The New Year is almost here so I thought I would finally put this picture up. This is my “trash” jar from the past two years. It contains all of the items that I cannot recycle or compost.
Why am I holding onto them?
Because I am hoping one day I can find a way to recycle/upcycle them. The last time I went through this jar I realized that a large portion of the plastic that was in there was recyclable!
If you have any creative reuse ideas or know how I can recycle plastic straws, produce stickers, plastic clothing tags, please let me know!
33 comments
Hi Lauren,
I'm from Spain. First I want to thank you for your labor here, you are so good. And I want to ask you a question that I have been thinking the last days. What can I do with the fruit skin or the nuts? or What do you do with it?
Thank you so much!
Jose
You can send your produce stickers to Barry Snyder @ Stickerman Produce Art. He makes very cool art with them.
Googled him and was just blown away. Would never have thought something so little could be turned into something so beautiful. Will be saving my fruit stickers for him now.
Do you use toilet paper?
Inge, toilet paper is made from natural cellulose so it is easily biodegradable 🙂
Lauren, you are beautiful and inspiring! Thank you for writing this amazing blog!!
Thank you so much!
I would like to write in English, but I need to train a lot yet, so sorry for the Google Translator errors . =D
I am vegetarian for almost 10 years and thought I was doing my part , to watch the report in Fantástico/Rede Globo (Brazil) , when I discovered that I can do even more ! Congratulations Lauren, you really can inspire people and this will be my goal for next year !
Thank yo uso much for your lovely and inspiring comment :))
I truly believe that in practice , what Lauren does, it's what can heal and save the planet for our future generations.
Wow, thank you so much Vivian. This means a lot to me.
That's true. I wish everybody where like you.
From Argentina, you´re awesome!
awesome!
Have you heard of tire homes? You pack used tires with dirt and use them as the insulation for your home. I had an earth science teacher back when I was in high school, who built his entire home from tires. I've read where cans and bottles are also used. I wonder if you could submit your small collection of trash to be rammed into one of those tires.
This is the best suggestion I've ever heard!
Hey Lauren, I just stumbled upon your blog a few days ago and I think it will change my life! Thank you! It is really impressive that you manage to life (almost) waste free.
So all in all, is it more expensive to live a waste-free lifestyle?
Absolutely! A youtube channel would be great.
Hello Lauren, make a nice collage on a picture-frame with glue and sell it by an auction….and contribute the money to an ecological-group……my idea! And no trash! Have a nice year….and greetings from Berlin, Germany!
do art!!
Hello! Truly inspiring. Just wondering (and forgive my cluelessness)…do you ever get takeout? Is there a way to incorporate zero waste?
Congrats on your feature in NY Magazine!
You can make a scrapbook with all of it!
Almost everything. I need to be so much more aware of this. Thank you for bringing this topic up. I make an effort to keep my waste down. I recycle but everything just has way to much packaging. I'll get things and it will be full of the dreaded peanuts as well. It's awful. I can't bring myself to throw them away and I don't know if they are recyclable. The worst is when it's from an ecofriendly company.
I'd make a piece of folk art out of it and hang it on my wall!
wow, this is amazing! you're an inspiration.
since produce stickers are supposedly edible, they might be compostable too . . .
Weave it together to make art
I'm extremely late to this party, but since your blog and youtube have gotten so popular, I bet you could glue all this trash down onto an upcycled canvas or piece of cardboard or wood and make a piece of art. You could even sell this piece of art online or in an auction and donate the money to a good cause like ocean clean-up. If you framed it, I bet lots of posh buyers would be into a creative reminder that the ability to create less trash is within reach. Just a thought- my upcycle ideas are always "make art" though lol