Zero Waste: Grocery Shopping

There are several easy ways to reduce your waste. I realized quickly that much of our waste originates in the kitchen and eliminating waste before it enters the home through zero waste grocery shopping could make a sizable impact. I researched online for tips on waste free shopping, many of which I learned from the Zero Waste Home blog. Bringing our own containers, bulk and produce bags seemed like a big step. Gearing up for that first shopping trip took a mentality shift but was so intriguing that I knew I had to give it a try! 

This is how I prepped for that trip: I had two plastic Tupperware containers, a few mesh produce bags (had been using for a while) and a reusable canvas tote. I also did a ton of research to pepare but still had so many 'what ifs' whirling in my mind. 

What if - they flat out said no?
What if - everyone looked at me like I was insane?
What if - I lose the nerve at the last second?

I silenced the chatter in my head and went for it. Then, as I first asked for chicken thighs in my own container I got a burst of adrenaline. I felt like I could do anything. After checkout I walked out of the grocery store feeling proud and I couldn't wait until my husband got home from work to tell him about it. 

It's been about a year and a half since that first shopping trip and we haven't looked back. My husband and I usually do our grocery shopping together and we don't think about how we 'used' to shop anymore. We just understand that if we're not prepared to shop then we shouldn't be inside a store. This mentality has made us much more organized. We come prepared with a shopping list and we stick to it which saves us time and money. We bring the containers and bags just for what we need and leave the rest at home. 

Here is how we do our less waste grocery shopping:

1. Make a list. We talk to each other and figure out what we are out of and what we need (usually with specific recipes in mind).

2. Gather supplies. Our usual shopping supplies look a little something like this:

• 2 - 3 Reusable tote bags for carrying everything
• A few glass jars for wet items such as meat, cheese, peanut butter and olives. We use various sizes of Le Parfet jars, they're durable, clear and not plastic. If buying wet items in bulk (not behind meat counter for instance) then you'll have to weigh your jar to get the tare so the weight of the jar gets subtracted at check out. They can weigh jars at customer service, bring a water soluble crayon to write weight on the lid.
• A few produce bags. We use green mesh bags by Blue Avocado.
• A few bulk drawstring bags. I made mine out of flour sack towels because I love to sew but I have also seen them in the bulk section for sale at Whole Foods.
• Water soluble crayon to write tare weight on jars and bulk bin numbers on my bulk bags 
• Deposit items, such as clean Straus milk bottles, Revive kombucha bottles and St. Benoit yogurt jars. These products charge a deposit when purchased that is then refunded to you once you bring it back. 

3. Head to the store with your supplies for shopping.

4. Stick to the list. It's easy to get side tracked just know you aren't going to buy anything that has packaging.

5. At checkout refuse the receipt, it probably has BPA on it anyway.

{Produce and meat purchased with our reusables}

Organically Dyed Easter Eggs

About a month ago while browsing PopSugar SmartLiving I stumbled upon a posting about all natural alternatives to traditional Easter egg dyeing.

{Eco Chic: Naturally dye Easter eggs with Leftovers}

After reading the article my wheels started to turn, thinking about what else I could use to dye eggs. I planned on sharing this activity with our 20 month old niece (this was the first Easter she was able to hunt for eggs) it was important for these eggs to be bright, colorful and non-toxic for her to enjoy. 

I had a rough list of ingredients in my head as I headed to the local farmers market in hunt for items that could serve double duty: package-free edibles that could be both conusumed and used for dye. The farmers market in Larkspur had an Easter theme that day which included a kids craft for (you guessed it =) natural egg dyeing with items available at the farmers market! I got so excited when I saw their display that I began asking the ladies running the craft tons of questions. They were sweet, informative and I could tell they were really happy to talk to someone over the age of six. =) The gist of what they told me is just to boil the ingredient of choice with two cups of water for less then an hour. Once the mixture is cool add a splash of white vinegar to set the color. Also, these dyes are weaker then their unsafe counterparts so for brighter colors the eggs should stay in the dye for longer. Farmers market purchases in tow, I headed to the store for a few more 'zero waste' ingredients then home to experiment. 

{Farmers Market Kids Craft}

At home I had fun concocting the dyes and testing out the colors. I hard boiled six eggs and blew out the insides of the remaining so that my sister wasn't stuck with a dozen hard boiled eggs! To add interest through negative designs I tied rubber bands around some and zigzag strips of sticker labels on others. Here are the dyes I tried:

• Red Wine
• Yellow Onion Skins
• Turmeric 
• Purple Cabbage
• Turmeric + Purple Cabbage

The experiments results surprised me a bit. Red Wine, thinking it would make a red or purple egg made an interesting grey marbled egg resembling stone. Yellow onion skins produced a rich golden orange hue. Turmeric made bright yellow. Purple cabbage turned the eggs a beautiful cyan color then the turmeric and cabbage dye made a green.

{The finished product on my sisters spring time table-scape}

On Easter, my husband hid the eggs for our niece to find. It was a precious sight watching her roam around the yard, even though she found just one egg ;)

{Success!}

Zero Waste Impromptu BBQ

A few weeks ago my husband and I planned a day hike with some friends up to the Tourist Club. Afterword we decided to have everyone over for an impromptu BBQ. We needed food and beer so I knew I better act fast to avoid all the waste that usually comes with a party, especially an unplanned last minute one! I volunteered to go on a food and beer run with my friend Reny, she was happy to help out!

I quickly grabbed a few jars, produce bags, shopping bag and our two beer growlers. We hopped in the car and were on our way. We swung by Mill Valley Market, first stop was the meat counter. I asked the butcher to fill up my large jar with chicken thighs and a smaller jar with ground chuck, he happily obliged. Next we needed buns for the burgers, I filled my bread sack with rolls available in bulk. Then over to produce, I filled my produce bag with fresh corn and picked up a watermelon for dessert. Once we got to the check out line I showed Reny my jars-o-meat (she was Instagraming while we were racing around so I knew she didn't notice me asking the butcher to place the goods in my jars) she looked at it and said "Woah, that's awesome! Did they give you a discount, because they should?!" I said "No, no discount but that would be nice, haha." 

We checked out then headed down the street to Mill Valley Beerworks. We filled both growlers that we brought with our favorite, 'Sweetwater Kolsch.' The entire trip took a total of 20 minutes door-to-door. Our friends couldn't believe how fast we were and I was happy that we were able to do a full on Zero Waste shopping trip on the fly! 

The party was a success. We drank beer, wine,(refilled bottles of course!) grilled and even played charades. A good time was had by all! =)

{Reny and I enjoying the Tourist Club}

Non-toxic Alternative: Baking Soda

After reading "Slow Death By Rubber Duck" I was on a mission to eliminate harmful chemicals from our home. The toxic cleaning products we had been using had to go. I did my research and found great homemade alternatives often using baking soda that are chemical free, super inexpensive and easy to make. I bought a good amount of baking soda in bulk on our last trip to Rainbow Grocery. Baking soda is extremely versatile, here are all the ways I'm currently using it.

Cleaning:

- Natural Soft Scrub

- Lemon Dishwashing Detergent

- Sprinkle straight on tile and scrub

Hygiene:

- Toothpaste

- Deodorant

Recipes

Lemon Dishwashing Detergent:
¾ cup baking soda
½ cup salt
2 - 3 tsp dr. bronners soap
1 lemon worth of zest and juice
Mix all dry ingredients eliminating lumps then add the lemon zest, juice and soap. Mix well and use, 1 heaping tbsp per dishload. Make sure there is white vinegar in the rince liquid receptacle. This actually can also be used as a garbage disposal refresher. I got the recipe from SavvySugar tried it and they never set up. I was thinking it would make a great dishwasher detergent, tried it and was blown away with how well it worked!

Toothpaste (updated 9/13):
1 Part Baking Soda
1 Part Coconut Oil
1/4 tsp Stevia Powder
15 - 20 drops of food safe peppermint essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until it forms a paste then transfer in to a jar.

Homemade Deodorant:
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup cornstarch or arrowroot
10 drops tea tree oil
1 - 2 tsp coconut oil
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, press in to an empty clean deodorant dispenser.

Homemade Hummus Recipe

One of life's simple pleasures is a warm piece of fresh bread served with a smear of something fresh and delicious. My sister first gave me 'Amber's Famous Hummus' recipe a few years ago in a recipe binder. I loved it then and over time have moulded it in to what works best for us. We enjoy this spread on bread for a sandwich or to serve it with carrot sticks as dip. It's so versatile, tasty, healthy and easy to make.  

Hummus 

(adapted from ‘Amber’s Famous Hummus Recipe’)

Prep:
Soak 1 cup dried garbanzo beans in a bowl of water on the counter for 12 - 24 hours, change water once if needed. Strain beans then boil in fresh water for an hour to an hour and a half, strain and use immediately or store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator covered with cooking liquid for up to three days.

Ingredients:
{garbanzo beans}
3 ½ tbsp tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice or light colored vinegar
½ tsp salt
2 - 3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp olive oil
¾ tsp cumin
¾ tsp paprika

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a bowl, blend smooth with a hand blender. If mixture is looking dry, add more cooking water.

Store in an airtight jar for up to 10 days in the refrigerator, it usually doesn't last that long in our house =)

Zero Waste Recipes: Cleaners

My husband and I have been striving towards a zero waste lifestyle for over a year now. We make much of what we used to buy. This not only cuts down unwanted packaging but also saves us money and eliminates harmful chemicals from our home. 

I have tested and tweaked this collection of recipes and have boiled them down to what works best for us with what's available in bulk in our area. We make and use all of these household items and would never go back to the packaged alternatives, we are hooked! Enjoy the health benefits, sense of accomplishment and ease on your wallet!

Home Recipes:

Homemade Antibacterial Soft Scrub Cleanser:
3/4 cup baking soda (you can add a little more if it seems a little thin after it’s all mixed together.)
1/4 cup castile soap (We use Tea Tree scented Dr. Bronners)
1 Tablespoon water
10-15 drops of tea tree oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar

I store mine in a shampoo bottle I washed out and removed the label from, the squeeze bottle makes cleaning a breeze

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner:
In a clean spray bottle, fill ½ inch with white vinegar
then a few drops of essential oil or dr. bronners for scent
fill the rest of the bottle up with water and shake before use

Homemade Laundry Detergent:
1 part Borax (usually I use 1 cup)
1 part Washing Soda (usually I use 1 cup)
1 Bar of soap grated with a cheese grater
Mix well in a bowl with a wooden spoon
Store in jar, use 1 heaping tbs per load

Hello Blogosphere! This is my first post on the Gennarator Blog. On this blog I plan to share my explorations, creativity, tips and life events. I welcome comments and idea sharing. 

All the best,
Gennarator