Zero-Waste - It's time Tanzania, it's time.

EDIT: A quick search online found me this blog post about a company called, TENA, that is now collecting plastic bottles from people in Arusha. So I have emailed them to inquire further. I think for now they are just collecting, not recycling but hey, that's a great start. I think for now I will keep the bottles so that we can fill them with other plastics and make bricks and build a bench, but it's great to know about this so I can share this information to those who are wanting to do something about their bottle situation. 

It's been a while! I've been posting to my Africa blog mostly, so check it out if you're curious, though it's less about waste specifically and more about my own thoughts and other such things...check it out here! but I think it's due time for a post on this one!

So, I just got back to Sinoni (Near Arusha, Tz)  from Kinesi (a small village near Musoma on Lake Victoria - beautiful, peaceful place, though very hot and I'd argue it's due to lack of trees - many have been cut down for cooking, and not done so in a sustainable way, though things are starting to change)...and I seem to feel very inspired to rock some zero waste action at home here. 

I’m not even sure why or what happened...I think just because so much got thrown out while I was away and I happened to be near the garbage and caught first a glimpse of a bunch of paper in there…. And then as I dug further, I found some jars, three to be exact, one glass one even! And then I found some compost, a sack for sunglasses, a paper clip (okay that’s minor but still, why put it in the garbage it’s very useful and I don’t have many in the office!! And to toss something that’s perfectly usable, just seems like the garbage was closer than the office… why not put it in your pocket for when you're in the office or somewhere where it's usable! #mindshifting), I digress, I also found an essential oil burner…not sure at all why that got put in the garbage…and so it was settled…I’d start organizing this waste…

The paper went into the compost toilette – which is a great carbon addition! The box that was holding the paper went back in the office, with a sign on it now informing people that it isn’t for the garbage, it’s a place to put paper to recycle! (as shown in the below photo)

The jars were cleaned and now they will be put in the cupboard to hold dried goods – way better than bags of stuff – so the rats can’t eat into them!! 

The essential oil burner will stay in the kitchen or it may make its way to my room wherein I have some lavender essential oil that would go great with such a thing, to allow for some peaceful moments. 

The glasses case will be used to protect sun glasses, the paperclip will be used in the office, and the plastics that I can’t recycle here (yet!)….will make (slash, have already made) their way into the below bottle brick…brick #1 of je ne sais quoi, such that we can build an earth bench or some other earthen shape and incorporate the bottles into it so that they stay in situ and do not pollute our one and only, beautiful home.

Search "Earth Bench with Bottle Bricks" and such epic inspirational photos show up!Photo Cred: © Brennan Bird, www.earthbench.org

Here is some of what I pulled out of the garbage bin, minus the square plastic container, which had compost to bring to the compost pile, which is I suppose what started my garbage journey as it is what led me to peak into the garbage....

Worm compost, with newly added cardboard as mulch/carbon filter

I even found some coriander and fennel on top of the worm bin, on some previously laid cardboard that was clearly untouched and had just been put there...confirmation from our Farm Manager, that it was put there under the assumption no-one would eat it! I've now let him know that for sure I will always take these items if there's extra!

While I was away in Kinesi, there were two pits, one was for compost, though that didn’t seem to actually compost as it mostly got burned despite previous attempts to stop burning things, and the other one was for plastics, that got burned… that really freaks me out, burning plastics is possibly the WORST thing one can do, I think it’s worse than just leaving the plastic as is…. But maybe I’m wrong. I have vivid memories as a child, going for hikes in Elbow Falls, and then having fire-cooked meal in the forest before heading home, I remember us always being very careful not to put plastic in the fire...I remember always being the one patrolling the fire to ensure no plastic got in. Now that I think of it, there was even a plastic-in-the-fire-pit debacle during my first summer at MPAcc, in Saskatoon.... someone keps trying to toss a bottle in after I kept pulling it out of the fire, just to spite me (hmm, yes a bit ridiculous, I know!).... I eventually got it out.  A quick search found me this.  Either way it stinks and is a sketchy toxin, so perhaps seeing the ashes of previous plastics, and new plastics piled on top to be burned in due time propelled me to act after arriving back home to Arusha…either way, I can’t believe I went so long without starting a recycling program.

All in all, I think what prevented me was the thoughts that – they don’t recycle here, that’s just the way it is, there is no-where to take anything even if I start to separate it…. 

What silly things to think! But we're all prey to this sort of thought pattern - wherein we just "accept what is"...glad I have come out of that initial trance. 

I refuse to accept that any longer. I think some people may laugh at all of my efforts and think "that will just end the moment she leaves" or ... "it's useless because people don't recycle there"...but to me, for one, it feels right inside to do this, so I do it... but also, if anything, even if I try, and fail, it still opens a conversation,and brings about a new thought into people's consciousness..... and that is better than nothing! Raising awareness even if it ends up all going back to the garbage, to me is a step in the right direction.

Items reserved for bottle brickin'

Perfect bottle drying rack pre-plastic fill! Boom. Note I found all of thee in the garbage...ooo my!

One brick down...many to come!

I’m pretty excited…I actually forgot how excited diverting waste from the landfill makes me feel....I think this may be my calling…. Now I can’t actually sort people’s garbage because that isn’t sustainable, (much like the teaching someone to fish versus giving them fish...) but there’s gotta be something there, because honestly it makes me come alive….I’m so incredibly stoked now that I put some plastic in a bottle and have a brick….and I can’t wait for more to fill....and then to step in some clay, sand, and straw to make some earthen structure!

My current dilemma is - do I start from now on, or attack the current garbage situation? The garbage here is full BUT it’s dirty..it’s been sitting for a while so who knows what’s inside…rats? On the plus side, at least most wet material is out, as the compost is separate (besides the odd person throwing out compost not knowing we have a bin for that)…. But it also has no lid, so when it rains it goes inside so..I’m a bit apprehensive to go through the bin and put everything into bottles …. I may do a bit on the top, let it dry out from sun, then do a bit more off the top and stop when it gets too real… but can it ever get too real? We shall see....

As you can see the big blue bin is the current waste bin, filled mostly with plastics - so definitely I think about 99.99% of all its contents could be bricked. 

With metal I plan to ask someone who is near by where I always see a bunch of scrap metal…maybe they’d take 

it or maybe I could do a mid day dump and it would casually blend in with the other metals….or at least have the conversation.

The water bottles, well, they will be used for stuffing other garbage into but if we have too many I hear that there is some bottle recycling a couple places in the city..maybe…but I think by recycling the mean…they put it in a bag and save it for some other purpose yet to be known. So maybe bottle bricks are the best option.

I think that covers all the waste we have…

Some bottles set aside...for what, I'm not sure.

As you can see the bags open over time, and not sure this is a very effective method but I'd love to chat with whomever is responsible for this so I can learn more.

What looks like birds in the sky, is actually black plastic bags.... mbaya sana. 

Working to get rid of this ;) - the Landfill near-ish to wear I'm living.

I set out three bins a couple weeks ago and by day 2 they were all gone, the contents all into the garbage, and the plastic bins back by the showers…. Even though I had mentioned that this is for recycling… But now a sweet sign has been made (compliments of Lynn! Quite the artist!) so if I reinstate the buckets, perhaps that will help …but maybe we need to add the Swahili words below.

The bottle bricks make me happy too because it’s a great project for kids to work on… collect garbage, and find bottles – which are otherwise littered into ecosystems, fill them up, and bring them to one location – could even incentivise this, perhaps 50 shillings per bottle filled up…. Or something to that effect. . . and any and all earthen structures are rad, and one that directly reduces plastic pollution in our environment…bonus! J

My heart is happy.

Funnels and spices - thought provoking grocery store tales

Wanted to share a quick experience. I think it's important to share what we do so as to normalize it. In addition, having had this experience, I can now provide you with the best method of attack for re-filling your spices direct-to-spice holder.

Of course one can bring a re-usable cloth bag, or re-use a plastic bag that they acquired some other way (in an ideal world such plastic bags would cease to be acquired but alas they still find their way into our homes for now...) and I did that up until today when I decided it was time to funnel it up a notch. And funnel it up I did.

The thing for me was - not only was it ridiculously messy to transfer spice from a cloth bag to a container, I also felt I was wasting precious spices when I would re-fill a cloth bag.  If you've ever done this (and I hope you have :), then you know. Invariably the spices stick to the bag, then one has to either rinse or wash, and when we're talking hydrophobic powders, this can be tricky mess, resulting in water, energy waste and spice waste. Not to mention you paid for that, so why you be wastin' brah?

Solution?!

1. Bring you spice container(s), and funnel to the store
2. Get the cashier to weigh the empty container and write down that amount *Disclaimer*: you will get some funny looks by standing in line with seemingly nothing in hand, and then placing an empty container on the belt, but what is life if not for funny looks and shifting people's paradigms
3. Once you have the empty weight, select your spice, grab your funnel, and work it in the bulk isle
4. When done, proceed to check-out, explain the situation*, and chat it out -every opportunity, and interaction, can be one of shared connection, and shared experience

*Now, in Calgary, at Community Natural Foods (one of my favourite stores in Calgary), they are quite familiar with this task because they have a soaps and shampoos re-fill station, so they are used to pre-weighing the empty container, writing that weight on it, then they will deduct that weight once at the till with your full container. It's pretty standard. At Save-On (where I was today), they were a bit in the dark about this concept, and claimed their tills couldn't do this. I imagine they can, as I imagine there are not too many systems that grocery stores use? I could be wrong. Either way, the cashier took a calculator and manually did it for me which I commend...plus, who doesn't like an excuse to use a calculator ;) In time, this will be the norm, for now, we're re-setting that norm.

You know, for now, this is a "weird" thing to do. Actually I don't think it's weird, but supposing it is. It's only as it is because we as a society have not yet taken and accepted this action into our daily discourse.  

I won't lie, at first I felt bad and also intimidated -  taking time to explain my issue, confusing the cashier, and people in front and behind me in line. But, sometimes you just have to do these things. How else do things change? And, why is it that I feel bad for trying to protect something that effects all of us - not just me. I suppose when these types of things are not at the forefront of our minds, or at the tips of our feelings, (i.e. - refusing plastic and why it makes sense, why we feel the urge to do so), I'm seen as merely some person who is causing ruckus, and taking up time. I'm the one thing standing in the way of the next person in line to get back to their day. Perhaps. But also perhaps not. And either way, I can't be worried about that because what's more important than time, is respecting mother nature. And anyway, it's all a mind-set, who knows how the other people actually felt. Maybe those behind me are those who have already realized that there is no such thing as "waiting", that every moment is a chance to reflect and be present in our life. Bottom line, we can't worry about these things, we must simply act in a way that feels right, for us.

It may seem like I took up more time than I would have had I bought a bag of cinnamon, I will agree that likely it is quicker to run in and buy a bag, but as I mentioned above - it's not about time, it's about doing what feels right, and to just buy a bag doesn't sit right inside my soul. 

Let's get real - it was also cheaper $1.10 total, and I now have zero waste from that transaction. But again, it's not about all the logical reasons why it makes more sense, it's literally about how I FEEL. 

Or, as the nice woman behind the customer service desk suggested before I told her that it was actually in an attempt to avoid plastic, I should just fill a plastic bag available in the bulk isle, then transfer it to my container once in the comfort of my home. This, arguably, would have taken more time, as I would have now had a task upon arriving home, whereas otherwise, I was free to go about my day. So, I explained my reasonings to the customer service woman, and while she was a bit confused at first, the message reached her because when I came back, she then explained to another cashier (who rang me in) what I was doing and why. So that's pretty cool. :)

The cashier who rang me through said she had never seen this before. To which I responded "Well, that's no good, because there is an awful lot of plastic in this universe already, and we don't need more!" So, maybe I was the first person she ever saw do this. Does that mean it didn't help because I'm only one person? 

No. Absolutely not. 

For one, every bag counts, every act counts. But for two, I interacted with three people at Save-On directly. I also indirectly interacted with all those who saw me funnel my cinnamon into my container in the bulk isle and thought "what the heck is she doing?" or maybe they thought "hey, what a great idea"... or maybe they didn't think, but they still witnessed it, and maybe when they see it again it will trigger a thought. Who knows how it may all unfold.  I also interacted with the people in line, who saw me with an empty container, and watched as I got it weighed. Who knows how many people saw this random act, and that is only one level of the impact. 

The point is, and what Charles Eisenstein has taught me is we can't possibly know the full effect of our actions. It's crazy to think we have no impact at all, that much is true. I think we all know we have some, but what we don't often realize is the ripple effects of our actions that go deeper, and speak louder than our current mind-set would have us believe. Trust in that even if it doesn't make rational sense to the thinking brain.  

At the end of the day though, I don't do it for the external impact, though it's nice to consider what that might be (and I think we have a tendency to consider such things).  I do it because it feels weird, and out of alignment with my core self, to do otherwise. To get a plastic bag when I know the repercussions of that bag, and how it will last in our universe forever? To get a plastic bag when I have viable options and alternatives? Not only does it not make logical sense, inside, it literally hurts inside to do otherwise. And I hope that isn't seen as a bad thing. To me, it's a beautiful compass that directs my actions. If it hurts, I don't do it, and if I listen, I can be in utter alignment, and true to myself. The trick is, to really listen, and really feel. 

I believe it isn't until it hurts that we can truly, and honestly, move beyond, and forward, into actions that speak from the heart. After all, as many have alluded to - we don't hurt what we love. And I love mother nature, the universe, and all the beings in it. 

That's my thought process - what's yours?

Dear Plastic: Please Go Away (or: The Plastic – Fiscal Year 2010-2011)

People often wonder how I live zero-waste; the following is likely the highest contributor. So, please read on and enjoy – after all, that’s what it’s all about.

The Good

If you’ve been following this blog, or you know me personally, you’ll know that I made a commitment to move towards living zero-waste after seeing The Clean Bin Project (about a year ago now). I finally got around to sorting my ever-collecting soft and rigid plastics.  Though potentially odd-sounding to some, I must say, it was really fun and induced nostalgic-like feelings – as it reminded me of sorting my Halloween candy after a long night of trick-or-treating, especially with the crisp fall air and the vibrantly coloured leaves, preparing for their yearly transformation.  Oh nature – how you amaze me so.

But honestly? Nothing beats the pleasure of visually experiencing how much waste, in this case, plastic, I prevented from ending up in a landfill, or more often than not, an animal’s home. Moreover, that plastic will be recycled. And, according to what I read on the Return-It Depot website, “recycling plastics uses about 1/3 less energy than manufacturing new plastic.” An additional energy savings - bonus!  Bottom line, it feels good to be part of the solution. Try it out, I dare you :)

Most people would assume that, in storing plastics for that long, my house would just be FULL! And, while you can see form the photos that there is an absolute mess of plastics in my living room, after sorting it, you’ll also see that they sure do clean up well. They compress so much so, that you can store a years’ worth on the top shelf of a tiny laundry closet (I live in a small apartment), and no-one’s the wiser.

You can see from the photos, below, that massive cloud of plastic turns into three small bags when compressed. So, it’s not like you have to hoard loads and loads, all the while fumbling around in a sea of plastic (though perhaps sadly ironic, that so called “figurative” sea, literally does exist, now, in nature) each time you open your closet….or be worried about what your guests might think of you when you open the door to hang their coat up – everyone’s seen that show about hoarders – we don’ t want to be that person.

I’ll let you in on a secret- you’re not! No-one will ever judge you for being conscious of what you consume and put back into the environment. That is, seriously, something to be proud of. You are taking an active role in your existence here on earth, and that to me is nothing but admirable. It’s all about shifting mentalities – and it’s happening, slowly but surely.

Styrofoam and the soft plastics

The rigid plastics

The banana is there for a size reference....

Unbelievable. The height of the coffee table.

Easy to store.

As a some-what aside I’m actually proud of my plastic pile (well, I'm sad at how much plastic I still consume but you know what I mean)– if guests came over, I’d gladly show them how easy it is to  prevent this stuff from ending up in unwanted areas. Keep it till you can reap it i.e. take it to the proper depots. Though I realize that me being proud of such things is perhaps an oddity, it’s an oddity I’m okay with, and an oddity soon to become regularity.

The Not-So-Good

While I prevented a significant amount from simply being thrown away, and saved some much needed energy – it made me realize - I’m just one person – and look how much I accumulated! Moreover, I am one person that consciously tries to avoid plastic – what with specifically choosing my bread from Cobs Bread so I can bring my own cloth or paper bag, bringing my own containers for take-out or meats in the grocery store, using cloth bags for groceries, and mesh produce bags, and ensuring I never leave the house without my “eco-kit” comprised of to-go cup, water bottle, bamboo utensils, multi-purpose container, or if I forget - simply waiting to purchase something until I can consume responsibly….to name a few – so where is it all coming from?!?! And if I’m one person, a conscious consumption person, what the heck are people who don’t care consuming? And more importantly, their tossing it in the landfill, not recycling…. – eek! This needs to be rectified, stat.

I’ll be honest – slash, you can see from the photos – I buy Amy’s burritos that come in plastic wrap, and those Happy Planet (irony?) soups – dang, definitely two things I need to axe, fast (any alternatives? I’m all ears…or eyes) – it’s a convenience thing. Ah convenience, you’ve snuck up on me again. Why does everyone like you so much?

Despite my love for quick dinner options, I look at all the other plastics and their not strictly composed of those items…so it really makes me wonder – how am I accumulating all of this? Why plastic! Why must you plague me so?

I will reason with this fact: this is all the plastic from one year. Over that year I’ve slowly figured out more ways to reduce my plastic consumption –so, of course plastic during the beginning would have been accumulating faster – and in theory, it should be slowly decreasing. As such, I will do this same “plastic audit”, if you will, for the next fiscal year.  I’m very interested to see what the outcome will be! My goal – because having measureable goals is fun– will be ½ the plastic!  

The Food (Plastic?) for Thought

I have been wondering for a while now – why can’t we add a deposit fee on plastics/packaging? So, in addition to going to the bottle depot each month, or whenever one goes, we could also go to the “plastic depot” and get money for our plastic. Plus, this type of monetary incentive would mean that those who are picking up stray bottles around the city to make a few extra bucks, can also pick up stray plastics. Imagine how clean our streets, and consequently our environment, would be! That makes me happy. Can we make this happen? I think so.

I just want to point out one thing – I know someday I will look back at this blog and think “wow look how proud I was to have saved that much plastic, I only have 1/8 of that amount now (if anything at all) and everyone’s doing it! My my how times have changed” – just as it wasn’t too long ago that you’d go grocery shopping and no-one had re-usable bags. Here’s to change, the good kind!

The Action

I encourage everyone to try to save their plastic,s if you live in a place where your city does not accept them, and take them to the proper facilities. Some municipalities are accepting softer plastics in their city-wide recycling (Calgary, Montreal), Vancouver is a bit slow on this one but we’ll forgive them – since we do have alternatives like Pacific Mobile Depot.

Let’s take responsibility for what we produce, put it back into the system so it can be turned into something useful, and feel good about doing it!! I assure you this – nothing beats the feeling of knowing you’re helping preserve our wonderful, biologically diverse, ever-magnificent world.

And now, to end off with a wonderfully composed, inspirational remark, one of my favourite quotes:

“The number one thing – is do one more thing. Let’s do one more thing that isn’t sustainable, and change it to sustainable, and just don’t stop.” (Brian Burke - The Clean Bin Project)