My Zero Waste Successes & Failures (So Far)!

Hey earth muffins! My journey towards zero waste started in May of last year, so I wanted to update you all on where I am at in regards to this shift in my life towards sustainability. ๐Ÿƒ It has been a slow but rewarding process, and I truly recommend for everyone to try to live in a more sustainable way! In this post, I wanted to highlight my major successes and failures since May… Let’s jump right into it! ๐Ÿ’š

My Major Successes:

1. Reusable produce bags – I cannot tell you how amazing these bags are! Instead of using plastic bags each time you want some produce, these bags can be used and then washed when you see fit. The amount of compliments I get for using them is awesome as well; plus, they are quite inexpensive and will last for a long time!

2. Safety razor – I will NEVER go back to using cheap plastic razors. I am absolutely in love with the safety razor I purchased (I did a whole post about using a safety razor if you want to check it out!). The shave is cleaner, the razor blades last wayyyy longer than disposable ones, and you are helping out the planet. Win win!

3. Shampoo bar – I am still loving the LUSH Jumping Juniper shampoo bar, and I am so excited to try out other bars from LUSH and other brands. Plus, my shower looks so much nicer without any plastic bottles.ย ๐Ÿ˜„

4. Mason jars – In my studio apartment tour from last summer, I shared this lovely picture of my mason jar pantry.

Let me tell you, my mason jar collection has about quadrupled in size as my family members seem to love finding random jars to give me. I am super excited to use more mason jars for food storage this summer!

5. Thrift shopping! – I love the thrill of thrift shopping, as I can always find really great pieces if I dig hard enough! This is a great way to help the planet, and I don’t miss shopping at fast fashion stores at allย ๐Ÿ˜Š

My Failures/”In-Progress”:

1. Floss – Unfortunately, there is really no sustainable alternative to floss… I have genetically soft teeth which makes flossing a must, so I have resorted to using a small amount of floss each day. Hopefully a company comes out with some compostable floss at some point!

2. Feminine products – Just being a woman means I make a lot of waste each month in the form of pads and tampons. While I have been wanting to try out a menstrual cup, dorm living is not really a great first place to try that out… Maybe I will give it a try this summer when I have my own apartment again!

3. Deodorant – While I like the Tom’s of Maine deodorant that I have been using, it comes in plastic that you have to send back to the company (through TerraCycle) in order to recycle it… I think there are definitely more sustainable options out there, so I want to try out some more kinds soon!

4. Q-tips – Again, there are really no sustainable alternative other than compostable Q-tips. To counter this, I have stopped using them to clean my ears altogether (wash your ears out in the shower definitely works just fine!) but still use them if my eye makeup needs fixing.

5. Face wash – If you have been following me for awhile, you know that my skin is quite sensitive and acne-prone. After my acne flared up last year in college, I finally got it (mostly) under control using Proactiv face wash. However, this container is plastic which is not in line with my zero waste goals. But, I am scared to switch my face wash in case my skin freaks out again, so I will be slowly trying to find a replacement.ย ๐Ÿ‘

Do you have any suggestions on how I can make my zero waste journey better?

Love,
Jenna โ™ฅ

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Comments

  1. That's awesome you're going zero waste! I don't think their failures. Going zero waste is a true commitment and definitely a learning process. You're doing the best you can and are constantly learning. I can't wait to hear more about your journey!

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