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Thread: Anyone trying a Zero Waste Lifestyle?

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    Default Anyone trying a Zero Waste Lifestyle?

    Hey
    Curious about who's tried this and was able to sustain it? I'm always trying to become more minimal and I'm learning how to make all of my necessary items. I have skincare down (cleanser, scrub, toner, serum, and lotion), cleaning supplies (all disinfectant sprays), and I'm starting to create some makeup recipes. I was quite skeptical about this lifestyle for awhile and I'd frankly rather not give it a dumb label bc obviously you will always produce some sort of waste even to buy the products in Bulk. However, I think it is extremely empowering to realize you can make everything you need to survive yourself, and also I do think it creates more anti-plastic awareness by making it mainstream.. even if it doesn't entirely eliminate it.
    So does anybody have any tips? Recipes?
    Personal recipes preferred if possible!
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    http://ablossominglife.com/2013/06/h...ral-blush.html

    http://www.gittemary.com/2016/01/zer...tutorials.html

    Some makeup recipes to get the ball rollin

    Oh, and if you're wondering. The concealer recipe is derived from her previous foundation recipe, which I believe she has links to on the page.
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    Hi there. I consider myself a minimalist. I can say I own enough to haul in one car load. It's on purpose, I love minimalism. <3
    LSI-Se 836 Sp/Sx

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    Over the years I've been trying to move down from a borderline hoarder to a more minimalistic lifestyle. I still have a waaaays to go, but a couple of months ago I realized that in comparison to the people I'm 'friends' with, I've actually got a lot less stuff than them, even though I'm all over the place in terms of interests. My place just looks so much more cluttered because I have about 1/5 the space that they have. My desired end is to have just enough to live in a tiny home (200-600sqft) while still being able to pursue my interests, and to only have a few interests worth pursuing.

    As for making my own stuff, I've tried my hand at a few things. Gardening, chickens, fermenting, sour dough, cheesemaking, butter making, yogurt making, lip balm, no-poo, water collection, reduced electricity usage, reduced car usage, hand washing clothes, no convenience foods, making own makeup, making own perfume, making own soap and laundry detergent, etc. I haven't stuck with most of them because I still have so many competing wants. There's only so much time/energy any one person has, I can't do it all. One of my problems is trying to figure out which ideas and activities to let go of, and which to not even start. For example, instead of decluttering more and cleaning or gardening, I recently started learning Korean....why? cuz it seemed interesting and I'd like to know more about the culture and be able to understand the Korean shows without having to sit in front of the darned tv the whole time. But is it even important to my life? No. and that time I'm spending on Korean is time I could be spending doing more important stuff. But, I'm finding it interesting and I don't want to lose that yet. Yet I also feel guilty each time I turn to it instead of more pressing matters.

    My hope is that as I develop a more minimalistic mindset in some areas of my life, that it'll carry over into others and then I won't keep feeling torn between all the cool things I want to do vs all the necessary things to be done.

    My SEI brother, however, is definitely a minimalist, though I'm not sure he'd call himself that. No furniture, sleeps on the floor, doesn't own cooking utensils, just does microwavable foods that have little packaging, doesn't store food, only shops a few days to a week at a time, washes his own clothes, owns only 2 daily sets of clothing and 1-2 nicer shirts, doesn't spend money except for special experiences, and internet. I think it helps that he's so much an introvert, and prefers to go into depth on his interests rather than my breadth. But he would also never make his own products because a) that would require storage, and b) that would require energy and possibly effort.
    IEE 649 sx/sp cp

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    Hey @Pole
    You're living my dream haha, I'm always trying to throw out things but will always find a reason to keep an item. Any tips on decluttering/letting go of your things?
    I admire minimalism so much but can never seem to do it well.
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    @anndelise Tell me about cheesemaking! I love that, wish I had the patience. I'm trying to keep it VERY simple though, vegan basically.
    I'm trying to focus on the ingredients of what I'm making as well. I will only choose recipes that have minimal ingredients and are completely natural. Yes, it is a lot of DIY! It is something that has to be done over time, you definitely can't throw out items and hope to have all handmade products instantly. It's also a matter of finding the right recipes for you.
    I know the feeling of competing wants though.... I really understand that. Half of me wants to wear crazy outfits everyday and sporting a full face of makeup while the other half wants to be completely simple and bare-faced. I want to buy new things to suit my whims but also want to own practically nothing. I want to do everything but also be a hermit lol. You don't have to choose one lifestyle to live at all. It's severely limiting. However, this lifestyle inspires me to just be mindful of what I own and how much waste I produce on a daily basis. That is something that I can keep in mind at all times, because it is not so much an activity but something that changes your mindset entirely.

    I think that if you find learning Korean interesting, then how is it not beneficial? It depends on what you define as "productive" or a "good" use of time, but I don't think it's fair to yourself to say learning something that interests you isn't in some way building your personal empire. You never know down the line how you could benefit from it. Plus, it's not a waste of time if you are learning from it in some way.

    Kudos to your brother btw, I could never sleep on the floor That's a new level of minimal
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    back for the time being Chae's Avatar
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    Yeah, plastic is essentially a crime against earth and humans, but hard to counter. I'll try to compile and come up with tips here.


    - buying plastic bottles < buying glass bottles < pouring a self-made drink like a tea/smoothie into a Mason jar



    - glass jars in general are good storage ideas, no Bisphenol A from plastic risk

    - buying more fruits and vegetables. Processed food = plastic waste included, always.

    - bring your own big bag to shopping missions, so they won't give you their bags

    - ditch hairspray, it only dries out your hair. No recipe needed, take bobby pins if your mane is wild

    - for deodorants, there are chunks of crystals you can buy. They work soooo well and last long. No irritations from alcohol, aluminum, etc.

    - do more body/cleaning things with classic soap, reduces shampoo bottles etc

    - paper with creases doesn't get thrown away!!! you can still use it to take casual notes

    - paper towels get replaced with cloth

    .

    Some infographic I found:



    Switching off the light is a bit critical I think, it takes more energy to switch it on again than to keep it running.

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    Quote Originally Posted by vertu View Post
    Hey @Pole
    You're living my dream haha, I'm always trying to throw out things but will always find a reason to keep an item. Any tips on decluttering/letting go of your things?
    I admire minimalism so much but can never seem to do it well.
    For me it just comes natural. I know exactly what I need and don't need. I am not sentimental so I rarely hang on to mementos or gifts (most clutter seems to be an accumulation of sentimental items like cards and souvenirs). I regularly go through my "inventory" and redo my organization a few times a year, not just for spring cleaning. I am not into a lot of hobbies that require lots of things, and I collect nothing. I won't hang onto something if it's novel, it HAS to serve a very real purpose or in the trash or thrift store donation pile it goes. I buy only what I need and I buy used or dollar store, so I can save money. I do a lot of research before making a bigger purchase, or buying new. I read blogs and books on the topic to stay motivated. I highly recommend any book by Don Aslett. Look up some minimalist channels on YouTube, another go-to of mine.
    LSI-Se 836 Sp/Sx

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    Quote Originally Posted by vertu View Post
    @anndelise Tell me about cheesemaking! I love that, wish I had the patience. I'm trying to keep it VERY simple though, vegan basically.
    I'm trying to focus on the ingredients of what I'm making as well. I will only choose recipes that have minimal ingredients and are completely natural. Yes, it is a lot of DIY! It is something that has to be done over time, you definitely can't throw out items and hope to have all handmade products instantly. It's also a matter of finding the right recipes for you.
    Not hard cheesemaking, just farmer's cheese...which is basically soured raw milk (it naturally separates into curds and whey and gives a kind of cottage cheese kind of thing. you put it into a cheesecloth to drain out more whey. The resulting curds gives a nice item to add to salads or use as a spread/dip.)

    I don't really know how to cook (one of the must learn items on my list), and I hate following recipes. I mostly eat summer salads in hot weather, and roasted veggies in cold weather. I'm not vegan, I mostly eat vegetables, eggs, and meat. Our meals are as simple as we can make them. If it uses more than 5 ingredients and/or take more than simple chopping up as prep, we're not likely to make it. I do, however, use frozen vegetables...which adds packaging. But I try freezing extra fruits and veggies I get as a way to try to combat that.

    Oh, the most fun was making water kefir for a carbonated fruit drink, or even fermenting fruit for an alcoholic beverage. We don't have much counter/shelf space in the kitchen, so that kind of got ...shelved...until we do, lol.
    Oh, and the solar oven I haven't used since our cat adopted us (he took over the table the solar oven sat on). But it was a great item for slow cooking and short baking....when we get sun, that is. BUT, it also required thinking of what you'll want to eat ahead of time, which I'm not so great at doing.


    I know the feeling of competing wants though.... I really understand that. Half of me wants to wear crazy outfits everyday and sporting a full face of makeup while the other half wants to be completely simple and bare-faced. I want to buy new things to suit my whims but also want to own practically nothing. I want to do everything but also be a hermit lol. You don't have to choose one lifestyle to live at all. It's severely limiting. However, this lifestyle inspires me to just be mindful of what I own and how much waste I produce on a daily basis. That is something that I can keep in mind at all times, because it is not so much an activity but something that changes your mindset entirely.
    By lifestyle, I don't mean some outside set of rules telling me what I can or can't do. I mean something simpler than what I'm doing now. I want a clean and comfortable home that doesn't have a bunch of eye clutter calling out to me to clean it up. But to get that home I want, I have to clear up the rest of my clutter as well as reduce how many hobbies and activities I try doing. I never really get to do the hobbies I have a bunch of stuff for, and that frustrates me. Mostly, cuz I've so much decluttering to do, lol. I imagine that pursuing fewer interests would clear up some of this home space, as well as mental space. That way I can take the time to enjoy hobbies/activities that truly bring me joy. I'd still be free to try my hand at new things, but I think developing a more minimal mindset would help prevent things from getting out of hand again.


    I think that if you find learning Korean interesting, then how is it not beneficial? It depends on what you define as "productive" or a "good" use of time, but I don't think it's fair to yourself to say learning something that interests you isn't in some way building your personal empire. You never know down the line how you could benefit from it. Plus, it's not a waste of time if you are learning from it in some way.
    It doesn't help me get the clear, clean, and comfortable home I crave. And it doesn't help me improve my health. And since both of those are desperately needed, studying Korean shouldn't be allowed to compete with those...but it does, heh. (enneagram related:my sx is always competing with my sp. If i'm exploring something I'm curious about, I feel guilty for not taking care of home/health. If I'm taking care of home/health, I get frustrated that I don't have enough physical/mental energy left over for doing something I'm curious about. I'm trying to learn how to balance the three through developing small, simple habits.)
    IEE 649 sx/sp cp

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    how i imagine @anndelise 's life

    Last edited by bgbg; 07-25-2017 at 12:17 AM.

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    @Chae, those are good suggestions.

    I primarily use mason jars and some glass bowls that can be in freezer AND oven as my primary food containers. Though I recently bought some plastic containers for R to take to work for his meals since he likes his foods separated. I also bought some for the chicks cuz it makes cheap, easy, reusable feeders that we could cut holes into where we need them.

    I also made my own carbonated and alcoholic drinks for a while, but need to revamp my kitchen and the system I was using.

    This city I shop in charges $0.05 per paper bag and no longer use plastic bags for grocery bags. So people keep reusable bags in their cars. My neighbor made me some heavy duty bags made out of old, torn up jeans.

    I don't use hair spray nor hair goop. I haven't in over a decade. And I wash my hair 1-2x/week. I use hair clips when my hair is drying to help control how some of the curl flows. That's only good for the hair wash day. After that I use hair clips/bands to keep it pulled out of my face.

    I don't use makeup except for lip balm, now. But I'm still trying to find a good skin care routine for my face that is super simple.

    I use the salt crystal for underarm deodorant. It's awesome, especially since I don't sweat much anyways.

    I'll have to re-research for a good skin and hair routine. Skin brushing is good, I know that, I'm just usually in too much pain or too tired to do it when shower time comes (evening).

    I don't shave, and that's saved on a lot of plastics and waste and pollution in this household.

    I reuse shirts a couple of times in a row, depending on what I did while I was wearing it. I wear 1-2 pants/skirts for the whole week. I don't have a job, so this is pretty easy for me to do.
    We use vinegar as our laundry detergent.

    I hand wash our dishes so I can control how much water gets used. They don't need much soap, and sometimes I can get buy with just using vinegar in water.
    I sometimes use a bowl under the sink to catch water as I'm waiting for it to heat up, or will use our electric kettle for quicker water heat up. Water in the bowl gets used to water plants.

    When I lived in town, I walked to most places, and bused if the weather made walking miserable.
    Currently living out in the county, I only drive to town 1x/week, less if I can get away with it.

    We are working on natural climate 'control' in our home. R's finally realizing the benefits of being up early in the summer, napping in the hottest part of the day, and being active again when things cool down. In winter we tend to go to bed early. We use curtains and open/close windows and doors to help influence the inside temps. We use wet cloths to help us cool down. On bad days we'll include a wet towel/sheet in front of a window. Part of my gardening plan will include putting up vines and/or trees on the south side of the house to help provide summer shade yet winter sun.

    Printing...lol. R laughs at me that I use reduced ink, two pages per side, double sided (so 4 pages per sheet of paper). It makes the printout small for the eyes, but saves a ton of ink. I'm trying to print less, too.

    ---
    I haven't yet replaced paper towels/napkins, however.
    I need to get in the habit of unplugging unused electronics.

    I still have a ways to go for zero waste. But I've accepted the concept of SustainAgility...meaning You don't have to be sustainable in all things, Start with one thing that's most important to you, and gradually branch out. Why? cuz I was doing too much trying to do it all at once and burned out...multiple times. I also try to pick the things that take about 20% of effort yet yields 80% of gains. Things that I can continue without much thought.
    IEE 649 sx/sp cp

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    Quote Originally Posted by bgdjf View Post
    how i imagine @anndelise 's life

    aside from the blood everywhere!!! yeppers!! lololol.
    I used to drive R crazy!! (still do, but he's come to anticipate it now)
    IEE 649 sx/sp cp

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    @Chae I'm so weird about the crystal deoderant though.. there's something about it that doesn't feel safe with me idk i'm a paranoid person haha
    but yes! glass jars! they are honestly the best, i've gotten my family to save all of their spare ones for me if they're not gonna use them ))


    for deoderant I just made:

    1/2 cup coconut oil
    1/2 cup cornstarch (you can use arrowroot, too)
    any essential oil (i used eucalyptus and tea tree)
    and you're good!

    I actually really like it!

    thanks for the list. love it, i'm definitely always trying to change my routine to be better in this way
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    @Pole Just looked up Don Aslett. "For Packrats Only" is going to be my bible, I can tell
    Mmm yeah it's definitely helpful to regroup with what you need constantly. Redoing organization is so therapeutic.
    Do you have any youtube channels you recommend?
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    @anndelise I wish my area eliminated plastic bags for shopping but they're still here

    for shaving, you can also use a safety razor; the blades are recyclable. (if you want, not telling u to shave bc i barely shave either haha)

    I like the SustainAgility concept, I've never heard that before. I think that's the most practical way to do it. It's like diet crazes, when you flip from one extreme to the next you are bound to bounce back to the other side eventually. People gain all of their diet weight back immediately unless their diets are longterm diets that allow them to stick with it for life. Zero Waste is like that, it's definitely something that takes years but it's worth it. Doing something gradually is the way to adapt to it in a way that you will want​ to keep doing it, because it's not overwhelming.
    "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced" -James Baldwin



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    No Fate Pole's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vertu View Post
    @Pole Just looked up Don Aslett. "For Packrats Only" is going to be my bible, I can tell
    Mmm yeah it's definitely helpful to regroup with what you need constantly. Redoing organization is so therapeutic.
    Do you have any youtube channels you recommend?
    All I did was type minimalism in youtube, watched a ton, and subscribed to the ones I liked. There are a LOT to choose from.
    LSI-Se 836 Sp/Sx

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