The very act of living takes from the environment and harms the world, so in essence , absolutely anything you can do to mitigate the footprints you leave is amazing.. perfection is not the goal because it is unattainable by way of the zero waste movement. Small, conscious changes add up to a lot over time, especially if one keeps making more changes to reduce waste.
can you add the link for the bamboo toothbrush please, I find that they can be pretty pricy so id definitely be interested in that one xx also love this vid and love that you really put a lot of time into researching your videos xx
hi i think you did sooooo well in this challenge but i just wanted to let you know (as a zero waster myself in england) we dont live in a circular economy meaning that avoiding recyclables is impossible. we dont live in a zero waste world so i dont think you should stress about the jars/tins etc. taking on the zero waste lifestyle just means you try to produce as little plastic/waste as possible. the term 'zero' waste can throw you off abit because anyone would assume that they have to produce ZERO trash but i dont stress about medication or a piece of plastic that comes with a glass bottle because the world we live in just doesn't provide/support zero waste. so its just about being conscious of our waste and trying to reduce it as much as possible by trying to find alternatives any where we can and if you cant, dont be too hard on yourself e.g. you can find chocolate in paper+foil packaging
Not to mention that besides her own efforts, increasing the level of awareness in a fun and informative way! I know I'll be thinking about this when I reach for products out of habit!
Yeah it is soo tricky in the world we are living, that is crazy that you can’t even live completely waste free even if you wanted to! Thanks for your words of wisdom x
Chloe xoxo ive personally not tried the deodorant but the shampoo conditioner and shower gels work great! the shower gel doesnt lather as much as normal but its proven that a lather doesn’t actually wash you ‘better’ its all in our heads :)
I have a friend that works at lush and she told me that is basically a scam, the molds they use for the soap, shampoo bars etc are for the most part not reusable... so they produce lots of waste but sell it without packaging. Which is so stupid.
And she could use the bath bombs because sometimes they let you bring in a tub and put them in and the bath products packaging is biodegradable I am pretty sure 💞🧿🛁🛀🏼🧴🧼
yay!!! can u believe i've been binge watching ur vids for three days, i'm sure i've watched at least 100 lol not even joking i feel like we're besties now 😂
Zero wasters dont worry about medicine waste because that is 100% a necessity!!! Also LUSH shampoo bars are incredible!!! They lather like crazy, leave my hair feeling amazing and last over 100 washes! I was so skeptical at first but they work great for me! Totally understand that everyone's hair is different though😄
Grackle Try staying in a hospital for a week and you will be flabbergasted at the amount of plastic waste generated for you. Tubing, hydration and medicine bags, plastic wrapped syringes and wipes for blood draws, sterile wrapped bandages, latex gloves for everyone who comes in contact with you, paper drapes. It’s crazy. But at least sterile practices for infection reduction is exactly what plastics should be used for.
@@susie2251 I know this is like a year ago, but even outside the hospital if you're in need of daily injections it's crazy how much waste is involved with that
Evelyn Krull oh yeah, it’s true. I have personal experience with that too since I have a blood clotting disorder and have had to self inject heparin at times. It’s nuts and then figuring out safe disposal for sharps. Ugh.
I live in the US and I don't know exactly how she would go about a "standard American diet" for a week. We have so many different nationalities here and different food choices. Unless you're talkin about eating McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King, or Domino's Pizza all week and in that case she would be sick to her stomach by day 2. LOL🤣😂🤢
Deana Walko Haha sorry I should've been more clear. I worked in Maine before and I know not all Americans eat like the stereotype 😆 I meant like the western pattern diet, so like processed meats, eggs, prepackaged foods, refined grains, potatoes, corn (and high fructose corn syrup) eg so basically all that stuff you mentioned 😂
@@laurawheeler2201 yep it's almost impossible to get away with not eating processed food and high fructose corn syrup especially in American food. I'll be the first to admit Americans eating habits are absolutely horrible but tastes so darn good.lol 🤣 😉
instead of recycling you upcycle! So if you have tins you can decorate them and use them as pencil/pen holders or even plant holders. Used cereal boxes can be made nice to organize paper. You can look up upcycling and you will find ways to repurpose everyday objects that would otherwise be recycled or thrown away. Awesome video though!
go papaer free and get bills and letters digitally , many great ways to not waste. should really try harder myself. though i am currently living at home due to paying debts and mother is stuck in her ways so i cant do it right now. she isnt gunna change for anything. :(
I’m so pleased you haven’t done the 10,000 calorie challenge. I just think it’s horrible to eat that amount of food when your body doesn’t need it and there are so many people going hungry even in the Uk due to poverty. I know it’s supposed to be a bit of fun but I get the feeling people just do it for the number of views they get. I love your challenges they are so original!
Don't worry about the prescriptions imo! They're necessary! Idk about England but here in France most organic grocery stores and the giant versions of generic supermarkets always have bulk bin sections where you scoop how much you want (and you can bring reusable cotton bags). I can get dairy free chocolate chips there, as well as vegan cookies, popcorn kernels, chocolates, dried fruits, and salty snacks. I know you said the nearest zero waste store is far away but I just wanted to add that maybe there is a place with even a small bulk section? It would be fun to see you try this for a week! Thanks for sharing!
molly British super markets never really have bulk sections! In fact, out of the 6/7 supermarkets near me there’s only one that has anything that’s bulk, and it’s litterally 3 bins of nuts!
I was just wondering something because I’m trying to be less wasteful and I want to shop in the bulk section but it kinda scares me. I live in Sweden and during the winter the public are warned about bulk sections and other things like that where you pick things yourself instead of buying packaged things because they find a lot of viruses and bacteria that can lead to the influenza and like throwing up and things like that so I’m just wondering what should I do? If you know
Em ma whoa never heard of this! I have no insight unfortunately, but my guess is most people are probably reasonable and aren't sticking their dirty hands into the bulk bins, but I guess there's always a risk. That's interesting to hear. Some of them are the kinds where you turn a knob or something and the food falls down into a bag, so those seem safer to me if you're concerned about this but idk that is total speculation. Sorry I can't help! I just go for it anyway lol.
We had “scoop shops” in the UK when I was a kid (maybe they still do in some places) where everything sold there was in huge bins and you would scoop out what you wanted into bags to purchase. There was no packaging, except for the reusable bins and the bags you used to carry it home. I used to enjoy going in those as a kid!
Check out lidls bakery section for packaging free snacks, the paper bags they supply has a plastic window but you can take a tupperware, as long as the cashier can see what you have most should be fine with it
I don't know what they do in the UK, but here in the Netherlands you can bring your old, expired or leftover medicine back to the pharmacy. They then dispose of it properly and recycle whatever they can. This is also to prevent dangerous chemicals from getting in everywhere. Love your vids! 😊
Expired drugs aren’t necessarily dangerous. The chemicals tend to be rather stable over time. Baring a handful of examples, like insulin or some antibiotics, most drugs remains potent and safe to consume for many months or even years after the expiration date. And even after that, they aren’t necessarily dangerous. Most simply lose potency.
They do that in the UK too. I think it’s more about disposing of the medicine than recycling the packaging unfortunately, I may be wrong though. Also, totally unrelated, you are really pretty.
I’m pretty sure zero waste started as a critique of the economy and production systems we currently have, so zero waste is meant to be about a circular economy. Obviously it’s great to try to avoid plastic and packaging as much as possible but there’s so much hidden plastic and it’s all so complicated that it’s impossible to be perfect at it :)
“A day of eating ___ food” (American, Indian, Australian, etc) And when I say “American” I don’t mean burgers, I mean like what the average American would eat in a day I find these videos to not only be super fun and interesting but also informative and well executed
Whenever I'm in the UK I'm always so surprised by how much plastic there is in the supermarket! All produce seems to be cut and packaged, or plastic wrapped. In Canada, most produce is not wrapped so you can easily just bring reusable bags.
every time I watch grocery hauls from people in the UK I feel the same way! So much of their produce comes wrapped in plastic, and lots of snacks and stuff are all individually wrapped. I wonder why that is?
ok, so ive seen so many zero waste videos now and i have a bit of an "unpopular" opinion on them that i just need to say lol. my issue with all the zero waste stuff is how it puts the onus on the individual and not on corporations. talk about polution does it a lot in general but its always put down to the responsibility of the person to change climate change and i really dislike it!! likewise for ""zero waste"" which implies its individuals who are the issue. thats not to say i dont think people shouldnt be aware of their carbon footprint, its great to think about the waste you produce etc, i just think that saying it's your responsibilty to break your back mixing your own zero waste toothpaste is wrong. it's not the individuals fault that everything is packaged excessively!! it's great that we're becoming more aware of waste production and we should absolutely encourage businesses to cut down on their packaging etc, but at the end of the day its major oil companies poluting our water and skies. i just think rather than saying the consumer should be going out of their way to hunt for zero waste products, we instead should be creating movemements that put pressure on corporations to do better, since i feel like they get away with so much by distracting people with talks of your individual contribution. but great work trying out zero waste and being concious of the waste you produce!! ofc if all 7 billion people make changes in their habits, there would be a big difference made, i just felt i needed to finally let all that out lol ((also i just dislike how non-feasible that whole 'i can fit 2 years of my waste in a mason jar' stuff is. like, i wear glasses, when my prescription changes and i need a new pair, thats some waste i cant avoid. if i move house and have to buy new furniture, thats waste i can't avoid. a lot of careers naturally produce waste (artists being a big one!) that you cant avoid, etc. again, im not saying we shouldnt be concious of our polution, i just think the movement has a lot of classist undertones. not everyone is a rich LA person with access to these priviledges that let you be zero waste!!)
I agree with you except that I think people making an effort to be zero waste in the end will have an effect on corporations (including the oil industry). If people are spending their money on things that don't generate waste or plastic alternatives that's where the investment will follow. Unfortunately this goes slowly but it has to start with individuals "voting with their money".
I agree with both of you, absolutely. @itsema91 I just fear that these movements wont be enough. For every person who engages in environmental issues there are approximately 10 who still don't 'believe' in global warming or are straight out to lazy to be conscious. If we wait for those people to change their minds it might be to late...
I definitely agree with what you’re saying here!! That said, it doesn’t mean that individuals can’t (or shouldn’t) try to make a difference. Rather than the term ‘zero waste’ I like the term ‘low impact living’. That way it’s about adjusting what you can within your own lifestyle and budget. There are a lot of concerns about zero waste being classist, etc. as well, but having these conversations is such a good start!
Of course cooperations do need to review all their packaging etc but it’s supply and demand, we as the consumers need to manage what we buy and every individual does make a difference
@@marshmallowterror Yep, you are right, that is where we need to take charge and make sure we are constantly having a conversation about these topics so they will worm their way into people's minds. I also wish it could be faster... and it definitely would be by passing legislation. It probably is a case of attacking the issue from as many fronts as possible: buying carefully, discarding carefully and voting for politicians who have good environmental policies. Best we can do for now...
I’m on IVs, the amount of plastic wastage is insane, twice a day I use a pack with a plastic tray I don’t need, 4 plastic drapes I don’t need and more gauze than I need. I send them to locally nursery’s for crafting. That’s not to mention the bags, giving sets, gloves, syringes etc which obviously can’t be reused but surly should be recyclable!
I know this is gonna be a really weird question but would you mind telling me what bread recipe you use? Whenever I make white bread it comes out a tad dry and never fluffy and firm like yours did!
I have to say Zero Waste to me does not exclude the ability to recycle. I think Zero Waste means minimising landfill waste. Thats how the Zero Waste movement is done where I live in Ireland anyways. Because EVEN IF you recycle properly you reduce your landfill waste to a ridiculous amount less than if you just chuck everything in the waste bin. Personally I think no recycling is something to aspire to, but beginning I wouldnt be so hard on myself. You did a great job. With regards to snackbags, you should pick up a few reuseable snack bags, you can get them on Etsy. I bought some for my kids for school cos I was sick to my neck of buying tiny plastic bags and tossing them! Ive used them for two years and they are amazing! Steel straws are another big one, a reuseable coffee cup or thermos, all these little things make a HUGE impact!
Here in NZ supermarkets don't give single use plastic bags anymore, you have to take or buy reusable ones (they are $1 and if they die they replace the bags free). They have also given a date when it's illegal for any shop to provide them too, so soon no where will you get single use plastic bags to carry items. It's a start, and a start is better than nothing. As a country we are trying to remove more of these single use plastics, but it's a slow process. I recycle and upcycle what I can, some single use plastic I've been unable to avoid but cutting down is a great start. I tried a bamboo toothbrush but I can't do the taste, I was gagging on it unfortunately 😢 gave it to my mum who had zero issues with it. But I make most things myself so they are lower waste, again recycling and upcycling where possible. I watched Gabbie Hanna soooo zero waste and she even did no toilet paper, there are even paper free toilet paper options the days. So don't feel bad, you did great. And now you are more aware of what you buy
this is a fantastic use of your influence, and the reason I think you are one of the better up and comers on here!!! we need to look at our waste INCLUDING the ethicality of what we buy, fast fashion is destroying the planet and we are active encouragers of this. the fashion industry is the second largest polluter after oil and nobody is talking because it doesn't directly impact them right now. bloody Claire's accessories was found to be one of the worst offenders for running child labour sweatshops, but we sit happy with our middle class lives because we got a bargain??? either we are wilfully ignorant accomplices or we take the unpopular stance and suffer the fall out
I've been doing zero waste as much as possible for a while now, and I've loved this video!! It sure can be frustrating sometimes, but as soon as you get the hang of it you realise it' not only completely worth it, but even not that hard. It just requires a bit of planning and dedication. Would love to see you do a weekly challenge (I love how you are always so enthusiastic about challenges!) Keep up the good work xx
Also for the snacks: you could maybe try making your own nut butter? I've never tried it because my blender is too old and weak to blend nuts (and also because nuts are expensive), but maybe it could be a solution for you (:
@@gnislia recycling is controlled by local governments so it varies from state-to-state, and even varies between cities. the majority of American cities offer recycling
Good on you for the challenge! I’m impressed with your research. I’m low waste, otherwise my sanity really suffered trying to be perfect. I buy glass jars and cans and re use. Aluminium is highly recyclable and sought after so I scrunch all my foil (though rare that I use) no smaller than a golf ball to mimic the weight of a can. I’m fortunate to be close to a bulk bin store so I buy lots of snacks in my own Tupperware/jars, although it’s quite expensive. There are so many areas of your life that zero waste can blend in to. Just remember each small change really does make a difference and certainly over time will make a big difference.
You should watch dumpster diving videos (mainly from American you tubers) The amount of stuff cooperations throw out unnecessarily in America is ridiculous!
HarlequinGirl02, I watched a documentary about dumpster diving. There was this guy who foraged a really nice, warm, full length coat, pizza for dinner and apple pie for dessert. This is basically how he found the things he needed in life, day in day out. I’ve forgotten what the documentary was called now, but it really put things into perspective.
The Lush shampoo cake things are reyt good (and zero waste). I'm really precious about my hair but the pink one works so well for me. There's also a blue one that's better for oily hair days.
There are stores you can take jars to have filled with foods like chocolates and popcorn and stuff like that, we have one locally and i live in a village would love to see you give it a try, I'm not brave enough yet lol
I always use those biodegradable snack bags, they’re the best!! I loved this video tons and I’ve been really wanting to try this so this was super fun to watch!
You wanting to be zero waste is a great start and yes there’s so much to learn. You can also do it slowly. Use what you have till it’s gone (what are you to supposed to just waste more so become waste free?) :) while you are noticing that you like bubble baths but they come in plastics, you don’t have to deny yourself of that bubble bath. Just while you’re enjoying it, you can think of what you can do to make your own bubble bath. There’s got to be a bulk shop or bulk barn somewhere near you. It’s a place you can go and bring your own jars (like maybe an old tomato sauce jar) they well tear it for you and you can add lentils and peanut butter and pastas and spices. That helps save money and also it’s instantly saved fresh for you in the jars. Although you might have to buy a giant jug of dr bronner’s magic soap. The jug is plastic but it’s recyclable or reusable. You can add essential oils and clean the house with it. Wash your hair and clothing and pretty much wash and clean everything with it. Maybe not mirrors and windows but for that you just need vinegar. There’s a lot of cheap and easy ways to go zero waste and not deprive yourself of anything. You are doing a great job so don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged by these perfect trolls out there. They’re obviously too perfect for this life lol. . . People trolling a young woman trying to do better in the world by starting with her own mind and home shouldn’t ever become parents. You should be encouraging everyone trying to better themself and thrive. Life is already hard without more negativity being thrown at it. Remember. She makes these videos to learn and she freely shares with us to give us content, an idea, a conversation starter. Free! You didn’t pay for this so you have no right to be disappointed.
Not sure if you ever did do another one of these vids-but Aldi actually do a range of chocolate called Moser Roth and it comes in cardboard packaging and the chocolate inside is wrapped in paper so I think that's ok to use isn't it? :) I don't know if all of it is dairy free though... the dark (85% cocoa) chocolate is!
sad part is! all that wasted food gets thrown out instead of feeding the homeless, I think it's horrible that companies would just as soon throw food in the bin instead of donating it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glass jars are completely fine because YOU can reuse them to hold other things. Bulk stores would’ve been good to go to since you can bring your own jars or bags.
The thing is though ordering stuff online uses so much more energy because it has to be delivered direct to each individual rather than to a central point (a store). Not knocking cos I know this is just a challenge but in general for people who do this all the time you have to think of the bigger picture. Really though the uk is terrible for recycling, I lived in the netherlands for a yeat and you can recycle basically all food packaging and even stuff like babies nappies. Yes recycling's not flawless but it's crap that most councils only do plastic bottles, paper and glass.
I tried to help the earth just a tiny bit on a flight yesterday, trying to use my own metal coffee cup for water and evidently, they can't pour water into a cup for "sanitary reasons" it's not like you're serving everyone with my cup and it's obnoxious
i’ve used shampoo like Grace did and i felt the same way. i felt like my hair got greasier 10x quicker than usual and my hair felt gross afterwards idk but i suppose it is good for the environment
fleur de fleur lush has many shampoo bars options yellow one with honey was making my hair greasy so I switched up to pink one with cinnamon there’s a huge difference!
In New Zealand we have natural and reusable food wraps made out of beeswax. I work in a supermarket and they've only just banned plastic bags though some supermarkets still use them :( - I think the law is official mid year. There remains a LOT of fresh produce that is sealed in plastic - cucumbers for example!! Why wrap an individual cucumber in plastic but not wrap individual capsicums? The only paper bags available are for mushrooms... Everything else (grapes, herbs, tomatoes, radish, 1/2 cut cabbage for example) sit in plastic packaging. It's super depressing to walk the streets and see gutters full of it. And unfortunately where I live, it can be extremely windy so on rubbish collection day a heck load of plastic is blown out of bins and down the banks :(
Really opens your eyes on how wasteful of a society we’ve become and we’re hardly aware. Like the popcorn example, 3 different layers of packaging for something so simple. It’s mad
Are bulk sections/bulk food stores not a popular thing in the UK? Many grocery stores in Canada have a bulk section and they all have chocolate in them! We also have a chain store called Bulk Barn that almost exclusively sells bulk food (anything from candies, to baking, to nuts, to chips, to even things like dried soup broth, mac n cheese powder and natural peanut butter.) You just bring your own containers and fill up! I also echo the people saying to check out Lush for environmentally friendly toiletries! Not every product of theirs is a winner (I can't get any of their conditioners to work for my hair) but they have tons of zero waste/100% recyclable options
I’d like to add that I discovered your videos and I started sharing it with my daughter who is 12 and I’d be so proud if she was anything like you. With your videos we have laughs and we learn. Keep it up. You’re making people smile on some ugly ass, cold Canadian, winter days. Thank you 🙏
Is there no “bulk” isle? Bring your own container. Get your sweets at a bakery or confectioners shop, again, with your own container. Rub vodka in your armpits, put olive oil on your face and brush your teeth with salt and powdered clove. I love your curiosity and dedication!
Love this video!! Lovely to see someone I watch often make a video about environmental issues, I’m currently in my second year studying environment and sustainability and transitioning into a low impact lifestyle, it shows how much effort and research you put behind this video, something I’ve learnt is to be careful about bamboo toothbrushes as there is currently no 100% biodegradable toothbrush unless they use animal hair as the bristles, some companies aren’t truthful or get misinformed by manufacturers unfortunately , nylon brushes are only biodegradable under certain conditions in the lab and charcoal infused bamboo/ bamboo bristles aren’t currently an option and most claims have been proven false and to actually be polyester. Best bamboo toothbrush are the ones with partially plant based bristles, however any switch to a more eco friendly alternative is great as it’s creating consumer demand💓⭐️
I’m so excited you did this challenge! May i recommend checking out some books on a similar subject: Stuff: The Secret Life of Everyday Things by John C. Ryan and Cradle to Cradle by Michael Braungart and William McDonough. They’re both really intriguing and pretty easy reads, I had to read them for my Environmental Science class in Uni. Life changing. Also you should definitely try this out for a week! It’d be really interesting to see. Keep up that premium content grace👌:-)
Do people in the UK have a bulk barn? It's a place which you could bring your own container and pick out ingredients one needs like peanuts, chocolate, flour, and etc. Also I love your videos, you've got me really interested in baking!
If you save the veggie scraps in container and freeze when you get enough, you can use to make a stock. Also try oat milk, and you can again use the pulp. The oat milk makes soups so creamy. Also can use the fruit scraps to make vinegar and use for cleaning or flavoring. Frozen banana, cocoa powder and peanut butter like an icecream. So tasty.
I used to live in Washington where we had recycling. Now I live in CO and there is recycling available but you either have to pay more or make special trips because it’s not offered to most apartments. It’s annoying.
