The market for vegan leather seems to be, well, booming. As a dietary vegan, I’m pretty pleased about this. But as a plastic-avoider, I’m torn (most vegan leathers are made from plastic). Given a choice between real and vegan leather, which is more ethical, and which is more sustainable? I’d be skeptical of anyone who … More Animal-Based vs. Petroleum-Based: The Leather Dilemma
When we think about ways to be more conscious consumers, our focus tends to be on how we actively spend our money — like supporting brands that keep plastic out of their supply chains. However, our dollars have an impact even when we’re not the ones spending them — like when they’re sitting in our … More Why Banking Matters
Did you know that tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water? On any given day, 159 million Americans drink tea, and it can be found in 80% of American homes. So while coffee gets a lot of hype (we’ll get to this delightful drink later), it’s definitely worth taking … More A Conscious Consumer’s Guide to Responsible Tea Drinking
Eco-guilt. You’re probably familiar with it. It’s a lot like the regular guilt that many of us know far too well, but it’s also compounded with fear, anger, and sadness about sea levels rising, a million species of animals at risk of going extinct, and the sinking realization that every granola bar wrapper we’ve ever … More Soothe Your Eco-Guilt with Incremental Action
Perhaps you’ve seen this question, or one like it, posed to an Eco-shop, blogger, or influencer regarding low waste goods: “You mean you want us to buy more stuff so that we can waste less?” It’s a valid point. Arguably the most important factor of a low waste lifestyle is reducing what you use in … More Is “Low Waste Shop” an Oxymoron?
In Part 2 of our Demystifying Recycling Series, we’re breaking down the rules of what and how to recycle. Every community has slightly different criteria based on the capacity of local facilities, and that’s if you’re lucky enough to have access to recycling! But whether your area goes all-in when it comes to recycling or … More Recycling Demystified Part 2: What & How to Recycle
Recycling is better than land-filling but not as good as reusing or reducing. Paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum are recyclable. The U.S. ships recyclable materials to China, but China recently stopped accepting stuff. We all know these things about recycling, right? Many of us want to know more about the process, but the “out of … More Recycling Demystified Part 1: What’s Happening Behind the Scenes?
We so often think of “zero waste” as the avoidance of single-use plastics and packaging. But there’s another pretty major waste stream that deserves the spotlight as much as anything else: food waste. Somewhere between 30 to 40% of our food supply in the U.S. becomes food waste, and food waste contributes to 8% of … More How to Compost in an Apartment
Have the past couple of weeks been rough for anyone else? Whether you’ve had a doozy of a week, are at your breaking point, still diligently working on that “take care of myself first” New Year’s Resolution, or are just looking for any excuse to treat yo’ self, take some time to indulge yourself in … More Guilt-Free Self-Care
Here’s a word of encouragement to all the aspiring low wasters who simply don’t have the right resources in their communities to get to zero: even if you can’t avoid packaging altogether, you can still take control over WHICH packaging you bring into your home. And by doing so you can still reduce your environmental … More A Packaging Hierarchy (For When Zero’s Not an Option)
Good Intent 