Best products from r/ZeroWaste

apologies for the long post, you e got a lot of different topics in this post*


I think people in the zero waste community have their own focuses, including myself. I tend to wage my war on plastic more heavily than other zw areas. I am not very educated on carbon emissions.
Just research your companies and vote with your dollar :)
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Hair care

* You may need to try several different brands and trial and error different ingredients, like deoderant, everyone is different and not every product will work for every person! If a bar doesnt work for you, try using it for something else like washing your hands, body, or use for shaving cream. :)

Lush bars beauty routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT3sXBjCepU -Shelbizleee

Reuse milk man LOOP https://www.greenbiz.com/article/loops-launch-brings-reusable-packaging-worlds-biggest-brands?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroWaste/comments/bo6vp2/my_hair_hates_shampoo_bars/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app - hard water and residue

How cleared dry, itchy scalp and seborrheic dermatitis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWHp_LSxMW4

Hair care routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eelCIOYLqNg&t=665s - Sedona Christina
Curly Hair care routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFMdZNgGxiA - Sustainably Vegan

Shampoo
Ethique Shampoo bar review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leZPcZ395bI
How to find and use a shampoo bar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqVMdsw0X-o
DIY Soap nut shampoo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpfhy-b6Cx8 - Shelbizleee
DIY shampoo, gel/liquid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mL6GxXNBwc - Sedona Christina

Conditioner
Some poeple just use an apple Cider vinegar rinse (good for removing hard water minerals)

Review on 4 zero waste conditioner bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ycbl0ROmXU&t=449s
https://kindbeeuty.com/collections/hair-care/products/repairing-jojoba-conditioner
^^ the company above are cool because you send back your container and they reuse it.

Some people cut out conditioner all together and have seen promising results. You hair goes through and adjustment period for a while but after that people are happy with the results.

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This recipe is not an antiperspirant, but that is better for your body anyway!! I love it and it’s the best deodorant I have ever had.
DIY Deodorant Recipe I Use:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42Htnp8P9Eg
Everyone is different so not every deodorant works on everyone. If one doesn’t work, try another, or adjust the ingredients in it (like baking soda).

If you cannot find these ingredients package free, that is okay! Some ingredients don’t really go bad and the deodorant lasts for a REALLY long time, so you won’t be buying stick after stick of deodorant, instead just use the materials in the video and you’ll have deodorant that lasts for months. IMO making this deodorant is better, and better for you, than buying sticks of conventional deodorant that has a lot of additives in it that can potentially be harmful for your health :)

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Make-up:

Many people in this movement slowly taper off of using makeup, you are then not creating a demand for those products, which then reduces how much waste is being created. The beauty in that is that you can learn to embrace what makes you beautiful, learn to love the skin you have and it’s flaws. However, this is not always possible for everyone, so I will leave some links below.
You can also help the environment by voting with your dollar, choose companies that have good environmental packaging, good mission statements, etc. There are also brands that will take back makeup containers, like burt’s bees, try supporting them as well!

Zero waste makeup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moxgyE4sGRo&t=703s - Sedona Christina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2VH5g3zXK0 - ECO Boost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E6SyK6sTKc - Gittemary Johansen
Beauty Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqOnqu6u9a4 - Sustainably Vegan
Elate Cosmetics Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHpwNJT7EfE - Shelbizlee

Swaps: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.self.com/gallery/reusable-makeup-wipes/amp

Reusable cotton rounds: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GX8QLV5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VXI2CbS2GK67N - not a fan of the mit things. Rounds work okay.
DIY Cotton rounds: https://www.litterless.com/journal/diycottonrounds

Tip: keep specific makeup ones and specific other ones- makeup kinda stains them and may leave residue. Wish I had known that.
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The 5 R’s are the best way to navigate a low-waste journey: https://zerowastehome.com/2011/09/28/how-to-get-started/

In case you are looking for more, I’ll link a few YouTube channels that have good zero waste information :)

Shelbizzlee: highly recommend https://m.youtube.com/user/Shelbizleee

Sustainably Vegan: highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkq2gEWE-i647M71bh7zDxA

Sedona Christina: https://www.youtube.com/user/720tanner

Blue Ollis: https://m.youtube.com/user/SophsChoices

Eco Boost: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3pE1IqHqbdf3vqtaALL4nA

Note: You don’t have to agree with all the influencer’s values and opinions to watch or support their channel. There is a lot of good content to be found on these channels! :)

It's worthwhile to educate yourself on different styles and alternative concepts to find the right compromise for your lifestyle. You'll probably find a solution for one person that is an impossibility for another; keep that in mind as you travel on your journey!


r/upcycling is also a nice sub for repurposing things.

/r/EthicalFashion offers resources on sustainable-wearing materials and ethical textile production that can help you make informed decisions about the items your purchase and wear. There's also information about sustainable care and cleaning of different fabrics.

Books:
Try checking books from the library about reducing waste. Sustainable Home is good for beginners. Zero waste home, by Bea Johnson is amazing book!
The Hands-On Home is less zero waste and more seasonality and sustainability focused, which is divided into seasons and has recipes for cooking, preserving and home cleaning during each of those seasons. The author is based in the Pacific Northwest.

The wiki in the sidebar is a great starting place, and if you're on mobile, check the pinned post at the top of the subreddit to get there!

I've been checking out a ton of books from my library about reducing waste, and I'd say Sustainable Home has been my favorite so far for beginners. I think it covers the breadth of the home and gives a lot of ideas, though this is going off of my checking that book out a couple months ago. I guess I would call myself "intermediate" zero waste, so most of the suggestions were things I'd already done, but the book also had some good ideas for me and was a nice reminder of the things I've already accomplished in changing.

My other favorite, which is less zero waste and more just seasonality and sustainability focused, is The Hands-On Home, which is divided into seasons and has recipes for cooking, preserving and home cleaning during each of those seasons. The author is based in the Pacific Northwest like I am, so I really like that her kind of "seasonal" is the same as mine since that does vary by location of course. I've been making her laundry soap recipe since 2017 and not only has it not let me down yet, it costs me maybe 2 or 3 cents to run a load, which is absolutely mind boggling to me. (Note though that I don't have hard water where I live, so I know that it wouldn't work for everyone!) Also, her recipe for a grime cutting cleaner works very well even on my stove (I cook a lot so it gets gnarly), which was a very welcome surprise. As I mentioned, the book itself isn't exactly about zero waste, but it does have recipes for cleaning supplies that keep me from having to buy spray bottles which is awesome!

The gf and I had a similar discussion when we got ours, so we just bought a few to start and now we use them so much that we are going to pick up some more. We love them. You can use them pretty much anywhere you can use a ziploc/plastic bag, but these will last so much longer. And they're dishwasher safe, so we just throw them in there across a few tines and they come out like new. We got ours locally, but if you can't find them, Amazon has the best price on them that I've seen. Good luck!

For highlighters, I have these eco highlighters which are essentially big fluorescent colored pencils and do a decent job. Not as bright as ink obviously, but they work.

I second taking notes on an iPad or laptop. It saves so much paper. I was really happy when I switched away from paper. It’s also way easier to ctrl+F instead of flipping through page after page for what you want.

Don’t buy textbooks unless you absolutely have to, and try to get a used copy from the bookstore if they have some. Try to find textbooks online as well.

As for living in the dorms, make sure you’re taking only what you can eat in the dining halls. With a huge buffet selection, it’s easy to fill up a huge plate. Use smaller plates if possible to limit yourself. You can always get seconds!

I'm in a similar spot as you - trying to reduce my waste within the constraints of being a uni student. One of the first changes I made was buying these. You could make produce bags yourself if you're crafty, but I'm not and didn't have time to figure out how to do it. Also, relying on freezer bags is a lot harder if you just don't have them in the house. We stopped buying them, and although tupperware does take up more space in the fridge, I think it's worth it. You also save money that would have gone towards freezer bags.

For cheap cleaning rags I just cut up old clothes/sheets that are at the end of their life, and keep them in a bucket under the sink. It's easy to just grab those instead of paper towel for spills/wiping the table/counter tops/cleaning the bathroom, etc. We throw them in the wash when we have a lot of dirty ones. For napkins, I went to a local thrift shop and bought a bunch of plain cloth napkins. They're nothing fancy so I really don't mind them getting dirty (although they always come clean in the wash).

As for bathroom supplies, you can find relatively cheap shampoo bars, and I've found that they last me much longer than bottled shampoo. I get mine from Lush, but you can definitely get cheaper - I'd recommend checking Etsy for some homemade options.

I'm still working on bathroom products, especially face wash and moisturizer, but I know there are a lot of diy tutorials online. Good luck! I've learned that even baby steps are important steps :)

LOVE THIS.

So at my house we have an assortment of like grocery bags, they're all sizes and materials. Just whatever's been acquired over the years. I do prefer the ones with a more structured box shape for groceries and keep the foldable ones for my purse/backpack/car for unplanned shopping or non-grocery shopping.

For produce, we use either net or mesh bags. I prefer the bigger net type bags usually. Sometimes for more leafy-fragile items I prefer the mesh ones. But everything is machine washable, so stains aren't a worry!

For items such as beans, chocolate chips, basically medium sized, dry items (rice is too small), I like to use cotton bags. Then I don't have to worry about the Tare and they're generally easy to fill up from those dispenser things. For the BIN # of these ones, I just write it down in my phone usually, I've heard you can use pencil right on the cotton though!

For items that would either get stuck in the seams of those bags or are dirtier or almond butter, I use glass jars. My grocery store is nice and I just had to weigh my jars once, they wrote it with Sharpie and I've just kept rewriting that weight whenever it washes off. Then I bring a chalk marker (I've had some laying around from crafting), and write the BIN on the top. It's nice cause my chalk markers are white and the sharpie is black so at the register I just tell the cashier, the tare's in black and bin's in white!

I also have a funnel for the glass jars that have a smaller mouth because I've made a mess in the aisle one too many times.

If I'm not bringing more than 1-2 glass jars, I can keep all of these items in a small grocery bag. I simply fold the grocery bags and lay them flat against one side, then put in the glass jars, then in the cracks put all the produce and bulk bags.

My house is pretty small, and our kitchen is right at the front door, so I just leave all our bags (produce, shopping, and bulk) in a large bag on the counter next to the door. All our glass jars are kept in the cupboard right by the door, so before my trip while making a list, I'll take out the right containers and put them in! If I end up with too many glass jars for the bag, I just take out a bigger grocery bag as my bag holder.

I have yet to try these but they are on my list when I need more shampoo:

https://zerowastestore.com/products/zero-waste-cobalt-shampoo-bar

They have a couple scents but they look eerily similar to lush’s bars.

Noble Formula 2% Pyrithione Zinc (ZnP) Vegan Mango and Cocoa Butter Bar Soap, 3.25 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00606RORK/

This appears to be the best bar version for dandruff. (I want to mention this one because there’s another brand on amazon/Etsy that is for dandruff but they have palm oil. When I asked if they had any palm oil free options, they sent me a manifesto on how expensive finding an alternative is so poop on them.)

Not OP, but this is the brand I bought off Amazon. I absolutely love mine, they're really great and make me feel so much better about buying produce!

Aww, poor thing!

Yeah, going zero-waste at normal grocery stores is a drag and so much harder than you would think. If you're open to advice, I'd say get some lightweight produce bags online (you can get solids or mesh, and you'll want solids if you're getting dusty things like oatmeal) and use those instead. No tare-ing, no breaking of glass, no waste, everyone's happy. All I do is fold the little print out with the weight and price along the string, and then rip it off when I get home. You pay a tiiiiny bit extra, since the tare scale usually reduces your price by the weight of their available bags, but it's less work for everyone.

You're also way braver than I am. I've yet to venture into asking for meat in my own container. I get nervous just thinking about it...

Anyway, I promise your next experience will be better! We all have moments like that-- it's part of doing something the rest of the world doesn't. You'll have better luck next time!

Edit: This is the kind of thing I'd get for dusty stuff

And this is what I use for everything else

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XSHEJ90/

I highly recommend this company. I bought that set and one of the bags hadn’t been stitched correctly and the seams were splitting. I wrote to the company about getting a replacement bag and they sent me an entire new set. They were very apologetic and gracious. Plus the bags are great.

I tried a few different brands in the past and landed on Mother's Vault. I've been buying from them on Amazon for quite some time and I love their toothbrushes! Great quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Vault-Toothbrush-Biodegradable-Recyclable/dp/B014TK6AUK/ref=sr_1_12_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1537473776&sr=8-12&keywords=bamboo%2Btoothbrush&th=1

A common active ingredient in Head and Shoulders shampoos is pyrithione zinc. If that helped you before it might work in a bar as well. I’m not sure if you use amazon or want to order one but this is one used to treat dandruff. You may have luck finding the vanicream z bar in drugstores near you.

1. Yes because they are more water efficient than washing by hand when you run a full load. You can DIY soap, here's a great recipe: http://eco-boost.co/diy-zero-waste-dishwasher-powder-that-actually-works/
   
   
2. I have reusable produce bags that I love. I have two sets of them and I bring them for produce on every grocery run now. These are the ones I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XSHEJ90/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   
3. I use Tiger Balm (comes in a glass bottle with a metal cap and can be reused for other things after it runs out) on my more mild headaches by just rubbing it into my temples. As far as I know/have seen, pain killers don't come in non-plastic packaging so I just resolve to buy in bulk. I just recently bought a bottle of 500 ibuprofen tablets that expire sometime in 2020. Then I just keep some in a repurposed glass jar in my desk at work, some in a repurposed tube in my purse, and the rest at home. Instead of buying more bottles of smaller amounts, just buy in bulk for medicine so you only have one bottle as opposed to a half dozen or whatever. I do the same for allergy pills.

My fiance and I have a set of these from Norwex, his sister is a consultant and we got some at a party she had last year, among some other products (which are really nice). But looking on Amazon I found some that have a lot of reviews and have a high overall star rating:

https://www.amazon.com/flip-tumble-Reusable-Produce-Bags/dp/B002UXQ7QQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XSHEJ90/ref=psdc_1252210011_t1_B002UXQ7QQ

Which reminds me that I'd like to pick up some more. Thanks!

They are excellent. Just started using them. Just rinse em out and throw them in the washer/dryer. Very comfortable and the reviews are great for one ones I got here. For 25 bucks it's a steal
https://www.amazon.com/Teamoy-Menstrual-Super-Absorbent-Comfortable-3pcs%C3%9711-6/dp/B078S6KRX2?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

>p a milk crate of reusable ones

yes, i recommend this fabric hanging holder to storage these plastic bags for trash or dog poop

​

i found it's very useful and handy~

fabric grocery bag dispenser

You could also buy or make produce bags - which are just thin reusable bags that you can fill up with your fruits and veggies if you don't want others touching them. You could sew something like this out of old fabric.

With the deli - you can try to ask them if they will put it in your tupperware but be aware they may say no due to health restrictions.

And it definitely is a lot!! Just try to remember that every small step you take to reduce waste is an improvement :)

The kind I have is a handheld sprayer. Kind of like what you see on kitchen sinks, the little water guns. I just wash it with cleaner the same way I do the rest of the toilet. It doesn't really get dirty though. Because it sprays water out so usually anything is getting shot away from it. This is the kind I go. Worth every penny and I really mean that. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0108GMCWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I purchased these quart size from Amazon: Link

I like the clear because you can see thru them for identifying what foods are inside and if you're not good about cleaning, you'd see any gunk. They also sell them in snack bag size too: Link

Also, I know you didn't ask for this but putting it here in case anyone else finds it useful. Reusable produce bags: Link

If space is an issue, as you mentioned, you might want to go with one of those vertical racks if you have to buy a new one anyways: https://www.amazon.com/Minky-Trio-Concertina-Drying-Silver/dp/B0001A967M/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=vertical+drying+rack&qid=1570831534&sr=8-2


I've seen better ones before that make much better use of the space.... But for some reason the selection on Amazon just wasn't great. But you get which style of rack I mean.

I have these and I really like them. It's fairly easy to see what is in the bag and they are machine washable!

I bought these more than six months ago. They're holding up really well (aside from the one my dog nibbled on, yuck). I just rinse them out when I'm done using them and throw them in the wash with my other laundry. Easy peasy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078S6KRX2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I use these mesh bags for produce here. The cashiers at the grocery store always comment on how great they are!

Maybe something like a metal hair claw?

The link is probably a mess but hopefully it sends you to the right place.

Edit: the brand also has metal octopus clips too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001A967M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PiolDbDGVHA6S
This one is really good, a 3 tier drying rack, it takes up less space in a smaller area and holds a full load of washing, it's also usually sturdier than most others I've used

Its this rack
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001A967M/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_tai_Im1pDbTM43RBT
I hang up shirts, pants aka big items on it. And socks either on the very bottom rows or, if its too packed, off on the sides.

Then underwear, small towels, pillow cases, tank tops, workout shirts and shorts (aka smaller items where wrinkles don’t matter) go on one of these https://www.muji.us/store/aluminum-square-hanger-with-pegs-m-4550002578398.html

Those rules are dumb. That sucks. Can you petition to change that at all? Being eco is now becoming more trendy, maybe others in your complex would be keen too.

Edit If my ceiling was sturdy enough to hold it, I would get one of these https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/132455217434-0-1/s-l1000.jpg
Such an efficient use of indoor space!

Theres some on Amazon, these look legit. The luffa site also has some available. Maybe local farmers markets too?

Not a regular here, but you can use reusable silicone cooking bags. Amazon has a few different kinds.

Why don't you use reusable produce bags like these? You might pay a few extra pennies since they're very slightly heavier than plastic, but not by much.

I use these. I like that they are transparent, makes it less confusing for checkout people at the grocery store.

https://www.amazon.com/Earthwise-Reusable-Mesh-Produce-Bags/dp/B005E2QRPG

https://www.amazon.com/purifyou-Premium-Reusable-Produce-Color-Coded/dp/B00XSHEJ90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497423734&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=produce+mesh+bags&psc=1

There were a few that I found but these are the ones I ended up putting into my cart.

Hoo boy have I got the product for YOU! https://www.amazon.com/Stasher-Silicone-Reusable-Bag-Sandwich/dp/B01DZQT9CU

I use these. The weight of them is on the tag, some places will subtract that weight from the weight of the produce. Or they will take the produce out to weigh.

I typically just don't use a bag for things I'm buying one of (cucumber, tomato, onion, etc). But I will use it for multiples to keep them together (apples, oranges, lemons) and herbs or smaller things as well (cilantro, garlic, tomatillos, etc)

I love that they come in different sizes, and the have the weight on them. I personally don't bother subtracting the weight. And I just store them with my reusable bags.

I've had a couple cashiers give me funny looks or ask what they are, but I just explain to them that they are reusable produce bags.

When I get home I will typically store the produce in other ways not in the bag. But I have kept the produce in the bag with no ill effect.