Hey Shelbizzlee, I just wanted to to comment on the sustainable gum option, as I am dental student. Gum can play an important role in controlling and help treating certain conditions such as low saliva flow that can be caused by medications (most medications have this side effect), autoimmune conditions such as sjogrens, certain diseases, and radiation therapy. Saliva acts as a chemical buffer to raise the pH in the mouth, thus decreasing the amount of acid that would cause cavities/breakdown of enamel. Gum stimulates saliva flow and especially helps people with low saliva flow produce more saliva. But, the part that I would like to emphasize it that the gum should always be sugar free (xylitol, not cane sugar). xylitol does not have the ability to cause cavities and prevents an acidic/eroding environment. Every time I have seen the brands simply gum or glee gum in store, they always contain cane sugar. I just looked up that these brands do have sugar free versions, but are not as widely distributed. In conclusion when buying zero waste gum please buy the sugar free version, as you would be destroying your enamel/tooth surface by basically bathing your teeth in sugar.
Xylitol is a great option for gum, but if you buy foods/gum/mints with xylitol, please keep them safely away from pets!! It is highly toxic to dogs and even a small amount can kill them.
This is my issue. I have chronic dry mouth and will never give up my xylitol gum for plastic-free gum. It would be nice to find some sustainable xylitol gum.
My mom is a dentist and yes gum can be very helpful for all these issues but there are so many other solutions to these oral conditions that does not include gum which is only a temporary solution which I think is shelbys point
Hii! Just something I wanted to let people know. As a person of color , sadly saying no to receipts is something I and many others can’t do. People assume we’ve stolen and without proof of receipt horrible situations can happen. Especially since I don’t use plastic bags at stores, it’s very easy for people to assume I’m stealing, having receipts has saved me from aggressive workers who interrogate me about the items i’ve bought.
Fun Fact the gum wall in Seattle was completely scraped down a few years ago bc it was LITERALLY degrading the building. Within months it was back up and looks the same.🙄
Not sure if this is a UK-based thing, but it irritates me so much when the cashier asks if I want a receipt, I say no, and then I watch them print one anyway and put it straight in the bin?!
I know for me (in the US), that happens but the jobs I work at where this is the case, we as the cashier don't have an option not to print a recent. It just happens automatically when the transaction is finished (though I wish this was not the case!)
When I worked at target, we put the majority of our returns back on the shelves and would only discard them if there was something that made the product unsafe or unusable (soiled underwear, for example). All of our returned food went to a local food bank too.
In some countries in Europe, BPA has been banned from receipts and all food containers for years ! In some shops, they ask if the customer wants the receipt by mail, or no receipt at all. I think we also have a pretty good access to information on all things sustainability, because i knew about every topic on this video, but the more these subjects are talked about, the better 👍
I don't get email receipts as I don't give my email out to random they sell them on and you are bombarded with adverts in uk Paper receipts are just paper
I am sooo glad you mentioned returns because this really something people think is okay to buy without thinking about it because you can just return it. I recently asked my aunt about what to gift to my cousin because I wanted to buy her something she would use so she told me to buy her this very nice flat iron in Amazon so I did that and then a week later she sends me the picture of some boots that were cheaper than the flat iron and I told her that I had already bought the flat iron so she insisted on returning it, she said it was so easy to return it on Amazon so she was annoyed that I told her no. Of course it never crossed her mind the impact that this return was going to have while right away I was thinking of the resources it was going to take for it to make it back to a warehouse, and the resources that would have been wasted if that product was not resold
Recycling varies so much, even between municipalities where you live. I don’t think it is worthwhile to do a video on it other than to say to check your municipality. For example where I live diapers go into green bin for some reason, but two towns over it goes out once weekly with a special tag. Super crazy how much it varies!
I did know that about the BPA in receipts. It's one of the things I'll go out of my way to pick up off the street since it really should go in the trash rather than leech BPA out into the ground. :(
Hi Shelbi! Could you please make a daily vlog where you go about your day and we can see what everyday household items, chores, activities you do that are eco-minimalistic sustainable so that we can incorporate them into our daily routine too? Thanks!
Having arthritis in my fingers, I find the silicone bags hard to seal closed. I usually give up and just roll the top over so I just don't purchase them any longer.
Have you ever done a video on sustainable makeup? Your makeup looks so pretty I’m this video and I would love to see your routine as a sustainable queen! 💜
Hello! She does, actually. There are two: one with Hyram and a make-up routine video. They were posted about a year ago very close to one another! I hope it helped ☺️
Oh no, I knew receipts weren't recyclable, but I didn't know about tissue paper. Maybe I'll have to take another tour of my local waste management site, lol. At least we have composting - even if it comes with having the gum wall, lol.
We have to talk about how fun she is! I just came across this channel, and I swear, I don't know any other person with such a fun personality 💜! Her laugh is contagious and she sure has alot of positive vibes! Definitely subscribing 💜
For my city, it’s because tissue paper/paper towel/toilet paper fiber is too short so it can’t be broken down for another product. But corrugated cardboard is recyclable here, so I’m not sure about that one.
Just double checked corrugated paper is accepted in our recycling but tissue paper is not which I never use but have gotten gifts with it, so would it be compostable? ( According to the municipality its not recycling cuz its the end of its life cycle so maybe composting is an option.
Same with where I live. They will say things like cardboard, paper ect is recyclable. Breaking it down to know what plastic numbers they take and specific types of material is complicated.🤔
I agree that all of the mixed plastics is so confusing! Very “green washing” as I feel like these companies like to make you think it’s a better option. Thanks for the clarification! So appreciate your videos! I’ve learned so much.
I knew about BPA in receipt paper awhile ago! Happy that cashiers now ask if you'd like one before automatically printing it, but why still subject them to toxic chemicals when someone asks for one, which is more than a reasonable request? Will be asking any retailer that I email to explore other safer options for their customers, employees, and communities! I also had heard of local legislation where I live in Chicago that required printed receipts, but I think that was only for certain businesses (gas stations, etc.) and may have been phased out.
Recycling is complicated, lol. And it’s confusing because some products today say on the label that they’re recyclable byr but it’s actually just a marketing gimmick to get you to buy it.
Personally, I rarely use the silicone bags because I like glass jars to project my chips and fruits from being smashed but my husband works in construction and he loves the silicone bags because they’re small and once he’s done he can easily carry them around then once he’s home plop them in the dishwasher. I love that I found something sustainable and useful to pack his lunches in. Glass jars don’t work for everyone.
Spry gum is plastic free, plant based, sugar free with xylitol, and available in a BIG container to reduce waste. It also doesn’t break down in a couple of minutes like certain other non plastic gums.
What about a video about things that you thought weren’t sustainable but actually are? Not like I have any ideas for that list, but I think it would be interesting to see what you are able to come up with
Look at your local city/county website they usually have a list. My county recycling program also has a Facebook page and I’ve asked questions on there before.
This series is amazing! A book that helped me out with similar knowledge was “How Bad Are Bananas?” It provides a breakdown of the emissions for a whole slew of different stuff. It also, more importantly, TEACHES you why the number goes up or down so that I feel more well equipped to make my own decisions. Of course, Shelbi is just as amazing so just obsessively watching her videos will ultimately teach you all the same stuff anyways :-)
Is there a way to stop all the crazy junk mail we get? I have gone paperless on all my bills and now have a mailbox FULL of paper that means absolutely nothing to me. Such a waste!
I just had a discussion with my husband yesterday about not putting receipts in our compost because they have plastic and chemicals in them. I couldn't remember the chemical so with his thinking he thought I was wrong. It got heated and he googled it.
I thought from the thumbnail you were going to talk about slime… which I’ve never had but I see so many tiktoks about that I assume people are making/buying a lot of slime products
Plant-Based Plastic. Double-check me, but as I understand, although it IS a better production technique, it still results in plastic that although is often marketed as biodegradable, it still only breaks down to a certain percent-resulting in micro plastics. Essential Oils. Many many many are toxic to aquatic life. So Ive been thinking it’s best to avoid those in our products that go directly down the drain. Definitely not the biggest issue but still!
I did not know that tissue paper and corrugated cardboard were not recyclable!! Why wouldn't it be? I thought corrugated cardboard was just cardboard. I would love to see another recycling video!
PLEASE do a recycling station tour! I would love to see that. It broke my heart when I learned gum has plastic. --*tear drop*-- But I had no idea about the receipts thing--that's appalling! And tissue paper--don't get me started. I compost it, but I shred paper before I put it in compost, and the tissue paper just mucks up my shredder. Infuriating. Many thanks for doing these vids. You're a star
The time has come for me to invest in silicone baggies. I've wanted them for ages, finally finished my roll of food bags bags I bought about 3 years ago 😂
One thing I thought was better but isn't actually, are compostable single use plates /bowls/cutlery. I bought them for a few parties and threw them away like normal, because I don't have my own compost yet, thinking that was better then the plastic alternatives.... But it's basically the same
I only use plastic plates because I have sound sensitivity and porcelain/glass sounds hurt. But mine are long term use and has been in my kitchen for years. Anything long term is better than single time use items of the same type. I also think people often forget the whole "why" plastic is harmful, it mainly harms animal wildlife when animals either ingest or choke on it. That will not be a problem as long as its indoors Depending how many people and how much space you have, or if this party was a once in a lifetime thing, it may be better to just have long term plates and cutlery for each person.
I hate when you say you don't need a receipt to the cashier... and the machine prints one out anyways and they just throw it in the trashcan. ugh. One of the things that took me quite a while to get into my head is that "organic" does not mean "sustainable". Often they even come wrapped in plastic while conventional options aren't!
I knew about receipt paper not being recyclable, but I didn't know about tissue paper. I've definitely been putting my tissue paper from packaging in recycling. Bummer.
I knew about what you said on returns, but I wonder if purchasing something in person, say from a place like Target, and return it in person vs shipping returns back is it more likely to be resold?
@@ratnip yeah I guess the returns I was thinking of were clothes. And I suppose not many people return un-opened other products which is why they probably get tossed unfortunately.
Didn't know about BPA in receipts. However, for customers who are racially profiled and assumed to be stealing- proof of purchase is necessary. Also years ago, I recall Wal-Mart checking everyone's receipt or glancing at the length of the receipt and quickly comparing it to quantity of cart/bags.
i work in a grocerie store and almost everybody dont want a receip. But I have to put it in the garbage because I dont have the option to not print it...I hate it!!!
I will not shame someone for making attempts to be sustainable (Like shaming them for what reusable they choose to use) BUT I WILL shame someone for using disposable period products when it is completely in their means to be using reusable options. AITA?
I'm watching this video and can't stop staring at that beautiful plant border around the mirror behind you. Btw, I wish stores around here would connect my email address to my CC!!!!
That tissue paper comment really fucked up my world. WOW!! yes please can you go into depth about recycling, I was gonna try and get a Loki but currently live in my parents house where everyone is a hyper consumer and it’s, it’s just a lot, so currently recycling is the only thing I can do right now
I’m in Australia, and at least in the places I’ve worked, I’ve either put things back on the shelf (unused, unopened etc), reduce the price of the item if it’s open but useable or has minor damage, etc, and destroy damaged, defective or unsafe items. Americas way of doing returns is so gross and wasteful!
I was def aware that gum has plastic in it. About a month ago I was out with friends and saw him spit gum on to the ground and oH BOY did I rip him a new one. Had him get a tissue, go over, pick it up, then throw it away while I lectured him on why he shouldn’t do that. And now he knows. 😂
Sometimes I wonder how much of the stuff these type of overstock stores is actually overstock. Maybe the stores started out that way, but now a lot of name brands have multiple lines of different quality that they ship to different stores. I've read that most of the specialty and gourmet-like food items in these stores are made especially for these stores. I suspect other items are too bc I've tried looking up certain brands I didn't recognize of candles, towels, etc from these stores and can find little to no information on them. These stores are manufacturing a lot of these items and tricking their customers into thinking they're getting a deal and relying on the "limited time, get it while it's hot" concept to entice sales.
I worked at HomeGoods, which is part of the TJX umbrella, for a while. I can at least say that we did not throw away returns! Unless it was broken, all of our returns went back on the floor. I once tried to ask one of my managers about the "overstock" aspect, and I just got a vague affirmative... the stock is so consistent and on-trend, though, I've always been skeptical...
@@samslaughter90 This is true, there was a news report on this. They pass lower quality lines as “discounted” name brands, and profit off the get it before it’s gone tactic
I worked retail while I was in college and I HATED being opening cashier because we had to destroy most returns. Online returns were terrible because the items are not part of the store inventory so we couldn't circle anything back to the store. Eventually I would fill testers with the fragrance returns. I hated working retail because some companies just do not care about anything but profit. Love this series !!!!!!
Same reason I hate working in manufacturing. We have to throw away a lot of products when they have an aesthetic defect which makes them look weird. They still do their job great, but they look weird so customers won’t want them.
This i find so weird. When I worked retail (the limited, albeit in the late 2000s) we put anything returned in the steamer to clean/dewrinkle it, and then it went back on the floor. It only got shipped back to corporate if we couldn't sell something after like...a month on clearance.
PREACH about those receipts! Also when you work in retail and have to handle receipts all day nobody tells you that they could have BPA on them. That seems like a work hazard that should be addressed.
Something that really bothers me is when restaurants that I eat at do their to go orders with commercially compostable packaging in a state (New Mexico) that DOESN'T have commercial composting.
I’ve noticed this at places here in Washington or commercially biodegradable. I don’t know if we have facilities here to drop stuff off like that but in all honesty most people wouldn’t go out of their way to drop it off at a special facility even if there was one in every town! It’s unrealistic to expect consumers to figure out how to compost something that needs a special facility.
@@SaveMoneySavethePlanet California does. While I’ve only named one state, it’s a huge one taking up most of the west coast and a huge portion of the population which is worth something.
If you live in Albuquerque, I can vouch for Little Green Bucket. They give you a bucket, you fill it with compostables (including the commercial stuff), and you drop it off with them anytime. You trade it out with a clean bucket while they clean out your old one. :) It's about $12/month, but if you can afford it, I think it's a great option.
I love when my items are shipped wrapped in the paper with the holes or the corrugated cardboard because I use those materials to make shreddable foraging toys for my parrots that can be composted once the birds have destroyed them--very enriching for my birds :)
You should meet an Indian mom.. they find use/repair even the worn out items after years and years .. sometimes they use things for not just all of their lives but pass it on.. basic household items.. Their agenda is to increase the longevity of each item be it a t-shirt or a tiffin box or even a safety pin! Honestly, the most sustainable human ever created!
I was raised in a you bought it you own it household. Unless there is some serious issue with the item which was not disclosed at the time of purchase... You own that item and you better have damn well wanted it because it's yours now.
Related to returns particularly for consumable products (e.g., skincare, hair care), what is your opinion about travel/sample size products to test out an item? I would think that the smaller quantity and packaging would be more sustainable than buying and returning a full sized item should it not work out because it's easier to use up a product you don't like when you have less of it. But I wonder if you have a different take on that as an expert.
I wish everyone did this! I have tried so many hair products that just didn’t work for my hair and felt I had to use them up. Everyone should have trial sizes in my opinion because I think there are so many products out there wasting away under the bathroom sink because they don’t work for people and then gets thrown away three years later.
I feel dumb for not realizing it sooner, but since old clothing can be used as cleaning rags, and as mentioned about the thrift stores, then wouldn't it be super good to get unsellable clothing from them to clean with? Because then stores selling strips of cloth for rags wouldn't also use up resources on making those?
Yes. Think of all the clothes that are landfilled that could be used as rags making millions of paper towels unnecessary. They are going to be landfilled anyway so why not use them as disposable rags instead of cutting down trees to make disposable rags?
The thrift store in my area has a machine one to turn these types of clothes into stuffing and they donate clothes with minor cosmetic defects they can’t to southern countries. I’m aware of this bc of volunteering there and having seen it. I really like them because they work to find somewhere other than a dumpster for everything they get.
By the way "biodegradable" plastic needs to be sent to a specific facility for that plastic to be broken down. You cannot compost it in your home ever because it doesn't break down like food does. I wish you went more in depth about each topic as I feel there is still confusion about what to do and not do
@@jaszlyyy It is the same with compostable plastic, it is too processed for it to break down in your home compost bin. It has to go to a specific facility and there are very few of those worldwide.
Thing that I thought was sustainable but is not necessarily: living on an acreage or rural area. While it is possible to live sustainably in this setting, in many cases areas like Manhattan and Tokyo have lower average ghg emissions per capita because people walk, take public transit, and live in small spaces. While large areas of land can be managed sustainably and act as carbon sinks, often that’s not what happens
Yes! My neighbor (like a mile away, but you know... rural) thinks she is a sustainability/enviromental icon... like you drive an suv and fertilize the hell out of your two acres of grass...
And cities are more likely to have robust, easy-to-use recycling programs. People put out SO MUCH garbage around here, at least in part because recycling is limited and inconvenient to access.
In the Netherlands we have this supermarket chain called "Albert Heijn" and they have these "bonus cards" that can give you discounts etc. But if you download the app and match your account to the card, when you scan the card at take-out, you can see your receit with all items on it online in the app. I don't know why not more stores have this option.
You know what's frustrating? Having a cashier ask you "do you want a receipt?" And replying "oh, no thank you!😃" And then watching as they nod and push a button, printing your receipt, wadding it up and tossing it in a bin under the register. 😧 Also. Where I lived a few years ago our recycling took corrugated cardboard. They specifically asked for it. So maybe that's just based on your recycling facility?
Ik a lot of places when they still print the receipt it’s because the system automatically prints it and there’s no option not to print it. That’s at least how it works at my job which is really sad because almost nobody gets receipts
Is there any way that you could make a video about more sustainable things people living in 4th world countries can do? In places like Haiti there’s so many things that are unsustainable, and I would just like some help figuring out what I could do better.
Having to deal with spelling out your email address to people (as well as being auto signed up to the stores promo emails) are 2 reasons people don't do email recoepta
How about instead of spelling it out every time, you could just have it written down on a paper, or your phone for that sake, which you use every time?
@@zakosist I actually really like that idea! You could also make a simplified email specifically for receipts and promos to keep them from taking up space in your usual inbox. Just make sure to constantly go through it, of course 😊
I knew about gum, but didn’t know about the gum wall 🤢! How gross! Glad to hear from @Living Well Minimalist that they scrapped it off. Amen about the mixed plastics! Ugh how frustrating!! And YES YES YES please do a video at a recycling plant. I’ve been wanting to see that, and have even considered contacting a recycling facility myself, to tour it.
Something I would love to hear you talk about - My significant other wish-cycles like no tomorrow and it drives me insane! I am constantly having to monitor our recycling because he throws SO MANY THINGS in there that are not recyclable. He doesn't understand that while yes, plastic may be recyclable, but that does not mean every plastic item can be put in our roadside recycling (prime example, thin plastic bags that I wish he would stop bringing home all together, but that's a whole other argument!). Any tips for me to maintain my sanity?!?!
Your local recycling/trash provider should have a list of items they accept, or a local landfill if applicable, they often even have printable sheets with graphics! If not, the two of you should sit down and look for resources in your community and make a sign to hang where your bins are. Have your partner do this with you, so they see the primary info themself and participate in making the sign, and present it as an opportunity for both of you to make sure you’re following local regulations. Hopefully doing this together will lead to a positive change, as opposed to seeming like nagging if you do it and say they have to follow your instructions. It sounds like your partner has good intentions but could benefit from some clarification, which tells me you’ll be able to solve the issue easily!
I knew about reciepts and gum, but I had not heard about the health effects of receipts. I knew about returns from you, but I think less people know about that one than the first two, I know my grandparents thought that stuff actually gets resold. BTW I was wondering if you've seen that they've discovered mushrooms that can break down plastic? I would love to hear your opinion on that. There's also this mushroom documentary on Netflix that's really good called Fantastic Fungi, they seem very important for helping the earth. & I'd definitely like to hear more about recycling, I've seen ppl saying 'we're doomed, ever since China stopped taking our recyclables' I want to be able to talk about it in a way that doesn't make people want to give up lol
I would love to see a video on outlet stores/malls and how they operate. We have the San Marcos outlet mall between SA and Austin. I've shopped at their West Elm, Pottery Barn, Soma, Restoration Hardware outlet stores to name a few. Would be interesting to know how their resale works and if it helps sustainability.
Most factory/outlet stores are just a lower end line made especially for outlet malls. There are a few that are actually old product from the regular retailer: Off fifth (saks), nordstrom rack (there are a few lines made specifically for the rack, but most of the clothes are out of season), dilards clearance centers are all good options, but jcrew, banana republic, talbots, are just as wasteful (if not more wasteful bc they produce cheaper clothes with higher poly content).
Would love a video on recycling and the variations depending on the area! Like how San Diego has a massive compost program and anyone in the area can get it for free for their garden, vs the areas like Washington that don’t hardly have a glass recycling program unless you’re in a major city
the chewing gum one was wild to me bc i thought that was common knowledge everywhere lol. in my country we are literally taught that in schools in like first grade
The returns thing! I recently ordered some clothes on sale for my kids but my phone had saved my old address and I didn’t check it properly so it went there. When I called to change my address they said yes but this shirt is out of stock now. I asked if I could just have the original package and was told that wouldn’t be possible. Who knows what happened to the original clothes I was gonna go and put a note in our old house to please accept the delivery but they’d already refused it 💔
