October 4th - 10th 2009 No Trash Week Comments
I was just going to share my output for the week (that I remembered)2 cans (olives and chili shared with 4 housemates), a cookie wrapper, bread bag, 2 paper towels, cereal box and the two bags, 3 beer bottles, part of a mead bottle, part of a cheese wrapper, qtips, 1/2 gallon soymilk container, 14 pill tabs, egg carton that'd already been dumpstered and reused several times.
by Jesse on 2010-04-27 23:26:01
I love the idea of that home-made hazelnut milk! I was just at the store yesterday pondering over the rice milk cartons and leaving empty-handed...
As for my last days of No Trash Week, I spent them out car camping. Used gas, brake pads and camp fee envelopes for the trip. Also created trash from a marshmallow package and a can of soup. Other than that, the food plan went well. Yes, it's all about the planning! The morning of the trip I baked up 2 large pans of potatoes and veggies, and packed them hot into large jars. We ate one jar (half a pan) every day, sometimes cold and sometimes reheated over the camp stove. For dinner one night we cooked lots of curried rice with garbanzo beans and a can of soup and put what we didn't finish in one of our previously potatoed jars. The next day, we put our leftovers in a black pot on the dash board of the car while we hiked (it was sunny out) and it was warm enough to eat for dinner by the time we came back to it in the evening. For hiking, we brought bread, fruit, our home-dried raisins/blueberries/cherries mix, and a cucumber. This worked well except we felt a lack of protein and salt in the meal. Next time I would include nuts from the bulk bin to round it out.
by Elise on 2010-04-27 18:56:46
Last night, I made hazelnut milk with 1 cup bulk hazelnuts, 3 cups water, and 2 tbsp sugar. Blending on high for a few minutes and then straining into a jar = delicious hazelnut milk with no container trash! And it costs only about $1.80 per 32 oz as opposed to $2.20-$2.60 at the store. The remaining nut bits (pulp) can be used in baking; I added the pulp to the brownies I made. Yum.
by Erica on 2010-04-25 14:26:53
It's all about the planning.
One thing that is always hard to reduce waste on is special occasion food. You know, last minute invites to themed parties or special things for birthdays. Last week I made tasty avocado cupcakes for my friends' birthday and all week I have been reminded of the waste in the form of cupcake papers. If I make a bunch of cupcakes for an event I don't use the cups but these had to be made in advance. I did use the nice unbleached, recycled ones but it still made trash.
On the up side, I saved several of the cupcakes for Sunday night game night and fed them to my guests along with tea instead of the usual packaging heavy convenience snacks. Unfortunately, they did not like my vegan cupcakes much and preferred the DrPepper they brought. So not ideal. But I drank the tea and was happy=)One thing of note: decide which brand of tea you like and stick with it! I can never remember which ones have less packaging. Organic Choice teas have an extra individual paper wrapper around each tea bag along with the outer plastic wrap. Lame sauce! I bought these tea bags for a potluck at someones house where using loose leaf and a tea ball wouldn't work well.
Today was another special cooking occasion: making hummus with a friend. I wish I had planned ahead and used uncanned beans but I did get a chance to try tahini in bulk (totally affordable, to my surprise). I heart the natural market right down the street and they have all sorts of things in bulk. We were fairly no-trash successful, sending the veggie scraps to the compost and re-using the spinach bag for take away leftovers. The tahini was not ideal, though. They use a communal ladle for scooping from the bulk bins and that requires cleaning the ladle after. All they have for this are paper towels and it takes atleast 2-3 to clean an oily ladle for the maybe 6tbsps of product I took. Not sure if there is a solution for this. I'm glad I tried the bulk thing though if only because I won't be throwing away a large, unused and forgotten tahini jar in a couple of months.
Aw jeez, homemade naan is delicious!
by Brandi on 2010-04-23 01:24:33
Kind of a compromise day. Bulk-bought steel cut oats and brown sugar for lunch but cheese
quesadillas for dinner. At least the tortillas and cheese were packaged as bulk as you can
get those things - even though I usually just feed a couple people I buy the biggest
packages I can find and freeze most of it, thawing what I need over a period of months.
Worked on making a photo display stand out of salvaged wood from Craigslist, chop-sawing
it over my lawn so the sawdust will decompose into the ground.
Planted some asparagus from an 8-pack package and wonder why I can't just buy a handful of
roots out of a bulk bin at the store.
Also I'm throwing an ice cream party tonight. I bought large containers of semi-local ice
cream and it's still trash but I figure people can't control when their birthdays are.
by Elise on 2010-04-22 21:08:48
Going to the dentist was lots of waste today - driving there, all the disposable hygenic materials - at least I was able to turn down their plastic disposable water cup and so far kind of ok without the pain killers.
I like the idea of saving tp rolls for seedlings - how about using them on end as seed starter containers? I've found that egg cartons sometimes seem too shallow to allow a strong root base when the starts get over a couple inches high.
by Elise on 2010-04-21 22:20:04
If you buy coffee and it comes in a paper cup (compost it, of course) try using the extra cardboard wrapper as a collar
for new seedlings (to protect from slugs). Toilet paper rolls work as well.
Also, rinsing black paint from the brush down the sink, as Elise did, is not a good idea, i don't believe!!
by suz on 2010-04-21 20:22:10
Already have a small pile of recycling, mostly fliers that came in the mail addressed to resident and envelopes from bank and insurance paperwork. Unwanted mail has significantly reduced since I signed up for the Direct Mail Do Not Mail list, but some still trickles in from local businesses that just mail every address in a particular zip code.
Yesterday I was not in the mood for cooking, but didn't want to grab a quick packaged lunch, so I cracked open a jar of frozen beet soup. Last summer I often had excess produce from my CSA so I made extra soup to freeze and I've been working through the stash over the winter. This particular dish had CSA ingredients (beets, mustard greens, onions, carrots), bulk-bought items (black-eyed peas, veggie broth, salt, pepper), and herbs from my garden. I was really happy with my CSA http://seattlemarketgardens.org because all the produce was grown organically in my own city, so nothing had more than a few miles of transport and I was supporting local urban farmers :) I could have done with a smaller salad and kale to veggies ratio, but that was my only complaint.
by Elise on 2010-04-21 16:12:18
First harvest of the season from my raised bed yielded a delicious tiny salad - I strongly recommend Territorial Seed Company's Bloomsdale Savoy spinach (SP776) for growing in Seattle. It was so rich and flavorful it was like they squashed an avocado into a leaf!
Successfully avoiding q-tips by wrapping a folded over piece of ex-t-shirt rag over the rounded end of a broken chopstick I had been using as part of my plastic bag drying rack.
Haven't found an alternative to dental floss, but I have discovered that Glide floss is strong and non-catchy enough that I can use the same piece of floss for several weeks. If that sounds gross, try rinsing it after every use and notice that it gets completely clean, unlike your nasty toothbrush which you use for months.
Made some trash this morning rinsing black paint from the brush down the sink and scraping sticker goo off a jar for the solar cooker project. I hope the sky clears more this afternoon so my dinner becomes more than just warmed, uncooked grains and veggies.
by Elise on 2010-04-20 16:14:32
Day 2 tally: Pretty good day, but am considering the pros and cons of having driven to pick up 2 bags (non-recyclable plastic, I think) of free compost from the Compost Days give away... Next spring I'd rather go in together with some neighbors or friends on buying a half a yard of compost in bulk and divvying it up into smaller quantities for each house.
Mostly successful lunch of leftover fried rice made from mostly bulk-bought and dumpstered ingredients (rice, onions, green onions, eggs, ground ginger, red pepper, salt, pepper, sesame seeds) and a few packaged things (sesame oil, saved bacon grease, frozen corn - which can easily be saved and frozen between seasons). Dinner tonight will be roasted rosemary potatoes and onions and I think the only problem ingredient will be olive oil. Dang the OJ and cake which got me again today.
Tomorrow I'm going to try cooking something in a new one of these mini solar cookers. It will be for awesome! http://ae-zone.org/2010/04/square-foot-solar-cooker/
by Elise on 2010-04-19 23:17:13
A somewhat trashful start to the week yesterday: a tray and plastic wrap from a discount produce purchase, the foil wrapper from a Cadbury Creme Egg, a twist tie that I threw away rather than saving (oops), a receipt, an emptied M&Ms bag, and an emptied chip bag.
Heading to PCC later today for bulk items, and bringing lots of plastic bags to reuse.
by Erica on 2010-04-19 15:21:01
Day 1 tally: 1 recycled orange juice carton from accidentally grabbing it out of the fridge and drinking it - why did I not remember to just eat the oranges I already had?? 1 saved plastic lid from that carton which will be sent to Aveda http://www.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.tmpl?ngextredir=1 for recycling once I've amassed a lot from myself and my friends. 1 trashed casing from a broken lamp switch (kept the tiny screw from it). Paper tray from a Papa Murphy's pizza which may be compostable but most likely will be washed and recycled (we succeeded in ordering the pizza without the plastic wrap that they usually cover it with - just ask!). 1 recycled receipt and coupon from ordering the pizza - why do they require bringing the paper copy of the coupon rather than just mentioning that we saw it on the intarwebs? Also couldn't resist having a slice of cake which someone got from a store rather than making it themselves. Desserts are hard to avoid if they're just sitting there in front of me. Is the solution to just always have a supply of home made treats around for alternative deliciousness?
by Elise on 2010-04-19 00:11:04
I've found one thing that really helps me succeed more in no trash week (and one way in which no trash week helps me the rest of the year) is the effort to be prepared for it. For example, remembering to bring tupperware with me if I eat somewhere else.
by Jessica on 2010-04-18 00:01:09
One of the things I've found works best for longevity is to deal consider my decisions during the week in terms of trash replacement, rather than trash-fasting. For example last time, I didn't deprive myself of crackers for the week, instead I learned how to bake my own crackers. If I give things up cold turkey it's a lot harder to keep the habit than if I find a replacement for that originally garbage-producing need.
by Elise on 2010-04-09 17:55:25
In preparation for No Trash Week, I'm going to collect water from my leaky hose faucet in a bucket for watering my garden.
by Elise on 2010-03-31 22:28:28
This No Trash Week I was not as good about holding to being garbage-free as usual, but I learned some new tricks which I think I will be able to keep as part of my normal habits now - especially in the cooking vs. buying area. I was also happy to discover that people at stores and restaurants were generally much more familiar than last time with my procedure of bringing my own containers. This is a good sign that at least Seattle is getting more on board with leaving behind the disposable culture!
by Elise on 2009-10-13 22:25:15
Today I learned that a banana can successfully replace an egg for making delicious peanut butter cookies, and all the other ingredients are available in bulk except butter. I have seen earth balance sold in bulk, but not near where I live. Found some more trash while cleaning the house today - old receipts and things that didn't make it out of pockets before going in the washing machine. I also had a handful of carpet bits to toss out from the ancient cat scratching post which comes apart more with every use. I'm much happier with my new one that I made by wrapping organic twine around pieces of scrap wood because if any shreds come off they can go in the compost!
by Elise on 2009-10-10 21:58:30
Trash so far today is the contacts I've been wearing for the last month and a half, the plastic/foil pouches a new pair comes in, and a small recycled cardboard carton that holds 3 pairs. Last night I had a successful dinner out, which did not involve any disposable napkins or utensils or sauce cups. Everything I ordered looked like it was bought in bulk, although I doubt much was organic or locally grown... Today I'm off to buy some bulk sugar and semolina flour so I can make cookies for an event tonight and crackers to replace my wheat thins craving!
by Elise on 2009-10-10 14:40:08
Today the biggest waste is a short stack of recyclable junk mail addressed to people who no longer live here or "resident". It was a stack of about 8 envelopes and sheets of paper for the entire week so far. We used to get piles of catalogs for other people and credit card offers and requests for money from non-profits. This has mostly stopped since I finally got around to calling each company individually to get my address removed from their mailing lists. Our "resident" junk mail has also been significantly diminished since we signed up for the DirectMail.com National Do Not Mail List at https://www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/?ref=G. Yesterday I ate purely bulk-purchased grains, neighborhood fruit, and CSA veggies, except for some brown sugar which I used to salvage my burnt pan of steel-cut oats. I'll definitely refill that bag with bulk sugar when it's empty!
by Elise on 2009-10-09 14:58:11
Today I absent-mindedly used a disposable q-tip after showering. I keep forgetting that I can clean my ears almost as well with a thin wash cloth draped over a chopstick or something. Lunch was a home-made chutney made of asian pears, italian plums and grapes picked in my neighborhood with wheat thins from a costco-sized bag I've been eating from for over a month. Store-bought crackers are something I haven't made a good enough effort yet to replace. Sometime soon I'll try to make some, probably following the recipes I just found at http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/olive-oil-crackers-recipe.html or http://www.towards-sustainability.com/2009/08/basic-cracker-recipe.html. This afternoon I made some improvements to the chicken coop using free wood found by the side of the road and some screws leftover from my raised garden project. It feels good to know that my scrap wood heap is actually coming in useful so often!
by Elise on 2009-10-07 19:52:25
Tuesday I discovered that it's easy to make home-made saline solution for cleaning wounds. Just boil 1 tsp salt with 1 qt water. I also threw in the pot a couple clean mason jars with their lids and a spoon, so I'd have clean storage containers for it and a clean way to apply it. My lucky chicken Oscar had an eye injury which was causing her face to swell up, but after a couple sessions of saline rinse the swelling is almost gone today, with no need to buy any commercial products!
by Elise on 2009-10-07 14:03:58
Monday was easier than Sunday, as I did not buy anything or share meals with people not participating in No Trash Week. I did drive however, but I was able to combine all of my errands in one loop trip, and they were all to return large items I had borrowed from friends so as to not have to buy new things for projects. I had borrowed a dehydrator so I could dry blueberries bought in bulk as part of a group purchase from a local organic farm as well as make fruit leather from blended dumpstered fruits. I had also borrowed a large plastic tub for sorting my camp's recycling at burning man and a wooden box which I used to keep puzzles in for a puzzle hunt. Dinner was CSA veggies with leftover pho which had been stored overnight in reused glass jars from a friend's peanut butter habit.
Today has been trickier so far. I've been worried about my sick chicken, so I gave in to finishing off the rest of a pint of ice cream, so I have an entire cardboard pint container to throw away already today :(
by Elise on 2009-10-06 16:03:49
My first day was full of mixed ups and downs. One high point was making my own popcorn on the stovetop to take with me to Cinerama in a tin, accompanied by a water bottle and carried there by bike. However I still was out at a movie which involved creating 3 scraps of paper to recycle (a ticket, a ticket receipt, and a miscellaneous piece with no use whatsoever) and supporting one of our country's most wasteful industries... On the way there I stopped by Recycled Cycles to get a couple bike tools to send with a friend to Tanzania. This purchase resulted in a receipt, but I was at least able to use it later to create a package for giving some basil seeds to a friend to take home. What I felt worst about yesterday was throwing out an old blade from a disposable razor. Although it was a Preserve brand razor (recyclable handle made from recycled plastic) and I'd been using the same one for a long time, it was still a luxury item with disposable parts made of metal and plastic which will not break down in the landfill. The evening was full of fun birthday party, in which several people made an effort to make trashless food to bring to the potluck. There were home-made biscuits with blueberry topping, fresh-baked bread made from scratch, dumpstered Essential bread, and a large order of pho which had been attempted to be ordered without disposable packaging. They brought a huge pot to the restaurant and had them put the broth in that instead of styrofoam containers. Due to a miscommunication mostly caused by cultural unfamiliarity with anti-packaging concerns, toppings got mistakenly packed in disposables, but hopefully this order will have provided the learning curve so they'll better know how to handle their next disposables free order. I provided chai for the feasting, and made it from chai mix and soy milk. Next time I'd like to make it from scratch so I can avoid using foil-lined cartons which are difficult to recycle.
So far today has been successful, with the only meal yet being a veggie egg breakfast made from organic CSA veggies grown locally in Seattle and eggs from my own chickens. One of the eggs was so fresh that when I went to see if there were any today I had to wait for one of the hens to finish laying so I could collect them!
by Elise on 2009-10-05 18:25:38
I'm looking forward to No Trash Week! This time I'd like to try to focus on tackling beverage container reduction and finding exciting trashless alternatives to food craving impulse purchases like fries and candy. Perhaps I'll practice home-made ice cream recipes and home-baked oven fries.
by Elise on 2009-10-02 01:34:44
Back to No Trash Week main page.
For questions and suggestions, email info -at- notrashweek -dot- com.