Here in western Washington state, grocery stores take used plastic film, such as soft plastic wrap on TP, and aaaallll the transparent film used to wrap & encase products, especially food and candy. So much! Also plastic bags. I made a commitment to start taking that stuff back and boy howdy, I collect a big bagful every month. My local Safeway gets most of it. It’s not huge but it’s something.
Our local Kroger does the same. I used to take reusable bags with me when I did the grocery shopping, but now I have my groceries delivered. That means a lot of plastic bags. So I end up taking them back to my local Kroger once a month.
I’ve used Earth Breeze but am using Clean People laundry sheets now because they are in Canada and the US rather than China. Trader Joe’s toilet paper got an ‘A’ from WaPo climate coach. (Charmin got an ‘F.”)
This reminds me of when I first paid all my credit card debt off in the noughties - I was so angry at the marketing emails and post I would receive after, trying to coerce me into getting myself back into debt again.
I’ve never been able to shop in Morrisons because of the way the store is set out. It was aimed at my bingeing/grazing type and I always spent at least 20% more on food on the rare occasions I shopped there.
Ever since retraining in 2018 and accumulating beauty treatment waste, I became more environmentally conscious and began making changes to reduce waste.
I buy as much as I can recycled, without plastic and with companies committed to giving back more than they take (like who gives a crap and tropic skincare).
I no longer feel sold to. I put myself on a (clothes) shopping ban nearly ten years ago. I choose to shop local and support local businesses where I can.
I have 3 pairs of jeans currently falling apart, I no longer enjoy shopping and I live away from cities/large towns (intentionally). I’m not looking forward to going out of my way to get some.
When I used to work in an office for a big company and often had to appear in administrative hearings, I had a wardrobe of suits with matching shoes and accessories. Every month I bought a new outfit. After I fell sick for the second heart transplant, I donated those clothes to a charity that helps women find work. Since then, I've been living in leggings and sweats. Of course, during the pandemic lockdown, I developed a habit of shopping online with a friend who sold Lularoe. So many leggings! But I haven't bought a lot of clothes in the past year - except for the three velour tracksuits I bought from Costco in October because the leggings were not quite warm enough for the winter weather.
I was similar with the suits, monthly shops and later giving them to charity!
I’d already been in my own lockdown for 2 years by the pandemic so I felt less alone and ramped up my daily meditation. I healed my brain multiple times as a result.
Now I’m so glad what happened to me happened. I’ve created a new world for myself. Anyone can join me, but for me there’s no going back.
I have no desire to return to the corporate world. I'm perfectly content to work on my writing and spend my time with the people I care about. My world is much smaller, and I am much happier for it.
That looks fascinating! I've bookmarked it in my Youtube account to watch when I have an hour to sit down and not have anyone trying to get me to throw a ball or squeaky toy.
Yes to the yes, Dawn! I volunteer at a local Clothes Closet that also sells to the general public, and that’s where I now do the bulk of my clothes shopping. I’ll have to check out Grove and WGAC. Like Karen, I buy Tide in a cardboard box. I also started using Blueland hand soap and cleaning products. For hand soap, you buy a glass bottle and tablets that come in paper wrappers to make the best foaming hand soap ever. Same with their cleaning sprays. I don’t think I can watch the Netflix doc. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep now just from having seen the trailer. Thanks for sharing your passion and all the little things you’re doing. It pays to be mindful.
I've never heard of Blueland soap. Where do you get that? I do get the cleaning concentrate for window cleaner from Grove. That comes in tiny bottles I pour into a larger glass spray bottle and add water.
Great post, Dawn. I love Netflix documentaries, and I'll check out Buy Now. I buy most of my clothes lately at ThredUp.com, an online thrift store. I sew, so I also sometimes repurpose local thrift store clothing. As for EarthBreeze, we used that until we learned it likely contains microplastics, so we switched to Tide in a cardboard box. Messy, but environmentally friendly. (Who knows--that may contain microplastics, too. Sometimes you can't win!)
I didn't realize there were microplastics in in the pressed sheets. I wonder if the Grove brand has those? My mother and grandmother used to use Tide powder in the box. I'm allergic to Tide and have to use the fragrance and dye free detergents.
I have used Who Gives a Crap for years and love it. I'm in the process of moving in with my daughter. Each time I move, I get rid of more stuff. It feels good.
It's convenient to have it delivered, and I feel like I'm doing something good. For the first half of my life, I moved around a lot and accumulated very little stuff. But I've lived in the same house for twenty years, and there is so much stuff! We're slowly purging. If we can stop bringing new stuff into the house, it will help reduce the accumulation. I found a "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook where members can give away things, and I've rehomed a lot of stuff we never used and forgot we had.
Here in western Washington state, grocery stores take used plastic film, such as soft plastic wrap on TP, and aaaallll the transparent film used to wrap & encase products, especially food and candy. So much! Also plastic bags. I made a commitment to start taking that stuff back and boy howdy, I collect a big bagful every month. My local Safeway gets most of it. It’s not huge but it’s something.
Our local Kroger does the same. I used to take reusable bags with me when I did the grocery shopping, but now I have my groceries delivered. That means a lot of plastic bags. So I end up taking them back to my local Kroger once a month.
I’ve used Earth Breeze but am using Clean People laundry sheets now because they are in Canada and the US rather than China. Trader Joe’s toilet paper got an ‘A’ from WaPo climate coach. (Charmin got an ‘F.”)
I've never heard of Clean People. I will have to look them up.
Thank you for letting me know about WaPo climate coach.
All such wonderful information!
This reminds me of when I first paid all my credit card debt off in the noughties - I was so angry at the marketing emails and post I would receive after, trying to coerce me into getting myself back into debt again.
I’ve never been able to shop in Morrisons because of the way the store is set out. It was aimed at my bingeing/grazing type and I always spent at least 20% more on food on the rare occasions I shopped there.
Ever since retraining in 2018 and accumulating beauty treatment waste, I became more environmentally conscious and began making changes to reduce waste.
I buy as much as I can recycled, without plastic and with companies committed to giving back more than they take (like who gives a crap and tropic skincare).
I no longer feel sold to. I put myself on a (clothes) shopping ban nearly ten years ago. I choose to shop local and support local businesses where I can.
I have 3 pairs of jeans currently falling apart, I no longer enjoy shopping and I live away from cities/large towns (intentionally). I’m not looking forward to going out of my way to get some.
Watching the Netflix doc now!
When I used to work in an office for a big company and often had to appear in administrative hearings, I had a wardrobe of suits with matching shoes and accessories. Every month I bought a new outfit. After I fell sick for the second heart transplant, I donated those clothes to a charity that helps women find work. Since then, I've been living in leggings and sweats. Of course, during the pandemic lockdown, I developed a habit of shopping online with a friend who sold Lularoe. So many leggings! But I haven't bought a lot of clothes in the past year - except for the three velour tracksuits I bought from Costco in October because the leggings were not quite warm enough for the winter weather.
I was similar with the suits, monthly shops and later giving them to charity!
I’d already been in my own lockdown for 2 years by the pandemic so I felt less alone and ramped up my daily meditation. I healed my brain multiple times as a result.
Now I’m so glad what happened to me happened. I’ve created a new world for myself. Anyone can join me, but for me there’s no going back.
I have no desire to return to the corporate world. I'm perfectly content to work on my writing and spend my time with the people I care about. My world is much smaller, and I am much happier for it.
Here is a great documentary that fits in nicely with this post. Enjoy everyone!
https://youtu.be/rwp0Bx0awoE?si=ZLIrNAkacn7DXdF1
That looks fascinating! I've bookmarked it in my Youtube account to watch when I have an hour to sit down and not have anyone trying to get me to throw a ball or squeaky toy.
Yes to the yes, Dawn! I volunteer at a local Clothes Closet that also sells to the general public, and that’s where I now do the bulk of my clothes shopping. I’ll have to check out Grove and WGAC. Like Karen, I buy Tide in a cardboard box. I also started using Blueland hand soap and cleaning products. For hand soap, you buy a glass bottle and tablets that come in paper wrappers to make the best foaming hand soap ever. Same with their cleaning sprays. I don’t think I can watch the Netflix doc. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep now just from having seen the trailer. Thanks for sharing your passion and all the little things you’re doing. It pays to be mindful.
I've never heard of Blueland soap. Where do you get that? I do get the cleaning concentrate for window cleaner from Grove. That comes in tiny bottles I pour into a larger glass spray bottle and add water.
Blueland.com!!
Great post, Dawn. I love Netflix documentaries, and I'll check out Buy Now. I buy most of my clothes lately at ThredUp.com, an online thrift store. I sew, so I also sometimes repurpose local thrift store clothing. As for EarthBreeze, we used that until we learned it likely contains microplastics, so we switched to Tide in a cardboard box. Messy, but environmentally friendly. (Who knows--that may contain microplastics, too. Sometimes you can't win!)
I didn't realize there were microplastics in in the pressed sheets. I wonder if the Grove brand has those? My mother and grandmother used to use Tide powder in the box. I'm allergic to Tide and have to use the fragrance and dye free detergents.
I have used Who Gives a Crap for years and love it. I'm in the process of moving in with my daughter. Each time I move, I get rid of more stuff. It feels good.
It's convenient to have it delivered, and I feel like I'm doing something good. For the first half of my life, I moved around a lot and accumulated very little stuff. But I've lived in the same house for twenty years, and there is so much stuff! We're slowly purging. If we can stop bringing new stuff into the house, it will help reduce the accumulation. I found a "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook where members can give away things, and I've rehomed a lot of stuff we never used and forgot we had.