Becoming Less: Recent Episodes
Bizz McKilligan
Bizz chats with Guiscela about wasting water and the differences she sees with water usage in Canada vs Mexico.
Tips to reduce water usage:
- Turn tap off while brushing teeth
- Turn on only the hot water while waiting to heat and start using as soon as it warms up
- Water lawn before sunrise or after sunset
- Change lawn from grass to garden to grow food, or to something that doesn't require watering
- Shop less and/or shop second-hand (manufacturing requires water, too!)
- Use concentrated cleansers and drink flavours
- Check for leaks and running toilets
- Get/make a rain barrel
- Shower less often/shorter showers/skip the hair every other time
- Low flow toilets and shower heads
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks
- Reuse clean wastewater for plants
Things we talk about:
- Water isn't just used by using water directly, not just the water we see
- Direct uses:
- Drinking
- Cooking
- Water lawn/garden
- Shower/bath
- Indirect uses:
- Agriculture
- Food
- Raise animals
- Materials for building
- Materials for clothing
- Industrial use
- Make pretty much everything we use
- About 1,800 gallons of water are needed to produce the cotton in a pair jeans
- Processing materials such as paper and steel
- Energy
- Agriculture
- During a water shortage, often it's the individuals who are restricted, while large corporations can continue using as much as they want to produce non-essential products.
- Glaciers are receding - this is our water reserve!
- Lakes shrinking
- Oil spills can also affect water availability, and this can happen very quickly
- Direct uses:
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Claire chat about how doing your best doesn't mean doing everything and that creating a balance in your life is the key to sustainability.
Concepts:
- Focusing on one thing at a time
- Doing research before diving in
- Choosing to NOT do/use/have rather than finding an alternative
- Don't need to fit all your waste in a jar to be low waste
- Self care and self compassion
- Just DO. Doing something is better than nothing, even if it's small.
- Try to find the one thing with the biggest impact
- Try to find the simplest thing
- Take into consideration other people in your life when making changes
- New changes in life can mean going backward a bit
- New job, new baby, new home, etc.
Specifics:
- Public transportation
- Using it is the best way to make it better
- Strategically choosing where you live
- Size
- Location
- Efficiency
- Car share
- Cycling
- Meal planning
- Shopping for food in bulk
- Mending clothes
- Visible mending
- Compost alternatives to green bin for apartment dwellers
References:
- Spud - spud.ca
- Bulk Barn - bulkbarn.ca
- Communauto - alberta.communauto.com
- Bike Edmonton - bikeedmonton.ca
- Bulldog Razors - bulldogskincare.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Bri chat about consumerism and the importance of switching to a circular economy system.
Things we talk about:
- Composting toilets
- Glass and aluminum instead of plastic
- Reuse vs recycle
- Clothing fiber content
- Visible mending
- Valuing service, not just "stuff"
- Amazon hurts small businesses and the expertise they offer with their products
References we make:
- Earth's General Store - earthsgeneralstore.ca
- Compost S'Cool - edmonton.ca
- Blush Lane -blushlane.com
- Patagonia - patagonia.ca
- Fjallraven - fjallraven.ca
- The Dress Library - dresslibraryrentals.com
- Edmonton Tool Library - edmontontoollibrary.ca
- Indigo Proof - indigoproof.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Megan about maker hobbies like sewing, crafting, knitting, etc.. With maybe a little tangent on the joys of cat ownership.
Things we talk about:
- Getting creative with what we already have
- Not being afraid to experiment
- Sourcing the best materials available to us
- Using all the little pieces
- Making new things out of old things
- Buying used tools and equipment, especially when just getting started
- Normalizing second hand
- Repairing and dying to lengthen the life of our clothing
- What to do with "unusable" scraps
- "Recyclable" doesn't always mean it's recyclable
- Plastic spools replacing wooden spools
References we make:
- Natural Earth Paint - naturalearthpaint.ca
- Reuse Centre
- Website - edmonton.ca/reusecentre
- Facebook - facebook.com/edmontonreusecentre
- Bead Sweaters - pinterest.ca
- Yarn Ends Sweaters - ravelry.com/patterns/library/stash-dive-raglan
- Bizz's Scraps Hoodie - instagram.com/p/CTlA0WMMeOq/
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Lesley chat about many things, most of which revolve around the balancing act of doing what you can, not burning out, and avoiding the all or nothing mindset.
Things we talk about:
- Avoiding the all or nothing mindset
- Embracing minimalism in order to avoid over-cluttering
- Minimalism
- Experimenting with DIY options
- Certain DIYs have a cost savings, others definitely do not
- Problem with system that making clothes is more expensive
- Mindful creativity
- Everyone make a t-shirt, then think about how much you think it should be worth
- Trading/swapping/barter system
- Giving unwanted items directly to those who could use them rather than relying on thrift stores who throw out or export 80-90% of clothing they take in anyway
- Read more on cbc.ca
- Capsule Wardrobe
- The struggle with finding your "magic bra" or any other unreturnable undergarments
- Gift giving and receiving
- Surviving cycling in the winter
- Visible mending
References we make:
- Blenderz - blenderzgarmentrecyclers.com
- Girlfriend Collective - girlfriend.com
- Everlane - everlane.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Anka from Get Ruth to discuss more convenient options for becoming less with our periods.
Find Ruth:
- Website - getruth.ca
- Instagram - @getruth.ca
- LinkedIn Co-Founder - Anka Chan
- LinkedIn Co-Founder - Nicole Sanchez
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Steph about her kids thrift/consignment business, The Green Canoe Shop.
You can find Steph's kids' clothes at:
- Website - greencanoeshop.ca
- Instagram - @greencanoeshop
- Facebook - facebook.com/greencanoeshop
Other great Instagram accounts to find second hand kids clothes:
- Oak Forage - @oak_forage
- Prairie Littles Co - @prairielittlesco
- United Clothing for Motherhood - @unitedclothing4motherhood
- Blenderz Garment Recyclers - @blenderz_garment_recyclers
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Jennifer of Jennifer Bergman Weddings about how to become less while celebrating one of the most important days of our lives.
Find Jennifer:
- Instagram - @jbweddings
- Website - jenniferbergmanweddings.com
Things we talk about:
- Food - Buy local, use reusable dishes, find out where food waste goes
- Flowers - Buy as local as possible, buy in season, rent silk
- Decorations - No balloons, rent anything you can, use what you have
- Favors - Keep them personal, keep them plastic-free, or omit them altogether
- Attire - Buy used, rent, take dresses somewhere where they can be reused
- Location - Destination weddings have a huge footprint
- Size - Every additional guest means additional waste
References:
- The Dress Library - dresslibraryrentals.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Tracy about the idea of themed thrift stores.
Things we talk about:
- Our own ideas to incorporate second hand into our own businesses
- Second-hand pet supplies
- Second-hand fabric and sewing supplies
- What kind of themed thrift is already out there
- Cars. Pretty much just cars.
- Oh, and women's clothing
- Other ideas for incorporating second-hand into existing businesses
- Gyms and water bottles
- Kitchen appliances
- Coffee shop - mugs, etc.
- Working around the "low end" feel of thrifting, normalizing
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma chat about their own experiences doing home renovations and discuss ways to be less with our renovations.
Things we talk about:
- Use what you have
- Repair and freshen up before replacing
- Get materials used or other people's leftovers
- When buying new materials, aim for high quality that will last as long as possible
References we make:
- Reuse Centre - edmonton.ca
- Habitat for Humanity - Edmonton: hfh.org - Canada: habitat.org
- Buy Nothing Groups - buynothingproject.org
- Tool Library - Edmonton: edmontontoollibrary.ca - Everywhere else: Google It
- Kijiji/Facebook Marketplace/thrift stores and other such resources for used materials and items
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Waste Free Edmonton co-founder, Sean, about the city's proposed Single Use Items Bylaw and how this strategy will reduce waste in our city.
Find more on the proposed bylaw:
- City of Edmonton's Website - edmonton.ca
- Single Use Items PDF
Follow and connect with Waste Free Edmonton to stay updated on the SUI bylaw progress and more:
- Website - wastefree.ca
- Instagram - @wastefreeyeg
- Facebook - facebook.com/WasteFreeYeg
- Twitter - @wastefreeyeg
- YouTube - Waste Free Edmonton
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma chat about becoming less with our books, including some good reads for more information and ideas.
Things we talk about:
- Minimalism
- E-Readers
- Using old worn out books for crafts
- Libraries
- Little Free Libraries - littlefreelibrary.org
Books mentioned:
- Flaneuse - Lauren Elkin
- Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit - Jeanette Winterson
- Zero Waste Home - Bea Johnson
- The 100-Mile Diet - Alisa Smith, J.B. MacKinnon
- A Beautiful Constraint - Adam Morgan, Mark Barden
- Drawdown - Paul Hawken
- Why Shrinkwrap A Cucumber - Stephen Aldridge, Laurel Miller
- 101 Ways To Go Zero Waste - Kathryn Kellogg
Books not mentioned:
- Doughnut Economics - Kate Raworth
- This Changes Everything - Naomi Klein
- The Story of Stuff - Annie Leonard
- The Uninhabitable Earth - David Wallace-Wells
- Hope Matters - Elin Kelsey
More books on environment and sustainability:
-
- Goodreads - Environment
- Goodreads - Sustainability
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Ashley and AJ about their progress on their own journey to becoming less.
Things we talk about:
- Green and Gold Garden - greengoldgarden.com
- Eating vegetarian to reduce emissions
- Buying groceries in bulk whenever possible
- Buying groceries as local as possible
- Toiletries such as toothpaste (changetoothpaste.com), floss (kmhtouches.com), and shampoo (jack59.ca)
- Reduce driving - cycling as an alternative
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Sam Kriviak, a registered provisional psychologist who specializes in eco-grief.
Things we talk about:
- What is anxiety?
- What is grief?
- What is trauma?
- How do these tie in with environmentalism?
- If we do identify with one or more of these descriptions, what can we do?
- Where can we find help if we need it?
- Psychology Today - psychologytoday.com/ca
- Locations in Edmonton, some with sliding scale fees:
- YWCA - ywcacanada.ca or ywcaofedmonton.org
- Momentum Counselling - momentumcounselling.org
- Drop-In YEG - dropinyeg.ca
- Chat Lines. In Edmonton:
- Distress Line - 780-482-HELP(4357)
- Addictions and Mental Health - 780-424-2424
- Canadian Mental Health Association - cmha.ca or edmonton.cmha.ca
- Eco-grief specialists, such as Sam Kriviak or Catherine Forth here in Edmonton
Books we mentioned:
- Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb
- Hope Matters by Elin Kelsey
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Becca about how finding minimalism has enriched her life and how the journey is going so far.
References we make:
- Marie Kondo - konmari.com
- Rose City Organizing - rosecityprofessionalorganizing.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Cara chat about how becoming less can be challenging at work.
Things we talk about:
- Being the only person who's passionate about environmentalism
- Creating an environmental committee
- Low-hanging fruit such as recycling paper and cardboard, or not using single-use plastics
- Starting discussions with coworkers or, better yet, your boss
- Working for a business whose business model does not align with your values
- We all need to work, so find balance
References:
- Terracycle - terracycle.ca
- Psychology of Batman podcast - peterrollins.com/podcast
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Sarah from Blenderz Garment Recyclers about how much they've grown over the last couple years. They're moving into an even bigger location with some cool machinery upgrades.
Find Blenderz:
- Support their campaign for the upgrade - app.atbboostr.ca/offering/buildatextilerecyclingfacility
- Website - blenderzgarmentrecyclers.com
- Instagram - @blenderz_garment_recyclers
- Facebook - facebook.com/blenderzgarmentrecyclers
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Cara go over their biggest eco-wins from 2021 and discuss their goals for the upcoming new year.
What happened in 2021:
- Moved to new home
- Small means lower impact, close to work and amenities to reduce travel
- Reusable diapers
- So many diapers go to landfill every year, then the diapers can be passed on to someone else
- New Bike
- Purchased from small local business, had used bike first to see what features were good and bad before buying new, can now bike all winter
- Woodstove pellets for cat litter
- Bizz and Cara both do this!
- Composting
- Bizz takes compost to a friend's and Cara has the cart system in her new home
- Edmonton Cart Rollout
- Edmonton now provides pick up to detached homes for compost
- Bizz is now treasurer for Waste Free Edmonton
- WFE has SUPs bylaw in progress with the city
- Cara is now Climate Action Champion for her ward
- Begins her new role in 2022
- Switched to reusing growlers instead of recycling bottles and cans
Goals for 2022:
- Cara hopes to keep close tabs on what goes into her garbage and recycling with regular trash audits
- Bizz wants to start getting her chicken from a local butcher and plans on starting a side hustle that will reduce textile waste
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Cara talk about how voting with our dollar can create a demand for better ways to become less.
Things we talk about and references we make:
- How we spend our money controls the direction of the market
- Supporting businesses with good practices means a demand is created for more good practices.
- Supporting businesses with poor practices means a demand is created for more poor practices.
- Buying second hand does not create a demand up the chain
- Unless it's from a thrift store that has questionable practices
- Bunz trading app
- Buy Nothing app/groups
- Blenderz textile recyclers
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Cara chat about setting boundaries with others who may not see eye to eye with you on becoming less.
Things we talk about:
- Gifts - always a big topic
- Choosing to ride a bike
- Not using paper towels
- Bringing a container to a restaurant
- Composting - at home and at work
- Not accepting disposable diapers as a gift
- Getting a spouse/partner on board
- Which is more difficult to set boundaries with: friends, family or coworkers?
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with new co-host, Cara, about her tips on being an eco-mom.
Things we talk about:
- Reusable Diapers
- Reusable Wipes (See Sniffle Crate Pattern on Etsy)
- Diaper services
- Babies grow so quickly
- Get clothing second hand
- Get toys second hand, too
- Choose toys from natural materials, avoid things that take batteries.
- Formula
- Choose concentrates like powder
- Consider the materials that the formula comes in - metal cans are more easily recycled than a pouch or something with mixed materials
- Baby food jars are only reusable if you have a use for them - and you end up with A LOT
- Make your own baby food - it's just cooked, blended veggies
- Maternity clothes are temporary - borrow or get used
- Safety devices, such as car seats - know the history, or get it new. You don't want to skimp on safety!
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma continue their conversation about becoming less with their pets.
Things we talk about:
- Buying treats in bulk
- Make your own food
- Use bags from food and litter to line your trash bin
- Dryer lint is often still plastic
- Dehydrating treats
- Wood pellet litter
- Toilet training cats
- Clay litter requires strip mining
- Compostable bags require very specific environments to break down.
- Edmonton's composting facility requires BPI or BNQ rated bags (not BPA as I said in the podcast!)
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma chat about our pets and how we can still become less while being loving, doting owners.
Things we talk about:
- Grooming is important for health and reducing hair
- Dog toys are consumable items
- Try getting second-hand stuffed animals (if your dog destroys these, only allow supervised play. You don't want them swallowing the stuffing or eyes)
- Real tennis balls are bad for dogs' teeth
- Buy quality and/or natural materials - Check out:
- West Paw Design (Durable, recycled rubber)
- Honest Pet Products (Natural materials)
- Kong (Durable natural rubber)
- Harry Barker (Recycled and/or sustainable materials)
- Beco Pets (Natural rubber, recycled cotton)
- Cats generally don't need you to buy them toys. Find things around the house that might otherwise be thrown away.
- Dog clothing:
- For warmth, try finding used, otherwise buy sustainable and/or good quality that will last.
- For fun, the same, but remember to minimize the demand for new production.
- And that's all we had time for! Join us next week for Part 2!
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma chat about becoming less by giving gifts that were purchased second-hand.
Things to consider:
- Let others know that you are open to, and prefer, second-hand gifts
- Start the conversation. Ask others how they feel about it.
- Make sure your gifts are clean and in good condition.
- Sometimes the gift is INSIDE the second-hand item: plants in used pots, pictures in used frames, etc.
Second-hand resources:
- Buy Nothing Groups - buynothingproject.org
- Kijiji - kijiji.ca
- Facebook Marketplace - facebook.com/marketplace
- Nextdoor App - ca.nextdoor.com
- Thrift Stores
- Reuse Centres
- Garage Sales
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma talk about how to become less when we decide to upgrade our technology and other possessions.
References we make:
- The Minimalists Upgrade Rule - theminimalists.com/upgrade
- Kijiji
- Facebook Marketplace
- Most eco-friendly phone? The internet says Fairphone, though they do not appear to be available in Canada.
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emma chat about how Buy Nothing Groups can be a great tool to use on your journey to becoming less.
References we make:
- Buy Nothing Project - buynothingproject.org
- Kijiji
- Next Door - ca.nextdoor.com
- Mushroom Foraging Episode - Episode 68
- Mud, Sweat and Gears - mudsweatandgears.ca
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about Waste Reduction Week, which is a national week in Canada that is focussed on raising awareness for ways to be become less.
Waste Reduction Week - wrwcanada.com/en
- Monday - Circular Economy
- Tuesday - Textiles
- Wednesday - E-Waste
- Thursday - Plastics
- Friday - Food Waste
- Saturday - Sharing Economy
- Sunday - Swap and Repair
Other references we make:
- The Dress Library - @thedresslibrary_yeg
- Tool Libraries - @yegtoollibrary - wrwcanada.com/en
- Blenderz Garment Recyclers - @blenderz_garment_recyclers
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Emny from the Edmonton Tool Library about how sharing tools can help us become less.
Find the Tool Library:
- Instagram - @yegtoollibrary
- Facebook - facebook.com/yegtoollibrary
- Website - edmontontoollibrary.ca
- In person - 7308 112 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB
More Tool Libraries, or start your own:
- List of Tool Libraries in Canada
- Google It
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily chat about how to becoming less with our pumpkins this fall season.
All things pumpkin:
- Pumpkin carving - Google it
- Pumpkin gut recipes - Google it
- Pumpkin seeds - Google it scoop, separate, rinse, dry, oil, season, bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden, stirring often
- Pumpkin soup recipes - Google it
- Pumpkin smash parties - Google it and then host your own!
Other references:
- That "something centre"... yeah it was Salisbury at Enjoy Centre in St Albert - salisburygreenhouse.com, @salisburyatenjoy
- Loop Store - loopstore.ca
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with fellow Alberta Mycological Society member, Mel, to nerd out about mushrooms.
References we make:
- Alberta Mycological Society - albertamushrooms.ca
- From The Wild - fromthewild.ca
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about how budgeting can help on your journey to becoming less. (Let us know how many pairs of shoes YOU own!)
References we make:
- YNAB - ynab.com
- Heard It From Hannah - youtube.com
- Cleo - web.meetcleo.com
- Mint - mint.intuit.com
- EveryDollar - ramseysolutions.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Christa from Rose City Organizing about how decluttering and organizing can bring you peace and joy in your home on top of being good for the planet!
Find Rose City Organizing:
- Facebook: facebook.com/RoseCityOrganizing
- Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/theunclutteredconfidentwoman
- Instagram: @rosecityorganizing
- Website: rosecityprofessionalorganizing.com
References we make:
- Edmonton Tool Library: edmontontoollibrary.ca
- Marie Kondo: konmari.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily chat about how becoming less can be a bit of a challenge sometimes.
Things we talk about:
- Barriers to eco-friendly choices
- Getting into new habits or stopping old habits
- Being surrounded by people who don't care as much as we/you do
- Unintentionally making other people uncomfortable
References we make:
- Avacado Pit Art - Google It, seriously cool stuff
- Empathy Gap - wastefree.ca/becominglesspod
- Chirp Energy - epcor.com/products-services/encor/green-energy
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Emma from Waste Free Edmonton's Wine and Waste segment on Instagram Live!
Things we talk about:
- What to do with your old garbage bins when moving to an automated cart system.
- WFE's Wine & Waste - instagram.com/wastefreeyeg
- WFE's Blog - wastefree.ca/blog
- WFE's YouTube Channel - youtube.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about the empathy gap and how it creates a barrier for environmental habits.
Things we talk about:
- Empathy Gap (obviously) - Google It
- Epilator - Google It
- The Day to Listen, Downey Wenjack Fund - downiewenjack.ca
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily chats with her sister, Marianne, about some more zero waste fails.
Things we talk about:
- Lauren Singer from Trash is for Tossers - trashisfortossers.com
- Bea Johnsons, author of Zero Waste Home - zerowastehome.com
- Change Toothpaste - changetoothpaste.com
- Sew your own underwear. Or don't. That's probably the better option. - Google It
- Reducing your impact at death - Google It
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily chat about microplastics and why it's an important topic on the journey to becoming less.
Articles we reference in the episode:
- Tom Stanton from the University of Nottingham - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kIs3_1sAAAAJ&hl=en
- Microplastics found in placenta - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/22/microplastics-revealed-in-placentas-unborn-babies
- CORRECTION: The quote is: “You're eating, swallowing or breathing in about 2,000 tiny pieces of plastic each week, a new study suggests, an amount equal to the weight of one credit card.”- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/06/12/plastic-youre-eating-credit-cards-worth-plastic-each-week/1437150001/
- National Geographic on water treatment - https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/microplastics/
-
Tap water more regulated
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/bottle-vs-tap-7-things-to-know-about-drinking-water-1.2774182
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/should-you-drink-tap-or-bottled-water/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327395
Action items:
- Stop using single use plastics
- Install and maintain filters on your washer and dryer
- Be sure to dispose of your waste appropriately
- Opt for natural fibres for clothing
- Opt for sturdy materials for containers, such as glass
- Use a reusable water bottle
- Support efforts to stop waste and clean up what's already out there
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily chat about becoming less at the grocery store, or wherever you may get your food.
Things we talk about:
- Bring your own shopping bags (and produce bags)
- Shop in bulk
- Avoid single serving packaging
- Buy whole ingredients
- Shop local, such as at a farmer's market
- Get beer in growler refills
Businesses mentioned:
- El Gringo Tortilla Chips - elgringofoods.com
- Stylus - stylusfinepens.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about becoming less when it comes to freebies and giveaways. Do you want the thing, or do you want the thing because it's free?
Things we talk about:
- Freebies and Giveaways
- Business Cards - organize with a Rolodex or, better yet, snap a picture with your phone!
- Samples - only take samples of things you actually need and want to try. Opt for package-free when possible.
- Pens and other promo items - just say no. Your junk drawer has enough pens, lanyards, magnets, and keychains.
- Dentists and their tiny floss - just say no and go out and get:
- Change Toothpaste Tabs
- Flosspot at Carbon Environmental Boutique or Re:Plenish
- Bamboo toothbrush at any of the above ^^^
- Ice Cream and Popcorn are great low waste snack foods!
- Buy bulk, even for small quantities to try something new
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about the Cart Roll Out happening right here in Edmonton.
References and things we talk about:
- Find out more about the cart roll out - edmonton.ca/waste
- Food scraps pail liner tutorial - youtube.com/watch?v=SPH7A3sf_PI
- Story of Stuff - storyofstuff.org
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Allison about her business, The Dress Library, where you can rent dresses for special occasions, rather than buy something you will only wear once. She has also generously offered 20% off one rental if you mention you heard about her from Becoming Less!
Check out The Dress Library
- Website: dresslibraryrentals.com
- Instagram: @thedresslibrary_yeg
- Facebook: facebook.com/TheDressLibraryYEG
- Email: thedresslibraryyeg@gmail.com
Places to donate old clothes that are BETTER than thrift stores:
- Get the 211
- Suit Yourself
- Women's Shelters
- Youth Shelters
- Transition Houses
- Emergency Relief
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Vanessa from Jack 59 about her company's bar shampoos and conditioners and then get into some other low waste swaps.
Find Jack 59:
- Online - jack59.ca
- HQ - 3620 98 St NW, Edmonton, AB
- Store Locator - jack59.ca/pages/store-locator
- Email - vanessa@jack59.ca
- Phone - 780-270-0706
Other things we talk about:
- Lush - lush.ca
- Soap So Co - soapsoco.com
- Plant Based Diets - Google It
- Capsule Wardrobe - Google It
- Reusable Menstrual Products - Google It
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz's mom tells some embarrassing stories about her as a child and talks about some of Bizz's other childhood memories for Mother's Day.
Things we talk about:
- Hoarding vs not wanting to throw things away that could still be useful
- Buying new when you can't find the thing you know you have... somewhere!
- Toilet paper rationing
- Creating expectations and boundaries for gift giving
- Gift wrapping
- Letting things go
- Memories about experiences rather than things, creating traditions
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Sorry for the goofy sound in this one! Covid restrictions required an impromptu setup and it affected the sound.
In this episode, Bizz and Emily discuss the documentary Seaspiracy. Watch it. Keep an open and critical mind. Do your research. Then decide what path works best for you.
- Seaspiracy website: seaspiracy.org
- Scientific review of the documentary: inverse.com
- Cowspiracy website: cowspiracy.com
- Cowspiracy stats: vegannews.press
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Greg from the Westwood Community League about the Earth Day Community Clean Up.
Things we talk about:
- Westwood Community League - westwoodcl.ca
- Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues - efcl.org
- Capital City Clean Up - edmonton.ca/programs_services/capital-city-clean-up.aspx
- Big Bin Events - edmonton.ca/programs_services/garbage_waste/big-bin-events.aspx
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily and Bizz discuss how buying new stuff is not necessary to do many activities and hobbies.
Things we talk about include:
- Alternatives to buying new gear
- Borrowing
- Renting
- Repairing old gear
- Doing without
- Earth Day Cleanup - @wastefreeyeg
- Fast Shoe Repair - @fastshoe20
- Lemon vinegar cleaner - @obtusata
- Good Neighbour App - thegoodneighbourapp.com
- Tool libraries
- Jack 59 - jack59.ca
- Portlandia clip "Get the gear!" - youtube.com/watch?v=R3SFqV0hMyo
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily chats with her sister, Marianne, about more zero waste fails regarding hair care.
Things we talk about include:
- No poo
- PH
- Bar Shampoo
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about how Canada ranks on our waste habits and why it's important to become less.
For more information:
- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10163-015-0355-1.pdf
- https://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/environment/municipal-waste-generation.aspx
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/22/microplastics-revealed-in-placentas-unborn-babies
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/12/canada-united-states-worlds-biggest-producers-of-waste/39534923/
- http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2019/eccc/En4-366-1-2019-eng.pdf
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1168066/largest-waste-producing-countries-worldwide-per-capita/
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Olivia Adams on mental health, mindfulness, our connection to nature and more about each of our individual journeys to becoming less!
Find Olivia on Youtube at: youtube.com/user/oliviaadamsXD
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about becoming less by doing a trash audit to figure out what we can work on.
Things we talk about:
- Trash audits (obviously), and what we tend to find in our own trash
- Earth's General Store - earthsgeneralstore.ca
- Blush Lane - blushlane.com
- Boocha - boocha.ca
- Downtown Farmer's Market - yegdtmarket.com
- Patagonia - patagonia.com
- Fast Shoe Repair - facebook.com/Fast-Shoe-Repair-448995635205/
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Carly about the Free Spirit Company and her low waste, natural deodorant.
You can find the Free Spirit Company:
- Instagram: @findyourfreespirit
- Facebook: facebook.com/findyourfreespirit
- Website: findyourfreespirit.com
- Hashtag: #findyourfreespirit
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily and Marianne tell more stories about the trials and tribulations on the road to becoming less.
Things we talk about:
- Nudi Raven Mascara - nudigoods.com
- Routine Deodorant - routinecream.com
- Local Edmonton Refilleries:
- EcoChick - ecochickrefills.com
- Re:Plenish - replenishyeg.ca
- Carbon Environmental Boutique - carbonboutique.com
- Second City Coconut Oil Skit - youtube.com/watch?v=m4ONcxkBlPQ
- Oil on clothes in the dryer may cause fire (It's a thing!) - Google "dryer fire from oil"
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily discuss the recently released documentary Less Is Now by The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus.
Things we talk about:
- Less Is Now (obviously) - netflix.com/ca/title/81074662
- Goodwill - goodwill.ab.ca
- Popcorn as a low waste alternative to potato chips
- The Minimalism Game - theminimalists.com/game/
- Compost S'Cool - edmonton.ca/programs_services
- Loop Store comes to Canada! - loopstore.ca
- Revol Period Undies - revolundies.com
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with the owner of Fast Shoe Repair to learn about becoming less with our shoes.
Find Fast Shoe Repair at:
- 8652 118 Ave, Edmonton, AB
- Instagram - @fastshoe20
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about becoming less during that time of the month.
Things we talk about:
- Reusable Pads
- Period Underwear
- Menstrual Cups/Discs
- Diva - divacup.com
- Lena - lenacup.com
- Nixit - letsnixit.ca
- Weather Network Climate Tab
- Mascara
- Ere Perez - ereperez.com
- TOK - tokbeauty.ca
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Trevor about becoming less with technology and a baby on the way.
Things we talk about:
- Making your own mead/beer/wine
- Diaper service
- Happy Nappy - happynappy.ca
- Village Toy Share - thevillagetoyshare.ca
- Tech Repair
- Planned Obsolescence - Google It
- Smart Phone FOMO - Check out The Social Dilemma on Netflix
- Dumb Phones - Google it, or, better yet, try to buy used
- Bulldog Razors - bulldogskincare.com/, ignore the "for men" part. It's a razor.
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Corey from [Re]Waste about how he is taking unrecyclable plastic and turning it into new products.
Find [Re]Waste:
- Website: rewaste.ca
- Instagram: @rewaste.ca
- Facebook: facebook.com/rewaste.ca
- Twitter: @rewaste_ca
Things we talk about include:
- Beaumont Pilot Project
- Goodwill
- Q Hair Design
- Telus World of Science Edmonton
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about becoming less by slowing down.
Things we talk about:
- Kijiji, or generally buying second hand
- Walking/biking instead of driving
- Choosing slow hobbies for the enjoyment of the process
- Meditation
- YouTube
- Mason Jars
Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about becoming less while using the toilet.
Things we talk about:
- Bidets - Google it
- Sniffle Crate reusable tissues - Pattern and Template
- Who Gives A Crap - us.whogivesacrap.org
- Earth's General Store - earthsgeneralstore.ca/toilet-paper
- Family Cloths - Google it
- History of toilet paper - history.com/news/toilet-paper-hygiene-ancient-rome-china
- Jack 59 - jack59.ca/products/bamboo-hair-brush
- Rick and Morty
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily talks with her sister, Marianne, about bumps along the road to becoming less.
Things we talk about:
- Riding a bike instead of driving
- Buying in bulk
- Cleaning with vinegar
- Communicating with cohabitators
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about setting goals on our journey to become less.
Things we talk about:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear (Totally called it Tiny Habits! Whoops!)
- SMART Goals
- Adrienne, the Avant Gardener - floweringfootprints@gmail.com
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz chats with Sarah about becoming less with our textiles.
You can find Blenderz at:
- Facebook - facebook.com/blenderzupcycle
- Instagram - @blenderz_garment_recyclers
- Website - coming soon
Some things we chat about:
- Exporting clothing to other countries to deal with
- Thrift shopping
- Clothing swaps
- Circular systems
Some of the businesses Blenderz partners with:
- The House of Sew
- Life Preloved
- Cowabunga Clothing - cowabungaclothing.ca, facebook.com/cowabungaclothing
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bizz and Emily talk about becoming less in the shower.
Things we talk about include:
- Shampoo, conditioner and soap
- Lush - lush.ca
- Unwrapped Life - unwrappedlife.com
- Jack 59 - jack59.ca
- Shaving
- Safety razors
- Soap saving solutions
- Re:Plenish - replenishyeg.ca
- Liquid refill options (not actually mentioned, but worth noting)
- Re:Plenish - replenishyeg.ca
- Carbon Environmental Boutique - carbonboutique.com
- EcoChick Mobile Refills - facebook.com/ecochickrefillsedmonton
- Mushroom Packaging - mushroompackaging.com
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily and Bizz chat about becoming less for the holidays. Find your hygge Christmas!
Zero Waste Gifts:
Honing down your gift list, gift games so everyone only buys one gift, homemade gifts, thrifted gifts, gifts of experience, donations to charities, bar soap, baking, bring TP (preferably plastic-free, but it's something most people use anyway) to your next white elephant gift exchange (it also makes for a large gift and a good laugh).
Zero Waste Decorations:
Minimalism, popcorn strings, dried orange slices, cinnamon stick snowflakes, reusable and high quality/durability, pine bough wreaths and garland.
Zero Waste Trees:
Which is better, real or artificial? Reuse your artificial tree for as long as possible. Compost your real tree.
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping:
Gift bags (if you reuse them over and over), newspaper, save any paper bags you get, furoshiki.
Zero Waste Traditions:
Tree hunting, feasts, board games, candy cane lane and other lights displays, advent calendars with homemade chocolate.
For more info visit wastefree.ca or zerowastecanada.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bins are coming to Edmonton to make recycling easier for citizens and waste collectors alike! Learn what happens to some of your recycling after it has been collected and why you should really focus on the previous Rs of sustainability and why recycling is your last resort.
Donate to help reduce waste: wastefree.ca
Things we talk about include:
- Edmonton's New Cart Waste System: edmonton.ca/programs_services/garbage_waste/cart-rollout.aspx
- Edmonton Waste Management Tours: edmonton.ca/programs_services/garbage_waste/tours-and-presentations-for-the-public.aspx
- Waste Wise App: edmonton.ca/programs_services/apps_mobile/wastewise-app.aspx
- Itunes
- Blush Lane for milk refills: blushlane.com
- YNAB budgeting app: ynab.com
- Go Clean Co: gocleancoyyc.com
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
One of the most common household products, toothpaste, is a large contributor to landfill waste... UNTIL NOW!! Change Toothpaste talks about how and why they chose to create a toothpaste alternative that cuts out the tube!
Donate to help reduce waste: wastefree.ca
Things we talk about include:
Farmer's Markets:
- Sherwood Park Farmer's Market - sherwoodparkfarmersmarket.ca
- St Albert Farmer's Market - stalbertfarmersmarket.com
- Southwest Farmer's Market - swefm.ca
- Downtown Farmer's Market - yegdtmarket.com
- 124 Grand Market - 124grandmarket.com
Local Businesses:
- Maker's Keep - themakerskeep.com
- Optimum Health - optimumhealthvitamins.ca
- Vitality Health - vitalityhealthfoods.ca
- Blush Lane - blushlane.com
- Re:Plenish - replenishyeg.ca
- No Planet B Refillery - noplanetbrefillery.ca
- Eco Chick Refills - ecochickrefills.com
- Arturo Denim - arturodenim.ca
ATB Boostr Campaign - atbboostr.ca
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Sometimes it's nice to just have a casual chat about waste with a friend over a warm cup of hot chocolate. That's exactly what we did!
Donate to help reduce waste: wastefree.ca
Some things we talk about:
- Cycle Logic - cycle-logic.com
- Mud, Sweat and Gears (Okay, so we don't actually talk about them, but it's where I actually wound up going) - mudsweatandgears.ca
- Kind Ice Cream - kindicecream.ca
- Blush Lane - blushlane.com
- Boocha - boocha.ca
- Reusable Tissues - Free Pattern & Templates
- Reusable Qtips - Last Swab
- The Good Neighbour App - thegoodneighbourapp.com
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Recycling is not all it's cracked up to be! And definitely not something we should rely on as an answer to saving the planet. Emily is passionate about recycling and the knocks down some of the myths behind the legend.
Donate to help reduce waste: wastefree.ca
Things we talk about:
- What does the City of Edmonton accept in your blue bag?
- edmonton.ca
- What is "downcycling?"
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downcycling
- Why Plastic Identification Codes are not "Recycling symbols"
- plasticsoupfoundation.org
- Ethanol
- Where does it come from? edmonton.ca
- What is it good for? nrcan.gc.ca
- What percent of plastic gets recycled? (We got the number right, by the way!)
- oceana.ca
- What is the Waste Wise App
- Google Play
- Apple
- Why doesn't China want our garbage?
- globalnews.ca
- What does the Sims have to do with an eco-friendly lifestyle?
- terrainforma.ca/189
- Why you should write to Bulk Barn (or other bulk store).
- Ask Bulk Barn to bring back reusables! bulkbarn.ca/en/Contact-Us
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Stuck at home? Who isn't these days?! Let Rosanna come to YOU to refill your regular household goods such as shampoo and conditioner, dish soap, tooth paste tabs, etc..
Find The Refill Chick at:
Facebook: facebook.com/ecochickrefillsedmonton/
Website: www.ecochickrefills.com
Email: ecochickrefills@gmail.com
Call/Text: 780-271-4992
Donate to support waste reduction efforts: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Repairing is a great way to prolong the life of our possessions for as long as possible! We chat about different things we have repaired as well as things we maybe aren't so good at repairing ourselves and suggestions for where to take those things.
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Thing we talk about:
- 8:38 - Sashiko
- 9:00 - Boro Stitching
- 9:35 - Hand Embroidered Bee (As learned from Sue Spargo)
- 11:08 - Planned obsolescence (In economics and industrial design, planned obsolescence (also called built-in obsolescence or premature obsolescence) is a policy of planning or designing a product with an artificially limited useful life, so that it becomes obsolete (i.e., unfashionable, or no longer functional) after a certain period of time. - Wikipedia)
- 18:00 - Yeti Mug
- 21:37 - Keep Cup
- 22:14 - Modular (Constructed with standardized units or dimensions for flexibility and variety in use. - Meriam Dictionary)
- 29:38 - Repairathon (on Facebook.com/YEGrepairathon/ and Instagram @yegrepairathon)
- 33:36 - Singer Patcher
- 35:10 - Indigo Proof (Denim repair @indigo_proof)
- 35:47 - Shoe Goo
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Brittany tells us all about The Village Toy Exchange: a subscription program for toys so that your kid (or maybe you adults, if you're into Lego or board games) gets new toys each month without causing more manufacturing of toys, especially those made of plastic.
Contact Brittany and The Village Toy Share at:
Website: www.thevillagetoyshare.ca
Instagram: @thevillagetoyshare
Email: info@thevillagetoyshare.ca
Call/text: 587-545-4273
Donate to support waste reduction: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
The Government of Canada just announced which single-use plastics (SUPs) will be banned in 2021! We discuss which items will be banned, how they chose these items, and, of course, go on a few tangents.
Donate to support waste reduction efforts: wastefree.ca
Things we talk about:
- Learn more about the ban:
- Canada Climate Change Action Plan: bit.ly/31lQWw1
- CBC News Article: bit.ly/37vP9bJ
- Garbage-Wearing Dude: https://youtu.be/9vCstrZ7ilk
- Bulk Barn Reusable Containers Program
- https://www.bulkbarn.ca/reusable-container-program/
- Contact them to tell them you want reusables back: https://www.bulkbarn.ca/en/Contact-Us
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Halloween is going to look a little different this year. So why not build some new habits! Let's try to make this Halloween the least wasteful yet!
Donate to support waste reduction efforts: wastefree.ca
Some things we talk about:
- Costumes from thrift stores
- Upcycling for decorations
- Treat swaps instead of trick or treating
- Focusing more on the "tricks" and the fun of it, rather than the candy
- What we think will be the costume that everyone will dress up as this year
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Emily and Bizz talk about what we GAIN from reducing our waste!
Donate to support waste reduction efforts: wastefree.ca
Some things we talk about:
5:40 - The Good Neighbour App: thegoodneighbourapp.com
6:15 - Fruit Rescue: operationfruitrescue.org
7:45 - Apple Sauce Contraption:
(PS: If anyone has one of these that they don't want anymore, please give/sell it to Bizz)
14:30 - MOOC: mooc.org, wiki for more info on MOOCs
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Bike Edmonton is a registered non-profit society dedicated to making everyday cycling in Edmonton safer and more widespread by providing bicycle services, education, and civic representation. They promote the bicycle as a healthy, economical, and ecologically sound mode of transportation.
I chat with Alex, Bike Edmonton's manager at the downtown location. He gives us the lowdown on their history, mission and his role within it.
Donate to support waste reduction efforts: wastefree.ca
Learn more about Bike Edmonton: bikeedmonton.ca
Email Bike Edmonton to inquire about volunteer opportunities: info@bikeedmonton.ca
Find out more about Bike Cooperatives in general: bikecollectives.org
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)
Meet Emma, one of Waste Free Edmonton's volunteers. We chat about the joys and challenges of living a low waste lifestyle with kids and school.
Donate and learn more about Waste Free Edmonton here: wastefree.ca
Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram)
Biking! Whether it's commuting to work or spending the day outside with friends, biking is a great option! We talk about our experiences with cycling in Edmonton and other things including:
Bike Edmonton: https://bikeedmonton.ca/
Strava: https://www.strava.com/
The Good Neighbour: https://www.thegoodneighbourapp.com/
If you thought minimalism was just about white rooms with a single plant and no furniture, click link in bio to listen to this episode explaining minimalism from a low-waste lifestyle perspective. we talk about many topics under the clothes, laundry, to-do lists, Christmas, gifts... all a little too briefly, but it gives a good scope of what Minimalism is. We will likely come back to this topic again and again.
Some things we talk about include:
Marie Kondo - https://konmari.com/
The Minimalists - https://www.theminimalists.com/
Binding babies - https://doohikeydesigns.com/collections/binding-babies
Avocado Seed Art
Thank you to everyone choosing a reusable mask whenever possible. Your choice is reducing the environmental impact of COVID and making disposable medical masks more available for front-line workers who need them most. @WasteFreeYEG wants to showcase your reusable choice and encourage others to do the same. Help us spread the reusable message by posting a photo of yourself wearing your reusable masks and include the following message:
“I am choosing to wear a reusable mask whenever possible to reduce the environmental impact of Covid-19 and to make disposable medical masks more available for front-line workers who need them the most. I purchased my reusable mask (locally) from ________ #YEGmasks #wastefreeyeg
I nominate @1 @2 @3 to repost this message along with a photo of themselves wearing their reusable mask. Repost this using #YEGmasks and #wastefreeyeg and be entered to receive 2 upcycled reusable masks from @earthwarriorlifestyle for your personal use or request that @wastefreeyeg donate them to organizations in need, such as @themustardseedyeg or @bissellcentre.”
Pee meme:
- https://www.reddit.com/r/CoronavirusMemes/comments/gaocga/wear_your_mask_the_urine_test/
Local Face Masks:
- Earth Warrior Lifestyle - https://earthwarriorlifestyle.com/
- House of Seven Collective- https://www.instagram.com/houseofsevencollective/
- Little Bean YEG - https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/LittleBeanYEG
- Love Blush Creations - https://love-blush-creations.myshopify.com/
- Mask Makers YEG - https://www.facebook.com/groups/581252932473211/
- Everyday Mask - https://everydaymask.ca/
Mask making patterns and tutorials:
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-make-cloth-face-covering.html
- https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask
- https://www.creativebloq.com/news/how-to-make-a-face-mask
- https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/
- https://www.sewcanshe.com/blog/5-free-diy-face-mask-tutorials-using-fabric
- https://thecraftyquilter.com/2020/03/versatile-face-mask-pattern-and-tutorial/
No-Sew Face Masks:
- https://sarahmaker.com/how-to-make-a-no-sew-face-mask-with-at-home-materials/
30 Day Minimalism Game:
- https://www.theminimalists.com/resources/
Marie Kondo:
- https://konmari.com/
I may have exaggerated the Star Trek thing just a tiny bit… As of 2016, Star Trek had six TV series and 12 feature films. If you were to watch all of those outings back to back, without stopping, it would take you 23 days, 16 hours, and 16 minutes. Since 2016, there have been three new series, Discovery, Picard, and Lower Decks, and also Short Treks, to boot!
Mark is sure to inspire the composter in you! Mark talks about different types of compost for anyone from the avid gardener to the apartment dweller. He digs into how to keep your compost progressing as quickly as possible whilst avoiding pests and smells. I encourage everyone to go visit Compost S'Cool in the heart of the river valley and check it out in person. It's such a beautiful place!
Donate to support waste reduction efforts at wastefree.ca.
Learn more about Compost S'Cool: https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/landscaping_gardening/compost-education.aspx
Visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CompostScool/
Wanna get into sewing? Opt for a used machine instead of buying new. The oldies are often hardier and simpler than new machines and you'll be giving it a new life, rather than see it go to landfill!
Find Paul and take advantage of his services at https://www.facebook.com/PDHSewing/
As always, you can donate to help reduce waste at wastefree.ca
You're an environmentalist, Harry! And we perform magic! Sometimes, though, we have to walk among the non-treehuggers and can't risk exposing our world, lest we start a conflict.
Pretty proud that I kept my waste down to four tea bags and a bandaid for the two-night back-country trip. But I also watched other campers throw their individual plastic meal packets directly into the fire.
Donate to help reduce waste at wastefree.ca
Find all the ways to listen and connect at linktr.ee/becominglesspod
One of the most frustrating things about COVID-19 (you know, other than the disease itself) is the fact that we can't use reusables such as mugs, grocery bags and bulk containers. This is having a terrible impact on the waste reduction movement. We are trying to protect ourselves from a current crisis, only to be contributing to a possibly even more threatening crisis in the future.
Support Waste Free Edmonton here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DC8U8JHCPFCVC&source=url
Read the document about resuables being safe here: https://bioplasticsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Reusable-Safe-Statement.pdf
Write to businesses you [want to] patronize regularly and let them know you want reusables back! Leave reviews! Call them out on social media! Let's not get through one emergency just to create another.
Do your best with what you have available. I may not be eating a lot of chocolate or drinking a lot of lattes right now, but self-care is important, however that looks to you! (I have spent a lot more time exercising. Hmmm... maybe this has been good for me...)
Plastic Free July is a global movement to reduce plastic pollution. We talk about the challenge, changes we've made in our lives, how to find more information and some other little random tidbits.
Support Waste Free Edmonton at wastefree.ca or becominglesspod.podbean.com
Things we talk about include:
Plastic Free July - plasticfreejuly.org
Atomic Habits - jamesclear.com/books
Adidas FutureCraft: www.adidas.ca/en/futurecraft?consent-level=2
10 years ago getting an eco-friendly business off the ground may have been much more difficult. Karina tells us her story and talks about how her passion hasn't died, regardless of the obstacles she faced. There is a shift happening... slowly. It's so nice to see some green businesses flourishing now, even through a pandemic.
Donate to support Waste Free Edmonton by going to wastefree.ca or visit us at becominglesspod.podbean.com for more episodes and other ways to reach out!
Greenaholic: https://www.facebook.com/Greenaholics/
When we think "reuse" most of us think of reusable items like water bottles and grocery bags, but let's talk about the impact of those reusable items and how the "reuse" branch of sustainability can be applied in other ways.
Things we talk about:
Donate to Waste Free Edmonton at becominglesspod.podbean.com or wastefree.ca
Single-Use Plastics Ban, Edmonton: https://wastefree.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WFE-SUP-Bylaw-Provisions.pdf
Single-Use Plastics Ban, Canada: https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1534921795978/?jwsource=cl
Embedded energy in reusable straws: https://www.appropedia.org/HSU_straw_analysis
Sometimes it can be really hard to choose between meeting deadlines and holding true to your values. I believe the pendulum of convenience has swung too far. I held true (with some amount of trepidation that people would be disappointed in the gap in episodes) to finding a used cable, rather than running out and buying one new, when I know there are so many already out in the world.
A new co-host has joined the Becoming Less team! Emily is a Waste-Free Edmonton volunteer and is just as enthusiastic about waste reduction as I am! We talk about how we came to find our passion for reducing waste, and get to know each other a little bit, as the two of us only just met. You will be able to hear Emily's angelic voice every couple of weeks going forward. Welcome to Becoming Less, Emily!
If you would like to support waste reduction efforts, please consider donating at wastefree.ca or becominglesspod.podbean.com
Things we talk about include:
8:55 - Muttart Conservatory
13:50 - “Agrology is the branch of soil science dealing with the production of crops. The use of the term is most active in Canada. Use of the term outside Canada is sporadic but significant. The term appears especially well established in Russia and China, with agrologists on university faculty lists and agrology curricula.” Wikipedia
32:03 – Transcend Coffee
38:38 – Jack59
43:12 – Arturo Denim Co.
46:43 - Waste Free Edmonton
Let’s hone in on the second R of Sustainability: Reduce
Some things we talk about are:
Car emission stats:
- https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle
- https://dashboard.edmonton.ca/stat/goals/yujd-4pdd/etge-hz36/kmuu-rpk6#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Edmonton's%20total,of%20Edmonton%20increased%20by%203%25.
- https://dashboard.edmonton.ca/stat/goals/yujd-4pdd/etge-hz36/vtyt-psky
Capsule wardrobe: https://www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/thinking-sustainably/what-is-a-capsule-wardrobe-who-does-it-benefit-and-how-to-adopt-#:~:text=Environmental%20Benefits%20of%20a%20Capsule%20Wardrobe&text=The%20purpose%20is%20for%20those,waste%20to%20landfills%20every%20year.
Marie Kondo: https://konmari.com/
I chat with my eco-friend Ashley about her trip to Korea, renewable energy, and the impacts of eating meat.
So it's not his Facebook page, but here is Alex Honnold's (mentioned in this episode) list of environmental book recommendations, which is probably better than Facebook anyway!
And some more information about St Albert's Electric Buses.
We focus in on the first of the six Rs of Sustainability: Refuse.
Learn more about the 5 Love Languages
Learn more about the Single-Use Plastics Ban
Donate here to support waste reduction efforts in Edmonton, Alberta.
I interview Kelly Henry, a music teacher and my friend, and find out some views on waste from the perspective of a teacher. We talk about Covid-19's effect on things like farmer's markets, the struggles of living in a cold climate and how that makes it difficult to resist the car, and more! Check it out!
Support me here in my efforts to reduce waste locally in my city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and throughout the world! Think globally, act locally!
I recently watched The Story of Plastic, a beautifully done documentary about plastic and how it needs to be halted at every step, not just the end of life stage. Check out my response to the film and then go watch it for yourself, if you haven't already!
Support me here
Check out the Story of Stuff and watch all their videos!
Noun. nibling (plural niblings) (uncommon) The child of one's sibling or of one's sibling-in-law (in other words, one's niece or nephew), especially in the plural or as a gender-neutral term.
On Mother's Day weekend, I had a conversation with my mom about her views on the environment.
The statistic we mention from Story of Stuff is actually 99%, and you can find it at about the 11 minute mark here: https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/ I would like to mention that this includes everything extracted, and therefore is somewhat misleading, as it includes all our food and other consumables. So if we just regularly buy consumables like food and whatever energy source we are using to heat our homes, I imagine that number would be close to that high anyway, since we wouldn't be accumulating stuff like clothes and trinkets so quickly.
The image for this episode is an oldie, but a lovely memory I have with my mom splashing our feet in a kiddie pool.
Do you get stressed out in the morning because you don't know what to wear? Do you have multiple closets and dressers stuffed full with clothes? Textile waste is a serious issue. Consider paring down your wardrobe to essentials that can mix and match!
Boomerang Bags Sewcial, deodorant, hidden gems in yeg, borrowing, honesty. * I found out afterwards that the plastic seal on the floss is PLA bioplastic. So if you have the facilities available to compost it, please do!