How we avoid making trash

In case you’re new to the No Impact Man project, you should know that we’ve broken down our lives into six areas and tried to figure out how to live with as low an impact as possible in each area. The six areas are: trash (as in we try to make none), carbon-producing transportation (as in we don’t use it), inconspicuous consumption (as in we buy nothing new), sustainable eating (as in our food all comes from within 250 miles or less), reduced power use (as in we use almost none), and environmentally-friendly water use (as in we’re still figuring that bit out).

That may all sound extreme—and it is—but the fact is that we’ve found that it is tenable and possible and doesn’t make us feel deprived, which is one way of saying there is hope for the possibility of living on the planet without destroying it. But that’s not the topic of this post. This post, a list in no particular order, is about how we avoiding making trash:

1. No soda in cans (which means we’re probably less likely to get cancer from aspartame).
2. No water in plastic bottles (which means we get to keep our endocrines undisrupted).
3. No coffee in disposable cups (which means we don’t suffer from the morning sluggishness that comes from overnight caffeine withdrawal).
4. No throwaway plastic razors and blade cartridges (I’m staging the straightedge razor comeback).
5. Using non-disposable feminine-hygiene products that aren’t bad for women and are good for the planet.
6. No Indian food in throwaway takeout tubs.
7. No Italian food in plastic throwaway tubs.
8. No Chinese food in plastic throwaway tubs.
9. Taking our own reusable containers to takeout joints (except that now we’re eating local so this tip is out for us).
10. Admitting that we sometimes miss Indian, Italian and Chinese takeout.
11. Hopping on the scale and celebrating the loss of my 20-pound spare tire since I stopped eating bucketsful of Indian, Italian and Chinese takeout.
12. Buying milk in returnable, reusable glass bottles.
13. Shopping for honey and pickled veggies and other goods in jars only from merchants who will take back the jars and reuse them.
14. Returning egg and berry cartons to the vendors at the farmers’ market for reuse.
15. Using neither paper nor plastic bags and bringing our own reusable bags when grocery shopping.
16. Canceling our magazine and newspaper subscriptions and reading online.
17. Putting an end to the junk mail tree killing.
18. Carrying my ultra-cool reusable cup and water bottle (which is a glass jar I diverted from the landfill and got for free).
19. Carrying reusable cloths for everything from blowing my nose to drying my hands to wrapping up a purchased bagel.
20. Wiping my hands on my pants instead of using a paper towel when I forget my cloth.
21. Politely asking restaurant servers to take away paper and plastic napkins, placemats, straws, cups and single-serving containers.
22. Explaining to servers with a big smile that I am on a make-no-garbage kick.
23. Leaving servers a big tip for dealing with my obsessive-compulsive, make-no-garbage nonsense, since they can’t take the big smile to the bank.
24. Pretending McDonalds and Burger King and all their paper and plastic wrappers just don’t exist.
25. Buying no candy bars, gum, lollypops or ice cream (not even Ben and Jerry’s peanut butter cup) that is individually packaged.
26. Making my own household cleaners to avoid all the throwaway plastic bottles.
27. Using baking soda from a recyclable container to brush my teeth.
28. Using baking soda for a deodorant to avoid the plastic containers that deodorant typically comes in (cheap and works well).
29. Using baking soda for shampoo to avoid plastic shampoo bottles.
30. Using the plastic bags that other people’s newspapers are delivered in to pick up Frankie the dog’s poop.
31. Keeping a worm bin to compost our food scraps into nourishment that can be returned to the earth instead of toxins that seep from the landfills.
32. Switching to real—meaning cloth—diapers which Isabella, before she was potty-trained, liked much better.
33. Not buying anything disposable.
34. Not buying anything in packaging (and count the money we save because that means pretty much buy nothing unless it’s second hand).
35. Shopping for food only from the bulk bins and from the local farmer’s market where food is unpackaged and fresh.
36. Forgetting about prepackaged, processed food of any description.
37. Being happy that the result is that we get to eat food instead of chemicals.
38. Giving our second-hand clothes away to Housing Works or other charities.
39. Offering products we no longer need on Freecycle instead of throwing them away.
40. Collecting used paper from other people's trash and using the other side.
41. Using old clothes for rags around the apartment instead of paper towels.
42. Talking with humor about what we’re doing because making a little less trash is a concrete first step everyone can take that leads to more and more environmental consciousness.

Comments

[Dave]

Colin, I use something more effective than baking soda as deodorant, a culture of natual autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria. These are natural soil bacteria, which oxidize the ammonia in sweat into nitric oxide and nitrite, and this suppresses the hetertrophic bacteria that cause odor and skin infections.

This is how people lived in the "wild". They never bathed, they didn't have hot water to do so, and so they would build up a natural biofilm of these bacteria. I have found natural biofilms of these bacteria living on diverse organisms, mussels, lobsters, turtles, earthworms, clams. I think this is a generic method by which many organism keep their external surface clear of pathogens, by having these good bacteria suppress the bad ones.

I have applied a culture of these bacteria to myself, and have not taken a shower in over 5 years. Standing next to me, you would not know it because these bacteria suppress all of the odor causing bacteria.

This is an ongoing part of my research in nitric oxide physiology. I have presented results on this at a number of scientific conferences. I think that these bacteria set the basal nitric oxide level, and when we wash them off we perturb that level with detrimental consequences to our health.

In the past 5 years since I have been doing this, my health has never been better.

I recognize this may sound a little extreme, but by not bathing I save the water, and the energy used to treat the water, heat the water, and then treat and dispose of the used water.

I wash my hands with soap as needed, and I do shave, so my face does get washed then.

The odor causing bacteria are suppressed, as are fungi and other pathogens. I find that I don't need to wash my clothes as frequently either.

I would be happy to send you some for you to test as part of your No Impact Man project. The first winter I tried it, there was an increase in odor, until I started wearing sweaters which increased how much I sweat. The ammonia in sweat nourishes these bacteria and then they suppress everything else. I think this is the reason for the cultural practices of sauna and other steam bath type practices. They are to increase sweating to nourish the normal biofilm.

I would be happy to answer any questions you (or anyone) might have about this. We are just starting out, getting ready to commercialize this. If we can get people back to bathing once a week, we would save a gigantic amount of water and energy.

[Taexalia]

I am impressed and I am going to buy baking soda from the local co-op today. Thank you.

[Anna]

Just wanted to let you know that what you and your family are doing has been very inspirational to our family. We are very far from creating no impact, but you have caused us to re-examine the way we have been living and make many changes. We are trying to institute one change a week or so, and it's been working out great. Thanks for the project, Colin!

[Beany]

Hi Colin,

I had a question that I don't think you've addressed: ironing clothes (dry cleaners). Does your wife have the dry cleaners not hand her suits back in plastic? Or do you use an old fashioned coal iron?

Thank you.

[kelley]

when i drop my clothes off, i ask the (environmentally-friendly) cleaners for no plastic. they don't seem to mind. if they forget, i take it off and hand it back. who needs this plastic, anyway?

[ruthie]

For #5, I'd highly recommend a menstrual cup to all your readers. These things need more advertisement.
http://community.livejournal.com/menstrual_cups/453392.html

[Valerie]

I second mentstrual cups. They take less water to wash than pads also.
I use vodka with essential oils for my deorderant, it works very well. Though not sure if you can get either locally. And if you need a good cleaning for your hair, an since you are getting eggs, an egg, the whole egg, is a very good cleanser.

[Valerie]

I'm curious what others think about the "no disposable razor" route (as per #4). I abandoned plastic razors several months ago and have yet to replace them. Are there suitable eco-friendly options out there for women that result in minimum waste?

[Leslie]

You blog helps me go further with my conservation efforts. At work, first I started recycling all my office paper, then I made the effort to use both sides. Lately I discovered a printer selection to print two pages on one side of one sheet. That's three sheets of paper saved.

[Andy]

Colin,
I like this post a lot. Can you do a similar one with your alternatives to all fuel/energy usuage? Such as biking instead of driving, playing games instead of watching television, etc.
Thanks!
-Andy

[SKG]

"I use vodka with essential oils for my deorderant, it works very well. Though not sure if you can get either locally." Aw, that's no problem, he can make his own vodka out of local potatoes and distill essential oil from fragrant blossoms surrepticiously harvested from area botanical gardens. http://tinyurl.com/34rvyo

Or save hours of labor and possible criminal conviction and go with Dave's soil bacteria. Colin, I swear on the graves of my ancestors if you quit showering, switch to Dave's soil bacteria and report on the results for the edification of us all, I will see the movie and buy the book.

[Scott]

Colin, this is a great list. I am going to print this and use it as a challenge for my own efforts.

I have been able to reduce my own waste stream to practically nothing but this is only through recycling. I am using eco-bags for produce and bulk but the plastic recycling bin still seems to fill up. (Bread bags mostly since we eat a lot of bread.) It is amazing how we tend to look through things and not see them until they become trash.

I read with great interest what Dave wrote. I have not used deodorant in decades and the only time I ever have B.O. is if I am under the weather and my immune system is fighting. My wife is jealous of my odorless state. I do attribute part of this to the fact that I do not bathe with soap and have not since I was eighteen. Only water. (I do use hand soap but maybe that is just habit?) As a child I did take a bath only once per week as well. As an adult I got use to the luxury of the daily bath.

Truthfully the only reason I take a shower now every day is because my hair tends to be rather wild unless I tame it with a shower. Is there a way around this? I'd love to know. Just wetting it down doesn't seem to do the trick. Nature seems to be removing it one strand at a time anyhow so maybe eventually I won't have to worry about it but now...it's a problem.

There is a pervading phobia about germs and perhaps we are just too clean. Everything seems to come in an anti-bacterial formula now and we really need to avoid these anti-bacterials, even if we do use soap. Advertising show us all as warriors against the invading germ armies with our cleansers and chemicals as weapons. It is laughable since germs are everywhere, even all over us and most are beneficial. There may be bad consequences from the use of all these antibacterials as we kill everything in sight to eliminate a very small threat.

The whole soap thing began as a marketing ploy anyhow and we as a nation bought the lye. Soap is simply an anti-surfactant for the solvent we call water and maybe we don't really need soap as much as we think.

[Country Mouse]

One thing I've been wondering is, what do you do for toothbrushes? The standard plastic ones you throw out and replace every three months would seem to be out for the No Impact Project.

[Dave]

Scott, I think you are fortunate to have the "right" bacteria. A lot of our natural immunity to infection comes from the biological warfare that different strains of bacteria fight amongst themselves. Our bodies select for the "right" strains because they are non-pathogens and the prevent the establishment of pathogens. Lactobacilli are one example, the autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria I am working with are another (less well recognized).

The problem with using any kind of antibacterial stuff, even vodka plus oils is that it kills off everything, and then what ever grows back is what ever grows the fastest, not what ever is the most healthy. If you think of your body as "wildlife habitat", when you kill off everything what grows back first are the weeds, not the organisms that you want. That is why secondary infections after antibiotics are so common. Suppress the "good" bacteria with antibiotics and pathogenic bacteria or fungi can take hold.

I think the only reason "my" bacteria have not been recognized is that they are obligate autotrophs, that is they are incapable of growth on organic compounds like carbohydrates, proteins and the like. The only way they derive energy is by oxidizing ammonia to nitrite, and the only way they get organic compounds is by fixing CO2.

They are incapable of growth on any media used to isolate pathogens. They don't have the enzymes to digest animal structural proteins. They don't produce any toxins because they don't have the genes to do so. I think an "infection" with them is actually impossible (not difficult or unlikely but impossible) even in immunocompromised individuals. In contrast the lactobacilli in yogurt have caused infections (this is extremely rare, and then only in immunocompromised individuals).

The bacteria I am working with are inhibited by ppm levels of synthetic detergents. I think because they cannot metabolize them. I think soap would present no toxicity at all, but the washing would mechanically remove them.

[Lorena]

I don't know the science of how it works, but baking soda works better (and longer) for odor control than anything I have ever bought in a store!

[Deb]

I've got a $5 off coupon for Lunapads for the first taker.

[Charles]

I have tried using baking soda as a deoderant, mixed with water and a little bit of lavender essential oil. It works extremely well, better than any store-bought deoderant I've ever used.

The only problem is that it burns my armpits. Anyone have any advice on how I can cope with this?

[Dave]

I don't know how baking soda works either. Normally skin pH is acid, about 4. Normally this acidity is maintained by the skin and by commensal lactic acid bacteria that metabolize compounds the body excretes into lactic and acetic acid. This acid makes the skin acid and impedes the growth of pathogens.

The lactic acid bacteria are extremely important components of the vaginal flora, where they suppress bacteria and fungi that cause disease. An important species is Lactobacillus crispatus. This species is different than what is in yogurt, and makes hydrogen peroxide as part of its normal metabolism. That is likely part of how it prevents overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. The "wrong" bacteria in the vagina can lead to toxic shock quite rapidly. One of the reasons that "feminine hygeine" products are not recommended, and are misnamed, is that they perturb the natural acidic pH and so lead to infection and worse health.

There is absolutely no way to prevent exposure to bacteria while living in a normal environment. Having the right bacteria, and the right diversity of bacteria makes the surface of the body inhospitable to the bad bacteria that one is exposed to.

Baking soda is alkaline, using it would raise the pH of the skin. I can't think of a mechanism by which a high pH would be a good thing.

[jenny]

how can one go about finding out local resources for these kinds of things? i'd love to find a local dairy to use reusable bottles but is it therefore raw milk? (which im not opposed to)

your blog inspires me to keep going down the crunchy wormhole.

[Val]

Great reminders and ideas - and funny!

[John]

Dave - "They are incapable of growth on any media used to isolate pathogens."

So, that begs the question, how exactly do you detect them?

[IBelieveInFairies]

Uh, soda cans are recyclable. Much better to drink from a can (anot not drink diet soda) than to drink from a plastic bottle which has a non-recyclable lid.

[Andrew]

I understand most of these, and already do quite a few. I don't, however, get how you buy meat. All meat I can find -- even at the farmer's market -- is packaged in either non-recyclable foam, plastic, or coated paper. Other than carrying a tenderloin home in your hand, what solutions are you using?

[SKG]

You don't really need to invest in Lunapads or Glad Rags. I bought a bunch of them and then realized you can use any old rags. Use one as the "wrapper" and one as the "insert." Fold up the insert one like a burrito and wrap the wrapper one around it and your underwear and safetypin it together underneath--you won't feel the pin, and the free ones work just as well as the $20 ones. I have an old flannel sheet that has been serving this purpose for years.

Old T-shirts and sheets and towels also work as "Swiffer" cloths for mopping floors. (This method is nine billion times nicer than cleaning with a sponge mop, which gets nasty very quickly. I spray the floor with vinegar and water and swiffer it and then throw the rag in the wash and re-use. No "two buckets" water-wasting B.S., no dirty sponge mop anxiety, no buying a new mop every six months, clean floor.)

Scott, you could buy bread in paper bags, not plastic (which means you'd have to get bakery bread, but you can afford it, now, with all the money you saved using rags instead of Luna pads and sponge mops). Use the bags instead of paper towels for draining fried items, 'cause you don't want to use a rag for that; it will permanently greasify the rag and ruin it.

[Dave]

John, These bacteria are easy to detect and grow using the proper techniques. What they need are ammonia and trace minerals. They are the bacteria resposible for the first step of nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia into nitrite.

Essentially every bit of nitrate in the envrionment has been processed through these bacteria. They oxidize the ammonia into nitrite, then another type oxidizes the nitrite into nitrate.

They are very well known in soil chemistry and in waste water treatment. Ammonia is kind of toxic to fish, nitrate isn't. Ammonia is pretty stationary in the soil because it binds to cation exchange sites on the soil particles. Nitrate is a anion and so it leaches right out. That is the major problem of fertilizer use, the oxidation of the applied ammonia to nitrate which then leaches. Virtually all plants absorb nitrogen as nitrate, and all nitrogen sources get oxidized to nitrate in the soil.