The Wasteful Truth About Lauren Singer 

Hey! I'm Kathryn kellogg. If anyone is curious about life after the trash jar, I threw my name in the ring for public office and served in an advisory capacity to my city council and worked on waste reduction legislation.

I think zero waste is unattainable for the average person. 'Low waste' or 'waste conscious' would be much better names for such a movement.

I didn’t come from Tik-Tok, the RU-vid algorithm is now on your side ;)

and the thing I hate most about people trying to go zero waste is they feel they have to get steel cups or lunch bags etc. the plastic containers we all have at home are perfectly reusable, they are meant to be reused, why buy more things cause they "look" and "feel" enviromentally friendly.

My first thought as a chronically ill person was: medication. Pill bottles, blister packs--meds come in single use plastic or in small bottles that are difficult to reuse. You'd have to never even need an Advil to be "zero-waste"

"I didn't personally throw it away so there's no waste."

it’s better to think about being less wasteful then becoming obsessed with just the mason jar border. it’s unhealthy to create borders if she really was waste-free.

As a person who has been in the “zero waste” community, her lifestyle has never been attainable for most of us. We try our best at reducing our consumption and waste but her image of zero waste IS toxic because it scares away people due to her extremes. In reality it’s just cutting out stuff like plastic to-go boxes and plastic shopping bags. I’ve seen a lot of people online who go by the term “Low Waste” because that’s what’s more attainable and honestly it’s more accurate. Aight - i’m done

I wonder how many zero waste influencers threw out items they already had (like plastic toothbrushes for bamboo ones) for the aesthetic of looking eco friendly instead of just using it until it no longer works.

Also I assume she's been to the doctor or hospitals, dentist, etc within 8 years. Is she going to take the latex gloves the doctor wears or the pill packaging they used for her jar? It's better to focus on reducing waste, instead of focusing on creating the illusion that you produce no waste

I work at a store where a very popular zero waste individual held up the line to take her herbs out of plastic. Only to hand me the plastic and tell me she couldn’t take it home, I was left at my register with a small pile of trash to deal with before helping the next customer. The glass jar idea is so ridiculous

The author of Atomic Habits, James Clear, said something that applies so well to what you're describing: "If you focus on the number on the scale, rather than on becoming healthier, you'll start to do unhealthy things to see that number go down". The trash jar is like scale in that scenario; not what we should focus on! Thanks for sharing this video :)

I’m so interested in how the COVID epidemic has impacted the zero waste movement.

I like to imagine Robert had an ex that gave him 1000 plastic straws because it was just too specific

The condoms make me so angry too! Even if they were biodegradable, there’s no way the emissions from cross-country shipping have less of an impact than three normal condoms would make

Quick tip!!: "Eco-Bricks" are 1 liter plastic bottles filled to the brim with plastic and waste until theyre as heavy and dense as concrete. Great alternative to the jar!! Many organizations take donations of them to do things such as build houses!

Yess, I started going zero waste and it just felt unattainable with all the pretty mason jars and metal bento boxes and my wallet was SCREAMING for help that I just gave up. Now I find I’m actually more zero waste than when I was trying to be as I’m incredibly aware of plastic bag usage, car mileage, etc. The zero waste movement has just started to take on this idea that you’ll never be good enough till your trash fits in a jar-completely discouraging people from even trying in the first place.

THANK YOU for speaking on this when many of us felt we couldn't... I'll just leave it at that 🤭

Ngl, I expected an angry video on how stupid she was for being that extreme in her zero waste movement, but what I got was a well-informed person making a good argument for why the specific brand of Lauren singer zero waste is harmful and suggestions for how to do better. Honestly a very good video

Went to college with her. We ordered delivery at her apartment for a school meeting once and she made the delivery driver come back to get her cutlery and napkins that they accidentally gave with the order. Which pissed him off and I’m sure he just threw away in her own building.

I always personally felt that some zero waste lifestyle stuff is trying to completely blame global waste of individual people (no hate to people who chose a zero waste lifestyle). When In reality most global waste comes from corrupt companies and if we blame the individual it distracts us from holding These companies accountable

Can we acknowledge the fact that toilet paper is also waste and that she probably doesn't put that in her jar

I got a big fat serving of serotonin whenever you said "environmental no-no". It made me giggle.

It's sad to know that even the zero-waste community is somewhat toxic. Even when it comes to making Earth a better place.

this is why people say there is no ethical consumption under capitalism: you can try as hard as you want to minimise your impact environmentally but you have no control over the ethical and environmental violations made by those who produce the things you need. what lauren is doing is not only disingenuous in that she is lying about the amount of waste she herself is actually making, but is literally overseeing a business that does the same thing she is so against-making large amounts of waste and convincing her consumers that they are responsible in order to make money.

I also do not think that she could have kept only a jar full of trash over eight years. It isn’t great to lie about being a “great role model to the eco-friendly community” if you aren’t putting all your trash in the jar, girl.

she’s the perfect example of “fix it” instead of “prevent it”

I remember I looked up her opinions on condoms and she desperately urged anyone not to put zero waste above their personal health and to find environmentally friendly companies, so I knew the jar wasn't 100% accurate but I understand not wanting to carry around years of used condoms.

Honestly props to Kellogg for coming out and talking about everything wrong with the jar.

OMG I tried contacting her for a science project and she sent me a copy and pasted response plugging her merch 💀

That jade roller at $30 + though.Looks identical to those on Ali Express for a couple of dollars

"Zero waste" is like perfection: Tho we should always strive towards it, it is unreachable. And those who claim to be, are straight up lying

I was also questioning her trash jar because in all of her interviews, you can see new kitchen appliances, new tech and etc. Basically things that come with a sea of packaging made from plastic and styrofoam. That all can’t just fit in a jar. Also she says she makes her cleaning products from scratch. The ingredients of cleaning products probably come packaged ( for example: baking soda is always packed), so that’s also a lot of trash. I still respect her because I think she uses the trash jar to advertise the zero waste lifestyle, so more people join the lifestyle. But it still creates this unrealistic expectation for new zero-wasters, so she should be more open about the amount of trash she creates.

She lives in New York you’re telling me she never used a metro card ?

My “method” of “zero waste” is just -hoarding- _collecting_ everything lol.

I loved how polite you sounded. This video did not sounded like a takedown or an attack whatsoever, and that's so rare to see.

She's selling an image that when one normal person tries it causes "eco-anxiety", cause it can be pretty expansive or unrealistic. I do what I can but theres not one bulk store here in Puerto Rico. It's not acknowledging the diferent situations, enviroments and goverments.

My biggest problem is, do you never get sick?! Cold and flu medicine, supplements, antibiotics? That has packaging that you can't do anything with. I remember she had those plastic seals from vitamin bottles but what about blister packs of pills?!

i think the main problem with the zero waste jar is that it looks so perfect that the average person could be discoraged from going low waste becasuse they feel like they can't make a difference when really it's better if everyone went imperfectly low waste then a couple of influencers being "perfectly" low waste

At the store: Cashier : "Do you want the receipt?" Her: "No." Also her: "I make less trash than most people."

I went straight from Tiktok with NO hesitation

I'm so glad you mentioned the "buying less stuff" part of reducing waste. A lot of the things we do that produce extra waste are purely for aesthetic reasons. Eg) right now I have a huge urge to buy new decoration items bc I have this weird issue where I have to reorganize my living space otherwise I go crazy bc it feels 'stale'....but I haven't done that; I cleaned up and rearranged some of the stuff I already had and it looks nice and fresh. This could apply to clothing, hobbies, stationary, makeup, etc. She could be giving people advice to help them reduce their consumption habits...but wants to make more money instead.

There are small things people can do to make an impact that don't involve going full on crazy trying to be zero waste: reusable shopping bags, reusable produce bags, recycling, composting, avoid fast fashion and wearing old clothes until they are worn out, etc. You don't even need to go all in. If all you do is just collect cans and turn them in it does help.

Btw she just took part in an interview where she talked about using plastic packaged products because of the pandemic. Thought you might be interested :)

The whole business thing about her is what threw me off the most, it reminds me of how a couple months ago I ordered a set of reusable grocery bags because I was tired of accumulating the plastic ones. I did my research, placed my order, it came a week later in a cute little cardboard box, I was so excited to open it and what's inside first thing? Plastic packing air pockets. For cotton reusable bags. From a so-called "eco friendly company". I don't even know what to say anymore |:

i came from tiktok and it was so worth it!!

Good job. At first I was like who the hell does this kid think he is. Three minutes I’m like yeah ima listen to whole thing, it’s pretty good

You are very well-spoken! And not trying to be hateful, just educational and wanting to open the topic up for discussion. I admire that!

what about junk mail, is she really gonna put it in the jar? i doubt it

her mask on her website is 22$ when you can get a 4$ one from target with probably the same amount of waste used

it’s kind of strange because i was just thinking about the jar person and how bad it made me feel about myself lmfao

I applied for an (unpaid) internship with Package Free back in 2017, I remember seeing her office was full of white women. While I do love supporting women-owned businesses, when it lacks diveristy and inclusion, it really turned me away. Also, it was an unpaid internship. I also like how you brought up that, "we can't shop our way out of our wasteful lifestyles."

I highly recommend Sustainably Vegan Shelbizzle or Girl Gone Green. They’ve shifted towards and more “low impact” model of that I think is more inclusive. It’s much more than just physical waste and more about life cycle and carbon footprint. I think so many people get fixated on physical waste and the aesthetics of this lifestyle.

There is not such thing as zero waste but there is a thing called less waste as much as possible which is more realistic

Got one word Frugality. Be frugal and you'll be eco-friendly to a large extent! As simple as that.

As many others in this comment section have stated, I was also discouraged from trying the whole zero waste thing because of the trash jar. But I've since started simply doing what I can to reduce my negative impact on the environment. I buy the most locally produced items (especially produce) and the least packaged ones. I eat meat mayyybe twice a month and then I buy it from a butcher that sources locally. I take canvas bags to the supermarket (many or all (?) have completely gotten rid of plastic bags anyway). I don't own a car (yay public transport). I've decided to not fly unless visiting family overseas. Ive started buying fabrics that were produced in my country to see some of my clothes myself. I'm doing my best. Could I do more? Theoretically yes. But in my financial situation... not really. But that's okay. Even trying is better than not to attempt reducing your waste at all

And your hard work clearly pays off! Thank you for such a well informed and comprehensive video. I gave up on the 'trash jar' probably after only 6 months of trying to use it. It made me feel like such a failure and just wasn't what lowering your waste and raising awareness is supposed to be about. Thanks for this video, I appreciate the hard work you put in to it.

"ecology without class struggle is gardening" - Chico Mendes

"I don't know why these condoms are making me so angry." 😂

I still stan, she was the person that introduced me to the lifestyle! I understand all of your points and I'm sure she's aware of the negative impact her business is making. After all - you don't start collecting your trash in a mason jar if you don't have eco-anxiety in the first place. Thank goodness we even have zero-waste influencers instead of exclusively influencers who people follow just bc they hot

you also remind me of john green

I don’t agree with the way she posts because it discourages people who want to make less waste as they often feel overwhelmed and insignificant but I have found that most ‘single use’ items are reusable, like plastic cups from Starbucks can be cleaned and used at parties, plastic bags used every time and even if the store Clark does give you one, you can give it back, and with broken appliances, you can break it down for parts to be reused, however, I agree, it would be impossible to keep 8 years of rubbish in a jar, zero waste is about doing what you can, and people often like to judge others who aren’t perfect which puts them off, just try your hardest to remember to bring your reusable cup and reuse the plastic ziploc bags

I never thought I'd hear someone say "idk why these condoms are making me so angry"

Thank you so much for this video. I own a small eco-friendly store as well. And sometimes I get caught up by my competitors who are selling really well. This video made me realize and brought me back to my core value of why I started the business in the first place, to save the earth, not to destroy it even more. Thank you so much!

*looking at the 65 thumbs down* why are you booing him? He’s right!

Anyone else had this in their inbox without knowing anything about these people?

can we stop calling instagram 'influencers' marketing geniuses? That ain't it.

I'm a very very small business owner. I am not a zero waste person but I will even reuse packaging from stuff I order for myself to use to ship my products sometimes. It's not hard to find ways to help minimize your waste when it comes to selling product. But there is no way that you can make it "waste free" and the ppl who live by that should understand lol 😆 ppl need to think and use thier brains instead of just going off what others say. I really like this video and your way of calling ppl out lol

It's wise to be aware of what lies behind, but still, Lauren lives far less wasteful than I myself do, and still provides good inspiration for continuing on my journey.

As someone that just graduated from college with a degree in sustainability this video is very important, I’m really gonna share this with people I know, thank you!!!

this man spits facts every single MINUTE. his passion for this work really shows!

This video is actually really informative and yeah I agree Lauren Singer and other businesses may send the wrong message that you have to buy their products to be more sustainable, when that is simply not true especially when her products are so expensive. I have a few things to say though. 1. Being sustainable and reducing your own personal waste is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. You as a consumer basically cast a vote every single time you buy something, so if you buy something that is unsustainable, you basically tell that company you like their product, you're okay with it being produced and you'll buy more of it. That includes single-use plastic products like straws, fruit/veggies packaged in plastic, meat which contributes so much to global warming and environmental degradation, etc. Doing simple things such as buying pasta sauce in glass jars instead of plastic ones, or not buying useless things that are packaged in plastic or are plastic themselves is great and helpful. Even buying less junkfood, because that is often packaged in plastic that can not be recycled, plus it is better for your body if you stop buying it. That is just one example though. Being extremely low waste actually takes some time to achieve and a lot of effort (which is worth it in the end), but simple things you do to reduce your waste are soooo important. 2. Not all plastic is recyclable. Period. And under 10% of plastic actually gets recycled and thats mainly due to contamination. We really suck at recycling and we cant blame companies for not wanting to buy plastic that is not properly sorted, because then they have to spend more to get the material what they actually want and it drives up the price for production. 3. If you want to go low waste, its really important spend less money on things you dont need and use what you have. Consumerism is what kills the planet. If you need a glass jar, clean out that old pasta jar. My mom uses plastic Smucker for our spices, and I save glass jars/bottles for growing plants. Wanna stop using plastic water bottles, use that reusable water bottle you have instead of buying a new one. Need reusable shopping bags? You might have reusable bags lying around your house.REUSE REUSE REUSE and reduce the things you buy! Cause yeah, you do not need a jade roller. Oh and take care of your stuff so they'll last. 4. Ya'll need to stop buying new clothes all the time and then throwing them out. Fast fashion is major contribute to emissions, waste and the companies rely on cheap labor from other countries. If you need new clothes, try thrift shopping! And if you really do not want your clothes anymore, donate them to a reputable charity. Also, don't throw something out because it ripped, SEW DONT THROW! Learn to repair your items! 5. There are things we need to buy regularly, like soap and toothbrushes. But get bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones, bar soap instead of body wash in plastic packaging, shampoo bars, etc. But do NOT BUY THEM from big brands. I know Colgate sells bamboo toothbrushes now but god knows if those are made sustainably. Buy from more sustainable brands if you can, just google them; some of them are decently affordable And even if they are not 100% sustainable, they're definitely better than the bigger brands. Basically, there are so many simple things to do to reduce your waste that do not involve buying all this stuff and there are so many more things that I didnt mention that can be done without breaking the bank and may actually save you money. Below are some instagram accounts for those of you who want to learn more about zero/low waste in an easy way. Insta @thezerowasteguide @erasingwaste @zerowaste.japan @zerowasteworldwide @wastenot_want RU-vid Sedona Christina Simply by Christine Shelbizlee

I was expecting this to be really negative and bitchy but you actually make some good points. 'zero' waste is a myth but it is SO important we all reduce our waste as much as possible, so I do appreciate her bringing attention to this

“or you’re given a gift of one thousand plastic straws by your spiteful ex-boyfriend” *what a legend*

There’s no point holding yourself to a “zero waste” standard and bearing yourself up when you fall short, just do your best ! It’s way more productive

This is great. You're great. Thanking the algorithm for bringing this to me. I have been trying as a new years resolution to mind my consumption and the waste I produce and its been really difficult. I live in a smaller city and there is not a single place here where I can shop I bulk. I would have to drive 2 hrs to do so. Also, in this municipality not everything with a recyclable label is accepted. Some of it will still end up in the trash, even if it's washed and prepped properly. I have started composting, switched to a vegetarian diet, and am being very careful about what I do buy, but I was getting a bit frustrated feeling that I wasn't doing enough. This video was such a good little wake up call. Nobody is perfect, just consume wisely, buy less stuff, and plant a tree whenever possible :)

can i just say i love how you talk with your hands, it’s really engaging

There’s no ethical consumption under capitalism 🧚🏼‍♂️

"keeping stuff out of the jar" is a great metaphor for all greenwashing and the externalizing (not paying for) of polution by companies in general

I encounter the argument a lot that individual actions do not have any noteworthy effects, and thus that people like Lauren Singer who claim to be ecological heroes are really not. Whilst there is some validity in this, most of us live in heavily capitalist societies, and I think social movements DO heavily influence the brands that rule our lives. In the past 10 years, we have seen vegan products hugely spike, brands commit to removing plastic straws, supermarkets remove single-use plastic bags etc. These actions are taken because people follow influencers like Lauren Singer who idolise this 'green' lifestyle, and capitalism is taking notice. I have always rejected the argument that individual change is unnecessary. I am 17 and climate change feels overwhelming to me, the only way I can counter my anxiety and anger is controlling what I can, which means being vegan, eating locally produced foods, and not buying plastic that I know will never be used. My actions affect my friends, and my friends slowly affect societal trends, so big brands notice and slowly, slowly, align their practices. Lauren Singer is not perfect but she inspired me when I was 15 to start researching my ecological footprint on a larger scale, and that is a far better influence from the internet than someone like Kylie Jenner's equally unattainable branding.

I like how he talked about condoms for like 5-10 minutes

Came straight from tik tok for this hot tea

Not having receipts? Okay (for me) most stores I go to the register automatically prints a receipt. You not accepting the receipt does NOT qualify you as not having it as part of your trash. What it does mean…. You handed someone else your trash and said, ‘will you throw this away for me so it will count towards your trash not mine.”

i usually struggle paying atttention to youtube videos when there are not many visuals (like here, where most the video consists of a person and a simple background) even when the topic really interests me, idk why. but this video somehow kept me engaged all the way through, thats aweseome!

meanwhile in the southern hemisphere, we literally recycle because we need to sell trash or we're gonna die of hunger

..."or you're given a gift of 1000 plastic straws by your spiteful ex boyfriend" LOL 😂

you are so right! I have never thought about the electronic waste of zero-waste bloggers. I think a more realistic goal like 'less waste' would be more appealing for most people than seeing a jar than contains much less than your daily waste. i also hate how the guilt is shifted to average people. of course, there would be a high difference if everyone does not consume over their needs. however, rich people have a much higher CO² foodprint due to their lifestyle, and industries cause a lot. I love the idea of attainable goals like 'don't buy too much, take care of food waste, consume a little less water and electricity, eat less meat and avocados, use sustainable stuff where it is possible and if you can afford it, have vacation in closer areas or your own country... don't fly to often...' etc

Also she even said once that she wears contacts as well

didnt know who Lauren was, but i am invested! this is a great video.

Someone explain why I watched this whole video when I’ve never even heard of her and I’m not even zero waste

As someone who works in retail and is in charge of the truck possess and stocking, its honestly disgusting how much useless wasteful packaging everything comes in. Plastic jars come with little plastic cover on them, because people wont buy them if they have any scratches on them. This doesn't even go into how much of this crap comes broken and is pitched before it even reaches the floor.

found this in my yt recommended, this thumbnail awakened the buried memory of watching some "now this" type video on that jar a few years ago. at the time, i thought, "this is completely unrealistic. right? or am i just super wasteful and thoughtless?" and then i kept scrolling through facebook and forgot about it because all it evoked from me was some convoluted, almost imposter syndrome of like "maybe everyone else has this figured out and i'm just a terrible person who didn't get the memo." i believe the people in these comments saying she's inspired them to change something about their lifestyle or something along those lines but i think a lot of people reacted in similar ways to me: trying to forget the unrealistic standards that we know we will never live up to. sure, she's inspiring people by touting this mason jar around media outlets, and maybe her business is inspiring people too. but: a) environmentalism exclusive to the rich is intended to make money by selling the Feeling of being a virtuous, responsible person. selling a tin of three condoms for nine dollars has nothing to do with waste reduction and everything to do with effective branding. b) by focusing on the mason jar, she or anyone else attempting this can alleviate themselves of any sense of responsibility or capability to reduce waste in other ways. for example, taking shorter showers does not fit in a mason jar, but it is reducing waste. however, if someone is just trying to get their powdered shampoo to actually wash their hair (which i have never tried but can only imagine takes more time to get "lathered" or whatever the powder equivalent is) then they might be taking longer showers than they would be if they were using liquid products. c) i'm supposed to believe that her answer to the dilemma of reducing personal waste was to fill a mason jar with trash (over any amount of time, i mean who's to say she's being honest about the timeline?), then to give interviews about it and tell people what a good person she is for buying bulk products (people living paycheck-to-paycheck cannot afford to buy things in bulk but we're glossing over that), and then to start a business where she sells the idea of reducing a carbon footprint, without necessarily reducing any version of a carbon footprint. maybe she really does care about the environment, but i fail to see the part where she cares more about the environment than her own personal benefits of having a platform and making money. it's late and this comment is long and i forget where i might've been going with this, but i think it's clear what i think

Nobody: Not a living organism: Robert: *HEART ALL COMMENTS*

as a Lauren we do NOT claim her

You randomly popped up on my recommended and I’m happy you did lol

I know its interesting to deconstruct these "zero waste" phoney ppl, but I can't help but feel its starting to become like some sort of new drama community, like the makeup community. It feels like people are coming after them because they feel personally attacked by this lifestyle they can't obtain. Instead of focusing on these people we need to have actual conversations about cutting down waste. That's not to say this video isn't good and informative, because it is!

I've literally thought about this so much ever since seeing that original mason jar video. I'm so glad someone else is finally talking about this. It's impossible to produce that little trash in modern culture

I've always wondered about her... like, will she sleep on the same mattress for the rest of her life? Will she never buy a new car? What about pet products?

I heard the saying that it's better for millions of people to try something and do it imperfectly instead of just a few do it perfectly and that's how I looked at it. I stopped using plastic straws at restaurants and try to persuade others not to use them either. I constantly take my own plastic bags to the grocery store and use them over and over again. Even in the produce section, I try to buy as much produce as I can that's not already packaged and I reuse the bags that I put those in as well. Someone suggested that I just buy those bags they sell at that grocery store for people that wanna bring their own bags but to me that still defeats the purpose because I'm still having to spend money and buy something new when I can just keep reusing the plastic I already have. I do a few other things like constantly reusing and refilling my water jugs and truing to find other uses for around the house items. If people at least made more attempts like that, I would definitely agree with that more than the whole "zero" waste myth.

Yup. I realized this when I became chronically ill and had to use disposible hygiene products. I actually probably make less environmental impact overall now cause I don't purchase as much, travel, go out, etc. But all my waste is very visible and concious as it is something I deal with daily and everything I do buy comes in its full packaging cause I cannot physically attend a shop. Also zero waste doesn't distinguish between necessary and unnecessary single use items. Like lets not reuse cannulas and bandages please. Also plastic straws are an essential accessibility item and cannot always be substituted. For example my seizures make a glass straw unsafe. (I primarily use a glass water bottle protected by sillicon with plastic straw but may have to switch if I become unable to lift it in future)