8 things I am not supposed to say as an vegan zero waster *shady confessions time* 

As someone with an invisible disability, it was liberating to hear you say that we shouldn't we shamed for consuming unsustainable products that can improve our quality of life. Thank you. 💕

My biggest peeve is when people patronize me for trying to have a lower impact because it's not going to make a difference so why not do whatever you want.

While I was planning an eco-friendly wedding, my family kept trying to sneak in disposables and justify it and, one person said to me, "everything will end up in a landfill at some point, so why bother?" It's not that this person is totally unaware of the impact of single use disposables. She simply doesn't give a damn!

In cc your name comes out as kitty Mary and I think it's entirely cute.

I thrift, but unfortunately because of my size clothes isn't something I can purchase for the most part. I really do wish channel, not just zero waste ones recognize this. Dresses in particular are the hardest and I have to special order those because of not only my size but my allergies, meaning for the most part I wear cotton and linen. Thrifting as a plus size women who needs to wear natural fibers is basically impossible. To make my wardrobe more sustainable I have a small one, I don't fashion, and I wait for the clothes to fall apart. Invest in quality pieces I love and will usable in multi seasons if possible.

one minute and 18 seconds in and I'm already like GIRL I FEEL YOU!!! my friends say the same thing for tote bags and even worse I have a friend who lives alone and eats out of plastic dishes when he doesn't feel like washing up... HOW AM I SUPPOSED NOT TO RAGE 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

In case of the 'icky' second hand clothing: I find that cheaply produced fast fashion dirty, because it comes with a sense of a lot of injustice and pain and miserable places it comes from. Instead to have a cherished clothing item, that someone took great care for, that's good in quality and is been handed along is so much more cherishing vibe and appeal.

Overall I hate when people say not everyone can do x so therefore they won’t have to. Not everyone can afford certain swaps but if you have the money so what’s the issue. Not everyone can easily take public transportation but you have legs so what’s the issue. Other people’s inability to make certain sustainable swaps doesn’t make it ok for you to not make the changes.

I used to work with a girl who hated washing clothes, so when all her clothes were dirty she would just go out and buy the cheap fast fashion clothes 🤯 I mentally slapped her. It still gives me anxiety when I think about it.

Yes! I am digging this clip. So sick of companies making a tiny move toward sustainable practices and people saying "well, it's a start". Its 2021, are we still at the start???

Yeesss!! If I had a nickel for every time someone said "it's fine I recycle" I might have enough money to fix our broken waste management system.

In my country, and especially my, city it is very rare to be able to buy fresh produce without plastic packaging, and the food you do buy without plastic is very likely to be unsafe. So I hate it when people get judgy about people like me buying fresh produce in plastic packaging - it's that or food poisoning or worse diseases. We are making the only safe choice for us.

I get generally annoyed at people who scoff at facts. When I try to tell my mom how something she’s doing may be harmful down the line, she rolls her eyes.

“People who are into sustainability are only wanting to convert us normal people all the time” is one I hear a lot as a person striving for sustainability working with people who do not necessarily see the benefits... and it saddens me because I am not trying to convert anyone I am simply attempting to educate the people around me...

Regarding second hand shopping I love that it helps me being able to own better quality garments that otherwise I couldn’t afford. My wardrobe now is 80%second hand all of it really good quality items that I snapped for a fraction of the price 😍 thanks eBay

Those milkcaps #*”%# the company’s came up with them like 10 years ago, completely unnecessary, and now, wow look at us being good, we removed our cap. In the Netherlands we have a commercial now about how green they are for doing this. I already %#*%# about it to friends, glad you brought it up :)

With the Veganism one- what I SUPER agree with, a point you made very quickly, is that it is worthwhile to reexamine your relationship with food and its impact. Not everyone will land on veganism or vegetarianism when they do this, I did not. But what I did land on is a different relationship with meat, altogether less of it, and trying to source all of my food locally and sustainably including the meat and animal products I eat. Whereever people land on I think is good when they're making choices intentionally and trying to do things in such a way that is better ethically and environmentally than if they were to go on without thinking about their habits. Just my two cents!

Thank you gittemary for making videos about sustainable lifestyle n zero waste....u are an inspiritation for me....and because of you i have gone vegan and zero waste

Tote bags, thrifting & finding 2nd hand treasures, glass jars, repurposing, composting, plant-based eating, cooking at home, eating seasonally & locally... it’s all about PRIORITIES!! Our low waste lifestyle is OUR PRIORITY... I just wish so many more people would experience the joy of focusing on these PRIORITIES!! Also, for me there is no measure for the amount of pleasure that I experience when I am not wasting my time shopping and purchasing useless crap. Great video, thanks for this one Gittemary... as always, I love the vibe and I feel ya!! 🌎🥰🌿

Oh my gosssshhhh thank you for mentioning the whole thrift shop thing! I have relatives who think they can't wear it because they don't know where it comes from. First of all the smelliest, dirtiest, most unwashed person with lice and fleas could've tried on that new top you just bought at that fast fashion store and you'd never think of that. Second, pretty much everything in public stores is gross and germy if that's what you're so worried about!🤯😂

Thank you so much for acknowledging that research takes time! I work full time and have young children. I some days can't find the time to shower, let along research the most sustainable purchase options. I try, but sometimes I prioritize sleep.

I always have a tote bag with me in my bagpack. My mum who is not into sustainability or veganism or veggie at all, tells me all the time that she does not want to get her groceries from multiple stores "just because" the eggs are at least organic there and not cheap as f***. Whenever I tell her that I make my own toilet / multipurpose cleaner (which I am actually really proud of because it's so easy) she replied that she does not have the time to do that. It takes me literally 10 minutes to make them. But I guess not many people are excited about making their own cleaners :(

About “forgetting the tote bag” and plastic bags. Most stores I shop in offer brown paper bags that are recyclable, not that hard to take one of those instead. In Sweden, the supermarket charges almost the double cost for a plastic bag compared to a paper bag. Like 6-8 SEK for a bag, and a paper bag 3 SEK.

Thank you for being ''cynical'', personally I would call it constructive critisism and it is very much needed to hear such thing, because we are not very used to hear it nowaday bc people get easily offended by it - so thank you for that! very much appreciate that

I really relate to the one where people say: "I always forget my tote bag home!", because i'm teenager who is trying to go zero waste and my parents buy food for our family and always forget their tote bags and fabric fruit and vegetables bags at home! That's so sad, because when i go to buy food, i always try to find thing without packaging and but them to my own bag or carry them by hand!

Thank you so much for mentioning how OCD can affect purchasing things second hand- I've never heard any other sustainability youtubers talk about it! I used to get a lot of hand-me-downs from friends and I found that okay for me because I knew who it was coming from, but I'm slowly getting used to purchasing more second hand clothing as all my really old stuff starts to wear out and my style changes! Thank you for all your realistic and down to earth sustainable content!!

But new clothes in stores have been worn by others too. People try on the clothes all the time.

Totally agree with you. I understand that some people (like me) don't have the time and/or the money to look for sustainable products. But you can always do small changes that doesn't cost you nothing like always having a few tote bag with you in every pockets or refusing plastic bags or take 2 second to reflect on "do I buy the pears in plastic box or the one in bulk that cost 50cent more expensive?" Small changes won't kill your budget, especially when you have a steady and good salary to go to bars the weekend and go on vacation in resort 🤯 (agree agree)

In my work we only have brown paper bags for sale, no plastic ones. The amount of people that complain about not being able to buy a plastic bag is insane

I saw a commercial the other day supported for the American beverage association (AKA Coke, Pepsi, huge corporations) for a new program... "every bottle back" where in order to reduce all the plastic, all the responsibility is placed on the consumer to recycle the bottles. They already make aluminum cans, maybe step 1, stop making plastic bottles? Instead of saying plastic bottles are bad, but still buy them and if you "recycle" them everythings fine UGH

My mother-in-law served everything on plastic dishes one Christmas Eve. Before we ate she said, "Well, Karen (referring to me) won't like this but . . ."! And then afterward everyone (except me) threw their dishes in the trash! I also attended a wedding where they did this. Just so wasteful and sad.

I’d argue it’s too expensive to not live sustainably

I am really glad to say that here, in Bulgaria Nestle made a "volunteer cleaning event" and all the comments were like - well is that all you came up with, making people clean your packages. There weren't many comments to begin with, but still some people saw what they are to do

The radical honesty here! 👏👏👏

My least favourite sustainability thing to do with the whole "do it at your own pace" is the mantra "it's just 1 cup..." or "it's just 1 straw..." etc. It makes me so furious that people can't see the big picture. If you're choosing to be more sustainable that should be the first mantra to go in my opinion. My boyfriend used to do it all the time and I would swiftly follow it up with "yeah you're right, and it's just 1 cup to 5 million other people too and then that's 5 million single use cups being burned in out general waste adding to the CO2 in the atmosphere". I'm all for people making small changes but single use items are SO EASY to cut out completely in today's day and age I just don't think there's any excuse. Great video btw Gittemary! I 100% agree with everything you have said ❤

I forget the tote, but I use the bags to recycle my plastics. And I want to start picking up litter with my kids. I stuff them everywhere I could use them. At home, in the car.. theyre useful. And yes I love buying secondhand. Unless it's underwear or socks it's not that big a deal. Lol

I grew up going to thrift stores too!!!

I just saw a tetrapack of milk with literal text "No cap, better for environment". Like the tetrapack itself wasn't harmful. Oh these advertisements... Thank you, Gittemary, for your educating videos!

so true what you're saying in that video! About shaming other customers, my sister forgot her cotton bag once (she really tries to avoid plastic and usually has a bag with her, but oh well everybody makes mistakes) and a woman at the checkout was like: How dare you to put your groceries in a plastic bag, how can you do that to the environment and so on. My sister was totally baffled and didn't know what to say. She cried after getting out of the store.

If you use plastic. use it to planting seeds and food in. use thrash for planting food if you need to use plastic! 🥫🧃🥤🧋🥡I have plated a lot off food in old food packaging!❤️

we stopped purchasing 99% of all animal products/meats/dairy but we still eat them... we dumpster dive all winter for these and keep them in a freezer or we pressure can them to make it shelf stable to eat throughout the year. we do buy eggs from our local organic farm who keeps chickens to eat pests instead of using chemicals on their foods.

I'm with you on all of this. We're saving money by eating fresh vegetables, no meat, eggs etc., bags just go everywhere with us. Not shopping also saves money

We are slowly but surely starting to go low waste. We still have a 35l Garbagebag every week (including the Litter from 2 cat loos) and i would love to reduce that in half 😊 We just ordered Bluu Wash for our clothes and are very excited to try it out 😄

We now hang our totes directly on the front door coat rack. You would have to physically move them out of the way to prepare to go shopping. We also keep a couple emergency bags in the car in case we do somehow forget, or I go shopping directly from somewhere else etc.

I worked in a pharmaceutical company and the sustainability was really discouraging. I was in the green comity and the only actions people were proposing were things like let's make a cup with our logo for all the employees! I'm sorry but creating 200 new coffee cups is NOT green when thrift stores are already filled with perfectly good cups and everyone has one at home😖 How about challenging the expiration dates proposed by Health Canada so drugs last longer on shelves and reduce waste? No?

I know people who recycle plastic bottles and call it a day. Meanwhile they use plastic bottle shampoos, plastic dish sponges, buy clothes all the time....

Love this video! It's hard to stay up beat and positive (especially when talking to folks who are mega consumers) about being sustainable sometimes

OMG, I absolutely adored your comparison between second-hand clothes and cutlery. I never thought it that way, but it makes so much sense! You defintely gave me an excellent argument when people say to me the same things they tell you about thrifting.

Venting frustration is constructive! Especially if it’s keeping these things from boiling over and keeping people from giving up. Vent away and keep doing the work!

Thank you for saying out loud every single thought that has crossed my mind 😁

I always love that I can watch your content and appreciate those who choose plant based diet without feeling shame that I can not eat plant based due to health. Vegan would ruin my health so I choose to find my meat from small local farms who focus on organic, pasture raised animals and don't promote overcomsumption. A huge zero waste pet peeve of mine is when people just blindly preach veganism without considering the nuances or giving information about lower impact alternatives for those who do need to eat meat. You do a really good job at promoting the benefits of plant based without shaming us who can not do it.

I've found my favorite winter shorts in second-hand store. I wore it every winter for six years until it didn't fit me anymore. I haven't find another one as pretty as that one again.

Waste to energy (WTE) plants can can faithfully burn plastic that is hard to recycle. This can eliminate a lot of plastic as waste and it is much cheaper than recycling.

OMG that cutlery comparison to second hand clothing is so spot on!! Will steal that from now on - have heard this 'argument' way too often :D

oh thank god, what a great video. I 100% agree with you on all points, I am really here for the cynical Gittemary.

Big mood - I agree with all of your points ESPECIALLY the carbon footprint points - I could drive a 5000 pound diesel truck every day and still come no where NEAR the pollution and destruction of corporations. Of course, I drive a little car and try to reduce unsustainable practices everywhere in my life, Because SOMEONE has to do something, right??

OMG loved this because this exactly how I feel! Thanks Gittemary for this thoughtful and real video!

I struggle with second hand shopping because I will sometimes panic in a shop when there are so many options in different sizes and it's not all uniform. But my mom and sister love second hand shopping, and over the years they learned what I like, or I will tell them what stuff I still need. If you have people around you that don't mind 2nd hand shops, that's a good option! This way, about half of my clothes are second hand and I don't have to visit 2nd hand stores :)

I think you are exactly right, and you have no need to apologize! I sometimes find myself growing discouraged because I know recycling addresses such a small part of a massive problem, but we must do what we can. I try to focus my positive thoughts on aluminum and glass recycling which are more productive. You're the best! Keep up the good work!

Great video, Gittemary! Lots of truths here. Love your content and your outlook on life! ♥

I have made several changes in my life to limit plastic however it still comes into the house. Food packaging is so hard to avoid 100% my favorite change has been composting my food waste tho! I love learning about vermin composting. Some people do think it’s gross I think decomposition is fascinating and an important part of our ecosystem. My second favorite would be a bidet! Been using one since 2017 and there is no going back.

Great video Gittemary, I totally vibed with all of these 😂 also, I think people on the lower income side can be more sustainable in comparison to those who make more money, because they do go secondhand shopping, simply shop less, and maybe actually use their things and fix them until exhaustion. People who have that *aesthetic* zero waste/low waste lifestyle in mind forget that you don’t have to actually purchase all those pretty “zero waste” things to be zero waste...

This is the first video of yours that I've watched. I found it really informative. The things that annoy you, are quite frankly, annoying things! You've given me some more to look into you, and your points are well made. Thanks!

I like this tone, it was a good balance. More of this please.

Thrift shopping was one of my favorite activities as a kid and now that my sister is all grown up we still go out with mum to the thrift store. Family fun for all ages!

I freaking love you and I absolutely love this video! Every point was great, I love that you're not afraid to be controversial. Brilliant content right here!

You are my go to bible when I want to buy things that I want and don’t need. I start carrying tote bags with me everywhere... it take time but it need the first day of doing it. Thank you 😊

I love this video it was sooo honest and messed me up!

Aaaaaand follow! GOD this was satisfying to watch. You tell em girl! 🙌

Years ago I was treated to eye rolls and smirks for using my home made tote bags. When the UK restricted the use of plastic bags, I suddenly became the person who forgot to take them shopping (I was under a lot of stress at the time and it fried my brain cells). I got tuts and eye rolls for that too. And I had to buy bags, which was infuriating. I soon got myself out of that habit!

I love this and I love you Gittemary! Life can be frustrating and if we can't vent with our tribe, who then?

I personally find it very frustrating when people tell me that the way I choose to live my life give them a bad conscience. I don't do what I do to look good or point fingers at others. If you get a bad conscience for seeing someone trying to minimize their comsumption, being vegan or being activistic, don't blame them but do something about yourself (this is of cause if you can, do not blame yourself or have a bad conscience if there is a reason why you can't live as eco-friendly as you dream of)

Yeeesss!! Literally only 2 minutes in and I am with you all the way

Love this video!! Just what I needed

I screamed and hollered and made weird sounds while watching (sorry neighbours, I'm fine), because YES and AGREE and AMEN and HALLELUJAH! Oh my Lord, thank you thank you thank you! I don't have to rant to my friends anymore, I can just share your video. Love this Gittemary!

This is not inconstructive!!! This is a call out to ppl who doesn't do anything and yet complains! I also heard (here, in Spain) "I don't recycle cuz nobody does it" like aaaaaarrrrggggg Go get them, tiger

Such an important video, thank you so much ❤️

Your eyebrows are looking really good in this video!!!!

I still use reusable plastic bags, because I already have them. I take good care of them and hopefully they will be with me for many more years. I do have a cotton bag that I use for heavy/sharp things. It may not be aesthetic goals, but I believe it is the more sustainable.

So here for this video! 👏👏👏

i love your honesty!

Embrace your honesty! I loved this video! Thanks for making it.

I just started watching your channel a couple of weeks ago because I was trying to find some ways I can be more eco friendly when I go off to college. I was talking to my friend about many of the changes I want to do and how I wish other people could do this too because our planet is need of our help. He response was “I would, but I just love my products too much” she was referring to hair products and facial products. I was annoyed because it’s not just that! She can do other things! I myself and not even going full on no waste. I just want to make some better changes and we’ll see how it goes from there. Anyways, I get your frustration with people too and I’ve only recently started down the path😂😂

Thank you so much for making this video! Everything that you're saying, YES!!

I love this video, it's what we're thinking, or what we need to hear. I think alot of people in this community are scared to say these things outloud though in fear of backlash.

love your videos!💚

I AM SO F' ING TIRED of people telling me: not everyone is aware of sustainability. Oh, so all the giant companies do greenwashy earth-day-campaigns because everyone loves the colour green so deam much?!?

i really get your frustration, but i would like to adress some points. I am a medicine student, i spend most of my days studying, being at the hospital, and then studying again. I don't have time and the money to buy in bulk because my country isn't also really sustainable (France). I don't have access to bulk that isn't expensive. There is no composting places in my city, the recycling program is trash (lol) and there isn't even enough trash for all the students around me to put their trash in. Most of the time, there are plastic bag full of trash on the ground next to the bin because there isn't enough space. I also have medical issues (eating disorder as well as a big surgery coming that needs from me to have lots of nutriments) that stopped me from being vegan. I was consuming more plastic being vegan and binging than being vegetarian and "stable". I know you said that those examples don't go in your reflexions, but i just wanted to give a "concrete" example of why i may be more difficult than "just do it". Money, location, time, health, all of those are privileges, and if you don't agree with the terms of Gittemary (when she said "it doesn't include those who blablabla) or what i said, you should really check your privileges.

This was the best!! Totally agree with you on all points.

With regards to people who think its yucky if you wear second hand clothes. New clothed have been tried on mamy times. Many times tried on in the changing room by others then put back on the shop floor!

It pees me off, when someone says it's only 1 plastic bottle, one plastic tooth brush it won't make any difference 😭😤.... Yet this is echoed by billions of other people... So it will make a difference 😠. Loving your videosss btw. Loads of love eco warriors.... We're all doing great! X

I agree so much! I really like this video😀

Anyone else just found her channel and is super happy?

My caregiver simply refuses to use my fabric produce bags and reusable grocery totes, so I have had to learn to cope with all that plastic. I found a local group that crochets plastic grocery bags into mats for the homeless, so I donate those and I use the produce bags for trash bags.

Hey, Gittemary. I love your content so much and it brings me so much joy to watch your videos every week! ☀️ Maybe you could do a video on the topic of "How to be sustainable when living with your parents" because sustainability is a big passion of mine and it's quite hard to live a sustainable lifestyle when living with parents. I can't buy my own food, my parents aren't vegan and we don't really have a lot of money to change for a more sustainable lifestyle. We go trift shopping, pick up trash and try to reuse all of our plastic bags but I feel like that is not nearly enough. Maybe you could suggest some solutions?

Wow, I can relate to everything in this video! Found it really nice to hear someone else say things I many times have wanted to tell people! Once my partners friend told me that because he recycled he had done all he could do for the environment.... grrrr! XD

Love this!!

Guuurl, your hair is looking hella cute here!

I had a family member mention once the ick factor when second hand shopping for clothes… then he looked completely confused when I asked him, if he actually thought he was the first one to try on those department store clothes? I made sure to point out his beautiful outfit was probably on someone’s body hours (or minutes) before it touched his. 😁

Thats a really good comparison, the clothes and the cutlery 👍💚 😫 the carbon footprint... one really has to be conscious about this unduly foisting off the responsibility to consumers by companies. And, totally feel you; I get cynical too every so often ^^ but maybe that helps me judging such big companies critically