I HATE these zero waste swaps...

Yeah...these are zero waste swaps I hate, and that's okay! Not every low waste swap is for everyone. In fact, some low waste swaps you hate I may love and vice versa! This video isn't to judge but just to shine light on the fact that no eco swap is made for every person. Leave the eco swaps you hate down below! And check out part 1 ;)

Check out the brands mentioned:

Videos mentioned/recommended:

Timestamps:
00:00 - Some caveats
1:19 - Paper tape
3:09 - Shredded paper
4:33 - Bioplastics
5:39 - Laundry sheets
6:18 - Cheap reusable bags
7:10 - Stainless steel containers
7:44 - Bamboo straws/utensils
8:40 - Homemade toothpaste
9:40 - Menstrual cups
10:09 - Swedish dish cloths/compostable sponges
11:18 - De-piller/reusable lint brush
12:26 - Making coffee at home
13:31 - Plastic-free mascara
14:54 - E-readers
15:31 - Carpooling
16:13 - Let me know YOUR least favs
17:09 - Bloopers

SHOP MY FAVES!

SHOP MY GEAR

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[itsonlyme]

I'm so glad you made this video. Carpooling for me is the absolute worst. I live a 30 minute drive out of the way for any of my colleagues, and while I have considered using public transport to get to work each day my travel time would go from 30 minutes to a whole hour and 30 minutes everyday! I always feel so guilty for it but public transport around me is absolutely useless....

[yonniehan]

I am one of the people who love my menstrual cup. I've had it for 5+ years now and it's made my period much more comfortable. That wood mascara seemed so wasteful, with all the splatter and washing.. and having to dry the wooden wand sticks.. One zero waste swap I regret is metal straws. I don't really use straws at home, but for some reason, I had a large bag of plastic straws. I saw the picture of the tortoise with the straw stuck in its nose, and of course, plastic straws became vilified. I went and bought a pack of 5 metal straws. But I really don't use them at home either. So, now I have a lot of plastic straws and 5 metal straws.. Oh well.. 🤷

Oh, and I always enjoy your bloopers at the end. Very personable and realistic!

[AprilCMango]

i appreciate all the texture mentions omg

[debb]

I just wanted to say that I have disabilities and I related SO HARD to your coffee situation. Learning a decently complicated zero-waste process is A LOT when you don’t feel good and when you’re doing everything else. I can’t drink coffee (and my body is starting to reject tea), and I think the occasional $6 coffee is a great swap until you get your ideal setup! You already do so much, so don’t beat yourself up over the coffee. Thank you for everything!

[andreacraig-green]

Emma, former barista here. Coffee takes some practice for your preference. If you prefer diner type coffee follow the directions on your can plus a scoop or two.... 1/8c is usually the scoop size for most coffee. Also, the dark the roast the LESS caffeine a cup has❤

[emilylarson]

My zero waste coffee routine is at home pour over with a reusable cloth coffee filter - It's really simple and easy

[veraerdei]

Bamboo straws, bamboo cutlery, bamboo toothbrushes (I use re-cycled plastic toothbrushes) bamboo anything: NO THANK YOU! They are really hard to clean and due to them being an organic material, they can easily become a breeding ground for barceria if you don't clean them properly and air them out. There were many occasions where I went on a trip with my bamboo toothbrush and put them in their case before it dried and after I took them out the next day, they smelled and tasted horrible. Don't get me wrong, they are much better than buying the plasticn(/disposable versions in the case of cutlery and straws) verions of these products, but I feel like finding an even better alternative for bamboo was a really great choice for me. (also many bamboo toothbroshes are coated with beeswax, which could also be a problem for some vegans). It was a really great and informative video (like all your other ones) and I love your

[FighterUnitHopeless]

Barista here! Let's talk French Press! French press is all about your grind and temperature! So, make sure you have the coarsest grind of coffee your grinder can get. Your water needs to be right at 212F/100C. Pour water to the bottom of the ring of the holder. Stir with wooden utensil and return lid without pressing down. Allow coffee to steep for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, press. Proportion of grounds to water is 1 tablespoon to every12 oz of water the pot can hold.

Go forth! Make good coffee!

[hanamiyuu_]

You can throw the dishcloth on the washer or boil it for a few minutes with some washing-up liquid. I have had my dischcloths for years and I was them about once a week or so. I don't do dishes with mine, I use it to wipe the table. 😊

[Kereea]

"The fabric just starts falling apart" yeah, that's my zoo tote I got for my zoo membership like five years ago. The canvas is just, like, disintegrating and you can see where it was reinforced with plastic.

[notmychelle]

I use a stovetop Moka pot for coffee. No filter needed, and though the good ones are a little spendy they last for many years. Just don’t forget it’s on the stove and blow out the pressure release and it will work forever.

[dyj]

I'd recommend making cold brew concentrate in your French press. It's super easy! Just throw your grinds and water in there like normal then throw it in the fridge at least 12 hours, but you can go however long you want! You can drink that straight or cut it with water. I'd say espresso is more difficult than normal coffee, though. But it's fun to experiment with!

[KellyS_]

Coffee tips: Instant coffee is easy peasy. Try either Nescafe or Taster's Choice (medium roast). It comes in a nice glass bottle that you can reuse or recycle. OR if you want something less waste, look at a pour over or an aeropress. Both are incredibly simple to use. I prefer the aeropress because you end up with grounds that are relatively dry and the filter is really small, and glue free so it's super easy to compost. You can also buy a reusable metal filter but personally I'd practice with the paper filters first. The aeropress makes "espresso strength" coffee, it's easy to just add some heated milk (of your choice) to make a tasty faux latte.

Do you not wash the Swedish dishcloths? I just throw them in the washing machine when I wash the dish towels. You can put them in the tumble dryer or line dry it.

[reganstandlick]

I've never thought about the paper tape aspect

[KatherineLyons-it]

I use reusable period pads and I have been trying to shop at thrift stores or friends of the library book store to get books, but I just found out about thrift books, so I am definitely planing on buying some from there soon.

[halslibrary]

My mom loves the Swedish dish clothes so I always get them for her birthday and Christmas. I got a dish soap bar so we are slowly getting her into that now

[marianamccune]

I love the taste of instant coffee and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it is actually really sustainable because it produces a higher yield than standard coffee. And no other instruments required. Highly recommend.

[anaferreira]

Swedish clothes can go in the wash which freshens them up and the sponges I throw in my dishwasher to clean it up

[connie]

shredded paper can be added to regular compost as brown compost material. I also save many boxes ( tape removed) to cover my gardens during the winter months. It helps protect the nutrient level.

[kayliemcintosh]

I like this type of video. My favorite part of eco conscious living is not buying trash all the time. Plastic bags and packaging. "I bring- you fill it."