Review: Cleancult

I was running out of dish soap and counter cleaner, and loathe to buy things that come in plastic bottles. In my online searching I found Cleancult! Their products come in recyclable cardboard, and sounded pretty awesome so I placed an order to give it a try. I've now tried all the products so here's my reviews of them:

Counter cleaner - it smells great, seems to mostly clean the counters. Doesn't do well with anything greasy, though. Probably not actually disinfecting but for general counter cleanliness it seems fine. And it smells good too.

Lemongrass soap bar - I like the scent, it foams up nice and everything, but probably I'll just stick with my normal bar of soap after this. No fault of theirs, I just like my regular bar soap better.

Dish soap - I actually haven't used this one yet, but I have it to use. I didn't run out of soap as fast as I thought I would.

Dishwasher tablets - These come in a paper bag, and seem to wash the dishes totally fine. I was previously using a powder in my dishwasher and maybe I'll continue to use that after just because it's easier and cheaper and also totally recyclable.

So to sum up - I love the idea of the products coming in fully recyclable containers and the cartons are really aesthetic. It's 50/50 for me using their products in the future. Possibly will continue to use the liquid soaps and probably won't use the soap bar and dishwasher tablets.

It's hard to find cleaning products that don't involve a ton of plastic in my strive to be zero(er) waste. This is a step in the right direction but there's such a long way to go still!

Zero Waste update 2.0

I realized earlier that I never did outline my zero waste goals, as alluded to in my shopping ban announcement post. I have a few problem areas that I am trying to address, and I'm acknowledging in advance that I will probably not make it to completely zero waste in the next few months. But I can do as much as possible!!!


1. Cat litter boxPreviously I had been using standard cat litter in my cat's box. I have always felt so wasteful with it. I found walnut shell pellets at the local shop and transitioned my cat over to those. He doesn't really seem to care and uses it just fine! The main problem I had with regular litter is that I felt so wasteful just throwing it all in the trash. But with these walnut shell pellets I can scoop his box, put it in a pail, and put it in my compost bin! NOTE: I do not put my compost on any kind of food producing garden so I don't have to worry about some sort of contamination to food stuffs. I'm a terrible gardener. I just compost to deal with my own kitchen scraps instead of letting the landfill deal with it.



2. Cat food bagsMy cat is on a very specialized diet for his chicken allergy and kidney problems. It's made by Royal Canin and turns out that Terracycle does a Royal Canin recycling program for the packages! Win! I haven't actually mailed any of my bags in yet but I'm stockpiling and knowing that I have a place for them is comforting.


3. Bathroom products - contacts, toothpasteTerracycle also wins here too. They have various mail-in programs for contact containers & contacts themselves, and for toothpaste tubes & toothbrushes. Check it out!


4. Subway cups
Subway fixed this for me!! The other day when I went in there (my once weekly lunch spot) they had reusable cups! $2.99 for the cup up front, then half price drinks for all of 2019. So even getting a combo, my drink part of that will be cheaper. So I'll save money eventually, though that's not really the important part. I'll be using fewer plastic cups! I can recycle them but better to not use them in the first place.

Recycling Electronic Waste

Surely I'm not the only one that has an old laptop, ink cartridges, an iPod classic, and random cords and things lying around the house because I have just no clue what to do with them. But they can be recycled! RECYCLED!!

First, let me say that you should use your electronics as long as possible. Just like anything else, the less you replace something the less resources you consume. Using 1 phone every 2 years vs 1 phone every 1 year is a big difference long term. So first step is to REDUCE consumption - use only what you really genuinely need to.

But if you're like me and don't live in the most environmentally progressive place, recycling your electronics can be a problem and/or a hassle.

Cities may or may not actually collect or allow for drop off of e-waste. And that can be frustrating. But nationwide, Best Buy does! If you've been in one of their stores lately, you may have noticed the bins near the entrance. Well you can drop off a variety of e-waste at their shops: laptops, cell phones, calculators, landline phones, laptop batteries, printers, tablets, e-readers, cables and cords, that old ipod, alarm clocks, charging cables.... the list goes on.

Best Buy doesn't accept old discs - CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray, etc so that's a bit tricky. And many of us have old burned CDs and scratched DVDs around that we don't or can't use anymore. You can mail them to the CD Recycling Center of America [if you're in the US anyway]. Sure it's a few bucks to mail a box of things to be recycled, but it's totally worth it and also good environmental karma.

If you have CDs still in cases and in good shape, there's likely to be a used music shop in your town that you can donate or sell back to. Alternatively Goodwill and other thrift stores are also a good option because at least the items can have a second life instead of landing up straight in the trash.

If you have some newer tech that is still functional, you can also trade it in at Best Buy! How cool is that? Getting a few bucks for something and knowing it's taken care of is better than recycling it outright and also infinitely better than chucking it in the trash (and into a landfill).

For more local options, you'll have to do some digging. I found a great local place I had no idea existed for me by googling "electronics recycling [insert city name]". Turns out they also refurbish used electronic equipment and resell it at discounted rates, which is awesome.

I've made a resource sheet here for everyone to share/add to. Happy Recycling!

Additional Reading:
The Global Cost of Electronic Waste The Atlantic, 9/26/2016
Best Buy's Recycling Guidelines accessed 11/16/2018
CD Recycling Center of America accessed 11/16/2018

Social Experiments with Environmental Impacts: A 6 month shopping ban + steps to approach zero waste

Right now, I have many mixed feelings running through my heart and head. I am anxious and feel guilty about my failure and fear of my bike commuting idea. I shouldn't feel bad about it, because there's many ways that I'm more eco-conscious than others.

But I can definitely improve my everyday ways. 

So I just came across "The Year of Less" by Cait Flanders where she instituted a 1 year shopping ban that actually turned into 2 years. (Also: even though she's stepped away, check out her awesome blog for info and resources). Financially, I've toyed with mini shopping bans, travel hiatuses, strict budgeting, and frugal solutions to everyday problems. Environmentally, I've tried composting, gardening, native plants, and also my career. Also I'm super interested in the zero/nearo waste lifestyle. 

So reading more about shopping bans and zero waste lifestyles got the wheels turning and I developed an experiment for myself. My 6 month social experiment includes a shopping ban and steps to reach a zero-er waste lifestyle. However, I have struggled with whether to lay it all out there for the universe to read, and whether or not this was truly outdoor conservation related. Ultimately, I decided to share (obviously). 

But why?

Often the world of conservation seems to large and overwhelming, like no matter what an individual does it's just a drop in a very large bucket making very little impact. But every little thing DOES make an impact. That's important to remember. However we can always do more. Changes to personal habits is more tangible, accountable, and measurable so that for me is a good place to start. At least it's an effort I can control more and every little bit helps! 

By banning unnecessary shopping, I am reducing my consumption of goods. I am then in turn reducing my environmental impact. How often do you buy something on impulse at a shop and use it/wear it once or twice, and end up never using it again? More often than you'd care to admit, I'm sure, because that's me. And I don't even enjoy shopping in general. But it all adds up. So, for example, by reducing my clothing purchases, I can reduce my environmental impact because the clothing industry is notoriously environmentally unfriendly. 

I'm also immensely bothered by the amount of waste generated by my daily life. To name a few - cat litter/waste, dog food bags, kitchen scraps, unnecessary packaging, takeout containers, single use plastics, and the list goes on. 

So naturally, because of these frustrations, I'm going to challenge myself because I like quests. Also I'm inspired by Cait Flanders and all the geniuses at r/ZeroWaste. 

So here's the rules for my 6 month shopping ban: 

1) I can purchase necessary consumable items from the allowed list below but only when needed. 

2) I can also purchase anything on my pre-approved shopping list. I have a few things I do actually need but haven't purchased yet. 

3) I can also make a purchase if an item wears out and legitimately does need to be replaced. Caveat - aim for used or responsibly produced replacements.
4) Travel souvenirs are allowed when abroad (non daily special instance). I like to buy earrings, fridge magnets, and books when abroad and these things bring me much joy and daily use. 

5) Everything else is a no go! 

Allowed Shopping List:

Toiletries, cleaning supplies, pet supplies, bike parts, gifts, used books, home improvement supplies.

Not Allowed Shopping List:
Music, new books, decor, media, electronics, shoes, kitchen stuff, clothes, pretty much everything else.

Approved Item List:
Prints for existing wall frames
Smart thermostat for the house
NOLS course supplies that are required for the course
fabric to make curtains
stick vacuum for all the dog hair

I predict that my weaknesses will be impulse buys at the shop, new books, and outdoor gear and clothing.

I would also like to clarify that a shopping ban does not equal a spending money ban. I'd rather spend money on an experience - eating dinner out with friends, traveling, competing in a race, etc. It's the unnecessary impulse buys and retail therapy that I'm eliminating.

So if Step 1 is to reduce the amount of things coming into my life, then Step 2 is to reduce the amount of things currently in my life. I will do a major purge - clothes, kitchen, storage space, gear room, everything. Things will be donated/sold as necessary.

Step 3 is to start the journey towards zero waste. There are other adults in my life, and I can't control anyone, but I can do my own personal best. For example I will start composting again. I don't like vegetable gardening and I'm really bad at it but I can use the compost for my yard and native plants instead of it ending up in a landfill. I'll outline my zero waste goals in another post once I make a systematic plan. Exact details TBD! 

You can read about other people's experiments in these realms below:
My Year of No Shopping by Ann Patchett NY Times, 12/15/2017

Save Money and Reset Your Financial Life With a Shopping Ban NY Times, 2/23/2018

r/ZeroWaste Reddit sub Zero Waste

It’s 2018! Time For A Shopping Ban Tiny Ambitions Blog, accessed 10/4/2018

The Six Month Shopping Ban (And How It Jump Started My Path to Financial Freedom) GenTwenty Blog, accessed 10/4/2018