According to the EPA, the average person in the United States produces 4.9 pounds per person per day. Of this amount, a majority of it ends up in the landfill, with smaller segments being recycled and composted. I’ve been learning more and more about how really the only things that can truly be recycled anymore are glass and aluminum (and not any forms of plastic), but I won’t get into that now. I’ve been trying to reduce my overall trash production for the past few years, and wanted to share some of things I’ve learned along the way.

My general rule of thumb - use what you have, and/or buy things that you’ll actually use (which means things that you’ll bring with you), for a very, very long time. For the past several years now I’ve been fascinated by our trash and recycling problem. After learning about how much of our trash ended up in the ocean and our water streams, we have been really.

My Favorite items:

1. Eco lunchbox: Dishwasher safe, plastic free, and leak-proof containers. WHAT I LOVE THE MOST? The bentos nest, and so it’s really convenient to throw these in your bag in case there are dinner leftovers, or you want to store something and not use a single use bag/bag. We have been using these since 2017, and since they nest they are easy for me to carry in my bag in case we spontaneously go out for a meal.

   We’ve received tons of comments and compliments from friends and restaurant staff at how impressed they were that we brought our own containers for leftovers, and I truly believe it’s only possible because the containers nest (and thus are easy to carry around). I haven’t had any leakage issues since I’ve gotten them, but I’ll usually put them straight into the refrigerator when I get home. They come in different sizes and shapes, but the nesting trio (circular shapes) are my favorites. I throw these in the dishwasher on the top shelf only. Ecolunchbox | Amazon

2. Simple Ecology Cotton Muslin Bulk bags: Machine washable, and available in different sizes and available in solid cotton or mesh. I use these all the time for grocery shopping to avoid using the plastic bulk bags, and also a light small washable bag.

   The one downside is that these bags are not waterproof (I made the mistake of putting a fresh head of lettuce on top of a fresh loaf of bread), but you get the hang of it. I then will leave the produce in the bag - and directly put it in the refrigerator. I think the bag helps the produce stay fresh a touch longer. If I don’t have my muslin bulk bag with me, I’ll just put my bulk produce directly into my cart/basket. I end up washing the product when i get home anyway, and they end up fine. Amazon

3. Unwrapped Life - Shampoo and Conditioner bars: These bars are plastic free, compact and easy to travel with, and my hair has never felt healthier. They also keep your bathroom looking tidy and clean, and are small and easy to store away.

   I’ve been using these for a few years, and they are the perfect size to also pack into the smallest Eco lunchbox bento, and I’ll bring it with me on trips and to the gym. (Then I don’t have to use the hotel shampoo and conditioner which often are not very good quality anyway.) I’ve gotten several compliments on how healthy my hair looks, and I truly think its due to these shampoo bars. My husband also has extremely sensitive skin, and when he did his Patch testing, I was happy to find that these shampoo and conditioner bars didn’t cause his skin to flare up. We also use CeraVe bar soap for body wash, keeping our bathroom as plastic free as possible. Amazon

4. Marley’s Monsters UNPaper towels: We use these primarily as napkins, small plates, and anything to go. We got our first order of these in 2018 (24 UNpaper towels), and loved them so much we bought some more. They come in all these fun patterns and prints to keep your dinners fun and playful, but they also come in more “adult” colors and other materials.

   Friends always want to pick the pattern of their napkin for the evening, and then when we are done we keep them in a basket with our dirty kitchen towels, etc. and then wash them all together. The easier way to store and use these napkins is after Amazon

5. Any reusable water bottle, as long as you remember to bring it with you! My favorite though right now is the wide mouth Miir water bottle because every MiiR product sold helps fund transparent giving projects at the intersection of communities and the environment.

6. Onyx Stainless Steel Airtight containers: These come in different sizes, and really are airtight. Downside is that they don’t nest so they are trickers to store and aren’t as convenient to bring with you. Thus we use them mostly for baked goods, and leftovers at home. We usually hand wash these to preserve the seal. Onyx Containers

7. Menstrual Cups: These are great for the ladies for storage, convenience, and cost. I’ve been using these since at least 2016, and have not looked back. I have tried the Lena and the Diva cup - both are great, but really it depends on your body type. I highly recommend giving it a try! Allure’s writeup of top brands.

Popular zero waste items that I do NOT purchase:

• Any Reusable plastic bag alternatives (eg. Stasher bags) - I had a bad experience with this when the Stasher bag popped open and trail mix went all over my dad’s backpack. Instead, I just use my Eco lunchbox containers, which are light and more leakproof.

• Bamboo utensils - I just use some utensils that I have at home already, and pack them in a small Cotton Muslin Bulk bags.

• Stainless Steel straws: I have mixed feelings about this one - I have multiple stainless steel straws, and I bring them with me in my little to go bag, but I rarely use them. I find that I’d rather drink the beverage without a straw then use the little straw brush and wash the straw.

And then generally, try to buy fresh fruits and bulk veggies - which is better for your health and the environment! This quote sums it up for me -

“It’s only one straw,” said 8 billion people. – Unknown

Good luck on your journey!