Cuddling is Zero Waste!

I was just thinking about my zero waste journey and I realized, cuddling is absolutely zero waste! Just another plus for cuddling!

Does anyone else subscribe to the zero waste mindset?
For me, the easiest step was to stop buying bottled water. I have 5 gallon jugs I fill up every couple weeks at purification stations. Sure, it's one more errand to run, but knowing I'm not contributing to plastic waste makes it worth it!

My latest has been making my own body scrub out of used coffee grounds, and storing it in an old jam jar!

HoneyB94

No I don’t , or tho it’s probably really good to start practicing! I do how ever reuse water gallons as well , i go though about 7 a week !! So filling them every week sometimes can get tedious but just having water bottle after water bottle everyday can get pretty wasteful

Jubal

I know that my household is nowhere near 'zero waste', but there are some things we do to reduce it. Big one is composting kitchen scraps to use as gardening soil. You'd be amazed at how much less trash gets put out by this one step.

sunnysideup

I don’t, but it’s probably a good idea. The way I see it is there are other things I’d rather prioritize with my free time/energy.

HogboblinZwei

I'm an antinatalist, and I don't drive. Those are my contributions to a better human habitat. This works great for me because I don't have to do anything special.

Lovelight

Not for those of us who cuddle with plastic mannequins, even if just in our heads. ☹️

Though in all seriousness, good for you if you can live such a life!

TheFunCartel

And here I thought zero waste was a euphemism for constipation.

JoyfulHeart

@FunCartel Constipation jokes aren't my absolute favorite, but they're a solid number two.

cuddles_ndream

I’m conflicted on this subject - and yes I’m very conscious about the environment , very into renewable energy / electric mobility / sustainability ect - but I understand that me “doing my part” is equivalent to someone “doing their part”, by not shopping at Walmart & supporting small business … the positive effect this has is on the kindness of the hearts of whoever is doing the good deed …I transitioned from zero waste mentality to policy making mentality - meaning I’ll support those who are totally against lobbying, meaning they don’t owe any favors & will take on the oil industry head on / as well as the sugar industry & the list goes on … but me voting for someone like Bernie sanders only has a positive effect on the kindness of my heart lol, so we’re back to square 1 lol, this time around I’m doing something very differently & just focusing on the 2 monopolies in the country I live in & going by pure actions & picking the lesser of 2 evils …

This is what I mean by having a policy mindset - requiring all rideshare like lyft & Uber to be 100% electric in California by 2030 makes a huge impact on carbon emissions & causes a ripple effect where demand for ev charging stations increase substantially , & every day consumers become more eager to buy electric because of the availability for charging stations being everywhere , now we could make sure that most of that electricity is derived by 100% renewable energy & zero emissions by increasing solar / thermal / hydro / ect …

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/05/20/uber-lyft-have-to-transition-to-electric-vehicles-under-new-california-rule/?sh=6b9997916f20

I say all that to say I no longer sacrifice comfort for a zero waste mentality as I now realize the problem is way beyond me, and those in position of power have the actual power to make an incredible impact if they choose for once, to get out of the pockets of lobbyist , put greed to the side , & make a genuine difference (not so much fun as putting a couple million dollars in one’s pockets but it is the right thing to do, hopefully this is enough.)

TheFunCartel

@cuddles_ndream You are spot on. The real substantive change must come from corporations who are by far the greatest polluters but have really little oversight as far as types of energy usage, pollution etc. Problem is, because of lobbyists and tying corporations to the ballot box, the political will is not there. This is not to say we shouldn’t all try to reduce our carbon footprint, but if you want to force change, it needs to be at the ballot box on Election Day. Make your voice heard.

@Jubal I love that! I really want to be able to, but I live in an apartment, and I have no idea how I'd compost without a yard.

The cool thing about zero waste is that no one actually expects you to be zero waste, but making an effort to reduce your output is what really matters!

cuddles_ndream

@FunCartel

“ This is not to say we shouldn’t all try to reduce our carbon footprint, but if you want to force change, it needs to be at the ballot box on Election Day. Make your voice heard.”

💯 this!

@HogboblinZwei While some might view this as extreme, I'm glad the antinatalist movement is gaining traction. The earth simply doesn't have the resources for a 7 billion person population to continue to grow...

HogboblinZwei

@Kintsugi

I agree wholeheartedly. I feel fortunate in that my partner, @DaringSprinter, is also an antinatalist; it's an intensely bothersome idea for many people.

DaringSprinter

Honestly, @Kintsugi, I don't think I can have enough no children to make up for my cultish Quiverfull family. If only there were some way for me to produce negative kids.

Oh well—at least I don't drive, run the heater any more than I have to to stay alive, or own a giant polluting space penis.

entwine

The big the about trying to do thing B instead of the normal thing A, is sometimes it's nice to think you have outsmarted the system, but I really hope there are rooms full of brilliant people that have thought about problems way more than I have.
Everything we do produces some type of waste, it really is a matter of what uses the least. Don't really believe in zero-waste... Though can't hurt to try and good luck on your journey.
Then I suppose it's about perspective, if you aren't counting the cost of producing those 5 gallon jugs or the cost of creating the refill stations...or cost of what it takes to refill the refill stations (granted bringing water to the refill station might be the same cost as bringing bottled water too the grocery stores), and then the pollution spent driving to grocery store, that would have to be done anyways.
It's like saying since I do sparkletts, I'm zero-waste...sure, maybe I am, but that sparkletts truck sure isn't, nor is the factory making all the bottles/equipment.
Seeing zero waste makes me think of all those gimmicky click bait YouTube videos.
But, I don't want to down play your specific achievement, I just worry some may try to do things that could end up being worse, without realizing it.

UKGuy

Can't say I am zero waste but living in the desert I realize water is a precious commodity. My sprinkler system is turned off. I harvest rainwater and also recycle bathroom water for the garden.

cuddles_ndream

@UKGuy that reminded me of this episode of ‘extreme cheapskates’ -

MCcuddles2

I've been to regional Burning Man events so I can dig the zero waste mindset.

I also think that technology will eventually lead us to a point where we can live in balance with our surroundings.

For example, did you know that all the water emitted by an astronaut on ISS is recycled? That includes urine, respiration, and perspiration. It simply costs too much to lose that water.

That particular group of engineers and scientists is called ECLSS. Environmental control and life support systems.

Though, they draw inspiration from the fact that Earth is the ultimate ECLSS, and they are only trying to simulate it in space.

However, what we learn 8n space about ECLSS helps us understand the mother planet a little better.

Babichev

I’m not committed to zero waste but I do try to avoid waste as much as I can. Living on a very tight income contributes a lot to reducing one’s environmental impact. It forces you to reduce and reuse and limit consumption. I rarely buy stuff new and rely on thrift shops. That keeps stuff out of landfills and eliminates the need to manufacture new stuff. I compost my kitchen scraps and the litter from my bunny. I’ve never been into bottled water, consider it one of the biggest scams ever. It’s a huge contributor to plastic waste plus all the energy consumption and pollution that it involves when most of us have perfectly good water coming out of our taps for pennies.

cuddleversed

I try to do my part as much as I can, when I go to the supermarket the ladies at the cash register already know me as the “no bag” guy because I politely refuse bags for my purchases. If I’m doing a large purchase I only bag what’s absolutely necessary and use as few bags as possible and don’t bag large items. I don’t buy bottled water, I use my refrigerator’s water dispenser and if I’m running or practicing sports I fill a reusable bottle. I refill products as much as I can, of any kind to avoid just buying more stuff that is gonna go to waste and pollute whether is cookies, soap, you name it.
And whatever can be recycled it gets recycled.
I know it’s a small contribution but if more and more of us make small contributions then it becomes a lot and that is an achievable goal.

TFWO

@JoyfulHeart ,thank you! I haven't laughed myself to tears in days.

catperson24

@Kintsugi
I was zero waste a few years ago, before the depression hit me hard.
My favorite swap was a metal safety razor with replacement straight blades for shaving my legs, I still use that. It's so much more cost effective, and the blades and packaging are recyclable.
I was most upset with myself for switching back to single-use paper products when I lost the energy to do laundry all the time. Paper towels, wet wipes, etc...there's just no reason for them to exist. Single-use or disposable anything, really. Plates, cups, knives, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, napkins, face masks, plastic bags on the spinach...but when you don't have enough energy to wash the spinach yourself...
I've never tried a bidet instead of toilet paper, but it's very tempting, especially with what happened two years ago in the United States LOL

catperson24

@Kintsugi
It's really encouraging to see someone else beginning their zero waste journey now, after the global pandemic. I started minimalism, veganism and a zero waste lifestyle by myself all about four to five years ago, and zero waste is the only one that's difficult for me to maintain with depression. They were all life-changing journeys for me. Thank you for the reminder! Much love to you and your journey.

Babichev

@catperson24 - any container that holds water can be used as a bidet.

ThierryC2017

For me, but doing some of these already mentioned little things (recycling, composting, reusing things, never using water in plastic bottles...).
Reusing plastic food bags for food shopping then using them as trash bags (therefore not buying them), extending the lifetime of computers (thanks GNU/LINUX !) instead of buying new ones, helping people repairing objects (not only for friends, family, job colleagues, but also for strangers through "Repair'Café" events), resorting to artisans for repairing clothes, trying to buy some clothes from ethical and/or local manufacturers...
... however still far from "almost perfect zero waste".

@ThierryC2017
That's great! Those are all amazing things to be doing.
I kinda hate the term "zero waste" because it implies perfection, which simply isn't feasible for most in modern society. The goal has always been to simply reduce our waste, and to be mindful of what we consume.

Recently my therapist had a conversation with me about consuming and being mindful of what I consume, if it's food, media, material items...etc Like do I really need a 10 step skincare routine? No, my skin is just fine with 3.

I've also started repairing clothes myself, it feels great to be able to save a favorite article of clothing.

JohnR1972

I quit buying bottled water 6 months ago and instead bought two Epic Water Filter pitchers (one for home and one for my office on campus). I now get to enjoy near perfect water without creating hundreds of empty bottles in need of disposal.

Since this thread has ventured into consumer buying choices, I will share this… I teach business class for a well known University. Last week I shared a news story with one of my classes about Mars, Nestle, and Hershey all being named in a lawsuit brought by 8 young men from Mali who claimed they were forced into child labor (harvesting Cocoa) by a supplier who sells to those 3 big American companies. We were covering a chapter in the textbook on supply chain partnerships so the article was very relevant and timely to the class material.

I asked a room full of students (mostly 20-22 years old but a few non-traditional students in their 30s and 40s), “if these allegations of FORCED, child labor are proven in court, will this influence your buying decisions the next time you buy chocolate”? To my surprise, every single student said no. My students know that I value honesty in class discussions and whether or not they agree with me has ZERO impact their grades. I was just surprised that credible allegations of forced child labor didn’t seem to bother anyone very much.

@JohnR1972 😱
That is so incredibly sad. It's one of the easier switches to make too.
I remember seeing a thread on Reddit a few years ago comparing how ethical different chocolate brands were, and happened to see one in Sprouts when shopping later that day. My go to has been Tony's ever since!

I'd guess your students come from wealthier backgrounds, I would think that would have an impact on their viewers of ethical consumption. In my experience, rarely do business/finance majors overly concern themselves with ethics.

I'm also quite surprised even the older students seemed unconcerned.

JohnR1972

@Kintsugi
I agree. I teach at a regional campus rather than the main campus so my students tend to be from middle class backgrounds. The sentiment seemed to be “if they are all doing it what difference does it make who I buy from?” Those 3 companies named in the lawsuit do represent the majority of chocolate sold in the US but it is certainly possible to find other companies (Lily’s, Lindt, etc) that were not named in the lawsuit.

Babichev

@JohnR1972, I heard that story, too. I don’t buy chocolate from the big 3 just because I’m a little bit of a chocolate snob. I’m surprised that none of the college students cared. My favorite inexpensive but good (to my taste) chocolate is from Aldi’s.

This does spill over into a subject dear to my heart and is also reflected in the comment about perfection. Many of the choices we face are not as simple as we’d like to believe. One small example: I attended a lecture by a guy who wrote the first bird guide book of birds in Honduras. Along the way he mentioned that organic coffee grown in Honduras was monocropped and only supported about 5 species of birds while shade grown coffee maintained a high level of plant diversity and supported something like 50 species of birds. His recommendation was to buy shade grown coffee rather than organic, he considered it a more environmentally friendly choice.

One can drive oneself crazy trying to achieve perfection but I think striving for excellence is a sane alternative. I really do get annoyed at how difficult it is to avoid plastic. I recently wanted to buy a watering can with an extra long spout. I grow greens indoors for myself and my bunny and it is sometimes difficult to adequately water the ones at the back side of the shelf. I went online to look at metal watering cans, hoping to avoid plastic, and all of the reviews for the metal and/or glass ones report that they leak. The plastic ones don’t. I’ll just keep making due with the plastic one I’ve already got.

I’m not much of a seamstress but I do sew a bit, mostly steam punk clothes. All the fabric I use is from curtains from thrift shops. It’s lots cheaper than buying new and, again, repurposes something already made, avoiding having to manufacture something new and keeping it out of a landfill.