Brian Howard Ben Goldstein

We’ve got a reputation here in Philly when it comes to garbage: We make a lot of it, and we dispose of it pretty much everywhere. It’s about time we stop throwing it all away. Here, 35 tips for living a happier, healthier, less wasteful life

EDITED BY PHOTOGRAPH BY Brian Howard Ben Goldstein

APRIL 2020 • PHILADELPHIA 79 ZERO WASTE SHOPPING

Forget baseball. The real American pastime is buying stuff. We’re not about to suggest you stop (or are we?), but we can help you consume a bit less conspicuously. E BY CARLA SHACKLEFORD EARLY THIS YEAR, spurred by the amount of trash a household with two BYO bags. We know—change you forget your bags, but if it takes small kids can generate, my wife made 1 is hard. Just ask City Council; two months to form a habit, you’ve it her mission to slash our household it took 12 years and four separate got time to get yourself in order—the waste footprint. She was listening to attempts for it to fi nally enact a ban bag ban goes into effect July 2nd. Dax Shepard interview Jonathan Saf- on single-use plastic bags. It’s about ran Foer on his latest book, We Are the time. According to the Center for Stop using and purchasing Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Biological Diversity, plastic bags take 2 plastic. “Do you know what Breakfast, about the small changes we 500 years to degrade in landfi lls, but plastic is?” asks Alisa Shargorod- all can make—but don’t—to impact cli- they don’t ever go away. They slowly sky, founder of zero-waste consult- mate change, and something clicked. break down into microplastics and ing fi rm ECHO Systems, whose cli- Practically overnight, “The How- pollute the waterways. All of which ents include local sustainability icon ard Family Sustainability Act of 2020” is to say: Bring your own bags to the Weavers Way Co-op. “It’s petroleum.” appeared on our refrigerator door, out- grocery store. Cloth, paper, old plas- And plastic’s chemicals sometimes lining the things we would—and would tic ones you already have around the leach into the food contained within. not—do, as a family. We would begin house—it doesn’t matter, as long as What to do? Break up with plastics composting. We would actually use our you aren’t making new waste. I have immediately. Say ’bye to single-use cloth napkins. We would buy “lonely” a friend who keeps a stack of reusable water bottles, too—you don’t need bananas. We would avoid packaging. We grocery bags in her car. You may be them. Reusable water bottles are would not buy from Amazon (as much). inconvenienced the fi rst few times available almost everywhere, from We would use buy-nothing groups, and we would do whatever we could to mini- mize what we put on the curb on gar- Secondhand doesn’t mean second-rate. Bulking up at Weavers Way bage night. 3 For non-food items around the home, shop your local cre- It has been, honestly, empowering— ative reuse center—Philly has one called the Resource Exchange. Support stores a list of things we can do to be a little bit “They’ve got everything from fabrics to lumber to art and o ce supplies to housewares,” says Samantha Wittchen, a principal at that support you. better. And that’s the spirit in which this 6 sustainability consultancy iSpring Associates. “It’s not like your Mariposa, Weavers Way, Mom’s Organic Mar- package—a guide to being a less waste- average junk shop where everything is just thrown together. They ket and Riverwards Produce all have corporate ful Philadelphian—was conceived. get some really high-end stu there. A lot of donations come from initiatives focused on zero waste, and they’re We all know that landfi lls are prob- movie sets and theatrical productions.” Wawa to T.J. Maxx. When grocery- have extras, save those, too, so you eager to assist customers who’ve embarked on lematic greenhouse gas factories and shopping, try to buy foods that come can … their own such journeys. Shopping at smaller grocery stores and co-ops gives you the chance that recycling is broken, predicated on in glass jars, metal containers, or to e ect real change in their o erings, so speak the myth that there’s actually an after- plastic-free paper wraps. BYO vessels. Yes, it is possi- up. “When customers say what they want,” says market for all the plastic crap we toss in 5 ble to do a signifi cant amount Shargorodsky, “a lot of times, businesses follow.” our blue bins. The stats are dire. They Audit your kitchen. Get the of grocery-shopping using your own can also be paralyzing. One problem with 4 plastic out of your kitchen. containers. Take the glass jars from “sustainability” is that it’s often been pre- If you have food in your home that your kitchen audit, head to the bulk ton ones. Side effects of this kind of sented as an all-or-nothing proposition: came in glass jars, great. After you’ve section at the store of your choice, shopping? Signifi cantly less waste You must atone for your sins or else! And eaten all the goods, wash those jars and refi ll them with items like soap, and a healthier diet. that can lead to inaction. with hot soapy water and save them. granola, ﬂ our, rice, dried beans, olive The thing is, doing with less junk, “Pull out everything in your kitchen oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Buy nothing for a month. clutter and distraction aligns with what cabinet and start to take an account Even meat from a butcher counter 7 If a month sounds long, start so many of us say we want right now. So of what’s in there and what it’s pack- can be put into containers. Yes, your with a week, but do go cold turkey. rather than viewing these suggestions as aged in,” recommends Shargorodsky. grocery load will be heavier—thank When writer Ann Patchett realized acts of contrition you must make to sur- You never know Everything stored in plastic should goodness for all those cloth bags you that “in my anxiety I found myself vive, think of them as a bunch of things what you’re going be poured into glass jars. These jars remembered to bring. For fruits and mindlessly scrolling through two to find at the you can do to, you know, be happier— Resource Exchange. are your new food storage contain- vegetables, get reusable food storage particular shopping websites, numb- now and in the future. —B.H. ers. Make friends with them. If you bags—Riverwards Produce sells cot- ing my fears with pictures of shoes,

80 PHILADELPHIA • APRIL 2020 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LEAMAN APRIL 2020 • PHILADELPHIA 81 ZERO 82 emotion of or fear doing of without? the whim you buy out of chases: Do and evaluate how you make pur- plify. Use only what you already own, reset your shopping habits and sim- from active consumerism lets you her perspective on life. Refraining year challenge that greatly improved embarked on a no-shopping-for-a- purses and jewelry,”clothes, she 2019 November in published Figures and Tables 2017 and 2016 Management: Materials Sustainable EPA’s the Advanced per *All data Recycling 101: Inside theNumbers Not all recyclable plastic is created equal. Here’s what’s what, what’s likely to be to be likely what’s what, what’s Here’s equal. created is plastic recyclable all Not Code PHILADELPHIA •APRIL2020 WASTE other plastic duh, or, Mixed Polystyrene Polypropylene polyethylene Low-density chloride Polyvinyl polyethylene High-density terephthalate Polyethylene stands for it What recycled—and what’s just gonna end up in the landfill. bination of them of bination com- some or six than the above other something of made A plastic styrofoam. form, foam In plastic utensils. form, rigid In containers garine Rigid-ish mate- bags in found Flexible plastic Clear, rigid plas- yogurt and mar- deli, in found rial commonly Rigid-ish mate- bottles and some bags in found Flexible plastic shower curtains. bottles and wrap, squeeze cling in used Flexible plastic bottles and shampoo in detergent commonly used Rigid plastic age bottles bever- in found tic commonly Clear, rigid plas- What it Is it What day are common. “Take that Euro- the market to purchase food for the like France and Italy, daily visits to often In places can help you buy less. 8 food you don’t let go to waste. you actually You might be amazed at how much comes to food, shopping more Shop more often. don’t rechristen it “7 GTFO.” “7 it rechristen They “Negligible.” Nope. Nada. should torecycle. than toreuse easier It’s 2017. in recycled was plastic PS of percent 1.8 just toproduce, cheap so it’s since And di signifi amounts. toreclaim cant cult No. Hardly.Hardly. recycled. recycled. was was 2017 2017 in in produced produced of. of. sort sort Eh, Eh, ofof it it can can create create harmful harmful by-products. by-products. disposing disposing data, data, PBS PBS per per And And “negligible.” “negligible.” was was recycled recycled was was that that amount amount 2017, 2017,in the in the No! No! second. in comes Yes …ish. types. plastic the all of rate highest the percent, 25 of arate at Yes! Is it commonly recycled? commonly it Is need, or how much need, or how much Of the 430,000 tons of PVC created created PVC of tons 430,000 the Of Because it’s so light and bulky, it’s it’s bulky, and light so it’s Because In 2017,* PET was recycled nationally nationally recycled was 2017,*In PET Just 2.7 percent. percent. 2.7 Just At a 16 percent rate, HDPE HDPE rate, percent At a16 About nine percent of LDPE When it When it may work for you. may work for you. like Revivals Boutique in Narberth resale shops thrift stores, high-end For those emotionally allergic to as are clothing swaps with friends. Buffalo Exchange are a great option, ducing additional waste? Stores like acquire more clothing without pro- brand Riverside Tool Want & Dye. to including pieces, wares from local offers covetable new and vintage money’s worth. Old City’s Vagabond multiple times a week—get your rassed to wear an investment piece hemp. Don’t be scared or embar- in natural fi bers like cotton and Look for ethically sourced brands ity investment pieces over quantity. Samantha Wittchen. Aim for qual- plastic waste in our streams,” says into the water, and you end up with polyester content, microplastics go something that’s got some sort of documented that when you wash doesn’t end there. “It’s pretty well at all stages manufacture. of And it yogurt plastic containersactually need 20 of need—but don’t you buy in bulk. Do can parcel out the exact amount you shop the bulk section—whereSo you it’s like weather—the less you know.” you’re ill … The further out you plan, and don’t want to drink milk while but then you getand you buy it, sick a second gallon milk in fi of ve days’ you’reMarket. “If like, ‘I might need toration Mom’s captain of Organic eral manager and environmental res- says Samuel Schiffer, assistant gen- you’ll need in the next couple days,” pean approach: Buy what you know 10 9 free Mondays. free Mondays. plant-based by incorporating meat- work for you, focus on going more and globally. vegetarianism doesn’t If ful force in reducing waste—locally ing meat from your diet is a power- Healththe you head to Netflix and watch tion (especially beef), I recommend tistics surrounding meat produc- damage or mind-blowing eco sta- Go meatless. aware the environmental of Probably now? not. right garments generate waste Avoid fast fashion. or or Cowspiracy If you’re If not . Remov- Cheap Cheap What What

GUTTERSHUTTERSTOCK CREDITS

GUTTER CREDITS to their wedding registry: “Weto their wedding registry: got a Gilroy and her husband added a set Conshohocken-based newlywed Ellen cone, are another versatile alternative. Stashers, made from food-grade sili- reusable dishwasher-safe bags like swaddling lunch-box sandwiches; works well for covering bowls and ton cloth infused with wax and resin) wrap (reusable and compostable cot- such bags for food storage. Beeswax year. Reduce your use by avoiding billion plastic bags and wraps each Agency, Americans use 380 tection PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER LEAMAN 1 anywhere else—we’re the queens our castles, and kings of We have more control over what we waste at home than ing to the Environmental Pro- Ditch sandwichbags. right? Here, how to reign over your waste footprint AT HOME BY

REGAN Accord-

FLETCHER 2 them for pretty much everything.” differentbunch of so we can use sizes, can’t transform into stock right away the stove.” She freezes anything she the Crock-Pot so I don’t have to watch bone for stock: “I just throw it all in vegetable scrap and chicken every master. kitchen At home, she saves Rittenhouse is a zero-waste- Square, owner poke of restaurant Poi in Dog reduce waste. Kiki Aranita, to kitchen wasted. in the Shift your mind-set percent food of in the U.S. is 40

STEPHENS According to Philabundance, Maximize ingredients. into natural gas via a cool chemical into natural gas via a cool chemical your apple peels and moldy bread) transforms organic matter (e.g., biogas co-generation facility that the city opened In 2013, a disposal. to throw them down the garbage best way to get food rid of scraps is 4 skins to brew into tea. flavor her tomato sauce and ginger and also saves parmesan rinds to your window boxes happy. fi back to keep get even can you compost nished and bi-weekly, or weekly up picked gets bucket The grease). the of because recycle won’t city the (which boxes pizza and chopsticks, toothbrushes, items that can be composted include bamboo and high-fat items are verboten, but surprising co fl dairy rice, Meat, more. grounds, ee and our vegetables, fruits, to fi including scraps, food with ll afi get bucket amonth—and $12 ve-gallon around at starting city, the in several are service—there Circle Compost Philly’s of owner Michele Bloovman says imagine,” even can you than “easier is waste food said ily, composting food waste creates a lot of greenhouse gas. Luck- landfimunicipal whichlls, is problematic because 3 After composting, the next- Use your garbagedisposal. Embrace Food waste is the single biggest category in in category biggest single the is waste Food APRIL 2020 Composting •PHILADELPHIA . Sign up for a a for up . Sign surveys her bounty. Michele Bloovman Circle Compost’s , 83 ZERO WASTE

process. Just don’t add your coffee The Container grinds, says Nic Esposito, Philadel- Continuum phia’s zero-waste and litter director. They’re considered “FOG”—fats, oils, Wherein we judge your food-storage habits* grease—and can clog up the water system, causing an expensive head-

GOOD ache for the city.

Break the paper-towel MY QUEST 5 addiction. It’s easy to go through a roll of paper towels each TO DITCH PYREX week. Philly Mag editor and mother Pros: Nothing says PLASTIC sophistication like a of two Christine Speer Lejeune broke weighty Pyrex contain- her habit with a few simple steps. It's easier said than done. er. Plus: Odor-resistant First, she buys cloth napkins in pret- But it can be done. and oven-safe. METAL ty colors and keeps a “huge pile” in BY CIERRA WILLIAMS Cons: The fi rst time BENTO BOX you drop one will be Pros: Metal is just so an accessible basket. “Having them the last. … metal. We recently on display makes using them much aybe I hadn’t picked bought our kids more convenient,” she says. Nap- the right time for PlanetBoxes for their kins get used with meals for at least my experiment. lunches, and we kinda want to steal them. one day, if possible, and a ceramic At the end of last Cons: No microwave pot in the kitchen holds the used October, my mom for you. Generally ones before they head to the laundry Mwas diagnosed with stage 1 breast can- don’t seal well. Also, room. When they get too worn, nap- cer. It was jarring, especially consider- dents. kins become … cleaning rags. Lejeune ing she had found the lump just two BEESWAX WRAP still uses paper towels—about two weeks prior. I knew this news would Pros: These cotton cloths are coated in rolls a year—which she keeps under fundamentally change her life, along beeswax, oils and tree the sink, behind a baby lock, so Nesting House is a waste- with the lives of my father and me. resin to make them they’re a little more work to access. conscious parent’s best friend. To prepare for the treatment Mom impermeable and faced, I began researching chemo- moldable. They’re “TUPPERWARE” therapy and healthy eating. Well- lightweight, adaptable, Pros: Light, versatile, Rethink detergent. Parents: Do the best you can. and, if you go with a Most laundry detergent—even ness and sustainability have always washable and com- 6 Nic Esposito calls parenting the “fi nal frontier” of zero postable. quality set, durable. the eco-friendly options—comes in 9 been of interest to me—I actually Cons: It’s still plastic waste. It’s hard to live that sustainable life when kids are so … Cons: They don’t last single-use plastic jugs. Julie Hancher, messy. Babies can use up to 3,000 diapers in the fi rst year alone. minored in environmental studies forever; keep them that’s gonna end up co-founder and editor of sustain- But while cloth diapers have come a long way, they’re not for while majoring in journalism. Now, away from heat, or in a landfi ll someday. Also, who doesn’t ability blog Green Philly, suggests native that keeps the sheets out of everyone. Esposito suggests trying cloth for the fi rst few months on YouTube doing research for my bye-bye, wax. of your baby’s life, when she's going through up to 12 diapers have a drawer full of bringing your own container to a the landfi ll and reduces drying time mom, I stumbled into the mesmer- orphaned lids? daily. (The Nesting House, with several Philly locations, can guide bulk bin shop like Mom’s Organic (a money-saving bonus!). They run you through the process.) And while he admits that baby-food izing world of zero-wasters. I found Market in Center City. “You’re not $38 for a set of six, and Hancher says pouches are easy to use, they aren’t easily recycled. Instead, the concept of trying to live a zero- getting charged for the extra weight hers are in great shape after nearly a puree your own produce—it’s healthier and saves money, too. waste life both daunting and free- because they tare the bottle fi rst,” decade of use. “Just do the best you can,” he says. ing. On one hand, it’s scary—almost she says, adding that the store typi- paralyzing—when you start to assess cally uses eco-friendly brand Sun Don’t trash fabric. Clothing the long-term effects the waste you STASHERS & Earth, headquartered in King of 8 in the landfi ll is another Try a buy-nothing group. scoring a bookshelf, an espresso create has on our planet. On the other Pros: These silicone SANDWICH BAGS Prussia. (Mom’s also sells liquid hand greenhouse-gas disaster. Whether you 10 The Buy Nothing gift- machine and even artwork. hand, it’s liberating to watch others plastic-bag alternatives AND PLASTIC WRAP soap and dish soap this way.) If BYO- shop at H&M or not, says Dominic economy organization that started peel back and remove the layers of Pros: Um, they take are dishwasher- and jug sounds inconvenient, Hancher McGraw, the effi ciency and projects in 2013 has hyper-local groups in Throw a less-wasteful constant consumption. In a capital- microwave-safe and less energy to pro- suggests a service like Philly-based manager in Philly’s Offi ce of Sustain- countries around the world, includ- birthday party. Kids’ birth- ist society focused on spending and will ostensibly keep any duce than a paper 11 number of single-use bag? They’re light? Dropps, which ships (via carbon- ability, the retail giant has a drop-off ing 63 in the Philadelphia area. Tap day parties have gotten out of con- wanting more, the concept of less sandwich bags out of And “washable”? neutral means) plastic-free, dye-free that accepts old clothes, sheets, tow- into yours via Facebook, and use it to trol, right down to the plastic-toy- isn’t generally seen as noble. But at the landfi ll. Cons: Because laundry pods in compostable boxes. els, and other textiles, like socks and give your old stuff a good home with stuffed goody bags. Esposito has a this moment, the idea appealed to nobody actually Cons: According to underwear, that may be too ratty for people who are thrilled to take your “zero-waste party tub” fi lled with me. That a growing body of research the watchdogs at Life EVIL washes sandwich Without Plastic, sili- bags, this is the Rethink drying. “If you have donation. The company turns the decade-old coffeemaker or mater- Preserve reusable plates, cups and has found links between cancer and cone is still plastic. epitome of single-use 7 the space, hang your clothes used items into products like cleaning nity sweaters. Also, be surprised by utensils, and posts signs asking BPA—a chemical found in some plastic. out to dry,” Hancher says. When cloths. Madewell, the clothing brand what your neighbors are giving away, guests not to throw them away: “At plastics—further fueled my quest. you do fi re up the dryer, forgo dryer owned by J.Crew, also has a cool pro- from baby strollers to leftover take- the 50-person party we just threw, Around this time, I discovered *With the caveat that the thing you already have sheets. Philly-based Bog Berry Hand- gram that takes your old jeans: You out. When Green Philly moved offi c- we left with a potato-chip bag full of that when people go through chemo- and will continue to use (provided it’s not leaching chemicals into your leftover rigatoni) is better than icraft makes vibrantly colored wool get $20 toward a new pair, and they es recently, Hancher tapped into her trash.” Another low-waste option: therapy, metal utensils can cause dis-

going out and buying something new dryer balls—an eco-friendly alter- turn the old ones into insulation. IMAGES GETTY local group to furnish the new space, Ask guests not to bring gifts. comfort. Food CONTINUED ON PAGE 116

84 PHILADELPHIA • APRIL 2020 PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER LEAMAN ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX TAIT APRIL 2020 • PHILADELPHIA 85 ZERO WASTE

Say no to utensils. One rea- rofoam) containers, consider polite- pay a small deposit that’s refunded 2 son we prefer ordering deliv- ly saying that you’d love to see a upon the container’s return. Let your ery from Caviar is that it lets you change. Be sure to acknowledge the favorite spots know you’re interested specify whether you need utensils— increased cost for the business, and in supporting this type of program. DINING and defaults to leaving them out. If mention that you’d be willing to pay Durham, North Carolina, has estab- you’re ordering over the phone or the extra dollar or so for something lished a citywide program that’s with another service, make sure to recyclable. (You would, wouldn’t partnering with more than 20 res- The downside of a thriving food scene is that restaurants produce a ton of ask to skip the extra plastic, unless, you?) taurants, cafes and grocery stores. trash. But fear not—you can be a good foodie and still sleep at night. you know, you really need it. Advocate for even better Don’t forget about left- BY MADDY SWEITZER-LAMMÉ Keep utensils at work. If 5 containers. Alisa Shargoro- 6 overs. Across the country, 3 you’re eating a lot of takeout dsky, founder of ECHO Systems, a almost 150,000 pounds of food are for lunch, get yourself some real Philadelphia zero-waste consulting thrown away each day. Do your part utensils—not only for the Earth but fi rm, says that while compostable to reduce by using Philly’s very own Choose your because they’re just … better. Look- containers are better than high- Food Connect. Simply give them 1 restaurant wisely. ing at you, plastic spork. polymer plastics (like deli contain- your location and tell them what you The biggest impact you can make is in choosing ers), the best option is encouraging have to donate (think trays of food where and what you’re going to eat and drink. And Demand better containers. your favorite spots to join a reusable from catered events or the 30 cans of a number of area restaurants are making efforts, 4 If you regularly order from container loan system. Shargorod- beans your mom gave you when she big and small, to reduce their waste. the same spot and you’re not loving sky has helped businesses convert downsized her kitchen), and they’ll the polystyrene (hard plastic or sty- to programs in which customers come pick it up. Fork. Ellen Yin and her team have been using a biodi- gester at her Old City fl agship for more than a decade. Any unusable food scraps are mixed with bacteria that turns all organic solid waste into wastewater, which can then be returned to the water system. It cuts down on the trash they The Philly 1 send to the landfi ll. Zero-Waste Poi Dog. Kiki Aranita, owner/chef at this beloved Rittenhouse poke spot, is “obsessive” about reducing Survival Kit waste. After butchering fi sh, she donates the less-than- Kiki Aranita Try to treat each day like you’re appetizing bloodlines to a company that turns them upcycles a Spam into dog treats. Cans left over from the Spam musubi can into a candle. going backpack camping: Leave are turned into candles, and Aranita makes stock from the house with as little as possible chicken bones she gets from Federal Donuts. and everything you need. These fi ve items should do the trick. Goldie and Dizengo . We all love these CookNSolo spots, but now there’s one more reason to enjoy a tehina 2 shake: Both restaurants donate their leftover food daily to 1. WATER BOTTLE 3. REUSABLE BAG: 4 organizations including Lutheran Settlement House and AND/OR TRAVEL Pack your lunch Chosen 300. They work with Fooding Forward, an organi- MUG: Billions of each day in a bag zation founded by Abbe Stern that connects restaurants plastic bottles end you can scrunch up with organizations that can accept their excess. up in U.S. landfi lls and take home a six- each year, and pack in later. Boardroom Spirits. Next time you hit the bar, look Americans go for vodka and gin from this Lansdale distillery. Boardroom through some 100 4. HANDKERCHIEF: composts spent grains and fruit produced by its distilling million co ee cups a Are handkerchiefs process with a nearby farmer and has installed solar panels day. Find a reusable old-fashioned? Abso- with the goal of going o the grid in the next two years. vessel you love (we lutely. But they’re not “Our tagline is, ‘Sustainable business is smart business,’” like Hydro Flask and just for blowing nos- says co-owner Marat Mamedov, “because these choices Zojirushi), and carry es. Napkin, sandwich 3 really do help us save money and become more profi table.” it with pride. Bonus: wrap, impromptu Surreptitious virtue- bindle—get in on Baology. Owner Judy Ni is very conscious of how much signaling! what hobos have food waste she’s creating, which is why when she recently always known: Han- 5 introduced duck dumplings, she also introduced a special 2. BAMBOO kies can do it all. duck wonton soup made with bones left over from the UTENSIL KIT: This birds she buys for the dumplings. fork/knife/spoon 5. REUSABLE set is made of STRAW: We know. Chesapeake & Maine. Down in Rehoboth, Dogfi sh bamboo not (just) You think reusable Head Brewery’s seafood spot participates in Don’t Chuck for sustainability straws are ridicu- Your Shucks, a program from the Delaware Center for the reasons, but also lous. That the turtle Inland Bays that helps restore oyster habitats and protect because it was with the swizzle shorelines. Next time you head out for buck-a-shuck, ask The makers of designed for ultra- stick up its nostril your favorite spot if it has considered doing something Boardroom Spirits compost the grains used light campers. The shouldn’t have been similar. in the distilling process. unbearable light- so damned nosy.

CLAUDIA GAVIN CLAUDIA ness of ... eating! You’re a monster.

86 PHILADELPHIA • APRIL 2020 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LEAMAN APRIL 2020 • PHILADELPHIA 87 ZERO WASTE

or pads, and the average woman uses about 240 tampons each year. Hancher recommends substituting a menstrual cup—a small, ﬂ exible cup made of medical-grade silicone or latex. “I can’t recommend them enough. I’ve been using Lunette for years,” she says. “Contrary to mis- conceptions, cleaning and sanitiz- ing them is a breeze. Plus, I no lon- ger waste $12 a month on tampons.” Menstrual cups cost between $20 to $40 and should be replaced every one to two years.

Abandon bottles. Reduce the 5 clutter in your bathroom by switching to local bar-based sham- poos, conditioners and soaps. Several Philly brands focus on environmental impact and come with minimal packaging. Green Ablutions of Phoe- nixville is one of Hancher’s favorites; AND WHEN I DIE ... Corpse composting is the ultimate—literally—in a zero-waste Sabeen Zia works her it makes low-waste shampoo and magic at the Indie Shelf. conditioning bars. Also check Stinky life. It’s not yet legal in Pennsylvania … but a girl can dream. Girl Beauty Co.’s natural deodorant, BY SANDY HINGSTON Franklin & Whitman skin-care prod- Simplify your ucts, and Beekman’s COPA soaps, for eople say that the way it turns pineapple cores and 3 makeup routine. natural soaps made from essential patience is a virtue, potato peels into rich black dirt. I Julie Hancher says her main beauty-routine hack oils and herbs. but I’ll be damned if love what the process taught my is to keep it simple: “Prioritize what’s important— I know why. Do you kids about the circle of life, not to I prioritize local and nontoxic ingredients—to make decisions.” Sabeen Zia, whose Indie Shelf Shave smarter. Zia recom- like waiting in long mention worm appreciation. And BEAUTY & features lots of small indie brands, says she looks 6 mends safety razors: “They Plines? Hanging around till the cable I’ve become convinced I’d like to be at packaging ﬁ rst, prioritizing glass, aluminum, take time to get used to, but they guy shows up to your house? We’re composted after I die, instead of bamboo and sugarcane plastic. (She swears by eliminate plastic. You have to switch in the era of sooner is better—hello, burned (sending toxins into the air) Ere Perez o erings as well as Sappho New Para- the blades, which are recyclable, but Amazon Same-Day!—and I don’t see or planted inside a personal fortress WELLNESS digm's vegan mascara, which comes in a metal tube, and reﬁ llable bronzer.) Then, “Replace the actual handle can last forever.” why we should make an exception of shroud, coffi n, grave liner and cotton rounds with reusable muslin or bamboo for death. You die, you decay. Dust to burial vault. The health and beauty industry is huge. rounds and biodegradable wipes and swabs,” Lose the loofah. Get rid of dust. Fini. Last year, Washington State she says. “It may cost a bit more up front for the nasty plastic pouf in your And yet for much of history, became the fi rst place in the U.S. Unfortunately, so is its output of plastic waste. Here are some of these swaps, but if we all start normal- 7 izing these products, they’ll eventually become shower. Not only is it unsanitary (so humans have been intent on delay- to legalize human composting. ways to sustain your youthful glow … sustainably. more a ordable.” is the natural kind), but, y’know, it’s ing decomposition: Mummifi cation, Your corpse gets tucked into a steel BY CIERRA WILLIAMS plastic. Hancher recommends invest- embalming, cryopreservation, plas- receptacle with wood chips, sprouts ing in good washcloths: “Use a soft tination and promession all slow it and oxygen that hurry putrefaction organic washcloth, and toss it in the down via various chemical interven- along. After just four weeks, you’re a Do your homework. Evaluate Make your own. A lot of but when I do, I just use baking laundry after three to four days.” Doc- tions. Screw that. When I go, I wan- lovely loam, suitable for houseplant 1 the brands you use on the Envi- 2 hygiene products (think tooth- soda, organic coconut oil, organic tors, however, say you should just use na go. I’m ready to rot. I dislike cem- potting or tomato growing or just ronmental Working Group’s Skin paste and deodorant) can be made arrowroot powder, and whatever soap and your own hands to get your- eteries. (Who wants a sea of stones sprinkling on the lawn. Deep website (ewg.org/skindeep), at home from basic ingredients. “I essential oils I have lying around.” self clean. when the space could be all trees The Catholic Church opposes which rates products for safety and have a few jars of a bath scrub I made Pinterest is littered with at-home and daisies?) I don’t want my ashes human composting, saying it “fails healthiness. From there, assess from Epsom salts and essential oils,” recipes for any product you can Brush your teeth better. plunked on anyone’s mantel when to show enough respect for the what’s really worth the money. says Julie Hancher, co-founder and imagine. 8 Bite, a plastic-free all-natural I could be doing something nice for body of the deceased.” You know Sabeen Zia, owner of the Indie Shelf editor of sustainability blog Green toothpaste, eschews the tube in favor the world, like contributing the doz- what’s really disrespectful? Thinking in Grad Ho, recommends switch- Philly. “And I make a face mask using Rethink tampons. Going of a small glass jar of pellets. You, ens of elements that I’m made up of, humans are the center of the uni- ing products gradually: “Really try leaves from my aloe plant.” Philly 4 zero-waste involves examin- ahem, bite one, then brush. The sub- and that would be seriously thwart- verse. No less than the trees and the to use up what you have before buy- herb afi cionada Jada Walton says ing even the most intimate deci- scription service sends four months’ ed in their return to earth by a con- stars, we have a right to be here— ing more. Switch over to zero-waste making her own deodorant saves her sions. I’m talking about periods. worth of minty bits in a compostable crete crypt. but we don’t have any more right. products slowly—don’t overwhelm time and energy: “I haven’t had to Ninety-eight percent of women cardboard box. Bite sells compostable I’ve had a composter in my gar- Believing we do is how we’ve wound yourself or your wallet!” make another batch in a few months, manage their periods with tampons bamboo toothbrushes, too. den for nearly three decades. I dig up with a world on fi re. Rot on!

88 PHILADELPHIA • APRIL 2020 PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER LEAMAN ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX TAIT APRIL 2020 • PHILADELPHIA 89 Zero Waste CONTINUED FROM PAGE 85 often tastes metallic, and silverware can intensify that feeling, so patients are often encouraged to use plastic. My mom’s needs and my new mission were converging. Giv- en everything else going on in my household, going zero-waste seemed impossibly drastic. Maybe, though, I could compro- mise and just give up plastics. That seemed manageable. I talked the idea over with my parents, who halfheartedly complied. On with the mission! I ordered bamboo utensils for my mom. I ordered mesh produce bags, bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo straws and glass jars. This was going to work. And then my mom’s chemotherapy started. Our lives got hectic, and I found it increasingly difficult to avoid plastic. Not using plastic requires that you plan ahead, and forethought can be tough when your life is touch and go because of a sick family member. Single-use plastics are so preva- lent that we don’t even realize we rely on them. It seemed they were everywhere. If I wanted to get my morning coffee from the cafe by the Philly Mag office, I had to have my travel mug with me. A quick run to the market after work now required me to remember my reusable produce bags and tote. Getting takeout? I had to order in the restaurant and then transfer the food from a plate to my reusable to-go containers. All the simple daily conveniences that make today’s on-the-go lifestyle easier became a nuisance. I found myself frus- trated and discouraged as I tried to maneu- ver through this new world; just using plastic was so much easier. It wasn’t until I refocused my thinking that I made progress. Instead of dwell- ing on how much time I was “wasting” by avoiding plastic, I emphasized the positives of my decisions: thinking about my future, having a family of my own, envisioning my children playing on a beach that wasn’t covered in plastic waste. Repetition made the extra steps turn into habits. My new mission began to feel more rewarding. By the time this goes to print, my mom will (hopefully!) be finishing up her chemotherapy and moving on to radiation to con- clude her treatment. It’s funny, but the tim- ing actually turned out to be perfect: Cancer can make you feel like you have no control, and I needed something I could control. My journey is just beginning, but I’ve set my sights on going all the way to zero waste.

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116 PHILADELPHIA • FEBRUARY 2020