Don't Underestimate the Big 4

Since I’ve started living in St. Croix, a place which is beautiful, but has practically no recycling, I’ve had a bit more of a struggle keeping up with my own zero waste goals. However, it has given me a whole new appreciation how important eliminating those first few disposables from your life is: Plastic Bags, Water Bottles, Straws, To-Go Coffee Cups, and napkins.

Though I’ve had to make constant compromises when it comes to waste here, I have been able to stay away (mostly) from these items, and that alone has absolutely made a huge difference in my waste production.

So here’s a little review of the BIG 4 - even if you have no intentions of going zero waste, eliminating these can make a huge difference!

1. Plastic Bags

The no-brainer! We see reusable bags all over the place now, which is awesome. The hardest part here is simply remembering your reusable bags. I tend to keep a few in my car, one stuffable one in my bag, and the rest right by the door of our apartment. Usually this means I don’t go to the store empty handed.

I brought one stuffable one here to St. Croix, and that combined with my large purse has kept me covered here!

2. reusable water bottle

In most locations here on St. Croix, rainwater is collected via cistern and used for bathing and washing, but generally not for drinking. There’s also many historic buildings, from which the tap water is not drinkable. These realities result in most locations using jug water dispensers and a supply plastic cups, including my own office!

But having a reusable water bottle has kept me both hydrated (as long as I remember to drink from it!) and zero waste with regards to water. I prefer stainless steel water bottles, mostly because of their durability and ability to be endlessly recycled.

3. Straws

This one is the most simple, but somehow it feels like you have the least control over it!

When you are out at a restauraunt or bar or wherever else you could possible get a straw, just as for “no straw, please” with your drink orders. You will get looks of annoyance, confusion, begrudging respect, excitement, & I’ve even gotten a free drink out of it before (coffee)!

I’ve also had many a waiter, waitress, bartender, etc. put a straw in my drink, realize the mistake, (sometimes) make direct eye contact with me, take the straw out, and subsequently throw it away. AH!

All of this can feel a wee bit frustrating, and I get it. I’ve found the best attitude to have is to just try your hardest. If you ask for no straw and one comes, don’t freak out. Just keep on keepin’ on!

Also sometimes carrying your own straws helps servers remember / understand wtf you’re asking for. There are so many options out there: stainless steel / silicone, bamboo, glass, potentially things I don’t know about! So find whatever works best for you and go for it!

4. reusable Coffee Mugs

So, my partner worked at Starbucks in the mountains for a bit, before my zero waste days. I used to hop off the bus and pickup a free chai latte for myself on my way to work in the morning. Admittedly, almost always in a to-go coffee cup. Single use. Not recyclable. I don’t even want to think of how many of those stupid freaking cups I’ve thrown away.

However, that was just because he would have them pre-made for me. I’ve been bringing my own tea and coffee around and having mugs filled since I was in high school. I just wasn’t thinking about it quite as analytically as I do now.

Anyway, the only person I’ve had refuse to fill my coffee mug was a Delta flight attendant who was being a complete a**hole must have been having a bad day. Almost any coffee shop will ablige no problem, and often give you a small discount for your efforts!

I love both Hydroflask and Klean Kanteen’s to-go coffee options. I’ve also used my Klean Kanteen tumbler for alcoholic drinks many a time at festivals and other events - keeps my drinks nice and cool even in the summer heat!

My dutiful Hydroflask kept my coffee warm all night in the field on Buck Island, monitoring mama sea turtles!

4 Zero Waste Alternatives to Cream in your Coffee

At the present moment I've managed to wander down to St. Croix, one of the US Virgin Islands.  I'm working a turtle conservation job where we have supplied housing and meals. This means a few things:

1. I only generally get to a grocery store about 1 / 2 weeks
2. When I do get a chance to buy food, it all needs to fit in a tiny mini-fridge that I share with my roommate
3. If I get anything in cartons, it can't be recycled

Therefore, I have not been getting cream to put in my coffee, which is normally how I take it.

These are the simple fixes I've done with the limited means I have here:

1. Dark Chocolate

I've started putting about 1/2 a square of dark chocolate, I like Alter-Eco's Brown Butter, in my to-go mug so that it melts when I pour in the hot coffee. This gives an amazing flavor, slightly sweetens it, and can cut the acidity of the coffee just enough!

2. Coconut Milk

I'm not talking about the coconut milk sold in cartons for drinking, I'm talking straight out of the can with some congealed oil at the top. Dump this into a jar and mix it up, then pour it into coffee and enjoy! This keeps better than dairy milk, takes up less room, and comes in aluminum cans! This will also more closely resemble the creamy texture of coffee with dairy cream.

3. Vanilla Extract

I especially love to add vanilla extract to my cold brew coffee. It has just enough of another flavor to take the edge off the coffee alone. Though I do just use this instead of cream, admittedly, it also tastes freaking amazing in addition to cream! Almond extract is excellent as well, if you like that flavor!

4. Drink it Black

I know this sounds obvious, or like something to totally write off. But, if you get good quality coffee from a local roaster (if you have one near you) black coffee can taste pretty darn good. If you haven't given it a solid effort in a while, maybe try just a cup or two and see how you like it!

Non-Toxic Ways to Unclog Your Drain

I wrote in another post how to cleanup a tub using only baking soda and vinegar. This was after we had a plumber come to our house to handle a very clogged drain.

We live in an old building, and the plumber said the clog he found was about 24 feet into the pipe, something that existed long before we stumbled into that bathroom.

However, since I have pretty long hair, I've been dealing with clogged drains for a while now, and I've never been a fan of the nasty chemical options. I was actually really pleased when my landlord explicitly asked us to not use harsh chemicals, as they can damage the older piping in the unit!

1. Tweezers

Sometimes clogs are just some hair and other gunk lying right below the surface of the drain. You can use a screw driver to remove your drain cover (depending on the type of cover) and sometimes you can snag the hair caught in the drain and pull it out from the top.

Sometimes there's just a little bit of hair, sometimes you will pull out a whole mess of it. It really depends on how protected your drain has been.

2. Boiling/hot Water

Fill a teakettle, or large saucepan, with at least 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling water directly into the drain. If you need to just do a little bit at a time to allow the liquid to work its way though the clog, do so. The temperature of the water will help breakup the blockage.

It can take multiple tries with this one, so don't be afraid to use more water, or do it a couple times.

NOTE: If you live in a place where PVC pipes may be a part of your plumbing, definitely let the water cool to about 158ºF/ 79ºC before dumping it down the drain. PVC pipes are generally considered unfit for plumbing, but depending on where you live, or if anyone may have maybe made some not-so-to-code alterations to your home, you may have some w/o realizing it. If you're unsure, play it safe and let the water cool a bit!

3. Baking Soda and Vinegar

Mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar in a measuring up, about 1/3 cup of each should be good. As soon as it starts to fiz, pour it down the drain.

Sometimes I actually put the baking soda directly into the drain and pour the vinegar in on top of it.

Either way, cover the drain and let it sit for 15-30 minutes.

3. drain auger/snake

A drain auger (or drain snake) is a long metal rope with a spiral on the end. Manual ones usually have a handle to twist with at the end. You place the spiral end of the rope into the drain and twist until you reach the blockage (where you should feel resistance) then you twist to hook the clog and pull it out.

Manual drain augers are relatively inexpensive, can found at your local hardware store, and can be a good solution for a stubborn clog.

However, if your clog is very deep and potentially due to rusty pipes, you will want to call a plumber who will most likely use an automatic auger, which has much more power and length behind it.

Clog Prevention

Though it's very satisfying to finally watch water move down your drain after potentially fighting a clog for weeks, the best way to handle clogs is to prevent them in the first place. The best way to do this, confirmed by our very kind plumber, is to get a hair trap. Even if you have a drain that includes one, I'd get another to go on top of it.

You can also use the above methods (hot water, vinegar & baking soda) as general drain maintenance. Every few months you can dump some hot water down and do a baking soda/vinegar fizz to keep the drain in good working order.