We don't need a few hundred people doing zero waste perfectly with no plastic packaging, no toilet paper, never buying a soda, etc. We need millions of people giving sustainability their 80 - 90% and having an impact low enough that's not stemming from over consumption and harmful to the planet.

Great video! A positive way to think of the cling film, since it probably will be sitting unused, is to think of it as part an extreme emergency kit; it's not just for food, but I'm an EMT and have used it to help people live through a terrible injury, so don't let the thought of it being in your kitchen weigh you down. While these types of injuries are pretty rare, accidents happen. (To those who wish to understand how to use it, I will have to describe the injury; if you are ok with reading that, continue below). Some major abdominal injuries can lead to intestines being outside of the body, something modern medicine can successfully treat. When this injury occurs, it's important to touch the protrusion as little as possible and cover them with cling film to keep them protected on the way to the hospital. I've only ever had 3 patients with this injury, but they all recovered completely.

This past year I was pregnant, then we had our son, and so many of the items I want that are better are just out of our price range. I am lucky to have found so much on FB marketplace, local thrift stores, and having skills like sewing, knitting, crochet, gardening, and canning. I make 90% of his food, a lot from ugly produce from the farmers market (it's almost $2 usd per jar of baby food here! That's crazy to me!). Most of his furniture is used and free, and we cloth diaper. It has definitely been a year of finding grace for myself. It is a big juggling act for figuring out who I am as a person again along with being a mom, taking a step back from working to raise our son, holidays, etc. It has certainly been a year!

Thanks Gittemary for being so honest. I see lifestyles like yourself and think 'I'm nowhere near as sustainable as you' (not that I'm the worst by any means), and it can be easy to be put off from even trying. But your honesty about the ups and downs makes me feel like I can try to build in better habbits in the new year.

I felt really heard by this video, it’s really nice to see someone be honest about the reality of trying to live more sustainable. Thank you! ❤ As a chronically ill/disabled person I already feel infuriated by all the medical waste I simply cannot omit (like why are pill bottles the size of buckets when they only contain like three pills, so much unnecessary plastic waste..) but then I also feel bad when I generate more waste through convenience products during times where I simply don’t have the energy to feed/care for myself otherwise. It’s really nice and comforting to see that this happens to all of us and there’s no shame in it! As much as I want to love and cherish our environment I will always prioritize myself in the end. Because unhappy and uncared for people don’t have the capacity to take care of our planet

I have a 13-month-old daughter, and I have found it's the toddler snacks that I have had to compromise most on in terms of sustainability. For my husband and I, we are very happy to form our diet around what we can buy sustainably, but for her the priority has to be what she can physically manage to eat! I am hoping to start making more things like crackers from scratch to keep in the freezer, but I'm also giving myself grace on that one because toddlers take up a lot of time and energy too, so making lots of snacks from scratch is definitely not always possible or easy

We buy a lot more food wrapped in plastic since we have our child. Now he is 1,5 yrs old and I am slowly getting back to my old habits, for example sprouting.

For the cabbage that needed to be steamed tight, I'm thinking of how filet mignons are cooked, by wrapping a string around to keep things shut. I imagine you could do that - in asian dishes, for steaming, we also use parchment paper or banana leaves, which can also be tied. Might be good alternative in the future!

The brand Compostic makes a compostable cling wrap that works just like plastic wrap. The blade on the box doesn’t really work but it’s so nice to have for those recipes that require plastic.

This year I did a lot of soul searching to figure out where my boundaries with eco living are. At the end of the day, there are so many things outside of our control and the best we can do is just that- the best we can do! There is no need to beat ourselves up if we are already doing our best, and there are so many ways to live eco friendly besides refusing plastic straws. 💪 Just as you said, life comes at us in waves and our capacity for “zero waste” living also comes in waves. Thanks for this honest video. ❤

I have to face this all the time since I have celiac and have to buy certain things in plastic. So what can you do. Where ever I can I avoid it and do the best I can-like all the cleaners from a refill or a tablet and washing with washing ball. Also I switched my dog to insect based food and she loves it. It's great you make videos like this , none of us is perfect and that is A-ok. Happy holidays everyone

i love the honesty in this video.. but what i love MORE are your sleeves!!!!!

Since October, I haven't gone to my local bulk store and got the items that I would've bought there at the grocery store. This fall was a doozie health wise for my boyfriend and me and between depression, burnout, a surprise appendectomy and COVID, motivation and energy were at a all time low. We decided to prioritize our mental and general health until the end of 2022. In 2023, we will go back to our bulk store and ecofriendly habits. Thank you for this video and for opening the discussion on this topic. We can't be perfect all the time but if we are consistent most of the time, we can all strive to be better eco-warriors.

Omg , that blouse suits you so much , kind of a Three Musketeers look ! Its spectacular : )

I always feel badly around the holidays, where I just seem to make so many compromises to make foods that are traditional for my family or buy convenience foods to make the hectic season a bit more manageable. And the gifts. So much consumption. But you do what you can do and try not to beat yourself up for being imperfect!

Mostly I think I'm compromising a lot on zero waste when I'm hungry... then all I care about is eating *right now*, and plastic or not I'm just going to buy it. So I try to never shop when I'm hungry, and to always have a snack on me and anticipate, but sometimes it's just not working and I end up with plastic. But it's nice to hear that even if I'm imperfect it's still valid, because I do strive for perfection a bit too much !

Thank you for this video, I think it's really important for us all to remember that "best" is the enemy of "better" and that at the end of the day we are just humans. We do what we can with the information and resourced we have and that's all we can ask of ourselves!

Thank you for being so honest. I always feel super guilty when I’m less sustainable and it really helps to know that everyone feels this way sometimes ❤

Veganuary has resulted in a definite increase in my use of single use plastic. For 11 months of the year, there is a limited amount of specifically made vegan items in supermarkets. Then Veganuary happens and there are SO many things to try! and I really don't want to miss out. But practically everything is wrapped in plastic 😫

Excellent video Gittemary and thanks for your honesty. Unfortunately zero waste items can be more expensive than the non zero waste version so it can come down to the price which means zero waste isn't practical for everyone ( especially during a cost of living crisis). Love 🥰 the video and love 💕 Gittemary.

I'd suggest to just bring the clingfilm to your next tattoo appt :) they use it all the time to wrap newly inked skin

My husband and I normally eat completely whole foods and carefully planned this holiday season to be nothing but healthy choices as usual. It didn’t happen, not sure why other than we are human and have weaknesses. I too phased out all plastic from our kitchen and found my self having to buy a roll of plastic wrap, I feel guilt every time I open that cupboard, I think I will give it away. There are times in life when our situation is not ideal and we make choices that we normally don’t, so we need to have a little self love and carryon as best we can. You are a lovely person🥰and have been through a lot.

My motto for the past 6 months has been "all you can do is your best" and it's helped me a lot during the times I feel inadequate. I've said it so much my coworkers now say it lol.

Thank you for being honest and making a zero-waste lifestyle feel more attainable other than ambitious.

I too have struggled with finding an alternative for plastic wrap not only for food but DIY projects where I need some but I don't want to buy a whole roll. I was able to find some bits and pieces that helped. I take the fails and the wins and always strive to do better.

How nice of you to share this! am going through a similar thing and find i am low in my energy which makes me not very able to follow my ideal.

Everybody makes mistakes. That's the beauty of it, you can learn from those mistakes. Recently I bought hair oils in plastic bottles instead of glass ones. P.S. I got your book for Christmas 🤩

Even before I was low waste, I rarely used cling film... for most applications containers make more sense :) I think I must have purchased no more than 2 x 100m rolls in 20 years. I know the one in my cupboard is about 10 years old, it's good to keep around for first aid purposes (first aid courses always talk about it as an emergency non adherent would dressing). I only used it once this year, for the desserts I made for my family Christmas... some of that I brought home to reuse (I wash and dry it and save it in a zip lock in my pantry) and the rest was used to transport leftovers to my parent's place.

I have been taking a break from the internet because I needed to focus on myself recently. And as soon as I returned i am so happy to watch this and the other videos of yours that i missed. I am also really happy that you are giving yourself some breaks as well because sometimes it is all we need. We dont need to be perfect, we just need to try our best and sometimes it is ok to let go ❤️

Thank you for this video, it's so important to show that nobody is perfect and that making mistakes is not only okay, but a part of life, something that (as you said) we will repeat over & over! Love watching your videos :)

I'm sure you already thought of this, but instead of the cling film in that instance what about either corn husks or banana leaves. Corn husks are tied for tamales and have to be pretty tight before steaming them, so It feels like they'd work for that instance too. Look up a video on how to make tamales ^_^.

3:00 - oh that massively beautiful butternut squash that you are rescuing from the bin… it’s a total winner!!! Who would ever think to toss out such a butternut beauty??

Thank you for this video, your vulnerability and honesty are comforting to hear, and help me feel like I can still make a difference, even with my newfound limitations. I've struggled lately in my zero-waste journey, and many habits I'd cultivated over the past year I don't know that they'll be doable in my current situation. For the first seven or so months of this year, in addition to being mostly plant-based (starting my second full year as a vegetarian, mostly vegan) I started taking more steps to be more sustainable, from transitioning to buying almost exclusively secondhand to using shampoo/conditioner bars, a menstrual cup and some other sustainable products to using reusable produce bags and shopping for a few staples in bulk when I could. However, a few months ago I moved from the US to South Korea, to a small rural town, to teach English. While I am loving the location, there have been several challenges to sticking with the changes I'd just started feeling comfortable with at home. As far as I have seen there are no secondhand stores in town, and the majority of produce available in supermarkets is sold in plastic and/or Styrofoam. Korean cuisine and restaurants are heavily meat and fish based, so while I have been able to mostly stick to a vegetarian diet, I have sometimes found myself with products that had meat or gelatin, and was faced with either eating it or throwing it out. Thankfully those instances have been few, but truly vegetarian and vegan options are very limited here, and things that back in the US would be at least vegetarian here have gelatin or another meat industry byproduct in them. Another struggle has been buying secondhand; thankfully I've almost entirely avoided buying new clothes, and found some good clothing thrift shops in cities I visited (I had a field day, lol, and hope to go back) but things like dishes or household items and even some furniture I needed to buy new, and sometimes fairly cheap as well. Unfortunately I've also had to rely on buying online, and the packaging is usually plastic-heavy. And sometimes, I've compromised on buying a few things I didn't entirely need, but with the hope of making my space feel a little bit more like a home. All that said, I try to focus on what I have been able to keep up. Things I've been able to carry over are shampoo and conditioner bars; my menstrual cup; primarily vegetarian/vegan diet (I've found I cook vegan at home now without even thinking about it, though I'll still have occasional chocolate or ice cream), buying clothes mostly secondhand, and a few items I was able to bring from home and didn't need to buy new. I also try to be aware, when buying new, to buy "Made in Korea" where possible, and choose products with the intention of them lasting a long time. (I've had a bit of a weakness for buying chopsticks...though those I hope to keep for as long as they will last, hopefully many years.) And as I become more comfortable with the language and culture, I hope to incorporate some other more sustainable habits, such as finding reusable produce bags and planning around the farmer's market (unfortunately it runs only on select days and mostly while I'm at work, and I haven't properly planned to go, much less rely on that). I've also been almost entirely reliant upon public transportation; back home I needed a car. Regarding skin care, when I ran out of the products I'd brought from home, I did some research and found a brand that, while their products unfortunately come in plastic packaging, is a mostly-vegan brand, cruelty free, and with very conscious shipping packaging, so I am happy with using their products and supporting them. Having felt in a pretty good place in my sustainability journey back home, just to dive into an entirely new culture with many challenges in and outside of sustainable living, has been a bit overwhelming at times. Sometimes it feels like I've taken ten steps backwards from where I was. But, being able to step back, look at what I've managed to keep up, where I can still reasonably improve, and a few places where I may just have to admit it is not possible in my situation, is really helpful to my mindset and motivation to continue. Sorry for the mini-essay, but thanks for reading if you made it this far! ❤

Thank you for this video!!! Imperfect sustainability makes the whole movement so much more approachable ❤

Hi Gittemary, I hope you are doing well. When a huge life change happens it can be so hard and I think it's completely understandable if you "fail" sometimes. Crap. It's completely understandable if you fail when there isn't a huge life change. You're doing amazing and I hope the new year brings you much joy and you're able to find your new routines after you move. Take care hun and thank you for always being real on your channel 💛

Tamales are steamed in corn husks. I wonder if there is something similar to use for cabbage rolls.

When I lived in Costa Rica the locals would save the cheap plastic packaging to use for saran wrap like purposes

I have found that over Christmas everything we have is in packaging. The vegan cheese, the vegan garland or Wellington... I have felt awful about it but my plan is to start fresh in the new year and hopefully make a difference x

I totally feel you here Girl! Great video! 💚🌱🍀

Could you wrap the food to boil tightly in food grade muslin and string? That works for puddings etc and would be healthier than heating plastic plus the waste aspect. A piece of muslin should last a lifetime.

Just wanted to say i loveeee love love your outfit in this one Gittemary! thanks for being a realistic but also stylish queen xxx

Thank you for being real.

thank you for being so open and honest. the way i see it, it's a bit like the sea, it comes in waves. some waves are high (less zero waste) and some waves are low (zero waste). it's all okay as long as we continue to do our best the way we can in that moment.

I never noticed how ur eyes pop.. they look so green.. they r beautiful

I love what you said in this video. I don’t call myself zero waste because I feel like I make so many mistakes but I do try. It’s really hard when you don’t live near a bulk store and have no other options. Thank you for this and making me realise that I will make mistakes and it’s ok. As long as I’m trying and I am aware of the things I’m buying.

love this!

Hi! Loved this video. We are each doing our best. My husband wanted a meat dish for Christmas and I compromised . It’s not always easy and we have to forgive ourselves for not bring perfect. Have to be understanding 😢of each other. This for what you do 💚💚💚💚

This was a very important video. Life sometimes just hits harder and you have less motivation. I don't think it's sustainable to beat yourself up about it because we don't want this to be negative. It's better to give yourself some grace and gentle talk and when you feel up to it do more. I'm no way near zero waste. I am more: I know my waste and there fore I can maybe do better choiges but do to money or less options I'm ok to not be perfect. I'm way more likely then do the "right" thing when it doesn't feel like a sacrifice.

This video is really helpful 😁

Not that it matters since you already have cling wrap. But we have this Chinese dish that we wrap in bamboo leaves, wrap it really tight with twine and then steam it. It uses sticky rice so it comes out in a nice solid wrap of food, so I’m not sure if it will work with just cabbage. But maybe worth a try?

I found a compostable cling film in my country! I haven’t buy it yet, but I will because my mum uses it a lot

I love coke but I hate it... and its better that I hate it, but its easy to do so when I have an alternative: slovenian Cockta which is derived from herbs and therefore much more healthier (youtube doesnt let me link the page in the comments so just ecosia it ;) to find out if its available in you country) Gittemary im sorry, there is no store that sells cockta in denmark but maybe you can try some when you visit Germany :)

You are amazing 💜💜🙏🙏

Would a bamboo sushi wrapper work for your cabbage dish in future once you are out of cling film?

Steaming food in cling film is harmful for your health!!! Perhaps try using a bamboo rolling mat or silicone mat instead, and tie them up with cooking twine to tighten your wrap? Weight it down with a plate or something in the steamer? How about rice paper if you're worried about juices leaking out? Just some ideas off the top of my head. Stay safe!

Heey, first of all, you are amazing! Secondly, maybe i have an idea for the cling film problem? I often cook dumplings and they get wraped in a kitchen towel wrapped with a string and cooked.. maybe that would also work for cabbage? 🤔

When will you be moving to your new home? Loved this video

Will you do a 2022 goals video?

Stuffed cabbage - cotton thread 🧵☺️

They make compostable cling wrap now. I buy it to make tofu musubi to take to the beach.

In my childhood filled cabbage was steamed wrapped in a dishcloth...

There is something on Amazon (yes Amazon) that silicone cling film that you can cut to size.

maybe toothpicks can be an option for the cabbage dish?

Honestly, the cling film... It was my pet peeve for a LONG time, I wpuld get pissed if people brought me anything in it rtc. But I've given up on the beese-wax wrsps. I tried. I really, really tried but it just does not work for me and I'm trying to accept that that is just the way it is. Same goes for re-growth. I want it so bad but I cant get it working and my daughter and I have been sick on/off for 3 months (she's in kindergardwn and picks up e.v.e r.y.t.h.i.n.g!), so there's also been a lot of medical waste and convenience-greens which is prepared for use. Life happens and thankfully we can likely get back on track, 8ver time.

1 is hardly a fail. by all means its still a low impact purchase. 2 however indeed is controversial :)) no judgement, but i am now curious of the recipe that needed that :))

Videos like this are one of the reasons I really appreciate your content. A lot of spaces have such a heavy "if you don't do it perfectly you might as well not do it at all" perspective, and it makes it so easy to feel like it's not accessible if you arent doing it perfectly. For me, a place that I definitely failed over the holidays was in the plastics department, but it was with good reason so I don't feel too bad about it. We ended up having to drive 500 miles back from my parents house to our home on Christmas Eve because of severe power outages and needing to take care of our cats and my mom packed us a bunch of food (which I'm incredibly grateful for), and her method of packaging uses a lot of clingwrap and plastic bags. Normally I'd take the time to figure out better containers, but there were more important things happening in the moment than a bit of plastic wrap.

I have a muslin cloth for steaming things..Would that work for the cabbage dish?

My boyfriend live in France and me in Canada... So I need to fly a lot! And it's ok.

I found compostable cling film- But it might not be great for steaming?🤷🏻‍♀️

Cats are problematic when it comes to waste. Mine wont eat tinned food,and cat litter needs to be bagged up to go in a communal bin. It does require extra effort to be green. Even cauliflowers come in plastic. Why?

I'm really into skincare and beauty, so I always try to use better products and minimize my waste in those areas. It's important to me to find good alternatives of some stuff, but sometimes it's very hard. My natural deodorant journey has a lot of up's and down's throughout the years but lately I've really felt bad while using them, because I always had wet armpits after two hours and it also have smelled so I was very embarrassed and for now I've come back to the "normal" drugstore deodorant. I hope that one day I'll find natural deodorant that will feel good, but for now I've had to go on this compromise to just feel good mentally. If someone has any recommendations of natural deodorants I would really like to hear about them.

Hvordan er leveringsforhold til Danmark med Juicymarbles? Kan kun finde dem online: kommer der told m.v. på?

Con los empaques de tetrapack de leche de soya :(

Would love to see you go dumpsterdiving again!

Did you try unpacking in the grocery store. Maybe the result is not as environmentally friendly as recycling yourself, but it can serve signalling purposes. Just unwrap the broccoli in the shelf and leave the wrap there.