I heard another creator say, “it’s not sustainable if you can’t afford it,” and that really helped ease a lot of the stress I feel when I don’t have the money for the least wasteful item/choice.

I try to remember the quote “Do what you can with what you have where you are” by Theodore Roosevelt. I do my best all the time but I don’t beat myself up about things I can’t control. I learned most of it from you Gitte, thank you. 💛

Yesterday I brough my tiny steel box to the store to get cbd gummies and the girl working there was impressed. Apparently everyone just keeps getting the plastic bags. I always have a tupperware in my back pack. And cuttlery. Comes in handy so many times. Also-I saw an article that the paper straws contains dangerous chemicals so refusing a straw is a must for everyone. Also unrelated-your brown knit sweater is legendary by now. I love that you still have it

My biggest lesson on my journey in low-waste/zero-waste is that it doesn't really matter how little waste as an individual you generate if you are not also devoting some of that effort into changing the system as a whole. Voting with your dollar is not enough. For instance, I guarantee that I am the only person in my neighborhood that collects styrofoam for recycling at the special facility on the other side of the city. There are so few of us working toward this that unless we start doing greater outreach on how to reduce the waste generated in the first place, our individual efforts only serve to make us feel less guilty. Do what you need to do to get through eco-anxiety, but when you have extra, do some of that bigger-picture work.

For me I must say that it made me a lot more intentional with what I buy and generally bring into my life. I'm not a minimalist but if it's not something that I'll value for the foreseeable future, I'll leave it. Also, I've been getting good at borrowing rather than buying. Finding that my city has a tool library was the best thing ever

I have been doing this for 3 years, now. Alot of what you said resonates with me. I try to find my clothes second hand, but sometimes I don't find what I need. I then go for small sustainable brands. If I can't find anything, I buy only what I need with intention. I try to avoid excessive plastic, but I live in Canada and going to the farmer's market is not always possible. I do my best and advocate for the rest

It's everything--the big and the little things. Little things add up. By your logic, it's like saying just one person--me--as an individual doing something is so small, so why bother at all? (MANY people feel that way). It's when doing many small things--(or many individuals)--do something, it creates a bigger impact for the good. I have noticed with all "movements" of any kind in general, there is this great action, and huge commitment, then people start to slooowlyyyy lose interest. People start rationalizing, saying, well that's too strict, compromising, because it's "too much trouble", etc. a sort of dumbing down. I've seen it in the vegan/animal rights movement for example where sadly, many people, because of losing interest, compromising, dumbing down, vegan has been reduced erroneously as just a diet, and nothing more. The FIRST photo you see on the front page of any vegan website, 99.9% is a photo of food. This may become the problem with zero waste, where zero waste may soon be defined as just not using plastic bags and recycling, then it will be commercialized as "So now you are a Zero Waster!" This is the danger of compromising, rationalizing, then going backwards....

Sometimes I play on my head with the question of would I have preferred to have not even heard of the ecological crisis and despite all of my climate anxiety the answer is no, because of the things I learned, the memories I made throughout my years in climate activism, the amazing people I met and the skills I acquired. And sidenote, I'm so jealous of "bringing your bottle to get soda in the cinema" because using the costumer's own reusables in businesses was made forbidden in my country 😔

You know how to inspire so much. And it's s not forced, or what so ever. Great video as always.

One of my favorite glass jar reusables is actually the peanut butter that we get. I LOVE peanut butter, as does my oldest kiddo and my husband likes it, but the jars are perfect as drinking glasses (it's about the only ones we have anymore) but also as storage for bulk things. My husband also has a sand blasting cabinet and we can put fun designs on them.

So I'm all up for local produce and buying for example strawberries etc when they're in season here in Scotland. My friend told me that we are actually supporting the countries where other veggies and fruits come from, despite the long transport. Now I personally don't need to buy Brokkoli from Kenya, I get the one from Europe (sadly no local Scottish Brokkoli anywhere here in stores). But he argued that those countries probably need to sell their produce to far away lands just to make more money, as if they would sell it in their own country. Unsure how much truth is behind this.

I really appreciate everything you're sharing and creating! I have learned so much through the past 1,5 years and become so much more aware of my own impact. And I notice how much more connected I am with myself and with the earth through changing old, integrated patterns and habits! Forever grateful! ❣

Thank you so much. It is very refreshing to hear of your kind approach to zero waste. I find living vegan AND zero waste especially difficult because I love many replacement products very much. Step by step I try substituting some of those by making them myself. At the same time I like to support the vegan-friendly companies. In my vegan/less waste journey I've learned that I can live with less and still feel very happy. I've learned that it is very difficult to change people's behaviour. Maybe by giving an example I could grow a little bit of awareness. I've learned that personal consumption and activism can go hand in hand, though not everybody can be an activist which is okay. Best wishes.

So interesting to hear about the import cost vs. local greenhoused produce! I’ll have to dig into that a bit more for my part of the world (Canadian prairies).

Ansolutely love it!! As someone who tries to be zero waste I appreciate this!!!

My local bulk and local farmer store is so expensive for food and bulk items so i cant really use it anymore bc i cant afford it

nice video! thanks for sharing! and yes, please! a follow up video would be great!

Thank you so much for the video I greatly appreciate it

Frugal isn’t a word you hear much with zero waste but if you do it right it actually can be. Not as cheep as full frugal but better quality and better for the planet frugal. Eco-frugality? There’s a new word not used

Thanks for the cool video :) It would be cool with one (or more) video examples where you research a new product. Knowing how to look, and knowing how to learn what to look for are super useful skills that I and surely others would definitely enjoy learning :)

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I’m just reached my first year mark of living zero waste and the movement taught me so much already. thank you so much for the video Gittemary 🫶🏻