Sometimes I want to get a brush pen and a Leuchtturm1917 and let my hand do its work. However, my values stop me from supporting the community in the way I initially wanted to, which is analogue for the most part. So I had to come up with a way to get my shit together, a la bullet journal style that was convenient, environmentally friendly and of course, work for me.
Thus my armour was born.
1. Laptop and stylus. My laptop is without a doubt the most useful tool I possess. Apart from the standard use of typing reports and using my friend Google to the max, I am able to download my college books, handouts and syllabus. But interestingly, it also doubles as an actual paper notebook because it is stylus enabled, so I can highlight and take notes on pdf’s, write and draw. I’ve got the best of both worlds. Can you hear my cry of joy in the background?!
2. Phone. Even though my laptop is basically my lifesaver, sometimes I just don’t wanna carry it around. I don’t plan on walking around with a backpack 24/7 and I don’t own a purse or a bag or whatever people use. That’s why pockets exist and I don’t carry much anyways. This is where my phone comes to play. It’s compact, fits in my pocket and above all, it syncs with all the apps I use to stay organized. All my files, available anywhere I go. Plus it also has a stylus. More cries of joy in the background!
3. Notebook and a pen. Last but definitely not least, I do own a notebook. With a refillable fountain pen. I know, I know. What was all that speech just above about not using analogue methods?! Let me explain. If you’re an artist, I think you might have the same problem as me. I owned a horrendous amount of sketchbooks and none of them was finished. So I made a little DIY Bullet Journal out of the empty pages. I only use the notebook for when I am not allowed to use my laptop, which is after 6pm, so I can give my eyes a break from the lights and prepare myself to sleep. There, I write and doodle to my heart’s content.
So my laptop, my stylus, my phone, my notebook and my fountain pen are all the tools I need to go to class and take notes. At the same time, they offer me a minimalist armour that allows me to be more productive in class and it helps me reduce the amount of trash I produce. Although both methods, analogue and digital, have their pros and cons when it comes to the environment, the tools needed for digital processes are fewer and it helps me produce less trash. At the end of the day, it all comes down if the method you’re using works for you and if you’re happy and satisfied with it.
Especially today, it is literally about turning all your lights off. It’s earth hour at 8.30 pm your local time. Living in the dark for one hour is a message that you care about our planet. But turning everything off you don’t need at the moment is something important every day. So much energy is wasted by tv’s nobody’s looking at or lights in rooms with no one in it.
Bamboo grows very fast, so it is the perfect material for an item that needs to be replaced every three month. Unlike plastic. A plastic toothbrush is used for a couple of weeks and then stays on this planet for several hundred years, since it will not biodegrade. That makes no sense. Switch to bamboo. Plus: You can just burry the old brushes in the backyard.
Not everybody has the chance to, but if you have the option to change your power supplier, do so. It might seem obvious, but people underestimate the power we have. We can vote with our dollars for the world we want to live in. Also, check what company is behind the green power supplier of your choice and try to find one who is not part of a big coal or fracking company.
This is an easy one: Carry around a set of cutlery in your everyday bag. You can use an outdoor camping set or just go with your normal forks, spoons or sticks. Whenever your eating out anywhere in a place that doesn’t offer reusable cutlery, just use your own and skip the plastic. You can just put them in the dishwasher when you are back home and save a ton of plastic.
Hello! I am back after about two months of being barely active on here. I had to go to work for some time and then I was taking my final exams at school. I will try to post more from now ;)
I had very little time to declutter at May, so I decided not to make a separate post about it and I decided to put the months together.
Here is the list:
skirt - gave away
stuffed animal - gave away
velvet sweatpants - gave away
toys - 10 gave away
pot plants - 6 gave away
pinafores - 2 gave away
small bags - 10 gave away
photo frame - gave away
a small torch - gave away
a soap bubble liquid - gave away
baking plates - 6 gave away
a thermal mug - gave away
a soap - gave away
scribers - gave away
ink pen - gave away
drawing charcoal - gave away
drawings - 3 gave away
paintings - 2 gave away
badges - 5 sold, 2 gave away
a card game - sold a pair of snickers - sold
Tarot cards - sold
a T-shirt - sold
a shampoo bar - sold
paper folders - 3 thrown away, 1 gave away
stickers sets - 2 thrown away, 1 give away
unfinished sewing projects - thrown away
candles - 2 thrown away
old receipts - thrown away
small pieces of old fabric - thrown away
pair of socks - thrown away
gift cards - 2 thrown away
old oil pastels - thrown away
old (dried) ink - thrown away
lip balms - 2 thrown away
a glass box - thrown away
a lot of sketches and drawings - thrown away (count as 1)old projects (mainly printed graphics) - thrown away
notebooks - 15 thrown away
notebooks covers - 5 thrown away
old documents - thrown away
trousers - thrown away
calendars - 2 thrown away
magazines - 6 thrown away
a newspaper - thrown away
a book - thrown away
a cup - thrown away
puzzles - thrown away
small pendant - thrown away
organiser box - thrown away
a piece of underwear - 1 thrown away a bottle of expired shampoo - thrown away (I wanted to use it up, but I got rash…)
And for now it is 679 of 1000 things.
I will publish another post about decluttering soon where I will sum up my experiences after decluttering for half a year ;)
I’ve cut my menstrual cup’s ring! And it feels much better now ;) I’ve had an continuous feel of it poking me and it was irritating my vagina, now I can’t feel it at all ;)
I wanted to wait with cutting the stim utill I get comfortable with inserting and pulling out my cup. I adapted to this quickly ;)
I’m also considering buying a bit smaller cup, but for now this one is okay.
The list seems to be long, but I got rid of not many items ;)
By the way, I want to mention that I make two kinds of donations. Things that are in very good condition I donate to various foundations and the things that are in worse condition (but still good quality) I put into containers for used clothing. I believe it is enough and even if the thing won’t reach new owner, they will be recycled properly. Textiles recycling is really crucial!
Some time ago I decided to obtain a safety razor. For me the easiest way to buy it was online. So I chose a simple one with bamboo handle.
There are many advantages of switching to a safety razor:
It’s traditional and enjoyable.
It’sbetter shaving than while using disposable razor, also safety razor reduces skin irritation and ingrown hairs.
It’sless expensive. Disposable razor cost 1 to even 5$. I bought my safety razor with about 21$ and razors are really chip and fully recyclable. It’s very good way to save money.
I enjoy shaving with safety razor because of the attention I’m paying to it. It demands focus so it helps not to think about anything else. I’m taking careof myself and relaxing at the same time.
I’ve always had a problem with cutting myself while shaving, now while using safety razor I rarely do it.
Furthermoredisposable razors are not recyclable. According to the EPA 2 billions of them end up in landfills every year. Terrible, right?
To be honest I was surprised how easy is the safety razor in use and in fact it’s a lot easier to use that kind of razor. I was also impressed with that feeling after shaving when my skin felt smoother and softer than while using disposable razors!
I highly recommend it to people who don’t want to give up shaving but want to be more eco friendly.
By the way from my point of view it’s also a very good gift idea!
This is the waste I created using a safety razor for 14 months. Eight recyclable blades instead of about 30 disposable razors ;)
And I haven’t change my mind about that topic - I absolutely love my razor ;) Seriously, using it is easier than it seems!
What about you? Do you own a safety razor or look forward to obtain it? ;)
You’re the best! I’m so grateful for your support and I hope my posts inspire you, so we can make small changes everyday for better future (by the way: it is my 100th post!)
What do you think about 2k Q&A? Feel free to send me a question about anything anytime! | smallzerowaste.tumblr.com/ask
Today I made a tortilla dough for the first time in my life! Until now I have been buying ready flours in supermarkets. By making it at home I avoided unwanted packaging and ingredients :)
This is a tough time for many people. At the moment in my country there are 7918 confirmed infections and 314 deaths.
Remember to always make your health a priority.
I want to share with you some less waste tips that may help you these days.
Let’s start with masks - they are not difficult to sew at home (or even make without sewing!) and it is obvious that having a reusable one is better than using lots of disposable ones. After use you can disinfect it with boiling water or just put it into laundry ;) I recommend you having a few face masks.
Hand sanitizer - the world went crazy about it. Try making it yourself, it is easy! Ingredients:
12 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol
5 tablespoons of aloe vera and 3 tablespoons of glycerin which will prevent your skin from drying out and provide extra protection
You can also add some drops of essential oil;)
Most of people started to care about cleaning much more due to the pandemic. Using homemade cleaning products is a goal that I still have not achieved yet. If you feel ready to start using them, go for it, look for the recipes (for example on pinterest) and make your own natural cleaning supplies!
I know that gloves are required to be worn now, but to be honest I do not believe that using disposable gloves will save us and from my point of view we are just making a huge waste with this plastic or rubber accessories. But…
please,wash your hands after touching any questionable surface. It is crucial to keep you and others save.
If you are storing food, remember that using aluminium or metal cans is probably a better choice than choosing plastic or glass due to recycling. Of course you can reuse most of packaging. But again, make yourself comfortable and buy what you need to survive.
Buy fruit and vegetables that stay fresh for a long time as: apples, potatoes and sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, apples, carrots, celery, lemons, beetroots, cabbages, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower. You can also freeze fruits, I often freeze my bananas ;)
Grow your own food and make your own bread, cookies, muesli, pasta etc. ;)
I hope you’re doing great and have everything you need. I wish you good heath! Greetings!
If you follow me and read my post since last year you may know that I obtained a menstrual cup some time ago. The truth is I haven’t got an occasion to try it… until now, thanks to quarantine.
I needed some time to prepare the cup and of course also prepare myself for trying it. Living in a dormitory was an obstacle for me to do it, so when I started bleeding on quarantine at home I though it was a appropriate day to insert my menstrual cup.
Quick backstory: I got my first period when I was turning 10, so according to my calculations I have used about 3360 menstrual pads till today (for almost 10 years). So continuing counting I will use at least 10080 more until I stop menstruating.
“Tampons, pads and panty liners along with their packaging and individual wrapping generate more than 200,000 tonnes of waste per year, and they all contain plastic – in fact, pads are around 90% plastic!” - OrganiCup
One pad decompose in about 500 to 800 years! And burning them causes highly toxic emissions. So please consider switching to more sustainable menstrual products as:
Day 1 | Although I tried doing this before, it didn’t work out then. “Take your time” - I said to myself and began putting in right place. The first day of wearing a cup wasn’t the most comfortable and I wore a pad due to the insurance. I found very little blood inside the cup in the evening, which surprised me.
Articles and videos that helped me at the first day:
Also what I found helpful was medical lubricant, but to be honest I used it only at the first day. I didn’t mention it before but if you want to know, my cup is from the brand calledPerfect Cup;)
Day 2 | I felt really comfortable after wearing a cup at night. Also I didn’t notice any leakage. Although I think the ring was irritating me sometimes.
Day 3 | Again I felt very comfortable all day. I think the cup’s size is appropriate for me.
(sanitizing my cup in hot water while taking shower)
Day 4 | My bottom stomach hurt a bit, I think I put my cup a little too deep. But I reinserted it and then it was okay. In the evening I noticed that the amount of blood inside the cup was low so I decided to take a break of it and try on a cloth pad I sew before.
Day 5 | I stopped bleeding and after wearing a cloth pad for a night I felt a lot more pleased then after using a disposable pad.
Summing up: I loved it from the very first day! The feeling of not having a blood flood inside my pants and having any skin irritation caused by the chemicals inside the disposable pads… Absolutely stunning! Now I feel like: everyone who is menstruating should try that!
Also I have a story here: when I got my cup, I showed it to my boyfriend and he loved it and started playing with it, but when I showed it to my (women) roommates they were like “yuuuck!” and the situation was really shocking for me, because before I hadn’t met anyone who would react that way on a cup…
I’ve also asked some other people what they think about menstrual cups.
“They are problematic and embarrassing in public toilets.”
“I’m afraid I can stain something while putting it out.”
“They are cool. Someday I’ll buy one!”
“At least you don’t waste money on tampons and pads.”
“I think it is a good way to reduce your waste.”
“They seem to be more comfortable than tampons.”
“In my point of view they aren’t made for me, but I’m not sure, because it seems to be better and more comfortable solution.”
And what is your opinion about menstrual cups?
I will finish with mentioning that there is nothing to be ashamed with talking about your period or using a menstrual cup! Love your body and accept everything about it! Youare beautiful and worthy!♥ ♥ ♥
I upcycled a wooden crate using paints that I don’t use anymore and old bubble wrap (I couldn’t find another foil). I put some potting soil inside it and planted some seeds… now I’m looking forward to planting lots of herbs inside my house! Okay, I’m joking, for now it is just a basil ;)
My motivation? I got really irritated with buying basil spice in paper bags every month… you know the small bags you can find in (I guees) every shop. I’ve also seen same looking basil being sold in plastic bottles (similar to ketchup bottles), what’s wrong with people? Anyway, I’m a person who uses a lot of basil while cooking and I’ve finally decided I want to grow it myself. But I have a large garden so why did I plant it in a crate? I wanted to check how it is to plant food inside ;)
By the way, I mentioned a bubble wrap. If you obtain it somehow, don’t throw it out! Always try to reuse bubble wrap, I always collect it and if I have to I use it to pack another package ;) Here are some ideas what you can do with bubble wrap:
Use it to cover wooden crate similar to mine and make your own potting crate ;)
You can use it for window isolation (it is useful especially in winter)
Simply use it to secure what you need
Make a frottage! Cover the wrap with paint and make a stamp
Or use it in a collage! (maybe it won’t save the planet but it’s fun…)
Make some beads! I’m absolutely amazed by the idea!
I upcycled a wooden crate using paints that I don’t use anymore and old bubble wrap (I couldn’t find another foil). I put some potting soil inside it and planted some seeds… now I’m looking forward to planting lots of herbs inside my house! Okay, I’m joking, for now it is just a basil ;)
My motivation? I got really irritated with buying basil spice in paper bags every month… you know the small bags you can find in (I guees) every shop. I’ve also seen same looking basil being sold in plastic bottles (similar to ketchup bottles), what’s wrong with people? Anyway, I’m a person who uses a lot of basil while cooking and I’ve finally decided I want to grow it myself. But I have a large garden so why did I plant it in a crate? I wanted to check how it is to plant food inside ;)
By the way, I mentioned a bubble wrap. If you obtain it somehow, don’t throw it out! Always try to reuse bubble wrap, I always collect it and if I have to I use it to pack another package ;) Here are some ideas what you can do with bubble wrap:
Use it to cover wooden crate similar to mine and make your own potting crate ;)
You can use it for window isolation (it is useful especially in winter)
Simply use it to secure what you need
Make a frottage! Cover the wrap with paint and make a stamp
Or use it in a collage! (maybe it won’t save the planet but it’s fun…)
Make some beads! I’m absolutely amazed by the idea!
