The "What if"

For a recent speaking engagement, I had to spend the night in a hotel. I had work to finish up and I thought about ordering room service for dinner, but the disposables that are now used (e.g., plastic wrap on the dish, individual condiments, glass cap, etc.) dissuaded me to eat in. I went down to the restaurant, computer in hand, and set myself up in a dining booth. I was planning on having  a productive dinner...

A few minutes later, a woman sat down three tables away, and in a shrill voice, shared her cell phone conversation with the rest of us: "Yeah, I suck at emails", "Just make sure you bring enough booze", "This is going to be so much fun". It was simply impossible to ignore her conversation. At the end of her meal, she called the waiter: "I would like to take that glass of wine to my room. Do you have a cap for it? I would not want to spill on my pants!". So much for not to ordering room service to save a cap, I thought to myself. But beyond my innate sarcastic thinking, her request struck me. On my way back to the room, I reflected on the need for that cap, along with the piles of paper napkins that get handed out at the fast food joints (in case we spill), the cone holder at the ice cream parlour (in case the bottom leaks out), the plastic sleeves at the dry cleaner's (in case we dirty our shirts on our way home), and the long list of unneeded service items enumerated in my book.

I asked myself:  Has our society become so fearful of the "What if" that it has to apprehend any eventuality "Just in case"?

If that lady could have transported her wine back - sans cap - to her room without spilling on her pants, wouldn't it mean that the cap that she ordered "just in case" is a waste? A waste of the natural resources required to make the cap?

Our fear of the "What if" extends beyond the service industry: Our society hoards countless items justified by the "Just in Case" at home too. We're so afraid of being in need that we hold onto items that we rarely use, and often never will. "What if" is the number one pretext that I hear on the job.

Here are some examples:

• A common wardrobe carries clothing reminiscent of earlier days - What if ponchos come back in style?, slimmer days - What if I loose weight?, and hopes of being invited to a fancy affair - What if I am invited to a wedding?
• A kitchen shelf, full of sleek martini glasses - What if I want to throw a soiree?
• A medicine cabinet, a plethora of remedies for potential conditions - What if my rash comes back?
• In the garage, we find a knee brace - What if I tear a ligament again? and golf clubs - What if I am invited to play golf? 
• A woman's purse, hand sanitizer - What if I needed to wash my hands?
• Under the bed, sometimes a gun - What if a burglar broke into my home? (in Europe, while it is uncommon for Europeans to own guns, it is not uncommon for them to want to keep things "just in case there is a war again")

People like to share with me that they recently started using something that they had kept for 20 years. "See, Bea, it was worth keeping all these years!" Was it? Overtime the bulk of such belongings required the purchase of a bigger house, a bigger closet, a bigger garage, a bigger attic; it had to be moved from house to house; it required storing and organizing... sometimes it even requires the rental of a storage unit! Storage facilities thrive on ours fears of letting go -and our forgetting the automatic monthly fee.

Of course, one has to practice common sense and  preparedness when living in a disaster prone region. We have an earthquake kit on hand, for example. But beyond that, the true need for everything that we own, down to measuring spoons has been questioned. I mention measuring spoons because they're the last items that I was holding on to "just in case", and I recently let go... My reason being: If my mom does not need them, why would I? Throughout my years of simple living, I have learned that none of the things I have given up are missed and I have come to trust that for each object that I let go, an alternative solution lies within the few necessities that I own (our existing flatware has replaced measuring spoons, for example).

Next time you're stuck on the "What if I need it?", allow yourself to question the other "What if":

"What if I did not need it?" Because, chances are, you won't! Free yourself of that fear, free yourself from the stuff that you do not truly need: The simple life is not scary, it's liberating. Trust that a minimum is enough, trust that you can transport a glass of wine back to your room without spilling on your pants ;)

Now is an ideal time to give back to the community, to boost the secondhand market by letting others have access to those resources, by making them available to holiday shoppers. Is any one out there ready to let go of black raingear, size 14 boys ;)?

What are you hanging onto by fear of needing it?

A word on Heirloom Guilt

My grandmother's pot inspired
my home's orange touches

"For you, [Bea] you are on a different level, 'Zero waste' means you have to eliminate even mementos and pictures. To each their own, but it's not a road I am willing to go down." - Sam.

Come on now, let's not exaggerate, I have reduced mementos, but have not eliminated them, and especially not pictures! I cherish them so much that I have even scanned most of them to keep them safe from deterioration and loss.

What I did eliminate from my life though, is heirloom guilt, that is the guilt associated with letting go of heirlooms by fear of:

• Forgetting our ancestors,
• Disappointing our ancestors,
• Not conforming to the tradition of passing down,
• Erasing a family story,
• Lowering one's financial worth ("I can't sell it for what it is worth").

I believe that we do not need things to remember our lost ones. But everyone is free to do what feels right. I feel right having chosen not to hold onto anything that belonged to my grandpa, even though I loved him dearly. I get reminded of him everyday when I get lost into the blue of Max's eyes, when I see Leo's "derriere" that sticks out (a family trait), and when I wear my boots with metal heel plates (he wore them too and I can hear my grandpa walking in my shoes).

As with everything else, I applied the 5R's to guide the way I deal with heirlooms:

Refuse: Say no while you can. Being proactive is a big part of our lifestyle. Thinking of outcomes and addressing them before the time comes (in this case a family death) is key: My living parents already know that I am not interested in inheriting their stuff. I have just what I need and I like what I have. End of story. A hundred years ago, it might have made sense to pass down a good set of china to support a struggling young couple. But with today's consumerism, that same set of China no longer supports, it clutters.

Reduce: Stick to one box per family member. Letting go of the pieces you can part with, helps keep the amount under manageable control. Sell the coin collection and take a trip with the proceeds. Wouldn't your mother agree? In the hospice, dying people do not mention regretting leaving their coin collection behind, they regret not going after their dreams (Bonnie Ware, who worked for years nursing the dying, wrote about a great article on "5 Regrets of the Dying"). Maybe their unfulfilled dream can fund or kick start yours!

Reuse: Use Your Heirlooms. I do not need to store my grandmother's pot, I can actually use it (it even inspired my home's orange touches!). I think my grandmother would be happy to know that I have not let the pot clutter my life (stored for safekeeping somewhere, using up expensive real estate), she would be thrilled to know that I am actually using it. After-all, it is not the stuff that she left behind, but the memories and the stories that we share, that matter.

"The last thing I want is for someone else to have to throw away my junk! I'd rather leave only memories and skills behind" - Anonymous.

Recycle: Turn worn-out items into something else; make bulk bags out of an old sheet for example or plant flowers in your grandfather's boots. All my kitchen towels are made from an old linen sheet from my grandmother. I am using her thrifty ways (a skill that I did happily inherit from her) to use every inch of it.

Rot: If I run into another lock of hair, it's definitely going into the compost!

I can affirm that for me, the biggest advantage of living a lifestyle of voluntary simplicity has been a great improvement in quality of life, but also freeing myself from heirloom guilt. I believe that when parents pass something down, they do not mean to burden us or instill guilt, they just want to make a gesture that they think is mandatory. But once it’s yours, it’s your choice to do whatever you want with it. It's a free country, right?!

Do you feel burdened by heirloom guilt?

How to Get Started

I recently wrote an article for Yes! Magazine, which included 10 tips for a Zero Waste Household. I thought I would share them with you. These tips happen to summarize the lifestyle perfectly and are a great (and much needed) "How to Get Started" for the blog. It's a good review for those of you who are already well down this path too.

____________

The zero in "zero waste" makes it sound scary and hard to achieve. It is actually not as as hard as it seems, and it is as simple as following these Five R's, in order:

• Refuse what you do not need.
• Reduce what you do need.
• Reuse by using reusables.
• Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse.
• Rot (compost) the rest.

Refuse
1. Fight junk mail. It's not just a waste of resources, but also of time. Register to receive less at dmachoice.org, optoutprescreen.com and catalogchoice.org.
2. Turn down freebies from conferences, fairs, and parties. Every time you take one, you create a demand to make more. Do you really need another "free" pen?

Reduce
3. Declutter your home, and donate to your local thrift shop. You'll lighten your load and make precious resources available to those looking to buy secondhand.
4. Reduce your shopping trips and keep a shopping list. The less you bring home, the less waste you'll have to deal with.

Reuse
5. Swap disposables for reusables (start using handkerchiefs, refillable bottles, shopping totes, cloth napkins, rags, etc.). You might find that you don't miss your paper towels, but rather enjoy the savings.
6. Avoid grocery shopping waste: Bring reusable totes, cloth bags (for bulk aisles), and jars (for wet items like cheese and deli foods) to the store and farmers market.

Recycle
7. Know your city's recycling policies and locations—but think of recycling as a last resort. Have you refused, reduced, or reused first? Question the need and life-cycle of your purchases. Shopping is voting.
8. Buy primarily in bulk or secondhand, but if you must buy new, choose glass, metal, or cardboard. Avoid plastic: Much of it gets shipped across the world for recycling and often ends up in the landfill (or worse yet, the ocean).

Rot
9. Find a compost system that works for your home and get to know what it will digest (dryer lint, hair, and nails are all compostable).
10. Turn your home kitchen trash can into one large compost receptacle. The bigger the compost receptacle, the more likely you'll be to use it freely.

And remember: You're not alone. Come here to share your experience with like-minded individuals, check out the tips page and post your questions in the forum's page.

Thank you for being open to change!

30 Ways to wear a long skirt - Day one

Sorry for not posting in a while: I have been working overtime in translating (and adapting) my book to French and answering the demands and interest of international media (a great sign that the word of Zero Waste is spreading and the world intrigued by change!) .

In the midst of that, I made my annual trip to Europe. I will be here for 30 days, mixing work and pleasure, and as you guessed it, I am taking on a challenge similar to last year's: Wearing a long skirt 30 different ways.

Presenting to you:  The skirt. Long, black, slit in the back, made of a matte jersey knit (for some reason, the pictures make it look shiny) and fitted (I took it in at the seams to fit me).

To allow for maximum versatility and accommodate a variety of climates (from cold/rainy to hot/dry) and events (from hiking to TV appearances), I brought 4 tops, 3 bottoms, 5 pairs of shoes and 3 toppers (all naturally fit in my carry-on, along a jar with our year's trash (long story).

Everyday, I will post a different way of wearing the skirt through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Today is Day One: Strapless dress with a side slit.

A personal revelation



Easter Fun by Bea Johnson

For the artist worrying about the impact of Zero Waste on art-making, I thought I would share a personal story.

Five years ago, my artwork was showing in seven galleries at once. I had an inventory, hundreds of frames, dozens of unpainted canvases, gallons of paint, countless brushes, and loads of miscellaneous art materials stored in the studio. I was proud of my clientele and the recognition that my work was getting. But I also remember being frustrated at my lack of creativity.

We then moved, and as you already know, we let go of much of our belongings. It included evaluating those items related to art-making. I donated some to schools and friends, shared some through Craigslist, and brought some to Scrap (a reuse shop for artists).

What I found going thru that process, was not only an incredible sense of relief but also a significant gain in creativity, thus transforming my art-making.

As I let go of potential/unfinished projects and seldomly used materials, I let go of frustrations and expectations: I realized how much the art supplies had weighed on me awaiting to be used in some way, awaiting to become something better, something artful, something amazing, something that would overcome my fears and would exceed my abilities.

When we then adopted the Zero Waste lifestyle, I discovered that creativity need not be limited to the canvas, that opportunities to create abound all around us...

Through finding solutions to the logistical problems encountered on a daily basis on our road to Zero Waste (from finding a way to forgo the metal ties on my bulk bags to freezing bread without plastic), I unconsciously fed an insatiable need to create. In the studio, I turned hundreds of butter wrappers into lotus flowers for a piece, Leo painted over a large painting (his artwork is in our living room, as shown in a previous post), and Max is currently transforming a damaged canvas. Our yard, compost, or recycling have become our new source of materials. And since they keep recurring and are always on hand, the kids and I do not need to collect or store them, but simply reach for them when/where needed.

Just as "the clothes do not make the man", I believe that the art supplies do not make the artist. It is not a wealth of supplies that gave Van Gogh's work power, but rather his vision and execution. After all, "creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun" (Mary Lou Cook), none of it depends on supply inventory.

Today, my studio is bare, and my creativity on fire. I have come to learn that "stuff" does not boost creativity, it is rather the lack thereof, that has made me more creative. I realize that art and art-making are highly personal - and that my path towards Zero Waste diverge from others' at times, but I must say: I owe it to Zero Waste to have sparked "a lost" creative fuse in me.

To rethink our society's wasteful ways, Zero Waste needs your creative minds too. "Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of" (Geri Weitzman).

The Bottomline

Hi everyone! This is Bea's husband, Scott.

This is a note to the people that may be standing on the sideline, deciding whether or not this lifestyle or these changes make sense. Or maybe it is a note to the doubters that are thinking this is just a waste of time or money...or maybe it is to the husbands out there that are thinking this is just a big hassle. (I know because I was one of them at first...)

After some prodding from Bea, I went back over our expenses - in detail - from a few years ago (our "old life" in 2005) vs. our expenses now ("zero waste" lifestyle in 2010). To compare apples to apples, so to speak, I also took into account that our two boys are eating significantly more (ages 8 & 10 in 2010 vs. ages 3 & 5 in 2005). I could eat more than both of them put together in 2005 - now, Max eats as much as me - maybe more some days. (Note: Bea has always eaten more than me :)

The bottomline: It looks like we are saving even more than we thought...

> On food we are saving 36% overall:

• Groceries are down 33%
• Farmer's market is up over 1000% (from almost nothing to being a core part of our meals)
• Restaurants are down 67%

> On "drug stores" (like Target, Rite Aid, CVS Pharmacy, etc.) our spending is down 76% (We can't even remember what the heck we were buying there!?)> Overall - our spending is down almost 40% across those categories!!! (not counting for inflation)

I attribute these savings to:

• Shopping the outer rim of the store vs. the aisles
• Less meat for dinner (once per week vs. most days)
• More vegetables (we are spending a lot more at the Farmers Market every week)
• Less dinners out / more family dinners in... (sure some of that is due to the economy)
• Drug store purchases are way down - we don't buy all the "throw-aways"

And this does not factor in any of the time savings - fewer trips to the store, less time spent in the store, less time driving to/from the store...more time with my family, doing the things that we like to do.

Ok - back to Bea for the regularly scheduled program next week...(probably something on how to reuse turnip peels to degrease your stove :)

Should Art be considered in the process of letting go?

Distracting visual clutter not only affects horizontal surfaces but also vertical ones. But should Art be considered in the process of letting go?

"You've inspired me to another level of desire for a simple living. However, I do enjoy art [...] There are always some that are in my closet, as I don't have the space to hang them all, awaiting their turn to be brought out" wrote one reader.

When recently discussing the subject of living simply with mostly bare walls, a friend told me that he was intrigued and he too argued: "One needs some visual pleasure (beauty) in the home, don't you think?".

I understand the attachment to Art, as I too used to fill my walls with it. I hung on to Art for reasons such as: A home has to have Art, Art shows that I am educated, Art proves that I am an artist. Today, I no longer consider these reasons valid.

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we now only display a handful of non-functional pieces: the occasional glass of flowers or foraged plants, the painting on our largest wall, the found animal skull in the playroom (Max enjoys science and biology) and a couple of pieces in our shared office/studio. But we're not forever-attached to any of them. I find that visual beauty abounds around us and does not need to be canvas-bound. Beauty "is in the eye of the beholder" and can be found everywhere and anywhere: In the yellow bird outside of my window, in the light filtering through my chihuahua's ears, in the new shoots sprouting from my living wall, in my kids smiles, and in simple functional items in the home.

Furthermore, I have come to realize that:

• Showing less allows each individual piece to breathe and allows the viewer to fully emerge himself into it, without the distraction of neighboring pieces. In quantity, the individuality of each piece gets in part lost to "the competition" (the ones next to it) on a wall. But when a piece is isolated, it is "put on a pedestal" and given every opportunity to shine, inspire, and amaze.

• Overtime, many pieces lose their appeal. After the initial excitement, they lose their visual novelty and get forgotten (you'll walk by them, and won't notice them anymore): Sometimes due to a switch in decorating style or frame, sometimes due to relocating (to a darker corner for example), sometimes due to a fading trend: Remember when the velvet paintings were cool? Pieces (along with their frames) as such can however interest collectors/museums or be reused by artists and made into "new".

• Walls with windows, do not need art: A window can be a frame displaying beautiful nature, a living piece of art.

• The lighter the load, the easier the move. Moving Art is no easy task.

• A functional item can often fill or balance an "empty" area: Relocating a live plant, a chair or a lamp will often do the trick.

• Supporting local artists is an honorable reason to collect, supporting ZeroWaste artists is even better, when purchasing Art, look for Art that is 100% compostable or made from 100% recycled material.

We have not missed any of the "beautiful" pieces that we used to own and have sold. We now rather find "beauty" in living simply.

I don't expect many of you to agree with me here... What do you think: Shouldn't Art be considered in the process of "forming better shopping habits, sharing with others, or making Zero Waste manageable" (as mentioned in this previous post)?

Why I've let go of non-functional items in my home.

Why do we fill our shelves with knick knacks? Is it to simply fill empty surfaces? Why must they be filled? Are we afraid of hurting someone's feelings (by not displaying a gift)? Is it to show off our wealth? Is it to remember someone? Is it to prove that we are educated and cultivated (shelves of books)? Is it to escape our own reality ("this shell reminds me of happy vacation times")? Is it to prove that we have been places and are wordly (tiki statuette)? The last three especially ring true to me.

In my previous, bedroom community life, I had unconsciously filled my home with travel books and artifacts collected all over the world: A way for me to impress friends and separate myself from a settled community that I longed to escape. But I have since come to realize that the pictures in my head, the experiences lived and the memories shared with my husband of that world trip are more important. They live forever and can never be taken away, stolen, damaged or burnt. On the other hand, artifacts can. The library now stores our books. I am free of the responsibilities related to possessing such objects.

My story might not ring true to everyone but what I know for sure, is that the pretexts that I hear from my clients point to the reasons given above. "Oh I can't let that go, I bought it in Thailand!", or "I paid X amount for it!," or "My mother made it!," or "My friend gave it to me," or "It reminds me of happy vacation times." Are those reasons good enough to clutter your walls, shelves and overall life? They do not seem valid enough to me anymore. People do not give us things/presents to burden us, they give them to us as a simple, sometimes cultural gesture, not to clutter our space.

Putting much value on such items teaches our kids to do the same. With parenting comes the question: What important life lessons do we want to teach our kids? We choose to teach ours that there is more to life than stuff. It is experiences and people that make life rich, and it starts with parents living with less.

"The stuff that I cherish is mine to cherish - I don't expect my children to keep it and I have told them as much" Anonymous... Valid outlook on heirloom guilt, but, to the question: "What does your mom love?" I would not want my kids to answer "her porcelain dolls."

"Telling our kids" is one thing, but "living by example" is another, and in my mind, a more powerful way of getting an important message through to them.

I have questioned my past pretexts and feel liberated from the false reasons that had me display non-functional things. Today, I only display a handful of very select ones.

Again, I do not write this blog to dictate, but rather to share my experiences, and hear yours.

What keeps you from emptying your curio shelves?

Does decluttering help the environment?

"[...] Getting rid of inspiring artwork/fixtures etc. just creates more waste (what really happens to stuff that no one buys from Goodwill?) . I completely agree with reducing what you buy/bring into your home--but, if its already in your home will getting rid of it really help anything?" - Jasmine in Maine

In response to the comment above, I need to clarify a few, very important things before going on the subject of decluttering a specific space, as promised in Less is More. While the comment above ignores the financial, health and time saving benefits of decluttering (i.e, "make room in your life for the things that you enjoy doing"), it calls for a further look at the environmental benefits.

Does decluttering help the environment?

1 - Decluttering forms better shopping habits. Less shopping means less strain on our resources: Only thru decluttering will you find epiphany in reducing future purchases. A process better lived than described, but I will try my best.

Many of my clients are thrifty shoppers, but all their "cheap" purchases do not seem to impact their wallet. But the accumulation eventually strikes them to use my consulting services. Hours of work and piles of donations later, they realize that the seemingly harmless shopping is the cause of clutter, stress, unhealthy dust collection, and a waste of time and money ($1 here, $1 there, really add up). The exercise of decluttering change their shopping habits forever. They now think twice about buying and bringing anything new or used into their home.

I remember having that same revelation after simplifying my home. It directly lead me to stop shopping as a hobby, stop the online searches, the spontaneous trips to Target, and the unplanned stops at garage sale or thrift shops. Not that I ever considered myself a big shopper before, quite the contrary, as I was considered frugal by friends and family. But thru decluttering, I learned to really understand and restrain resource depleting accumulation and shopping habits, and choose (repairable) quality over (disposable) quantity: A must in the long term future of Zero Waste.

2 - Decluttering supports sharing with others: Many complain that thrift shops are full and use this as a pretext not to declutter. But thrift shoppers with a targeted list will disagree. I am one of them. Many times, I have gone to a thrift store to look for a specific item and have come out empty-handed. I have struck out on backpacks, school supplies, sheets, pillowcases, kids books, boy's suit, shoes... and yet I have found these items unused, in homes that I have consulted. Storing unused items, is not considerate, but selfish to the Earth, as it forces those who care about the environment to buy new.

The future of Zero Waste holds great resale shops. Sharing is key to the large scale success of this lifestyle. As they say: Someone's trash is someone else's treasure", and I truly believe that. The recyclers want your 30-year-old paperwork (to save trees today) and the fashionistas, your 1990's accessories.

That said, while thrift stores can be a convenient way to initially let go, many other outlets exist and are often more appropriate. The key, is finding the best match for the items that you do not use or need. Among the countless possibilities, here are some examples, not in order:

• Diggerslist (home improvement)
• Freecycle
• Consignment shops (quality items)
• Habitat for Humanity (building materials, furniture, and/or appliances)
• Craigslist (large items and free items): My experience is that anything posted for free can disappear within 15min.
• Ebay (small items of value)
• Amazon (books)
• Local Women's Shelter (toys)
• Local SPCA (towels)
• Auctions houses
• Antique shops
• On your curb with a free sign
• Friends
• FamilyRegifting
• Operation Christmas Child (in a shoe box, only new items)
• ThredUp (kids clothes trading), or Relash (clothes and book trading)
• Homeless shelter or hot meal locations
• Crossroads Trading Co
• Nike Reuse-a-Shoe (any brand of worn-out athletic shoes)
• Tool co-op
• Schools (art supplies, magazines, dishes to eliminate class party disposables)
• Churches (dishes for reuse in lieu of disposables, but also ministries occasionally need specific item donations, such as warm jackets)
• Nurseries and Preschools (blankets, toys)
• Garage sale
• Rummage sale for a cause (our school held one last weekend to raise money for Nepal Freed)
• Friends for their own garage sale
• Flea markets
• Return to the source (for example, bike tires to the bike store, recyclers reuse them)
• Optometrist (used glasses)
• Dress for success (workplace attires)
• Recycling (paper clutter, and empty boxes)

More, local resources:

• Trips for kids (bikes)
• The Away Station (building materials)
• Urban Ore
• Ohmega Salvage
• Scrap (art reuse)
• Creative reuse (arts and crafts)

As for the "stuff that no one [will] buy from Goodwill"....or from the sources above, chances are, it has past its useful life. Whether you dispose of it or you successors do, it is waste. Holding onto it does not make it into something useful.

3 - Decluttering makes Zero Waste manageable: I have said it and will say it again. Simplifying (which starts with decluttering) makes it easy to organize and stick to the logistics of Zero Waste. How many reusable bags does one need to be Zero Waste? In my case, 3, not 10. Less means less to worry about, clean, store, repair or dispose of later.

Jasmine: Even if you did not see the point of decluttering in order to form better shopping habits, share with others, or make Zero Waste manageable for environmental reasons, don't you value time saved from not caring for the unnecessary? I personally do... Time has allowed me to re-connect with the outdoors, green my home, create this blog... Time is the most valuable commodity needed in caring for the environment -it is our lack of time that created the problems that we now want to fix (e.g, SUP's in the great garbage patch).

Overall, it seems that Decluttering items already purchased "helps" the environment more than Storing them. Wouldn't you agree?

My husband's story: Solar Energy

Hello - this is Scott, again: We installed solar energy on our home a few months back - and we have had several requests to find out more about the impact on our overall energy usage (and our associated electric bills), so...

Now that we finally have seen a couple months of our electric bills - we can report: It is going GREAT!!!

THE PREP: Before we ever considered solar, we followed the 5 R's. We "refused" unnecessary usage by donating most small appliances (coffee maker, food processor, vacuum cleaner, microwave) and turning off electronics when not in use. We also tried to "reduce" our existing energy usage as much as possible by installing dimmers, painting our interior a light color, and taking basic steps around insulating (attic and basement insulation and weather proofing our windows/doors), and turning the thermostats down (in my office and the house).

OUR BASELINE: Our total electric energy usage for the previous 12 month period was 5431 kWh - mainly associated with lighting, home electronics, the blower on our gas insert fireplace, and the electric heating in my basement office (I wear a puff jacket on all but the warmest days). We use natural gas for our cooking, tank-less water heater, and our primary heating (our gas insert).

THE DECISION TO GO SOLAR: I like to do things by the numbers (hey, Bea is the "artsy" creative one, but I am an engineer by training, so I like numbers...). So there was no way that I was going to make an investment if it did not make any financial sense, especially working in a start-up these last four years (i.e., less than stable financial situation). Well, the bottom-line is that the numbers did make sense - we are using our savings from the zero waste lifestyle to fund a 20-year solar lease (to provide more than 90% of our anticipated power for the next 20 years) providing us with a return on investment of 13%.  The plan was also based on adding comfort to our lives (e.g., being to be able to work from home without a puff jacket) and making room for the future (one of our goals is to ultimately get an electric car).

THE IMPACT: So what has the impact been?  Well, we did actually turn up the heat - so I don't have to wear the puff all the time. But despite the relaxation of the "thermostat tyranny", we have seen a huge decrease in our month bills:

• For our first full month (FEB 13 to MAR 14): We used negative 5 kWh (our meter ran backwards). Of course, in Northern California, we had a sunny, warm February, with virtually no rain. For the same period in 2011, we used 601 kWh.
• For the 2nd month (MAR 14 to APR 13): We used 141 kWh. Last month was cold and very rainy (i.e., less solar power), we had guests and turned up the electric heaters. For the same period in 2011, we used 567 kWh.
• Bottomline: Our total electric bill for two months is $17.50, plus $8.88 in unavoidable taxes, etc. For comparison sake, the same two months last year cost us $207.28.
• Environmental Impact: As of Friday, April 27, Solar City happily informs me that we have generated 1579 kWh of electricity, eliminating 2022 lbs. of CO2 since installation (equivalent to 1.0 mature trees). 

NEXT STEPS:
I have to admit that we have learned a lot about solar energy during this process (e.g., solar installation, financing, net metering, etc.). But it did not stop there...In fact, as part of the deal, we also received an energy efficiency audit…and apparently I did not do such a great job on insulating our home during the "prep" step.  We found out that we were losing 43% of our heat (!) through air leakage, so we are taking further steps to better insulate our house, by adding insulation in the attic, and sealing the drafty floor boards from the crawl space below. We are also looking for more energy efficient bulbs to fit our dining room's chandelier. Next winter should show further improvement in energy savings!

I am sure that Bea has other plans in store as well...maybe we will "simplify" our kitchen by eliminating our gas-powered stove and replace it with a simple electric-powered hotplate ;)

LESS is So Much MORE

"It seems that if you have little in life, you have little to worry about. If you have much, it seems you have much to lose" - 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama.

With Earth week, much emphasis is put on "Recycling" and "Reusing".

Yet, I believe that "Reducing" is an immediate aid to our environmental crisis. I believe that "Reducing" what we cannot "Refuse", has had the biggest impact (and is our "most potent secret ingredient") on our family's journey towards Zero Waste.

Some readers have mentioned that our voluntary simplicity might be off-putting to those interested in Zero Waste. I rather tend to believe that pretending to lead a Zero Waste lifestyle without "Reducing" would be hypocritical. Wouldn't it ignore the core issues of our waste problem? Wouldn't it ignore the depletion of our resources for the unnecessary items created? Wouldn't it ignore the true future of Zero Waste based on quality vs. quantity? Not to mention that living with more would make the logistics of Zero Waste unmanageable and way more complicated than it needs to be. No, I do not think that our minimalism is scaring people away, quite the contrary. I think it has made Zero Waste appealing to most.

It might take some thinking ahead, some thoughtfulness, but the advantages of "Reducing" are worth it.

Not convinced yet? Here are 8 reasons to "Reduce" (examples are based on what our household cannot "Refuse" or completely eliminate):

- Reducing your meat consumption means lowering your carbon footprint, and making composting logistics easier.

- Reducing your car usage, means biking or walking more, getting reconnected with the outdoors, getting exercise and vitamin D, lowering stress, living healthier, lowering medical bills and car trips to the doctor- and also means less car maintenance and repairs, less gas, less dependence on oil, less war (hopefully) and lower gas prices. Less shopping trips also mean less temptation to spend and fill your house with clutter.

- Reducing your home size, (very involved) means reduced utility usage (water, gas, electric), maintenance fees, cleaning time, and furnishings needed to fill rooms.

- Reducing clutter (toys, knick-knacks, clothes, holiday decorations, furniture, kitchen utensils, sports equipment, etc.), means not having to organize/store/dust/clean/repair or dispose of the products not purchased.

- Reducing heirlooms, means reduced heirloom guilt related to storing or passing down such items - and reduced heirloom guilt passed on to your kids.

- Reducing your home cleaning products and toiletries, means more room under the sink, and no worrying about the toxicity or recyclability of the products not purchased.

- Reducing technology, means less frustration from the lack of technical support, less time spent researching fixes, less technology to update, upgrade, keep current or dispose of, and less toxic e-waste created. It also means spending more time outside (hopefully) and caring for the real world.

- Reducing paper load and photos, means less to print, recycle, waste (photo paper) or download, but also less to sort thru, organize, send or store, leading to savings on ink, paper, memory, storage, energy.

- Reducing magazine reading, means eliminating images that make you feel like you don't have the right stuff, and ultimately means feeling content with what you have and what you are.

- Reducing your home projects or hobbies, means letting go of unfinished projects, allowing more time to focus on your passions and aspirations.

"Reducing" makes sense beyond the obvious environmental (what you don’t have, won’t eventually go to waste), health (what you don't have, won't harm you), financial (what you don’t have, won’t cost you), and organizational (what you don't have, won’t need organizing) reasons. Above all, "Reducing" means leading richer lives, with more time doing the things you truly enjoy, and with more time spent with the people you truly care about. But it also means increased creativity and thoughtfulness. Priceless commodities when trying to save the world;)

I enjoy and benefit from this lifestyle - every second of it. I have come to realize that stuff takes us away from our roots, from the outdoors. It's only by being in the outdoors that we can truly care about the environment. With more time to spend outside, I no longer take Earth for granted.

Over the next few weeks, I will go in depth about reducing in different areas of the home as I do with my clients. It is no coincidence that Earth Week lands in the spring. Are you in the mood for some spring-cleaning?

Fashion Friday: Wearing PJ's out!

Happy Fashion Friday!

A minimalist wardrobe sometimes requires you to think outside the box in order to maximize the use of the few pieces you own. My only pair of PJ's is black and silky but completely opaque, making it descent to wear out. So this week I thought "why not?".

Wearing the top with flare pants

Wearing the bottom with white tee and blazer

How Zero Waste is my outfit?
All (PJ's, sunglasses, bracelet, necklace, blazer, white tee, black flares, nude heels and purse) were purchased used. The sandals were a gift from my mom four years ago -I could not refuse them;)

12 ways a small house has improved my life

When I moved to the US, I dreamed of living in a large home. Mansions as seen on TV, represented my American dream.

When Scott and I bought our first house, we indulged my aspirations. But after seven years of living large, varied circumstances led us to move into a house half the size. The move presented logistical challenges and I worried about "status", but I was excited about change.

Today, I have completely embraced small living, and could not even envision going back to big (I actually dream of smaller).

I have come to learn that bigger is not necessarily better.

Here are areas that I have found our small house has improved:

1. Family bonds: We brush our teeth together, eat together, watch movies together, and even bump into each other ;), which sometimes turns into a wrestle (my fave).
2. Housekeeping efficiency: Five minutes to pick up, two hours to deep clean. Cleaning used to take all day, now it takes a morning.
3. Home maintenance cost: Although everything gets used more, there is less in quantity to break, and therefore less to repair. We can also easily stay on top of repairs.
4. Community exchange: We reach out to friends or community for seldomly used items. Today I sent out an email for a pair of hiking boots size 6, by the end of the day, I had located two pairs (Thanks Tina and Mary!)
5. Utilities cost: A smaller house is evidently cheaper to heat and light, but also cheaper to retrofit (e.g., insulation, windows, and solar).
6. Space optimization: We use all the available space. I used to have a guest bedroom in my previous home. It required year round cleaning and heating, for only a couple of uses per year. Today, we simply offer the kids' bedroom to guests, and the kids get excited about camping in their playroom!
7. Home security: I definitely feel safer in a small home. I know every nook and cranny of the house. A monster cannot hide in the closet:)
8. Ecological impact: It makes Zero Waste manageable. "Less space, less stuff, less waste", Leo once said.
9. Residency options: For us, downsizing has afforded a spot within walking distance of great schools and an active downtown - after we were told that there was no availability in our price range.
10. Parental awareness: We used intercoms (baby monitors) in the old house. Now we can hear each other sneeze across the house. We might have to move when the kids become sexually active;)
11. Health: For two reasons...1) A smaller space is easier to clean, which means that dust does not linger in hard to reach places; and, 2) A small house encourages outdoor activity - in the summer, my deck becomes my office.
12. Stuff management: Stuff has been easier to manage in a small home for 3 reasons

• Consumption: Small spaces control the amount of stuff coming into the house. In my old house, I bought furniture just to fill large rooms. Now, we focus on double duty and functional items.
• Organization (once you have decluttered): It's easy to put things away, easy to find things.
• Access: It's even easy to get to things (closer distances).

When I asked the kids, what their thoughts were on living in a small house... Max replied: "You can't play hide-and-seek." That's one drawback that doesn't seem to bother him though, because he is already talking about building his own tiny house someday.

And that would make One Proud Mama.

3 things you can do to save water using 3 containers you already have

I went to Quebec to speak about my lifestyle last week. The Quebecois might not see it as a blessing, but the amount of snow on the ground made me envious... In California, we're experiencing a major drought. And although I brought some 'bad" weather back with me (it finally rained this weekend), Northern California is far from meeting its annual precipitation requirements.

A drought is sad, but it's not all negative: It's made everyone here rethink its water consumption. For our household, it's been an opportunity to tweak a few things. Since adopting the Zero Waste lifestyle, we reduced our water consumption substantially with the tips mentioned in my book, such as applying the rule "If it's yellow, let it mellow", running only full loads of laundry, eliminating thirsty landscaping, installing drip systems, etc. That said, our current desperate situation pointed to some inefficiencies.

Here are three small adjustments we've made or 3 things you too can do to save water using three containers you already have.

Tip 1: A bucket... to flush the toilet 

A bucket collects water in the shower

In previous years, we had a bucket in our shower to collect water while it heats, but having to take it downstairs and outside to dump it onto our plants, we got lazy and eventually stopped doing it.
Today, we brought the bucket back, but we use the collected water to flush the adjacent toilet: It makes so much more sense, it's so much closer than our backyard!
If you've never tried it before, don't be afraid, there is no trick to it: just pour the water into your toilet bowl and whatever is in it, will simply flush out.

The tile grid helps to set the best location for filling the bucket
-we can't spare a drop here!

To keep it from scratching the tile and avoid the purchase of a plastic bucket, we outfitted its bottom rim with a scrap piece of clear tubing, sliced in half .

Tip 2: A tub... to soak dishes (and water plants, if needed)

Our kitchen sink's tub

We used a tub in the sink before the drought, but we had set it on the right hand side of the sink and we would fill it every morning.
Today, we have moved the tub to the left hand side of the sink, under our soap dispenser and faucet. We no longer need to fill it in the morning: it gets filled through washing, straining, rinsing, etc. After Zizou licks our dishes, we use the collected water to rinse them prior to loading the dishwasher. We then dump the water onto ornamental plants outside (once or twice a day, depending on the amount of cooking involved) - that's an advantage of using a mobile tub vs. a double sink to collect water.  The trace of Castile soap in the water also benefits our plants, by keeping fungus and pest at bay (see anti-fungal recipe in my book).

Our tub, placed under the soap dispenser and faucet.

A sink strainer also eliminates the need to run water for the garbage disposal -we empty it into our compost receptacle.

Tip 3: A trash can... to collect rainwater

Our former trashcan as rainwater catchment

The refuse bin is generally a household's largest container: A Zero Waste lifestyle frees it up for better uses than sending resources to a landfill. We've been using ours for gardening purposes: To carry the cubic yard of loose mulch that we get delivered to our house once a year, to contain the leaves that we sweep off our steps and use as weed control, to collect the few weeds that we pull throughout the yard and then put in the compost bin. Since 2008, our trash can has thus been repurposed into a wheelbarrow -sans wheels that is :). But in the winter, it usually rests in the back of the house, only to be used by the occasional weekend house renter. This past storm blew its lid open to collect 12" of rain. Scott marveled at how many inches dropped from the sky (as you know, he is a number's kinda guy), I marveled at how much water I collected for my living wall (as you know, I am a practical kinda gal). It seems that nature took care of things, but we learned from her and will open our lid for, we pray, subsequent rains.

With the water that I collect every week from my herb planter and that we collected with our trash can this week, I have enough water to care for my houseplants this month...

A small bucket also catches drainage from my herb planter

My plant wall thriving with my rainwater/drainage mix

... and at the end of which, we'll hopefully be blessed with more rain!

Regardless of rainfall, my trash can will no longer sit unused, for I have found that, with its lid upside down, it's a great place to deposit the crumbs that collect at the bottom of my bread bag and toaster each week... I'd have never thought that my trash can would one day become a bird feeder ;)

Our former trash can as a bird feeder.

Mini-Wardrobe Fave: The White Blouse

Today is Fashion Friday with a Mini-Wardrobe Fave post. 

A white blouse is a known must-have for any capsule wardrobe, but I always considered it to be too preppy for my personal style. This season I however decided to welcome it into my closet and give it a try. Here are 13 of the ways that I can wear it:

Under my black cashmere sweater

with my leather mini

topped with my white blazer

underneath my LBD

with my grey shorts and heels for a party

with my black trousers

under my leather jacket

tied over my brown dress

underneath my overcoat, paired with an animal print scarf

with a belt -and Max's red knit cap;)

wrapped, as learnt in this summer's experiment

under my striped long sleeve -you knew I was going to bring it up;)

Underneath my black tank top -and with Leo's knit hat;)

$5 at the local thrift store and many outfits later, I no longer think that a button-down shirt is too preppy for me. I find that it perfectly complements my minimalist wardrobe after all. Do you own one?

In the life of a ponytail holder...

I had a scare last week: For a day, I thought I had lost one of my most prized possession. You might ask: What would that necessity be?

my ponytail holder repaired

In my previous home, my bathroom was as big as my current kitchen and dining room combined (a real waste of heating and space considering that we used it only twice a day for only a few minutes). Its cabinets and drawers stored countless products that I had deemed necessary, such as miracle creams, makeup, colorful nail polishes, nail polish remover, Q-tips, cotton balls, rubbing alcohol... and a dozen ponytail holders.

Then when I moved to a small house and came to question the need for everything I owned, I eventually looked at my pile of ponytail holders and wondered: Would I ever use them all at once? Do I need all of these? I realized that I had been caught in the what-if; that I simply held onto the arsenal just in case. What was I afraid of?  Maybe running out or maybe limiting possible hairstyles. Since I had outgrown my pigtail years and knew that I would not wear more than one at once - ponytails and loose buns were already well ingrained into my daily routine... I decided to challenge myself: To stick to a single one (donate the others to resist any temptation to grab another option) and see how long I could make it last.

With everyday use to keep my hair tied when I cook, eat, garden, wash my face over the sink and keep my hair from getting wet in the shower every other morning, the metal-free band split in half within a couple of months, leaving me with a full head of uncontrollable hair. Crushed that my experiment had come to an end so quickly, I went to the store, out of habit, as we instinctively do to replace a broken object. But with my consumption habits changed, my view on the selection available at the store had changed too. And when I realized that to purchase a replacement required purchasing a bundle of twenty, I refused to go along with the marketing trick. Shopping is voting - and in no circumstance, was I going to participate in such gluttony.

As I often do when I cannot find an "acceptable" product (i.e., one that matches my lifestyle beautifully), I returned home empty-handed, looking for a solution to present itself. It always does, I found out. I immediately reached for a pencil and attempted to weave it into my hair, but my fine texture would not allow for such cool trick (I have always admired heads that can pull that off). Then, I simply twisted my hair into a knot and tucked the end under to make a device-free bun, one that could last a few minutes as long as I stayed in place, but this was not a sustainable alternative considering my activity level. Eventually, I pulled out the broken ponytail holder from my landfill collection and looked for a way to repair it: I simply knotted the two ends together and with a great sense of satisfaction, tied my hair back. It worked! and with this small victory, the challenge would go on. Amazingly, I found that my repair strengthened the design while retaining its elasticity. And so for ten months I went on wearing it, giving it a dedicated space for storage and diligently keeping track of it.

But on my vacation last week, moving from one condo to another disturbed its whereabouts. I thought I lost it, disappointed that such relationship, a year's worth of effort, would not earn a showcase in the glass jar containing our annual trash tally...

I did find the ponytail holder after all, stashed in a pocket for safe keeping between moves. But considering the materials used to manufacture the band, I know that it won't last another year and it will eventually join the other articles of bad design, contained in our jar. The elasticity is not what it used to be, and I will soon have to surrender it, but when I do add it to our yearly landfill collection, I'll have a story to tell ;) Overall, things that are made to quickly fail on us, make me angry. For my own peace of mind, when my ponytail holder is no longer usable, I'll vote against ephemeral crap and consider going back to the french barrettes that I use to wear as a kid. They are made of metal and they never failed.

With the Zero Waste lifestyle, nothing is too little to declutter or repair. Smart consumption entails taking care of the stuff that we have, before we run to the store at the first sign of loss or breakage, and learn from our mistakes so that we do not blindly vote for poor design, again and again.

What purchase will you make differently when it needs replacement?