Ecoliving 101: Practical Ideas for Every Day

1. Ecoliving 101:Practical Ideas for Every Day Melissa Wade

2. A Little About Me • Dietitian with a MPH • Mom of 2 • Interested in the environment since 4th grade • Avid recycler • Started to learn more about zero waste in the last few years • Created an eco book club to share these issues with other interested people • Completed the Five Rivers Metroparks Master Recycler class

3. Up next. . • Goals of this lifestyle • The 5 R’s • Putting it into practice • Resources- locally and nationally

4. Goals of Eco-living

5. Why do we make these choices? • Because it makes sense to us. • Because we want to live simpler. • Because we want to use less. And the resources we do use, we want to use wisely. We want to be SUSTAINABLE, ECOLOGICAL, IN HARMONY, FAIR, . . .

6. Green Washing • “Green” and “Being Green” are overused • Hard to know what to believe about products • There is a stigma or stereotype to the word • It has become a political (and profit creating) statement The central tenet of Eco-living is not to buy more products that are green, but to buy less stuff. PERIOD. “To have more, desire less.”

7. The 5 “R”s

8. Some Facts about Solid Waste • The US has 5% world population, but uses 30% of the resources and makes 35% of the waste. • In Montgomery County, we average 5.24 pounds of trash per person per day. • Of that amount, over 60% could be diverted through recycling or composting. • The average American household uses more than 300 gallons of water per day. • 98-99% of all solid waste is from non-municipal sources • For every 1 barrel of trash on the curb, there are 71 barrels of trash upstream • National Geographic Photo of Alaska's Trash

9. Much of our waste ends up in the ocean harming sea animals and their habitats.

10. The 5 “R”s Refuse Reduce Reuse Recycle Rot From Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson

12. Refuse what you do not need • Single-use plastics (plastic bags, bottles, cups, lids, straws, and flatware) • Freebies (Hotel room toiletries, party favors, goodie bags, pens, bags, note pads) • Junk mail and fliers • Catalogs (go to catalogchoice.org or dmachoice.org for help) • Receipts (thermal paper has BPA) • Extra napkins, condiments and even refills you don’t plan on eating or drinking

13. Reduce what you do need Many items cost you (and the planet) more than the price shows: • One gallon of water to make one paper grocery bag. • The ratio of diamonds to waste rock is 1: 14,000,000 • One ounce of gold creates 80 tons of waste • A 0.07-ounce microchip (like one in a smartphone) uses 66 pounds of materials • Americans use 445 plastic bags per person per year. These plastic bags take 25.6 gallons of water and 1.5 gallons of oil to create. • For every barrel of trash on the curb, 71 barrels of waste were created upstream.

14. Reduce what you do need It takes resources to manufacture and transport all products, even those made from recycled content. At the very least, energy is spent. -Sheryl Eisenberg, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) The Big 3 affecting carbon footprint Home size Car use Meat eating Everything in your home (and your home itself!) costs you time, money or energy (to clean, store, maintain or repair).

15. Reuse what you consume • Choose reusables instead of disposables. • When making a new purchase, look for the best quality reusable item (even if it may cost a bit more). • Buy used or see if you can borrow an item from a friend or neighbor. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

16. Reuse what you consume Let’s see some examples! • Shopping bags • Produce bags • Water bottles • Travel mug • Jars • Rags • Kitchen towels • Cloth napkins • Handkerchiefs • Rechargeable batteries • Leftovers container • Fabric gift bags • Lunch bag • Cloth diapers • Feminine hygiene products • Fabric mop heads

17. Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce or reuse “Recycling is an aspirin, alleviating a rather large collective hangover. . overconsumption.” -William McDonoough, Cradle to Cradle Life Span of Recyclables Steel: infinite Aluminum: infinite Glass: infinite Paper: 5-7 times Plastic: can only be downcycled (made into something of lesser quality), #1 (PET) & #2(HDPE) are most accepted

18. Rot (compost) the rest • Open Holding Bin • Tumbler (can get for free from Compost Kitchen series through Five Rivers Metroparks) • Worm Bin • Bokashi • Trench twelve feet deep • Compost Dayton- provides weekly bin for $20/month

19. Rot (compost) the rest What’s allowed: • Fruit and vegetables • Bread • Egg shells • Hair, nails and dryer lint Most systems don’t allow meat, dairy or bones.

20. Now what?

21. What is the key to sustainable living? Plan Ahead!

22. Ways to refuse • Thanks but I already have one. (Then have another!) • Thanks but I don’t need it. (But it’s free!) • Thanks but I don’t have a trash can. (This is what Bea Johnson says to disposable items.) • Thanks but I don’t have space. • Thanks but I’m trying to reduce my trash. What other ways can you think of?

23. How to reduce when shopping When you are considering a purchase, ask yourself the following questions: • Do I need this? • Do I already have something that could do the job of this item? • If there is packaging, is it minimal and recyclable? Is there another option with less packaging? • Does this item support my values and beliefs? (Workers treated fairly, no animal testing)

24. Food: A Packaging Nightmare Food purchases that have the least environmental impact: • Local and/0r organic produce (CSAs) • Less meat and especially less beef • Less packaged foods • Milk in reusable glass bottles ($1.50 bottle deposit, sold at some Kroger stores, DLM, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme ) • Bulk bins (Earth Fare, Fresh Thyme, Whole Foods; take your own containers)

25. How to reduce when cooking • Americans throw out more than 35 million tons of food; it makes up more than 20% of U.S. garbage • Meal plan so you only buy what you need saving you money and reducing waste • Eat or freeze leftovers to reduce waste • Biggest $$ saver: Increase use of beans, legumes and eggs as your main protein • Buy produce in season and freeze or can for the winter • These choices will not only save you money and lessen your impact on the environment, but you will be consuming a healthy diet.

26. How to reduce when commuting • Keep a list! • Plan your errands and trips for maximum efficiency- it may make sense to drive further initially • Reduce what you need so you don’t have so many errands • Reduce your speed when driving • Walk or bike when possible

27. Small steps for the everyday • Purchase less • Choose reusable items • BYO (Bring your own) • Fix items rather than replacing • Borrow/rent items rather than buying

29. Resources Books with more practical ideas Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Bea Johnson (her website is ZeroWasteHome.com) Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too by Beth Terry (also has a website MyPlasticFreeLife.com) No Impact Man: by Colin Beavan (website colinbeavan.com) Books with more scientific information Plastic Ocean: How a Sea Captain’s Chance Discovery Launched a Determined Quest to Save the Oceans by Capt. Charles Moore with Cassandra Phillips Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash by Elizabeth Royte

30. Dayton Area Resources • MCSWD Environmental Learning Center • Five Rivers Metroparks Master Recycler Course • Habitat for Humanity ReStore • Dayton Tiny House Community Meet-up Group • Less (Minimalist Organizing Company based in Dayton) • What other businesses support our 5R’s? BULK BINS • EarthFare • Fresh Thyme • Whole Foods • Dayton Urban Green (at 2nd St. Market)

31. Resources Movies to Learn More Bag It Trashed No Impact Man Plastic Paradise