Minimalism and lower waste living go hand-in-hand with traveling and packing light.
When I mentioned to Emily Weiblen that we wanted to explore these topics, she had so much good and practical insight to share that I invited her to have a chat.
In this episode, Emily and I discuss easy and practical ways to work towards a lower waste lifestyle, like building small habits and integrating the right products into your life that can help you on your journey.
Note: This episode’s audio was taken from a live video chat event in HPLWorld, so the quality might be a little rough.
Episode Breakdown:
- We define what low waste living means for us and how that differs from zero waste living.
- We discuss ideas for lower-waste in Emily’s Etsy business.
- Emily recommends 5 easy ways to baby step into lower waste living.
- We talk about kitchen and beauty habits and products to help us produce less waste.
- How to build habits that help you reach your lower waste goals.
Products Mentioned in This Episode:
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Blueland
Soap powder and tablets.
Tom Bihn Shopping Bag
Really good for heavy grocery items.
Baggu Standard Shopping Bag
Washable and long-lasting.
Onya Produce Bags
Washable mesh bags.
Bar Towels
Reusable paper towel alternative.
Reusable Keurig Coffee Pods
Eliminates coffee pod waste.
Diva Cup
Reusable period protection.
Thinx Period Panties
Ditch pads and tampons.
Ethique Solid Shampoo
With plastic-free packaging.
Beeswax Wraps
Use instead of cling wrap.
Cloth Face Wipes
From MummyMarvellousMakes on Etsy.
We mentioned that we didn’t know if Keurig was making their own reusable coffee pods, but they do make the K-Cup.
I talked about LastSwab in the chat, but after receiving them, I’m having a hard time recommending them because they simply don’t pull anything out from the ear on their own. I’ve read reviews where people wrap a tiny piece of fabric or tissue around the swab, but I feel like that somewhat defeats the purpose.
However, a tiny bit of tissue or toilet paper is probably better waste than an entire cotton bud?
Links of Interest:
- Emily’s Etsy Shop: EmmaLeeLouDesigns
- Plastic Bag Alternatives That Help You Pack & Travel More Responsibly
- How to Use our Best Minimalist Packing Tips to Produce Less Waste at Home
- Space junk is a huge problem – and it’s only getting bigger
- ‘All My Trash Fits in a Single Mason Jar‘
- Terracycle
- How much does turning down the thermostat save?
- THINX Period Panties Review: The Right Choice for Travel?
- The Diva Cup Review: Travel Without Tampons
Take Action
What baby steps are YOU taking towards lower waste living? Let us know in the comments below.
And don’t forget to…
Brooke, this was wonderful! You really make a difference for us globalists. I loved the idea of the Bento Box being cool for 5 year olds, so my oldest granddaughter is getting one this year. Also both of my boys will be getting mesh produce bags for their families (Earthwise recycled ones are 9/$15 less a 10% discount for multiple sets on Amazon). You both are young enough to be concerned with the Diva cup or Thinx, but I did want to point out that there is an adult diaper alternative from Thinx called Speax, which reduces waste and travel hassles for older leaky folks. I highly recommend!
Hi Kat! Thank you for the lovely comment! I’m excited that your family is going to get some fun gifts with purpose this year 🙂