Welcome to the (low waste) revolution!
From refill tips and zero waste wins to calling out corporate nonsense we’re not buying anymore, Eco Chat is where we unpack the good, the bad, and the greenwashed.
- How to be Kind to Wildlife in the Heat
As summers (and the other seasons) get hotter, local wildlife needs more and more help from humans to survive. - Travel Sustainably
This summer, make sure you’re doing vacation right with our tips on eco-friendly packing, transportation, and lodging. - Consume Less & Live More
This post is a summary/transcription of a talk that I presented at a Think & Drink event at Cypress & Grove Brewing Co. as part of Zero Waste Week 2025. Consumption isn’t just what we buy, it’s how we live.Consumption shapes the world. Pre the industrial era, people generally only bought what they needed, thenContinue reading “Consume Less & Live More” - How I Choose Suppliers
I’ve talked a bit about how certification from B Lab isn’t necessarily the standard of environmental action that it used to be. As sustainability becomes more and more of a buzzword (and climate change becomes more and more of an emergency,) greenwashing runs rampant, and it can be frustrating to try and determine if brandsContinue reading “How I Choose Suppliers” - Crafting a Sustainable Holiday: A Guide to a Low-Waste Festive Season
In a world dominated by consumerism, shifting towards a low-waste holiday season can be a powerful way to make a positive impact on the environment. By adopting mindful practices such as buying used, regifting, engaging in DIY/crafts, prioritizing experiences, and choosing products with purpose, we can collectively reduce the burden on landfills and embrace aContinue reading “Crafting a Sustainable Holiday: A Guide to a Low-Waste Festive Season” - April 2023 Earth Month Events
Greetings readers, Earth Month is a time to celebrate our planet and take action to protect it. As we head into the last half of April, in honor of this special time, many local communities are organizing events and activities to engage and educate the public about the importance of sustainability and environmental protection. TheseContinue reading “April 2023 Earth Month Events” - The Meatless Monday Recipe Guide for Regular People
If you Google “Meatless Monday Recipe” you will find no shortage of options — from Pumpkin Roulade with Quinoa Stuffing to Crunchy-Topped Lentil Gratin, the internet is exploding with insta-worthy food made by stay-at-home food bloggers and influencers. And it’s an amazing resource for anyone who wants to bask in the blissful ecstasy of theirContinue reading “The Meatless Monday Recipe Guide for Regular People” - Track Your Trash: How to Do a Waste Audit at Home
It doesn’t seem that long ago that I wrote about 12 ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and challenged you to pick one to focus on each month. Well somehow it’s JUNE and the Plastic Free EcoChallenge is coming up in July, so I thought to myself, what is the best way to prepareContinue reading “Track Your Trash: How to Do a Waste Audit at Home” - Composting 101: Why It’s Important, Where to Start, and Your How-to Guide
I’ll be honest, I love to talk about compost. But while I could sit on this soapbox all day, I’m going to try and keep this brief and to the point so you can get the maximum knowledge in the least amount of time. But before I dive into composting I want to make oneContinue reading “Composting 101: Why It’s Important, Where to Start, and Your How-to Guide” - The Dangers of Fast Fashion and Why People Are Obsessed with Thrifting
“Fast fashion”, “slow fashion”, “thrifting” and “capsule wardrobe” — all terms you’ll hear thrown around in conversations around sustainability, but commonly misunderstood. Most people don’t really understand what these terms mean, how big the problem actually is, and how easily you can implement sustainable solutions. I’m going to shed some light on fast fashion andContinue reading “The Dangers of Fast Fashion and Why People Are Obsessed with Thrifting” - How to Start a Sustainable Garden
One of our 2022 Eco Mini-Challenges is to start your own garden because growing your own food is a great way to be more sustainable. From a waste perspective so much of our food, especially fresh produce, is packaged with petroleum based, single-use plastics. From the little stickers, to bags, to individually wrapped items, toContinue reading “How to Start a Sustainable Garden” - Zero Waste Week 2022
Zero Waste Week is January 23 – 29, 2022! It’s hard to believe, but Zero Waste Week 2022 is upon us! It kicked off today and goes throughout the week til Saturday, January 29th. To our local Gainesville, FL residents: Zero Waste Week will include both in person and online events. We are always lookingContinue reading “Zero Waste Week 2022” - A Resolution Revolution
Alright, I’m just gonna come right out and say it: New Year’s resolutions aren’t for me. I’m a list person. Lists all day, every day. Writing down and/or vocalizing our goals are a wonderful way to find focus and commitment in any aspect of life. But I have never been able to properly manage aContinue reading “A Resolution Revolution” - Sustainable Gifts – DIY Edition
Well, here we are – the Holiday Season is in full swing. I know how chaotic it can feel and truly wish for you to have an opportunity to slow down and have some fun with it this year. Making little handmade gifts is one of a few ways I can really tap into theContinue reading “Sustainable Gifts – DIY Edition” - Going Green for the Holidays
‘Tis the Season for Another Eco-Chat I don’t know much about the infamous White Christmas, living in North Central Florida most of my life, but these days I’m dreaming of something a little more… green. Y’all loved the Halloween Howliday Guide so I thought we’d bring it back for a chat about how to haveContinue reading “Going Green for the Holidays” - Voting – It’s more than just bubbles on a ballot!
Heading to the voting booth to cast our ballot each year is an important political civic action. Those collective choices shape government policy, which has the power to bring about considerable change to the society we encompass. But today I want to talk about a different type of vote. Because whether or not you bubbledContinue reading “Voting – It’s more than just bubbles on a ballot!” - Spooky Season – A Howliday Sustainablilty Chat
As we near the end of October, I find myself digging through decorations and pulling out that bin of mismatched costumes. I’ve always loved Halloween! But now as an eco-conscious consumer, this time of year brings up mixed emotions. Like me, you might have conflicting feelings and find yourself caught between enjoying the spirit, theContinue reading “Spooky Season – A Howliday Sustainablilty Chat” - Zero Waste Week 2021
The theme of this year’s Zero Waste Week is Nothing in Nature is Wasted. From January 24 – 30, we’ll be working with the Repurpose Project and Zero Waste Gainesville to bring you fun and educational events, promotions, and posts. Make sure you sign up for the Zero Waste Week 2021 newsletter to get allContinue reading “Zero Waste Week 2021” - Zero Waste Week 2020
The City of Gainesville, in collaboration with the Repurpose Project and Zero Waste Gainesville, has declared this week Zero Waste Week! This is part of a broader effort to change the way waste is managed and created in our beautiful city. Each day focuses on a different aspect of Zero Waste, with sales and eventsContinue reading “Zero Waste Week 2020” - Sustainable Gainesville: Food Waste and Farms Pt 1
I’ll just come right out and say it: Food waste has been and continues to be one of my biggest challenges in the journey towards a low to zero waste lifestyle. I do really well one week and the next I’m throwing out half of my fridge.. not to mention my neglected compost has turnedContinue reading “Sustainable Gainesville: Food Waste and Farms Pt 1” - Our Bulk Bar Is Growing!
The Bulk Bar & Refill Station is still definitely a work in progress, but we’re getting there! Our goal is to make your journey towards zero waste as simple, convenient and accessible as possible. We encourage you to bring your own jars (or whatever containers you’ve been avoiding throwing away) and come see what weContinue reading “Our Bulk Bar Is Growing!” - Witch, please!
We now carry Witch Hazel at our bulk bar! It is 100% natural and alcohol free. Pure Witch Hazel has been known as a beauty secret for ages – it’s a natural antiseptic and is kinda perfect as a skin toner after washing your face. It acts as an astringent, causing your tissues to contractContinue reading “Witch, please!” - FAQ: How Should I Clean My Natural Sponge?
Earth Hero! You’ve already kicked your neon shower puff habit for beautiful, biodegradable natural sponges for your body exfoliating, car cleaning, dishwashing needs. But you may be wondering how to keep them clean. You aren’t alone, we get this question all the time! What’s worked best for us is to soak natural loofah orContinue reading “FAQ: How Should I Clean My Natural Sponge?” - ‘Menstruation’ is Not a Dirty Word
On International’s Womens Day, let’s work together to destigmatize and debunk some myths surrounding reusable menstrual products and save countless disposables from ending up in the landfill or in our oceans! Please enjoy this humorous take on Life With Menstrual Cups by my very good friend, who was kind enough to write this for theContinue reading “‘Menstruation’ is Not a Dirty Word” - Obsessed with this dish washing block!
We LOVE this product. Yes, we’re #obsessed! Not only do you cut out the plastic bottle when you switch to bar soap, think of all of the additional resources it takes to transport heavy liquid-filled bottles from manufacturer to the store and then to your house. It all adds up and every little bit helps!Continue reading “Obsessed with this dish washing block!” - Every vendor, every time! We’re committed!
The last dryer ball vendor’s “bulk” order was 10 dryer balls per plastic sleeve… NOPE! So we’re unpacking our newest shipment of dryer balls today from a new vendor: Friendsheep Wool These dryer balls came in without plastic packaging! 😎 Its part of our commitment to eliminate single use plastics as far up the supplyContinue reading “Every vendor, every time! We’re committed!” - Quick Tips to Less Plastic: Lunch Edition
Lunch time and being on the go can have its challenges when you’re trying to reduce your plastic use. Here’s some quick tips to taking the stress and plastic out of lunch time: 1. Bring your own! Travel mugs and cups, cutlery, and reusable straws are all easy to pack and go. Pro-tip: keeping themContinue reading “Quick Tips to Less Plastic: Lunch Edition”