groggy and congested. I just deal with it as best I can :)
Not overloading the rack with damp clothes helps me
I think you really had a bad toothbrush karma. Maybe it was due to the fact that you started your sustainability journey before it got more trendy, because I have bought the first type of bamboo toothbrushes I saw in Rossmann and I really liked it, I did the same in DM as well (I think these were both their own brands), I had one from I think Colgate and I also tried Humble Brush which was the most expensive from these and I have never encountered this problem. My problem is that if you live with more people and you put your toothbrushes in one cup, the water that comes off of them turns the wood black at the bottom of the brush. So I have plastic ones with changable heads at my parents' place and a wooden one at my dorm, because there I can avoid the problem as I dry the excess water from my brush after every use with a towel
Cheap menstrual undies. Big NO.
There was a brand of period underwear in which they found Pfas, those toxic chemicals lots of people are taking about right now. Scary stuff 😮
Right?! Just the worst.
I use ultrathin pads. Some things I won't compromise on.
uuuuuuh this is a good one, 10000% no for me
Oh yes, the best way to be sustainable, is to discard perfectly functional equipment/appliances and spend money on a bunch of pretty new stuff. Not