THE ZERO WASTE MOVEMENT SET ME UP FOR FAILURE // I'M NO LONGER ZERO WASTE // truth about zero waste
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- Опубліковано 19 бер 2022
- I'm no longer zero waste. Zero waste set me up for failure. Let's talk about the zero waste movement. There are a lot of problems with the zero waste movement. cough, cough the trash jar... I live an imperfect sustainable life. I couldn't reach the unattainable and inaccessible lifestyle of perfect zero waste. The truth about zero waste is that most people can't be zero waste. The zero waste movement is not a solution to climate change. I'm just trying to have an imperfect sustainable lifestyle and live low impact and low waste as best I can.
Thanks for watching! 😊
❤️ Kristen
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This video talks about why I failed at a zero waste lifestyle. Zero waste living wasn't good for my mental health. In this video, I talk about the truth about zero waste. And the zero waste movement is not a solution to climate change. I think a zero waste lifestyle can be incredible and can do a lot of good. But there are so many problems and harmful messages in it, too. Does zero waste actually work? I say sustainable living, eco-conscious living, eco-friendly living, low waste, low impact interchangeably with zero waste. A sustainable lifestyle can be imperfect and should be imperfect! There is a lot of gray area within the sustainability. The zero waste movement has had a lot of harmful messaging so I've decided to not call myself zero waste. There are so many great zero waste alternatives and swaps out there. But you don't have to buy things to be zero waste. An imperfect sustainable lifestyle is what a realistic zero waste lifestyle should be. An imperfect sustainable lifestyle is a realistic version of zero waste and non-aesthetic zero waste. Although there are a lot of problems with zero waste, there are a lot of great things to come out of zero waste, too.
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Hi! I'm Kristen (she/her). On my channel, Strolling Through Life, I talk about eco-conscious living. I try to make eco-friendly/ sustainable living more simple. Living sustainably isn't just about reducing your plastic consumption. Cheers to saving the planet, one video at a time. Follow for more zero waste product reviews!
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#sustainableliving #zerowaste #imperfectsustainability
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Hey, friend! Well… what’d you think of this video? What’re your thoughts on the zero waste movement?
I think most zero waste influencers fail to see environmental impact in orders of magnitude.
An individual footprint on the planet is negligible compared to large corporations footprint.
But I still do zero waste lifestyle not just for me.
It's to show my community that there are possibilities to reduce waste.
I agree with you in this video.
That's why I aim for low waste. I think zero waste is unattainable and impossible because we are always going to make waste. Low waste means I am going to have some waste, but not a lot. It is more realistic.
What do you do with clothing when it comes apart and furniture when it breaks? Also what do you do with used tampons? Also you wearing makeup, where do you toss it out after it runs out?
Something I've really come to follow is Shelbi's saying of "You cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that you can do." I've been starting my eco minimalism very slowly, but it's definitely helped a lot to keep that mind set!
It really is so important to keep in mind that perfectionism is unattainable. I talk about this a lot when it comes to sustainability. There are certain things that I have to do for my health - sometimes that means buying a bagged salad from the grocery store because I just need some vegetables before I go to work. It's better than ordering take out, but it's still easy and healthy. And when you work 16 hour shifts, sometimes that's all you can do.
Exactly!! So glad to hear you’re on the same page. It’s impossible to be perfect! Yes, sometimes we all need something quick and convenient! 😊 Thanks for watching!!
I think zero waste is almost impossible but we can find more sustainable ways to live. But zero waste is pretty much impossible for anyone with health problems, Walmart as the nearest store, etc….
Totally! 100%!
@@StrollingThroughLife I have a good friend who has a special needs child. She lives in the country and needs a large vehicle for the child. Her closest store is Walmart and she has a couple other kids. Zero waste is impossible for her maybe reduce and recycle products but not much else in zero waste is even possible.
This is EXACTLY why I started to show my channel to show the imperfection, the ugliness, and the practicality that CAN BE zero waste (rather low waste) living. When I went zero waste I didn't even have access to plastic free produce so I went down all the rabbit holes of how to live zero waste otherwise. I know many others feel the same as you and I'm so glad we've become imperfect zero waste friends!
I feel like you’ve always done well at clarifying that you’re being real, trying, imperfect, and doin your best without judgment!
Thanks!! I’m glad I’ve been getting that across in my videos! Thanks for watching!! 😊
My husband's Mom (Punjabi living in Canada), was the most low waste person I personally have seen. She never had take out. She was vegetarian. And mostly just ate produce, beans, lentils. She would only have like one rshirt back of trash a week. And she didn't compost or anything. She was my hero in that respect.
That's amazing that you had such a great example in your life! ❤️
Thank you for being YOU!! And having this conversation
Thank you, Taty!! 💛 I appreciate you being here!! 😊
You are so right! I started my "zero waste" journey two years ago but have never referred to myself as such because I was so afraid of judgement for not being sustainable enough. I have a lot of stuff (single use products, craft supplies, beauty products) that I've had for years and am working on using stuff up, but it's not aesthetically "zero waste". I have to keep reminding myself that using what I already have is the most sustainable choice.
And a point on privilege-lots of people who don't own their homes can produce more waste because of it. My apartment complex has it written into the lease that residents can't use clotheslines, can't compost, and can't put out buckets for rainwater. Good luck convincing them to let us recycle. Lots of people care about the environment, but the immediate threat of losing their place to live is just too important to risk.
Totally understand that! The "zero waste aesthetic" can be so hard to shake when that's a lot of online content. Yessss! Using what you already have is the best option!
Totally! You can only do what the landlord permits. That can be so frustrating. I hope more sustainable initiatives are offered through cities so more people can take part!
I totally agree with impact of environment. I live in Latvia. We have many private houses with gardens. We grow a lot of vegetables by ourselves, also almost every one has compass in the garden.
Everyone can only try their best to live sustainably 💚 I don't believe that anybody can really live a truly zero waste lifestyle but we can minimise our waste as much as possible
Exactly! Couldn’t agree with you more!
Yay! I ❤️ your content! 😁
Thank you!!! 😊
I am so grateful that I came into this movement once people had already had this realization and were teaching imperfect sustainability. I am an avid perfectionist who finds guilt and shame in EVERYTHING and this would have consumed my life if not for people like you stressing that you don't have to be perfect to be sustainable. Thank you for sharing your journey with us! YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Thank you!!! That really means a lot! 😊 Yesssss! It's all about progress, not perfection!
I'm far from being perfectly zero waste.
I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but I eat a mostly plant-based diet.
Unpopular opinion within zero waste community; I still eat beef and pork except I eat it once every two meals and I eat them in small portions, as opposed to large quantities.
I still buy foods in plastic packaging.
But I petition for more food products to be packaged in cardboard instead of possible.
I also am still using old plastic packaged goods as make my switches to zero waste - moving to a zero waste lifestyle definitely did reduce my waste a lot.
As someone who's studying engineering, my individual impact is nothing compared to systemic change. However, my online influence on social media can amplify the magnitude of change I can offer.
Systemic change still needs to happen, and zero waste lifestyle is a part of that change, in my opinion.
Great video! I agree. I never thought a jar of trash was even remotely possible for our family, but I didn't get hung up on it. Thanks for talking about the cultural differences too. My parents come from poor families in Central America and I've been doing some "low waste" stuff for ages! For me, the most alienating parts of the community sometimes come from vegans. I've seen multiple people saying that if you eat meat or any animal products, everything else you do is irrelevant.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video! Of course. Exactly! It's frustrating that it wasn't talked about. Ugh, I'm sorry you've been seeing/hearing that. 😔 It drives me nuts! Just know you're not alone! Thanks for watching!! 😊
I love love love this!! Thank you for talking about something so important ❤️❤️❤️
Yay! So glad you liked this!! It’s a pretty important topic! 😊
I personally never make myself feel bad about zero waste. I try for minimal waste. To be have knowledge about our waste is what I go for
I laughed when I first saw all the pantry jars. I’m a 60 year old woman living next to the ocean in the country. I keep my food in jars because of humidity and mice. It keeps the food fresh and rodents and insects out. What the kids are doing these days can be inspirational and forward thinking but it’s not all new and improved. Some of us have been doing these things for decades.
Million people doing zero waste imperfectly makes a bigger difference than 5000 people doing it perfectly....
Yessssss!
Hihi! I feel you girl! I started my low waste journey because it was convenient for saving money. But all of a sudden it got expensive and there was a right/wrong way to do things and honestly, it made living life really hard. It was stressing me out and forcing me to starve because I was trying to be eco-friendly. But I've learned that it's okay to once in a while eat a meal with waste involved because it's more important that I eat than trying to avoid 1 plastic tupperware. So I hope you know you're not alone in feeling this way and your struggles and feelings are failure are valid and honestly relatable so thank you for sharing! It's hard to share the ugly so I'm so grateful and encouraged by your openness with us!
EXACTLY! It can be such a great thing. But then some people made it seem like you had to do things one way or else you were wrong...which, is so messed up!! Thank YOU for sharing this with me!! You are not alone either! I'm so glad this video resonated with you! Thank you for watching! 😊
I think it is important that you cannot achieve all. Any where you can and are willing to help is good enough! I live in an area where most of what you mentioned in your Target video is not at my Target. I have one refill store in my area and it is still forty minutes away! Everything takes a lot of effort but I try to do the good where I can. I am not trying to go zero waste, but be more mindful to the toxicity of products and cut down on single-use plastic and food waste. I use a composting service since trying to do it on my own gave me a lot of anxiety. However, am I doing better than the average a consumer? Probably! Every little bit counts!!! 🤗
I would love to do more bulk food shopping (for flour and rice), but I have nothing like that outside of Whole Foods. I just traveled forty minutes (in the opposite direction of the refill store I mentioned) to refill my olive oil. I wanted to make a day of it, but is it always realistic? No, probably not. Especially considering the price of gas these days and just your carbon footprint on the drive!
I could not agree with you more! Everything you said here is great! ...and relatable for so many people. It's totally unrealistic to have to drive forty minutes every time you need a product or food (especially when you have closer options). You are doing great!!! Every little bit counts, indeed!! 😊 Thank you for sharing this!
Yes! I am so sick of eco shaming!!! Gahhh!! Haha.
Love this video. ❤️
Little changes made by millions of people makes a HUGE difference. I live by this❤️😇
Right?! So frustrating and annoying!
Thank you! I'm so glad!
That's such a great motto to live by because it's so true! 😊🌍
Love this video!! This is all spot on! I wonder if people whose personalities are more on the obsessive end tend to be attracted to these movements to begin with, myself included of course lol. Besides a plastic-free world will not eliminate climate change nor is it attainable. Plastic is in everything.
Yay! I'm so glad you loved it!! That is pretty interesting... I'm included in that too haha. I wonder...🤔 Exactly! It's so difficult to avoid in the 21st century!
5:40 what I learned really quickly is that zero waste trends is pretty much being poor in society because you can’t afford to be a consumerist…I realized I’d been living more eco friendly than I ever realized 😅
YES! THIS!!! Thank you for saying it publically! Especially the bit on privilege!
Glad you liked it! And of course! It's such an important thing to talk about!
I love this video. I used to be so hardcore but now I’ve realized waste is only one part of sustainability so I do what I can and am kinder to myself
Thank you!! I'm so glad this resonated with you! Yes, it's just one part of it all! Being kind to yourself is key!! 😊
Thank you for sharing ❤️
Thanks for watching!
I also have backed off some because I was feeling bad about myself all the time… I’m trying, I work full time and I can’t go thrifting every time I need something. I like take out food. I do what I can. I’m trying to keep moving forward and slowly add sustainable products to my life but I can’t feel bad every time I get plastic silverware in my take out bag. Thanks for all your videos I ❤️you!
YES! It's impossible to do it all! And that's a-okay! It's all about progress over perfection! 😊 Thank you for watching!!
hey, you know what? not one of us is capable of making the universe happy...so what? we can still contribute--how much does not matter! personally, i'm the "i have zero time cartel!" but at least i can find time to come to your channel and search for products and ideas that work for me! the service you provide allows me and a multitude of others to make an achievable difference. I truly appreciate all that you do, and if you were perfect, well, i'm not into that crap.
keep up the amazing work! 🏆😘
Exactly! We're all just trying our best! I'm so happy to hear that. 😊 Thanks for being here!
I am one of those people with a cupboard or shelf of washed out, empty glass jars .... i went through an evolution of food storage containers, purchased and kept from foods I had purchased, for pantry/ larder building, reduced food waste, and reduced food costs to discarding the plastic for glass and metal. Midway, i had a uniform, pretty, functional, stackable system of metal coffee cans collected and networked for over the course of 3 years that I could store those 20-100 pounds of bulk purchases in. Then I found they were coated in BPA plastic. - For me, my purpose or primary reason is to eliminate as much plastic in the kitchen as possible for health reasons. I will grant that this is more and more difficult as time goes on but, within the kitchen I have more control than on the grocery store shelf. Keeping and re-using is cheaper than buying canning jars or other storage; much less about zero waste than cost. I do have a finite amount of dedicated space and zip my extras to a recycling bin withiut a shred of guilt.
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Had to look up 'trash jar'.
Seems like some sort of virtue signaling device(?)
Thank you for posting - enjoying how your channel has evolved 🌞
Haha it sure seems like it! Thank you for sticking around for so long! I’m glad you like where the channel is going. I appreciate you being here! 😊
People just need to reduce , every bit helps. I feel like just because you couldn’t maintain it you’re now trashing it. You set yourself up for failure not a movement.
I am so bored of the zero waste "movement" at this point. It isnt a movement unless nearly everything we are doing is pushing for systematic change.
Totally understand that. Systemic change is so important!
I'm more low waste than zero waste due to a lot of the people in the zero waste community being privileged (class/money). They look down on people who are trying to reduce their waste and think that they should do better, even though they don't have the means to do so.
Like being near a zero waste store (or something similar like a Whole Foods Market), going to a Lush store, being vegan or being able to afford the zero/low waste things that they need.
I loved visiting the only Whole Foods Market in Scotland once in a blue moon, due to how pricey the place is. But the store closed down and the nearest Whole Foods is in London, England, which is very far.
I see so so many people who aren't in the movement also call out 'zero wasters' for the littlest and most unavoidable amount of waste. Even so far as calling out folks for using plastic tools to get on the internet or using *medical supplies.* Ouch! (Ableism surrounding even waste decrease initiatives, let alone zero waste, is huge...)
It's just not possible unless one can be lucky enough to not need plastics for any reason and also have personal control over every single thing in their life. I think this is from the book Cradle to Cradle, but "zero waste" was apparently never supposed to be an standard for individuals...
Ugh. It's so frustrating to see that. 😔
100% agree with you! It's nearly impossible in the 21st century. Yes, zero waste was originally an industrial term for businesses. It wasn't meant for individuals at all! 😬
Shouldn't care what people think .if you not thrown way has much.i would be happy with that
We humans are but critters in an ecosystem. All living critters use inputs then create outputs or waste. It is what it is.
We humans are carbon based, require carbon based food, and create carbon based waste products. Much of our habitat revolves around carbon based products; even plastics and petrol chemicals are carbon based. Going back to the whole grain movement coming out of the 1960's/1970's ecology movement there has been a segment of that and each movement since that have a product to sell (usually a series of products), zealots who with the formal training of psych 101 almost 50 years ago I call control freaks, and the seekers who only play whole heartely for so long. And yes, playing whole heartedly to the tune of the zealots bag pipes is not good for mental health.
Being eco-friendly is a life style and, life style changes are more sustainable if brought on somewhat gradually and individually. When yoire talking ecosystems, you are also talking environments and habitats. Its a big wide world out there with a lot different ecosystems and habitats resulting in no two having the exact same, cookie cutter, same best practices. Some like not littering are pretty universal but 3ven within a city, some practices are more ideal in one part versus another.
I dk id anyone said so but if u privilege use it for good
I was DONE when I felt like I was shamed for having a lot of (SECOND HAND!!) books. Because if I am not "using them" all the time, I should apparently get rid of them so someone else can use it to make up for the impact they have on the world. I want to keep my books though, thank you very much and no, I DON'T WANT AN E-READER. I didn't also sign up to be a minimalist which is not my jam.
I feel like the extremism really turns people off when everyone could do something/their part.
6:15 you dont have to go back in time to make an example like most of the developing countries in the word today are way more sustainable than america and not because of an aesthetic, there's just no choice
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Thanks for watching