zero waste

Don't Underestimate the Big 4

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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!

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

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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!

 

Shampoo Bars

Meet the newest addition to my shower: a jumping juniper shampoo bar from LUSH!

So far, my attempts at a homemade, color-friendly shampoo for my newly dyed hair haven't gone quite according to plan. So, I needed something that could keep my hair from looking like a grease ball.  It's worked great so far, my hair looks awesome (oil free) and still has it's mermaid colors.  


The girl who helped me at the store was super nice and directed me to a bar that was good for color and for my hair type. When I told her I didn't want packaging, She let me put the bar right in the tin.  As I was checking out and she even said to me "oh I won't staple your receipts then because that's waste, right?" Thank you awesome, awesome LUSH employee for actually listening and giving a damn about your customers!

I'll update on how long the bar lasts and how my color does over the next month or so!

Update: Aug 27, 2017

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Well, I finally used up my Jumping Juniper shampoo bar! That sucker lasted WAY longer than I expected, a full 5 months! I think this makes shampoo bars one of the most cost effective hair care methods, though I'll have to crunch the numbers later.

I was really impressed with how well my dyed hair retained its color with the shampoo bar. I was generally not scrubbing directly into the color, but I got lots of comments about how long it was lasting (I've never dyed my hair before so that was new to me too). 

Since I had such a great experience, I am trying out another one!  I recently purchased their Montalbano citrus bar and their sea-salt/coconut oil conditioner bar. I'm loving them, too! The solid conditioner does a great job of moisturizing without making my hair greasy. I'd say these are an excellent addition to any zero waste bathroom!

More updates to follow.