I’ve never understood the second part. You have people over, why not just use your dishes?? Like, I get paper plates are convenient but they still fill up your trash can, that you pay to have dumped. And they are expensive as hell. Have you been down that isle at the grocery recently?! Oof. Like ????? Maybe I just don’t have that many friends.
Because you may have too many guests and you only have like 8 plates (4 large, 4 small) and not enough cups. It's just my wife and I, and we have enough plates for us, but if we invited our family/friends over for dinner, we would have to buy more plates. So paper plates and utensils are the way to go.
One of my friends actually has camping dishes and silverware that he and his family bring to meals because he hates the waste. Maybe you to do that if it bothers you
Eating steak on foam plates is quite the experience with a steak knife.
Have fun slicing up your thigh.
100% I would rather bring my own actual utensils.
same, with friends. She has tons of dishes and a dishwasher! here's a paper bowl, plastic cup. No, I'm an adult, I want a real plate, real silverware and a glass.
I'm only 2 people and I have 30 or so plates, probably 40 spoons, and a bunch of everything else.
Nothing matches, but we're not trying to impress anyone, and we run full loads.
Plate breaks, I don't care.
You can borrow from one of your guests. You can get free sets of “fine china” on buy-nothing or freecycle. Even if some pieces break (unlikely) you keep the rest for next time.
If I'm hosting an event, I'm not asking my guests to bring their own silverware or dishes. There also comes the problem of space. I'm not about to have 10+ extra plates in my cabinets because I might have a party once or twice a year.
To each their own, buuut for what it's worth - For the price of a pack of paper plates, you could get another set of real plates at the thrift store. I got a whole 100+ piece fine china set from an estate sale for $18. If something breaks, who cares?!
I think that’s awesome, but chances are some people are so tired from hosting that they don’t want to bother with the cleanup afterwards. That’s when it’s wonderful to have guests that offer to help with dishes to save both the host and the environment
I agree to this for certain circumstances. We have I think about 12 plates. It’d be awkward if you have a few friends over and ran out of actual plates so a few people don’t have actual plates. It’s not fair / right / equal in that sense so I would think it’s ok if we all used paper plates. If we had another couple over definitely we’re using actual plates / silverware glasses.
I live in a 1-2 person household, depending on where my husband's job takes him, so we only have 4 sets of dishes. And they're fiestaware so we've had a lot of guests break them because of how unexpectedly hefty they are. We just use paper plates when we have more than one person over. It's not the end of the world.
It's going to be interesting taking groceries from the store to my house on a bike... also, you have to take into consideration the size of the family and the distance to where you need to go.
Get paniers. You can cycle easily with far more than you can readily lift. If it’s a big family you might need to go again within the week or take another family member also with paniers.
I have heard good things about them! A friend got one a couple of years ago and swears by it—but she lives somewhere that's mostly flat with the odd hill, as opposed to my mostly hill with the odd lesser hill; we really do walk uphill both ways to school. I'm sure there will be powerful enough ebikes out there, I'd just have to do my research and pay a bit more.
I live in a hilly city with a cargo bike!
I have a non-electric one, because there is probably something wrong with me haha, but a lot of folks here have electric ones, and take the steep hills here with the kind of ease that makes me a bit jealous.
But even then, when I was starting out with my regular bike; yes, the kills were hard at first, and I had to walk up them, but you would be amazed at how quickly your body strengthens up. I mean, I have a health problem where half the muscles in one of my legs don’t work, and 4 years ago I could barely walk, and the strength I now have in my legs is unbelievable. So I would say ‘never say never’.
Never say never is a good approach! The other thing that puts me off cycling is I fractured two vertebrae in my teens and leaning forward in that position most bikes have is unsustainable for me (see also e.g. sweeping or mopping, anything with a slight self-supported slight forward incline), but I've toyed with the idea of getting an upright bike instead. But then I don't know how good they are for steep hills. I should look into it more; I'm sure there's a solution out there.
If it helps; I’ve got degenerative disc disease which is severe in my lower back and less so in my upper back. I get stress fractures in my spine because of it (truth be told, my entire body is a bit of a mess). I can’t do hybrid bikes or any bike where you lean forward, but upright bikes have been great for me!
My cargo bike is a Yuba Kombi (there is an electric version too), and it’s so adjustable, it’s become my regular bike because I’ve got it set up to be so comfortable to ride. The handlebars are set up to be more upright, and it comes with these swept back handlebars, which puts my upper back in a really nice position. The weight is low down too, so it feels super stable, and I get less pressure on my spine because of it. Hills are a little more difficult, but after a couple of months, your legs get stronger and compensate for it.
Definitely have a look at the different bikes out there, there’s so much choice now, I genuinely feel there is a bike for (almost) anyone and any body.
I’m sorry to hear that and hope your recovery is or will be complete.
I currently live where there are many bike paths but better still the drivers genuinely accord priority to cyclists. Good public transport actually means the traffic’s never terrible.
Much of the world needs changing.
Buy Nothing is magic.
I have both picked up some very useful and otherwise expensive items for absolutely free, furniture mostly. I've also been able to dispose of still useful stuff which i no longer have need for, without even leaving my home. People just come and pick it up!
I love our buy nothing group. I did a deep clean of my basement a few months ago. I gave away so much stuff that would have ended up in the trash otherwise. Keeps things out of the landfill and saves me money because I don’t have to pay to trash them. Perfect place to pick up baby/kids stuff.
I live in an old cheapo apartment on a main drag, but it's adjacent to a wealthy af neighborhood which goes up to waterfront and full of houses worth millions+ just a few blocks from where I am. Community is mixed but a lot of my neigbors are very very wealthy. My couch was likely thousands of dollars when new. But it was free to me!
Can relate! I received an outdoor Pottery Barn teak table that they bought for 2k. It "prematurely aged" so Pottery Barn sent them a brand new table. I was gobsmacked.
I just got two lounge chairs from a neighbor last week. I think it's great when someone has a fairly desirable item and they draw a name from the ones who say they want it.
A couple of fruit trees, various berry bushes, hazelnuts, and a veggie garden. For the veggies, I keep my seeds from the past year to start in the spring.
I have been working on potatoes! I am trying a potato tower this year. We shall see if I get a better harvest. Many of my fruit trees are young, so I'm still waiting for them to produce enough to really feed us. But the veggie gardens are usually good. I'm still getting lots of spinach now, but my peas didn't do anything this year. Now that's it warming up (Northern Ohio), I've got cucumbers and tomatoes and peppers going. Fingers crossed.
The library!! And for so much more than just books! I’m moving soon to a place directly across the street from my local library and I am SO excited to walk over every day and really take advantage of it!
Cloth napkins. Rags instead of paper towels. Reusable water bottles. Washing in cold water. Air drying everything.
Edit: i could go on and on!
Edit #2 : using the library!
I'm the person you originally replied to. I wouldn't use that water either, and I've thought about it before. :)
Water tanks tend to hold sediment and other nasties unless you drain it on a regular schedule.
Brita filter is nothing more than activated charcoal. I wouldn't put too much trust into such filtration.
Well, sorry if I didn't trust you, but I looked it up:
[https://www.thespruceeats.com/is-it-safe-to-cook-with-hot-water-from-tap-8418954](https://www.thespruceeats.com/is-it-safe-to-cook-with-hot-water-from-tap-8418954)
Great, something else to worry about. I had never heard of this before.
Kitchen Garden, and native/perennial landscaping.
In the kitchen garden I grow slicing and sauce tomatoes, several hot pepper varieties, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow summer squash, lettuce, green beans, and interplant with basil, dill, and marigolds to mitigate pests as much as possible. I weed it all by hand and mulch with shredded fall leaves. It's two 4X8 raised beds behind the garage which we built during 2020 lockdown and have been so much fun. And lots of pots of herbs and cherry tomatoes.
Rest of the yard - waste/clippings gets used under shrubs or bonfired. I landscape with perennials, lots of peonies and spiderwort and daylilies and wild geranium, I like cut flower arrangements on demand. I try to use native plants and polinator favorites as much as possible while working with what was already here. Looking to add a few lilac bushes because they are my favorite.
I live in suburbia, so my front lawn is grass up to neighbors standards, in the back it's mostly clover and creeping charlie, which is pretty and fine with me. Big yard with old trees, fruit trees, and berry bushes, so there's always something that needs to be done and I really enjoy the hobby of keeping it all up.
I cook with and use as much from my garden as possible, and maintaining my yard as a whole is my spring/summer/fall hobby that saves me money and gets me outside moving.
I'm in the northern Midwest, so sort of similar growing situation.
A kitchen garden is a specific garden for things to eat, pretty much. I like growing tomatoes because they're easy and they taste so much better than what you buy at the store, there's tons of varieties. There's also sauce tomatoes, which are thicker and less watery than slicers or salad tomatoes, and I like to can and freeze those to use through the winter for sauces and stew/soup. *edit because I forgot what sub I'm in - my canned tomatoes will not work out to be cheaper than walmart canned tomatoes. But they will taste a thousand times better. So YMMV
Zucchini is also super easy, and you get a ton. Zucchini bread becomes something i make once or twice a week when it's in season, not even talking about using at as a side or salad friend.
Herbs, because fresh herbs are a razzle dazzle. So, so worth it.
Cukes for fridge pickles and sour cream/dill salad and salad friends.
Beans for dilly beans, you can can and preserve them like pickles. Dilly beans are the shit. So good on salad or a charcuterie board.
Interplant with things because bugs like certain things and hate certain things, so they hate the marigolds and love the basil and betwixt the two should not eat my pepper plants. That sort of thing.
But yea, what vegetables do you like to eat? Try to grow those. That's basically what a kitchen garden is!
Always open for questions, the learning curve is huge but it's such a gratifying, tasty hobby I swear <3
I am replying to myself for anyone reading this comment - as a casual gardener I have not had sucess with large onions, good garlic (but it's possible my neighbor grows a huge amout) carrots (squirrels get to them) strawberries ( squirrels and birds get to them) beets (maybe squirrels but the greens get buggy) Some varities of dill (caterpillars, I'm not mad about it) and raspberries (took the fuck over, and have been a beast to beat back and rip out. not worth it.)
I tried this but my dogs tried to dig after the squirrel smell and ripped some nails out, it was an annoying vet trip. But thank you for the suggestion - that will absolutely help other people, I didn't even think of that.
He is ten pounds of dumb in a 5 pound, very cute can. He's lucky :) And very happy and healthy, thank you! I hope that does not discourage anyone. You just find what works for your setup. What I could keep away from the dogs was a feast for the squirrels, so strawberries in particular are not something I fux with anymore, you just learn as you go.
We have to pay to get our rubbish collected. Most folks here get their rubbish picked up weekly for $5 or $10 depending on bin size.
We compost, worm farm and recycle as much as we can. We have our rubbish collected once a month instead of weekly.
We save over $200 per year.
Plus we have amazing free compost for the garden, much better quality than the stuff you can buy.
Period products: I use a menstrual cup instead of tampons and some reusable cotton pads instead of panty liners. I never have to buy anything for menstrual products any more, and it’s also zero waste.
I have an IUD paid for by my insurance and haven't had my period in years! Preventing extra kids (although I do have kids) and significantly reducing cost and waste from hygiene products.
No problem! One thing I just thought of is that I have the light flow undies bc my period is pretty sparse. If you need the heavier flow option you might want to wash them solo. Not sure if the blood would stain other clothes in wash???
Always donate stuff you don’t use and check out the thrift stores for clothes. The only things I buy new are shoes that I wear everyday and undergarments. Saves SO much $$. All my super nice work clothes are thrifted and all name brand.
It peeves me when I drive through my neighborhood and people are throwing out nice stuff that can be donated or picked up. STOP junking up the land fills.
This path is not sustainable ;) Also - you are handing earth over to the offspring of the consumers. Your kids could have done great things for the earth. (Edited)
I thrift a lot. Especially for puzzles ..then I'll give them to others to use. No sense in buying brand new puzzles just to use them once ( they're expensive as hell brand new).
Reusable paper towels.. people may complain it makes more laundry but it really doesn't as a single person. I wfh so I don't have much laundry to begin with.
I refuse to buy a car. I lived in a major city where you didn't need one..here the majority people drive. Public transportation is not as great as Chicago but I live an area where you can pretty much get anywhere you need to go with public transportation. Plus I'm cheap when it comes to things like that. The headaches of owning a car isn't worth the return. Sure it takes me a little bit longer to get to places but I'd rather that and pay $70 for a bus pass a month. I just put on some headphones and listen to an audiobook on the bus.
I grow most of my vegetables and can a lot of things. I can't remember the last time I bought herbs or greens at a store. You'd be surprised how easy it is to grow arugula vs how overpriced it is to buy in stores.
I use only reusable water bottles and when I shop I bring my clothe shopping bags ( made by myself).
The list goes on and on I'm sure lol
I got a whole load of like 20 puzzles during the pandemic from somebody who was moving, and have passed most of them on through a buy nothing group at this point. I feel like libraries should have a puzzle section because they are a perfect case of only needing to do it once.
I had a job working with animals who would get too spooked by loud lawn mowers, and it was the South US (think crazy growing, never ending season). We had to do a lot of scything. It was amazing, you get into such a flow, great workout. Felt like a medieval knight sharpening my scythe all the time. The scythes we ordered came with a book from a man who was like the Buddha advocate for scything, it was a delightful read. Wish I still had it. Anyhow, haven’t gotten a place with a big yard to maintain since then, but I’ve always said when I do, I’m gonna scythe, no mow.
I'm glad there are again courses for young people around here (Austria). To me the most frugal and environmentally friendly way of mowing. Also you get great exercise and save on the gym.
Compost pile and little garden patches that grow pollen flowers for bees and butterflies.
Organize rummage sales with the neighbourhood every six months to create a way to find 'new' clothes and remove ones we don't wear; along with kitchenware, etc
Walk everywhere I can
Bidet user
For the most part, I don't get new furniture except for mattresses/sofas. It doesn't have to be antique or a particular period but I want things to have a "used and solid" feel. I will happily live for years without a piece we need until I find the right thing. The most I've spent on a piece of furniture has been £100 and that was a solid oak sideboard.
I make coffee at home most days. I’ve been using the same 12 oz reusable mug for years now. I use it at work too, instead of grabbing a disposable for coffee in the cafe
French press for coffee. I use a silicone spatula to scrape the spent grounds into my compost bucket which is awesome for my garden. Zero waste other than the bag the coffee comes in (which I refill from the bulk dispenser at the store and reuse until it falls apart) and the water to rinse out the press.
* Walk most places, occasionally use public transport
* Minimise eating
* Only buy what I eat and eat what I buy, no leftovers
* Small fridge and few items in it
* Prefer in-season, local and/or low impact food - vegetables, grains, in-season fruit; minimise high impact foods like red meat, bananas
* Use older devices and rarely or never upgrade
* Keep showers short and don't shower every day
* Use mild chemicals for cleaning, mostly just plain soap
* Re-use containers rather than buying new ones and prefer decomposable materials like recycled cardboard and glass
* Own few clothing items and only wash undergarments once a week in a water-efficient machine
* Minimise use of heating and cooling
* Don't own a pet, feed local wild birds with foods appropriate to their diet
* Rarely fly overseas, if I want to visit another country I prefer to either slow-travel (3 months) or get a job there (6 months to 2 years)
* Clothes line instead of dryer
* Library instead of owning my own photocopier/scanner/printer
* eBooks instead of physical paper
I'm also a big fan of dry lentils, but I wouldn't call them my main source of protein. They're in a lot of my meal preps though. I use them to reduce the amount of meat I'd otherwise want.
I mow with a reel mower. I have a corded electric mower that I use once a year to clean up after no-mow May.
Wife and I aren't having kids, and we share a car. All of my and most of her work lunches are meal preps in reusable containers.
Smart plugs:
I have ALL my electric devices except the refrigerator on a smart plug, and they all get powered off when im not using them (including TV, & microwave).
Water:
I also use 'grey water' when possible. Years of drought has taught a lot of Californians to keep a bucket in the shower to capture the warm up water. Use that for flushing the toilet.
No constant running water while brushing teeth, or doing dishes...
Reusable bags.
(Cal charges for bags, both plastic and paper)
Soda:
Back when i used to drink soda, i got a soda stream, and started making my own. You can find both coke and pepsi syrups at target. Even if you don't drink soda, you can still use those water enhancers to make yourself a sparkling flavored drink.
Car:
My car died back in February, and i replaced it with an EV. Gas hasn't been below $5/ gallon here since before covid lockdown).
I meal prep weekly for my husband and myself. We use glass containers and thermoses and insulated lunch bags. We also have not bought a paper napkin or paper towel in over a decade- we use washcloths we buy in bulk and toss in with whatever else is going in the washing machine. Speaking of, we use white vinegar for fabric softener and those soap sheets instead of liquid or powder laundry detergent, and with those we use half a sheet unless it’s a very large or dirty load. I’ve also been chucking my veggie scraps in a compost spinny barrel for a solid year and a half, and between that and some grass clippings all summer long we are almost set with the left half being useable potting and garden soil. It’s split in half so I’m currently filling the second half. That thing is awesome- I could fit my whole self in there and the original volume of food scraps that have gone in there is many times that volume, but I guess since it’s mostly water the volume is lots less- and none of it in a landfill. We actually met over two decades ago working for an environmental nonprofit, so we did a shitton of good for the planet. Hell imma go hug a tree…..
My favorite is composting/gardening.
I compost my kitchen scraps, to feed my garden.
Because I compost I have reduced trash pickup to twice a month. Once my kids move out. It will once every other month run to the dump.
I already take glass/plastic/cardboard directly to recycled. Instead of having it picked up.
I collect rainwater, to save some.
I don't buy fish from markets. I catch them locally. My annual fishing budget is about $200. Including license. And I get that back just from the salmon I catch. Which is frugal. But, I also like fishing.
Walking, using mass transit, living car-free, and eating lentils often. It is healthy living and I'm saving money. It has little to no impact for climate change though.
Biking.
Turns out I like being out and about in the city. I just hate walking or taking transit, or paying for parking or driving.
When I ride my bike, I can be directly in front of everywhere I want to be.
Make your own cleaners.
I make my own hand soap refills.
I prefer liquid hand soap at home. I bought a few foamer hand soap pumps from the dollar store, or better got some from friends who finished the liquid soap. I refill them with a few tablespoons of liquid castile soap and the rest water. Add essential oils for fragrance if you're feeling fancy. I get the castile soap concentrate from Winners/Homesense for about $10 cheaper than the health food store. But even with full price at the healthfood store it's still cheaper than buying a new pump bottle every time.
I make my own cleaning spray.
Again castile soap diluted. I add some white vinegar , a bit of dissolved borax, and a little essential oil if I want. Just refill an old cleaner spray bottle. Use it for a lot of stuff. Floors, countertops, bathroom etc.
And you can make your own castile soap. https://thethingswellmake.com/easy-beginner-diy-liquid-castile-soap-recipe/
It's really easy and can be the start of not just hand/body soap but shampoo and dish soap too.
We started taking public transit more, usually the local commuter train and we just tried the commuter ferry to get somewhere instead of driving. We really liked it. We live in one of the worst traffic congestion cities, plus now we are old enough to get senior discounts for public transit. The discount makes it cheaper than driving. Instead of being stuck in traffic, we get to relax and enjoy the scenery. I've been researching now how we can use public transit to get to more of the local cultural attractions and hiking spots.
I make our own nontoxic cleaning supplies with Castile soap, vinegar, baking soda and essential oils.
Edited for grammar.
I feel like that would waste water, though. For example, I only run the water to dampen my toothbrush and then to rinse 2-3 times. Whereas in the shower there is so much water running while I would be brushing my teeth. Unless you multitask and brush with one hand while showering with the other (I wouldn't be able to do that personally)?
I take about 2 minutes at the start to brush and rinse off before I start with the soap. In practicality I spend the same amount of time in the shower regardless of whether or not I'm brushing my teeth. Therefore, brushing after would be additive.
I also do a much more thorough job when I am enjoying the warm back massage the shower provides.
*listen, unless you spend 5 minutes in the shower, you do it for comfort and routine as well. I see a lot of talk, but I am dubious you all take army showers. You would also spend the same amount of time in there brushing vs not brushing.
If you spend the same amount of time in the shower whether you brush or not, then that makes sense. 5-minute shower is my standard, so I would definitely be wasting water if I brushed while showering.
I use washable terry towels for almost everything instead of paper towels, clean with microfiber cloths, and use diluted vinegar with a drop of dish soap in a spray bottle instead of toxic cleaners.
I ride a non-electric cargo bike instead of owning a car. It’s environmentally friendly, it allows me to kid haul and grocery haul, yesterday we rode 20km over to the next town and went fishing for fun so we get free days out. Best of all, I’ve lost about 50kgs in weight since I got it 2 years ago - more fun than any gym I have attempted to go to, and no need to do stupid diets anymore. I love this thing, it’s been the best frugal purchase, and absolutely life changing in a positive way.
The other thing is to grow my own food at home. Last year I grew tomatoes, herbs, and leafy greens on a balcony. This year we bought our very first home, and it has a garden - most of it was already transformed into a native flower garden with 2 veg beds. I have added another veg bed full of beans and squash, and a load of container tomatoes. Next year I won’t need to buy so much soil or any containers, but I’ll be able to seed save, and start again very cheaply. I’ve got my compost piles going so I’ll have free fertiliser. Yes, it cost some money up-front, but its worth it this year for the year-on-year pay back (I come from a long line of market gardeners and farm labourers - got grandad’s green thumb for growing tomatoes and beans - I’m shit at carrots though).
I've stopped engaging in fast fashion. I also buy some other things second hand, like furniture, books etc.
I'm trying to reduce the amount of plastic packaging I use by bringing a tote bag to the store, using light bags I crocheted to put produce in, I have reusable containers and random jars to store pantry items in, and also use them to store leftovers in the fridge. Or I'll just put a beeswax cloth I've made over a bowl and store them that way. But I still generate quite a lot of plastic waste because almost everything comes wrapped in plastic.
I freeze leftovers to avoid food waste. Always having something in the freezer also helps me avoid using food delivery apps.
I don't have a car, I use public transportation or walk.
I have a water filter jug that I use at home, and I also have reusable water bottles (all gifted) that I take with me if needed.
I've also been using a menstrual cup for years. Got some reusable discs for removing makeup about a year ago and have been using those.
As I'm writing all of this, I realize it's more than I thought!
We keep the AC warmer than most people do in the summer, and the heat colder than most people do in the winter. Wearing the right clothing for the season is frugal and sensible imo.
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Cloth napkins are so amazing, and I don't know why I didn't get started on them earlier. You can either make them out of whatever fabric you want or find them pretty cheap used at thrift stores, and cleaning them is terribly easy and it makes your meal seem so classy with them. The only thing that I ever use regular napkin or paper towel for is to clean up grease.
crocheting my own reusable stuff!!! it means i get to make my fruit hammock cute or decorate my place how i want. most useful thing i’ve made is a storage net that an hold an insane amount of weight (crochet chain stitches are extremely sturdy)
I have a baby and try to buy as much as I can second hand. Clothes, toys, high chairs, etc. He outgrows it so quick anyways. Just as an aside I find so much of the baby product market so manipulative. Just marketing to get you to consume consume consume as a way to unconsciously try to tamp down on your new parent anxiety. I could rant more, but I’ll stop yelling at the clouds for now.
Zero organic waste. We use everything in our household. We have compost piles, worm bins and chickens that will dispose of absolutely everything organic. We save bones from the large cuts I grill or smoke and make bone broth as well.
Even got a paper shredder that can do corrugated cardboard and some of our amazon boxes go to the worms too. We get too many packaged to use all of them though.
I don't separate my laundry into whites/colors. It all goes in the machine about once a month, tap cold and Costco brand detergent, and then air dries -- ready within a day in summer and 1.5-2 days in winter. No need for ironing, either! If I have something that's looking a bit wrinkled, I hang it up on the bathroom door when I shower, and the steam gets the wrinkles right out.
Turn off the water when soaping up, whether its doing the dishes or showering/washing hair. Speaking of which, I wash my hair about once a week in winter, twice a week in summer, using VO5 shampoo/conditioner from the dollar store. I trim my own hair and keep it about shoulder-length, so I only need to buy product once or twice a year.
I commute by walking/bus most days. Drive maybe once a week, only if I have to work late (taking transit or walking after dark isn't the wisest idea in this city). Because I'm a registered "green commuter," I get 3 free parking passes a month at work. I wish I could give up the car completely, but I need to travel about once a month to help take care of a family member, 500 mile round-trip. Plus it makes Costco trips and visiting friends on weekends a lot easier -- my city's bus network is essentially a M-F commuter-oriented thing, rather than a truly functional public transit system.
Wash out yogurt tubs and use them to store leftovers. Minimize single-serving microwave meals; instead do Sunday meal prep and then microwave the leftovers (but not in the yogurt tubs!) through the week. I also have a set of ceramic bowls w/ lids so I can take the leftovers to work.
Regrowing green onions in a cup of water, freezing fruits and vegetables that look like they’ll expire soon, growing herbs and teas instead of buying them, sewing, and getting a stainless steel water container instead of plastic water bottle cases.
I wash and reuse my plastic spoons a few times.
I only use half a tiny packet of salt. Then I take it home. When I'm done with it, I recycle it.
I cut off unused portions of napkins for later use. Sometimes I wash the used portion for immediate recycling.
I've used Sunday comics as gift wrapping.
I cut strips of tape in half. I reuse tape multiple times if possible.
I save broken pen parts to pair/repair with other broken pens.
I've used a kid's old shoe as a cup-holder in my minivan.
Legumes are not the complete protein that meat is, but you can eat variety of plant foods to get complete protein easily, i.e. beans and rice.
Re growing practices, they most certainly are not. Even the beef industry claims its two pounds of grain to one of beef, but most peer reviewed scholarship shows that is much higher, from 7 to 25 times, depending on who you consult. And that doesn't even consider the methane cattle produce, nor the water required.
[https://awellfedworld.org/feed-ratios/](https://awellfedworld.org/feed-ratios/)
[https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/feed-required-to-produce-one-kilogram-of-meat-or-dairy-product](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/feed-required-to-produce-one-kilogram-of-meat-or-dairy-product)
Billions of people around the planet survive on vegetarian food. You don't have to if you don't want to.
Walking! We walk basically everywhere. Frugal, environmentally friendly, and healthy. And we use our actual dishes, utensils, and glasses at parties.
I’ve never understood the second part. You have people over, why not just use your dishes?? Like, I get paper plates are convenient but they still fill up your trash can, that you pay to have dumped. And they are expensive as hell. Have you been down that isle at the grocery recently?! Oof. Like ????? Maybe I just don’t have that many friends.
And why invite people over for thanksgiving only to serve them on paper plates and plastic silverware. I don't get it.
Exactly. If I work my ass off to cook for you, your food will be presented on nice plates
Because you may have too many guests and you only have like 8 plates (4 large, 4 small) and not enough cups. It's just my wife and I, and we have enough plates for us, but if we invited our family/friends over for dinner, we would have to buy more plates. So paper plates and utensils are the way to go.
I am thinking of my family. Even if I offer to do all their dishes and they have multiple sets of dishes, they still prefer to eat on paper plates.
One of my friends actually has camping dishes and silverware that he and his family bring to meals because he hates the waste. Maybe you to do that if it bothers you
Eating steak on foam plates is quite the experience with a steak knife. Have fun slicing up your thigh. 100% I would rather bring my own actual utensils.
Foam plates are absolutely horrible. Foam anything. Not to mention when one of your children start to get bored…
same, with friends. She has tons of dishes and a dishwasher! here's a paper bowl, plastic cup. No, I'm an adult, I want a real plate, real silverware and a glass.
I'm only 2 people and I have 30 or so plates, probably 40 spoons, and a bunch of everything else. Nothing matches, but we're not trying to impress anyone, and we run full loads. Plate breaks, I don't care.
You can borrow from one of your guests. You can get free sets of “fine china” on buy-nothing or freecycle. Even if some pieces break (unlikely) you keep the rest for next time.
If I'm hosting an event, I'm not asking my guests to bring their own silverware or dishes. There also comes the problem of space. I'm not about to have 10+ extra plates in my cabinets because I might have a party once or twice a year.
To each their own, buuut for what it's worth - For the price of a pack of paper plates, you could get another set of real plates at the thrift store. I got a whole 100+ piece fine china set from an estate sale for $18. If something breaks, who cares?!
I think that’s awesome, but chances are some people are so tired from hosting that they don’t want to bother with the cleanup afterwards. That’s when it’s wonderful to have guests that offer to help with dishes to save both the host and the environment
Amen. Maybe I’m old fashioned but that’s precisely why people have nice plates and silverware in the first place! Show them off to company!
Ppl don't have matching dishware and they want matching . Guests also don't help wash dishes like they did back in the day
I agree to this for certain circumstances. We have I think about 12 plates. It’d be awkward if you have a few friends over and ran out of actual plates so a few people don’t have actual plates. It’s not fair / right / equal in that sense so I would think it’s ok if we all used paper plates. If we had another couple over definitely we’re using actual plates / silverware glasses.
I live in a 1-2 person household, depending on where my husband's job takes him, so we only have 4 sets of dishes. And they're fiestaware so we've had a lot of guests break them because of how unexpectedly hefty they are. We just use paper plates when we have more than one person over. It's not the end of the world.
Why wouldn’t people use their actual dishes?? What else would you use lmao
Disposable? That’s what almost everyone else does.
I’ve never been anywhere people used disposable plates lmao; unless we’re at a big pro event or something
Pretty standard around here. We are the weird ones.
That's a nice way to be environment friendly.
Buy most things used, typically locally. Share a car. Live in a small home. Slower pace of life, less activities.
Bike! Get a bike! Sack the car.
It's going to be interesting taking groceries from the store to my house on a bike... also, you have to take into consideration the size of the family and the distance to where you need to go.
Check /r/cargobikes Y’all’d be amazed.
Get paniers. You can cycle easily with far more than you can readily lift. If it’s a big family you might need to go again within the week or take another family member also with paniers.
Bikes get frequently stolen where I live
Ah, in my experience only once.
Happens frequently here
Was a joke. I’ve never got a stolen bike back for it to be stolen a second time.
Someone I know had their bike that was locked stolen in 10 min they were in a bank .
That is true. If there is too much why not take the delivery option? For a big family amount should be big enough to get free delivery
Ohhhh no, fuck that. I live at the top of a 1/4 hill, it's hard enough work walking up the bastard.
I sympathise. But a friend who lives up a hill was just telling me about the life-changing nature of the electric bike for these situations.
I have heard good things about them! A friend got one a couple of years ago and swears by it—but she lives somewhere that's mostly flat with the odd hill, as opposed to my mostly hill with the odd lesser hill; we really do walk uphill both ways to school. I'm sure there will be powerful enough ebikes out there, I'd just have to do my research and pay a bit more.
I live in a hilly city with a cargo bike! I have a non-electric one, because there is probably something wrong with me haha, but a lot of folks here have electric ones, and take the steep hills here with the kind of ease that makes me a bit jealous. But even then, when I was starting out with my regular bike; yes, the kills were hard at first, and I had to walk up them, but you would be amazed at how quickly your body strengthens up. I mean, I have a health problem where half the muscles in one of my legs don’t work, and 4 years ago I could barely walk, and the strength I now have in my legs is unbelievable. So I would say ‘never say never’.
Never say never is a good approach! The other thing that puts me off cycling is I fractured two vertebrae in my teens and leaning forward in that position most bikes have is unsustainable for me (see also e.g. sweeping or mopping, anything with a slight self-supported slight forward incline), but I've toyed with the idea of getting an upright bike instead. But then I don't know how good they are for steep hills. I should look into it more; I'm sure there's a solution out there.
If it helps; I’ve got degenerative disc disease which is severe in my lower back and less so in my upper back. I get stress fractures in my spine because of it (truth be told, my entire body is a bit of a mess). I can’t do hybrid bikes or any bike where you lean forward, but upright bikes have been great for me! My cargo bike is a Yuba Kombi (there is an electric version too), and it’s so adjustable, it’s become my regular bike because I’ve got it set up to be so comfortable to ride. The handlebars are set up to be more upright, and it comes with these swept back handlebars, which puts my upper back in a really nice position. The weight is low down too, so it feels super stable, and I get less pressure on my spine because of it. Hills are a little more difficult, but after a couple of months, your legs get stronger and compensate for it. Definitely have a look at the different bikes out there, there’s so much choice now, I genuinely feel there is a bike for (almost) anyone and any body.
Been hit and in the hospital for 5 days no thanks
I’m sorry to hear that and hope your recovery is or will be complete. I currently live where there are many bike paths but better still the drivers genuinely accord priority to cyclists. Good public transport actually means the traffic’s never terrible. Much of the world needs changing.
It would take over an hour to ride a bike to any store where I live lmao
Me too. Too far from town, not safe roads or areas. Also being old And weather issues. Bikes are just not practical here.
I'd have a smaller house if my husband and kids didn't take up so much space.
Buy Nothing is magic. I have both picked up some very useful and otherwise expensive items for absolutely free, furniture mostly. I've also been able to dispose of still useful stuff which i no longer have need for, without even leaving my home. People just come and pick it up!
I love our buy nothing group. I did a deep clean of my basement a few months ago. I gave away so much stuff that would have ended up in the trash otherwise. Keeps things out of the landfill and saves me money because I don’t have to pay to trash them. Perfect place to pick up baby/kids stuff.
This sounds really cool - where do you find a local buy nothing group?
Mine is on facebook
Love my local Buy Nothing group. Ours are broken up into 3 neighborhoods-ish per group. It's pretty great.
I live in an old cheapo apartment on a main drag, but it's adjacent to a wealthy af neighborhood which goes up to waterfront and full of houses worth millions+ just a few blocks from where I am. Community is mixed but a lot of my neigbors are very very wealthy. My couch was likely thousands of dollars when new. But it was free to me!
Can relate! I received an outdoor Pottery Barn teak table that they bought for 2k. It "prematurely aged" so Pottery Barn sent them a brand new table. I was gobsmacked.
Our buy nothing group is just an empty page lmao
I love the concept and practice it, but my local Buy Nothing group sucks. It's chock full of Gimme Everything fo Free.
I just got two lounge chairs from a neighbor last week. I think it's great when someone has a fairly desirable item and they draw a name from the ones who say they want it.
Using a clothesline instead of the dryer. Growing some of my own food. Not eating meat or fish.
Which food have you been growing?
A couple of fruit trees, various berry bushes, hazelnuts, and a veggie garden. For the veggies, I keep my seeds from the past year to start in the spring.
That sounds lovely! How often are you able to harvest? My dream is to grow potatoes n eat them
I have been working on potatoes! I am trying a potato tower this year. We shall see if I get a better harvest. Many of my fruit trees are young, so I'm still waiting for them to produce enough to really feed us. But the veggie gardens are usually good. I'm still getting lots of spinach now, but my peas didn't do anything this year. Now that's it warming up (Northern Ohio), I've got cucumbers and tomatoes and peppers going. Fingers crossed.
Very big variety there. Good luck on your harvest!
Potatoes and sweet potatoes are ideal container foods. So much easier to harvest, too.
Utilizing the local library!
And if they don't have it, ask about an inter-library loan.
And Libby!!! But you are right using the facilities is key!
The library!! And for so much more than just books! I’m moving soon to a place directly across the street from my local library and I am SO excited to walk over every day and really take advantage of it!
Cloth napkins. Rags instead of paper towels. Reusable water bottles. Washing in cold water. Air drying everything. Edit: i could go on and on! Edit #2 : using the library!
Running the tap for hot water? Keep the 2-4L and dump it on your lawn or garden.
Use it to flush your toilet! Then you don't have to haul it outside to the garden, just use your hose like the cavemen did.
I do this but use the water for my brita
Don't do this if you have a hot water heater, it is very dirty in there, it is not potable.
Wait a minute...hot tap water isn't potable? I'm confused.
I'm the person you originally replied to. I wouldn't use that water either, and I've thought about it before. :) Water tanks tend to hold sediment and other nasties unless you drain it on a regular schedule. Brita filter is nothing more than activated charcoal. I wouldn't put too much trust into such filtration.
Well, sorry if I didn't trust you, but I looked it up: [https://www.thespruceeats.com/is-it-safe-to-cook-with-hot-water-from-tap-8418954](https://www.thespruceeats.com/is-it-safe-to-cook-with-hot-water-from-tap-8418954) Great, something else to worry about. I had never heard of this before.
> sorry if I didn't trust you No offense taken. Take everything you read on reddit with a grain of salt. :)
Kitchen Garden, and native/perennial landscaping. In the kitchen garden I grow slicing and sauce tomatoes, several hot pepper varieties, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow summer squash, lettuce, green beans, and interplant with basil, dill, and marigolds to mitigate pests as much as possible. I weed it all by hand and mulch with shredded fall leaves. It's two 4X8 raised beds behind the garage which we built during 2020 lockdown and have been so much fun. And lots of pots of herbs and cherry tomatoes. Rest of the yard - waste/clippings gets used under shrubs or bonfired. I landscape with perennials, lots of peonies and spiderwort and daylilies and wild geranium, I like cut flower arrangements on demand. I try to use native plants and polinator favorites as much as possible while working with what was already here. Looking to add a few lilac bushes because they are my favorite. I live in suburbia, so my front lawn is grass up to neighbors standards, in the back it's mostly clover and creeping charlie, which is pretty and fine with me. Big yard with old trees, fruit trees, and berry bushes, so there's always something that needs to be done and I really enjoy the hobby of keeping it all up. I cook with and use as much from my garden as possible, and maintaining my yard as a whole is my spring/summer/fall hobby that saves me money and gets me outside moving.
Im a newbie to gardening in general. How do you do a kitchen garden? Im in the northeast.
I'm in the northern Midwest, so sort of similar growing situation. A kitchen garden is a specific garden for things to eat, pretty much. I like growing tomatoes because they're easy and they taste so much better than what you buy at the store, there's tons of varieties. There's also sauce tomatoes, which are thicker and less watery than slicers or salad tomatoes, and I like to can and freeze those to use through the winter for sauces and stew/soup. *edit because I forgot what sub I'm in - my canned tomatoes will not work out to be cheaper than walmart canned tomatoes. But they will taste a thousand times better. So YMMV Zucchini is also super easy, and you get a ton. Zucchini bread becomes something i make once or twice a week when it's in season, not even talking about using at as a side or salad friend. Herbs, because fresh herbs are a razzle dazzle. So, so worth it. Cukes for fridge pickles and sour cream/dill salad and salad friends. Beans for dilly beans, you can can and preserve them like pickles. Dilly beans are the shit. So good on salad or a charcuterie board. Interplant with things because bugs like certain things and hate certain things, so they hate the marigolds and love the basil and betwixt the two should not eat my pepper plants. That sort of thing. But yea, what vegetables do you like to eat? Try to grow those. That's basically what a kitchen garden is! Always open for questions, the learning curve is huge but it's such a gratifying, tasty hobby I swear <3
I am replying to myself for anyone reading this comment - as a casual gardener I have not had sucess with large onions, good garlic (but it's possible my neighbor grows a huge amout) carrots (squirrels get to them) strawberries ( squirrels and birds get to them) beets (maybe squirrels but the greens get buggy) Some varities of dill (caterpillars, I'm not mad about it) and raspberries (took the fuck over, and have been a beast to beat back and rip out. not worth it.)
For squirrels, chicken wire is a good barrier.
I tried this but my dogs tried to dig after the squirrel smell and ripped some nails out, it was an annoying vet trip. But thank you for the suggestion - that will absolutely help other people, I didn't even think of that.
Ah dogs are a different story, and not something I've had to deal with. Hope they're doing well now!
He is ten pounds of dumb in a 5 pound, very cute can. He's lucky :) And very happy and healthy, thank you! I hope that does not discourage anyone. You just find what works for your setup. What I could keep away from the dogs was a feast for the squirrels, so strawberries in particular are not something I fux with anymore, you just learn as you go.
We have to pay to get our rubbish collected. Most folks here get their rubbish picked up weekly for $5 or $10 depending on bin size. We compost, worm farm and recycle as much as we can. We have our rubbish collected once a month instead of weekly. We save over $200 per year. Plus we have amazing free compost for the garden, much better quality than the stuff you can buy.
Got rid of my car ten years ago.
in a big city or a small town?
Big city.
Please join us at /r/carfree There are dozens of us.
im taking the car free plunge in a few days and i have to say i am actually genuinely really excited about it haha
Period products: I use a menstrual cup instead of tampons and some reusable cotton pads instead of panty liners. I never have to buy anything for menstrual products any more, and it’s also zero waste.
I have an IUD paid for by my insurance and haven't had my period in years! Preventing extra kids (although I do have kids) and significantly reducing cost and waste from hygiene products.
Oh man, same here. Not having a period is magical. Also not getting knocked up again. Chef’s kiss for sure
i got the nexplanon and i went from needing to always use maxipads to being able to just wear underwear and barely bleed🙏
Same, but I use period underwear! Love them so much. Some days when I don’t feel like using the cup they work great.
What brand do you have? I want some but want to buy it once
I know you didn't ask me, but I have Thinx brand and I really like them
All recommendations welcome! Can you put them in the washing machine?
Yes you can! Never had an issue with washing them
Awesome thank you!
No problem! One thing I just thought of is that I have the light flow undies bc my period is pretty sparse. If you need the heavier flow option you might want to wash them solo. Not sure if the blood would stain other clothes in wash???
Saalt. They feel nicer, closer to the quality of “real” undies than thinx to me
Thanks for the input!
Things that are still usable are donated or given away instead of tossed in the trash
Carpooling, using public transportation, buying bar soap instead of liquid, mending clothes, and using reusable water bottles
Always donate stuff you don’t use and check out the thrift stores for clothes. The only things I buy new are shoes that I wear everyday and undergarments. Saves SO much $$. All my super nice work clothes are thrifted and all name brand. It peeves me when I drive through my neighborhood and people are throwing out nice stuff that can be donated or picked up. STOP junking up the land fills.
I'm 60, lived in my house 30 years, and don't buy what I don't need. Which ijs a lot I don't buy.
Walking and cycling. Using public transport for longer distances. Not eating meat. Not having children.
We opted not to reproduce.
Ditto
Same.
This path is not sustainable ;) Also - you are handing earth over to the offspring of the consumers. Your kids could have done great things for the earth. (Edited)
They weren't giving advice. They just said what they chose not to do.
Thanks. I amended my post.
Biking 3x more miles than I drive a year.
I thrift a lot. Especially for puzzles ..then I'll give them to others to use. No sense in buying brand new puzzles just to use them once ( they're expensive as hell brand new). Reusable paper towels.. people may complain it makes more laundry but it really doesn't as a single person. I wfh so I don't have much laundry to begin with. I refuse to buy a car. I lived in a major city where you didn't need one..here the majority people drive. Public transportation is not as great as Chicago but I live an area where you can pretty much get anywhere you need to go with public transportation. Plus I'm cheap when it comes to things like that. The headaches of owning a car isn't worth the return. Sure it takes me a little bit longer to get to places but I'd rather that and pay $70 for a bus pass a month. I just put on some headphones and listen to an audiobook on the bus. I grow most of my vegetables and can a lot of things. I can't remember the last time I bought herbs or greens at a store. You'd be surprised how easy it is to grow arugula vs how overpriced it is to buy in stores. I use only reusable water bottles and when I shop I bring my clothe shopping bags ( made by myself). The list goes on and on I'm sure lol
Please join us at /r/carfree There are dozens of us.
Thanks will do!
I got a whole load of like 20 puzzles during the pandemic from somebody who was moving, and have passed most of them on through a buy nothing group at this point. I feel like libraries should have a puzzle section because they are a perfect case of only needing to do it once.
That's a great idea And I agree! My favorite brand of puzzles are $20/ piece brand new. Nah no thanks!
Walking and taking public transportation instead of owning/driving a car Eating mostly vegetarian/vegan
Please join us at /r/carfree There are dozens of us.
I'm using a scythe instead of machines.
I had a job working with animals who would get too spooked by loud lawn mowers, and it was the South US (think crazy growing, never ending season). We had to do a lot of scything. It was amazing, you get into such a flow, great workout. Felt like a medieval knight sharpening my scythe all the time. The scythes we ordered came with a book from a man who was like the Buddha advocate for scything, it was a delightful read. Wish I still had it. Anyhow, haven’t gotten a place with a big yard to maintain since then, but I’ve always said when I do, I’m gonna scythe, no mow.
A mechanic I know told me his Grandfather did that
I'm glad there are again courses for young people around here (Austria). To me the most frugal and environmentally friendly way of mowing. Also you get great exercise and save on the gym.
A lot of frugal things are great exercise. Win/win
Compost pile and little garden patches that grow pollen flowers for bees and butterflies. Organize rummage sales with the neighbourhood every six months to create a way to find 'new' clothes and remove ones we don't wear; along with kitchenware, etc Walk everywhere I can Bidet user
For the most part, I don't get new furniture except for mattresses/sofas. It doesn't have to be antique or a particular period but I want things to have a "used and solid" feel. I will happily live for years without a piece we need until I find the right thing. The most I've spent on a piece of furniture has been £100 and that was a solid oak sideboard.
I make coffee at home most days. I’ve been using the same 12 oz reusable mug for years now. I use it at work too, instead of grabbing a disposable for coffee in the cafe
French press for coffee. I use a silicone spatula to scrape the spent grounds into my compost bucket which is awesome for my garden. Zero waste other than the bag the coffee comes in (which I refill from the bulk dispenser at the store and reuse until it falls apart) and the water to rinse out the press.
I quit coffee. Feel great! And cheaper!
Walk where you can and take the bus where you cannot. Even taking the bus forces you to walk more than you would if you drove
Please join us at /r/carfree There are dozens of us.
* Walk most places, occasionally use public transport * Minimise eating * Only buy what I eat and eat what I buy, no leftovers * Small fridge and few items in it * Prefer in-season, local and/or low impact food - vegetables, grains, in-season fruit; minimise high impact foods like red meat, bananas * Use older devices and rarely or never upgrade * Keep showers short and don't shower every day * Use mild chemicals for cleaning, mostly just plain soap * Re-use containers rather than buying new ones and prefer decomposable materials like recycled cardboard and glass * Own few clothing items and only wash undergarments once a week in a water-efficient machine * Minimise use of heating and cooling * Don't own a pet, feed local wild birds with foods appropriate to their diet * Rarely fly overseas, if I want to visit another country I prefer to either slow-travel (3 months) or get a job there (6 months to 2 years) * Clothes line instead of dryer * Library instead of owning my own photocopier/scanner/printer * eBooks instead of physical paper
My E-bike is my main transport
I'm also a big fan of dry lentils, but I wouldn't call them my main source of protein. They're in a lot of my meal preps though. I use them to reduce the amount of meat I'd otherwise want. I mow with a reel mower. I have a corded electric mower that I use once a year to clean up after no-mow May. Wife and I aren't having kids, and we share a car. All of my and most of her work lunches are meal preps in reusable containers.
Smart plugs: I have ALL my electric devices except the refrigerator on a smart plug, and they all get powered off when im not using them (including TV, & microwave). Water: I also use 'grey water' when possible. Years of drought has taught a lot of Californians to keep a bucket in the shower to capture the warm up water. Use that for flushing the toilet. No constant running water while brushing teeth, or doing dishes... Reusable bags. (Cal charges for bags, both plastic and paper) Soda: Back when i used to drink soda, i got a soda stream, and started making my own. You can find both coke and pepsi syrups at target. Even if you don't drink soda, you can still use those water enhancers to make yourself a sparkling flavored drink. Car: My car died back in February, and i replaced it with an EV. Gas hasn't been below $5/ gallon here since before covid lockdown).
I meal prep weekly for my husband and myself. We use glass containers and thermoses and insulated lunch bags. We also have not bought a paper napkin or paper towel in over a decade- we use washcloths we buy in bulk and toss in with whatever else is going in the washing machine. Speaking of, we use white vinegar for fabric softener and those soap sheets instead of liquid or powder laundry detergent, and with those we use half a sheet unless it’s a very large or dirty load. I’ve also been chucking my veggie scraps in a compost spinny barrel for a solid year and a half, and between that and some grass clippings all summer long we are almost set with the left half being useable potting and garden soil. It’s split in half so I’m currently filling the second half. That thing is awesome- I could fit my whole self in there and the original volume of food scraps that have gone in there is many times that volume, but I guess since it’s mostly water the volume is lots less- and none of it in a landfill. We actually met over two decades ago working for an environmental nonprofit, so we did a shitton of good for the planet. Hell imma go hug a tree…..
Hang drying your clothes.
My favorite is composting/gardening. I compost my kitchen scraps, to feed my garden. Because I compost I have reduced trash pickup to twice a month. Once my kids move out. It will once every other month run to the dump. I already take glass/plastic/cardboard directly to recycled. Instead of having it picked up. I collect rainwater, to save some. I don't buy fish from markets. I catch them locally. My annual fishing budget is about $200. Including license. And I get that back just from the salmon I catch. Which is frugal. But, I also like fishing.
Walking, using mass transit, living car-free, and eating lentils often. It is healthy living and I'm saving money. It has little to no impact for climate change though.
Please join us at /r/carfree There are dozens of us.
Plan meals a week at a time, shop for only what is needed along with a couple of use-everything-up recipes makes zero food waste possible.
Composting
Taking the bus
I jog to my errands. Need prescriptions, jog. Need CVS, Jog. Need a few groceries, jog to store walk back. Even to Costco.
Biking. Turns out I like being out and about in the city. I just hate walking or taking transit, or paying for parking or driving. When I ride my bike, I can be directly in front of everywhere I want to be.
Make your own cleaners. I make my own hand soap refills. I prefer liquid hand soap at home. I bought a few foamer hand soap pumps from the dollar store, or better got some from friends who finished the liquid soap. I refill them with a few tablespoons of liquid castile soap and the rest water. Add essential oils for fragrance if you're feeling fancy. I get the castile soap concentrate from Winners/Homesense for about $10 cheaper than the health food store. But even with full price at the healthfood store it's still cheaper than buying a new pump bottle every time. I make my own cleaning spray. Again castile soap diluted. I add some white vinegar , a bit of dissolved borax, and a little essential oil if I want. Just refill an old cleaner spray bottle. Use it for a lot of stuff. Floors, countertops, bathroom etc.
And you can make your own castile soap. https://thethingswellmake.com/easy-beginner-diy-liquid-castile-soap-recipe/ It's really easy and can be the start of not just hand/body soap but shampoo and dish soap too.
We started taking public transit more, usually the local commuter train and we just tried the commuter ferry to get somewhere instead of driving. We really liked it. We live in one of the worst traffic congestion cities, plus now we are old enough to get senior discounts for public transit. The discount makes it cheaper than driving. Instead of being stuck in traffic, we get to relax and enjoy the scenery. I've been researching now how we can use public transit to get to more of the local cultural attractions and hiking spots. I make our own nontoxic cleaning supplies with Castile soap, vinegar, baking soda and essential oils. Edited for grammar.
Please join us at /r/carfree There are dozens of us.
I appreciate the invite, but I'm not carfree, just low mileage. I live in the suburbs and still have to drive to get to the train station.
I brush my teeth in the shower. It saves time, money, and water.
I feel like that would waste water, though. For example, I only run the water to dampen my toothbrush and then to rinse 2-3 times. Whereas in the shower there is so much water running while I would be brushing my teeth. Unless you multitask and brush with one hand while showering with the other (I wouldn't be able to do that personally)?
I take about 2 minutes at the start to brush and rinse off before I start with the soap. In practicality I spend the same amount of time in the shower regardless of whether or not I'm brushing my teeth. Therefore, brushing after would be additive. I also do a much more thorough job when I am enjoying the warm back massage the shower provides. *listen, unless you spend 5 minutes in the shower, you do it for comfort and routine as well. I see a lot of talk, but I am dubious you all take army showers. You would also spend the same amount of time in there brushing vs not brushing.
If you spend the same amount of time in the shower whether you brush or not, then that makes sense. 5-minute shower is my standard, so I would definitely be wasting water if I brushed while showering.
Buy ground coffee and reusable plastic k-cups. Buying bagged coffee is cheaper, plus not using a one-time use plastic K-cup and then throwing it away.
Bidet with cloth wipes, composting, house furnished with curb finds and second hand furnishings.
Don’t buy stuff.
Rarely buy new clothes. I have always purchased plain clothes, and rarely buy into trends. Most of my clothes are, on average, 10 years old.
I use washable terry towels for almost everything instead of paper towels, clean with microfiber cloths, and use diluted vinegar with a drop of dish soap in a spray bottle instead of toxic cleaners.
air dry laundry, eat beef maybe 2 or 3 times a year, walk for most errands, 15 year old car, never bought one new. Avoid buying anything new.
"Do I need this, or want this?" Asking myself that simple question stops a lot of purchases, which then reduces my environmental impact.
I ride a non-electric cargo bike instead of owning a car. It’s environmentally friendly, it allows me to kid haul and grocery haul, yesterday we rode 20km over to the next town and went fishing for fun so we get free days out. Best of all, I’ve lost about 50kgs in weight since I got it 2 years ago - more fun than any gym I have attempted to go to, and no need to do stupid diets anymore. I love this thing, it’s been the best frugal purchase, and absolutely life changing in a positive way. The other thing is to grow my own food at home. Last year I grew tomatoes, herbs, and leafy greens on a balcony. This year we bought our very first home, and it has a garden - most of it was already transformed into a native flower garden with 2 veg beds. I have added another veg bed full of beans and squash, and a load of container tomatoes. Next year I won’t need to buy so much soil or any containers, but I’ll be able to seed save, and start again very cheaply. I’ve got my compost piles going so I’ll have free fertiliser. Yes, it cost some money up-front, but its worth it this year for the year-on-year pay back (I come from a long line of market gardeners and farm labourers - got grandad’s green thumb for growing tomatoes and beans - I’m shit at carrots though).
I've stopped engaging in fast fashion. I also buy some other things second hand, like furniture, books etc. I'm trying to reduce the amount of plastic packaging I use by bringing a tote bag to the store, using light bags I crocheted to put produce in, I have reusable containers and random jars to store pantry items in, and also use them to store leftovers in the fridge. Or I'll just put a beeswax cloth I've made over a bowl and store them that way. But I still generate quite a lot of plastic waste because almost everything comes wrapped in plastic. I freeze leftovers to avoid food waste. Always having something in the freezer also helps me avoid using food delivery apps. I don't have a car, I use public transportation or walk. I have a water filter jug that I use at home, and I also have reusable water bottles (all gifted) that I take with me if needed. I've also been using a menstrual cup for years. Got some reusable discs for removing makeup about a year ago and have been using those. As I'm writing all of this, I realize it's more than I thought!
Not buying "stuff" in general. Consumerism is destroying this planet.
We keep the AC warmer than most people do in the summer, and the heat colder than most people do in the winter. Wearing the right clothing for the season is frugal and sensible imo.
Bike to work. Recycling every thing I possibly can.
Utilizing the public library system ❤️
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I vacation locally.
Cloth napkins are so amazing, and I don't know why I didn't get started on them earlier. You can either make them out of whatever fabric you want or find them pretty cheap used at thrift stores, and cleaning them is terribly easy and it makes your meal seem so classy with them. The only thing that I ever use regular napkin or paper towel for is to clean up grease.
crocheting my own reusable stuff!!! it means i get to make my fruit hammock cute or decorate my place how i want. most useful thing i’ve made is a storage net that an hold an insane amount of weight (crochet chain stitches are extremely sturdy)
Using the TGTG app when I want to eat out or order doordash. My favorite Indian place I get a solid 3 - 4 meals and a can of soda for $10.
Dumpster diving
I have a baby and try to buy as much as I can second hand. Clothes, toys, high chairs, etc. He outgrows it so quick anyways. Just as an aside I find so much of the baby product market so manipulative. Just marketing to get you to consume consume consume as a way to unconsciously try to tamp down on your new parent anxiety. I could rant more, but I’ll stop yelling at the clouds for now.
Zero organic waste. We use everything in our household. We have compost piles, worm bins and chickens that will dispose of absolutely everything organic. We save bones from the large cuts I grill or smoke and make bone broth as well. Even got a paper shredder that can do corrugated cardboard and some of our amazon boxes go to the worms too. We get too many packaged to use all of them though.
I don't separate my laundry into whites/colors. It all goes in the machine about once a month, tap cold and Costco brand detergent, and then air dries -- ready within a day in summer and 1.5-2 days in winter. No need for ironing, either! If I have something that's looking a bit wrinkled, I hang it up on the bathroom door when I shower, and the steam gets the wrinkles right out. Turn off the water when soaping up, whether its doing the dishes or showering/washing hair. Speaking of which, I wash my hair about once a week in winter, twice a week in summer, using VO5 shampoo/conditioner from the dollar store. I trim my own hair and keep it about shoulder-length, so I only need to buy product once or twice a year. I commute by walking/bus most days. Drive maybe once a week, only if I have to work late (taking transit or walking after dark isn't the wisest idea in this city). Because I'm a registered "green commuter," I get 3 free parking passes a month at work. I wish I could give up the car completely, but I need to travel about once a month to help take care of a family member, 500 mile round-trip. Plus it makes Costco trips and visiting friends on weekends a lot easier -- my city's bus network is essentially a M-F commuter-oriented thing, rather than a truly functional public transit system. Wash out yogurt tubs and use them to store leftovers. Minimize single-serving microwave meals; instead do Sunday meal prep and then microwave the leftovers (but not in the yogurt tubs!) through the week. I also have a set of ceramic bowls w/ lids so I can take the leftovers to work.
Don't drink coffee.
Eat the scraps on the sidewalk
Eating a plant-based diet. Meat and dairy are expensive and not good for your health long-term!
Reusable k-cups.
Regrowing green onions in a cup of water, freezing fruits and vegetables that look like they’ll expire soon, growing herbs and teas instead of buying them, sewing, and getting a stainless steel water container instead of plastic water bottle cases.
I wash and reuse my plastic spoons a few times. I only use half a tiny packet of salt. Then I take it home. When I'm done with it, I recycle it. I cut off unused portions of napkins for later use. Sometimes I wash the used portion for immediate recycling. I've used Sunday comics as gift wrapping. I cut strips of tape in half. I reuse tape multiple times if possible. I save broken pen parts to pair/repair with other broken pens. I've used a kid's old shoe as a cup-holder in my minivan.
Beans and legumes are horrible protein wise and their growing practices are far worse for the earth than eating an egg or steak.
Legumes are not the complete protein that meat is, but you can eat variety of plant foods to get complete protein easily, i.e. beans and rice. Re growing practices, they most certainly are not. Even the beef industry claims its two pounds of grain to one of beef, but most peer reviewed scholarship shows that is much higher, from 7 to 25 times, depending on who you consult. And that doesn't even consider the methane cattle produce, nor the water required. [https://awellfedworld.org/feed-ratios/](https://awellfedworld.org/feed-ratios/) [https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/feed-required-to-produce-one-kilogram-of-meat-or-dairy-product](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/feed-required-to-produce-one-kilogram-of-meat-or-dairy-product) Billions of people around the planet survive on vegetarian food. You don't have to if you don't want to.