What do you think?
Rate this book
The Zero-Waste Lifestyle: Live Well by Throwing Away Less
A practical guide to generating less waste, featuring meaningful and achievable strategies from the blogger behind The Green Garbage Project, a yearlong experiment in living garbage-free.
Trash is a big, dirty problem. The average American tosses out nearly 2,000 pounds of garbage every year that piles up in landfills and threatens our air and water quality. You do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but is it enough?
In The Zero-Waste Lifestyle , Amy Korst shows you how to lead a healthier, happier, and more sustainable life by generating less garbage. Drawing from lessons she learned during a yearlong experiment in zero-waste living, Amy outlines hundreds of easy ideas—from the simple to the radical—for consuming and throwing away less, with low-impact tips on the best ways
• Buy eggs from a local farm instead of the grocery store
• Start a worm bin for composting
• Grow your own loofah sponges and mix up eco-friendly cleaning solutions
• Purchase gently used items and donate them when you’re finished
• Shop the bulk aisle and keep reusable bags in your purse or car
• Bring your own containers for take-out or restaurant leftovers
By eliminating unnecessary items in every aspect of your life, these meaningful and achievable strategies will help you save time and money, support local businesses, decrease litter, reduce your toxic exposure, eat well, become more self-sufficient, and preserve the planet for future generations.
Trash is a big, dirty problem. The average American tosses out nearly 2,000 pounds of garbage every year that piles up in landfills and threatens our air and water quality. You do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but is it enough?
In The Zero-Waste Lifestyle , Amy Korst shows you how to lead a healthier, happier, and more sustainable life by generating less garbage. Drawing from lessons she learned during a yearlong experiment in zero-waste living, Amy outlines hundreds of easy ideas—from the simple to the radical—for consuming and throwing away less, with low-impact tips on the best ways
• Buy eggs from a local farm instead of the grocery store
• Start a worm bin for composting
• Grow your own loofah sponges and mix up eco-friendly cleaning solutions
• Purchase gently used items and donate them when you’re finished
• Shop the bulk aisle and keep reusable bags in your purse or car
• Bring your own containers for take-out or restaurant leftovers
By eliminating unnecessary items in every aspect of your life, these meaningful and achievable strategies will help you save time and money, support local businesses, decrease litter, reduce your toxic exposure, eat well, become more self-sufficient, and preserve the planet for future generations.
272 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2012
149 people are currently reading
1435 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
September 5, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. I really like the idea of reducing the amount of garbage I produce and I had hoped this book would be more helpful. There are a couple of good tips I picked up, but most of the suggestions in this book fell in to two categories: 1) I already do that. 2) I don't have the time and/or desire to do that. I did appreciate that her suggestions were all coming from the perspective of someone who lived this lifestyle and worked out ways to avoid garbage. However, I disagree with her assertion that adopting this lifestyle will simplify your life. A life where I make my own butter and deodorant is not a simpler one.
I had major issues with the credibility of the author from pretty early on in the book. For example, in chapter 2, she references a source that says an average American woman of reproductive age uses 2,182 tampons a year. HOLD UP. Any woman with basic math skills and some experience with tampons can see that this is a huge over estimation. Let's assume that a woman uses 6 tampons a day during her period. Let's also assume that she has a period that lasts 7 days (on the long end of "normal"). That's 42 tampons, but let's round up to 50 tampons/period, just in case we underestimated somewhere. (I'm pretty sure that any woman who uses tampons will tell you that this is already a HUGE overestimation, but bear with me.) Let's say a woman has a cycle slightly shorter than a month, so 13 cycles per year. 13 x 50 = 650. The number that Korst cites in her book is still 336% higher than my estimate, which I'm pretty sure is extremely high itself. The moral of the story is that I have a hard time trusting any other numbers in this book, considering that Korst and her editors included such an obviously inflated estimate.
I also didn't like the "anti-chemical" tone that Korst took throughout the book. (Disclaimer: I'm a chemist.) Two important truths I'm not sure the author appreciates: 1) Everything is made of chemicals. You, me, the apple in your lunch box, your plastic lunch box, or the paper lunch bag you use instead. 2) Whether something is naturally oconcurring or man-made tells you nothing about how it will affect your body or the environment. For example, Korst cites the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for silica as reasoning for not wanting it in products you use. What she doesn't mention is that silica is naturally occurring - it's the main component of most natural sand. She also suggests using borax for cleaning, but doesn't tell you that some manufacturers of borax include a reproductive toxicity warning on their MSDS. I agree that we should be cautious of what kind of chemicals we allow in consumer products and foods, but that doesn't mean simply rejecting anything man-made. It's important to remember that the dose and method of exposure make all the difference when it comes to biological effects.
Another example of Korst's scientific illiteracy can be found in her discussion of deodorants. In one paragraph she says she thinks "aluminum compounds" are harmful and worth avoiding, but in the next paragraph she suggests switching to alum-based deodorants. Alum. As in potassium aluminum sulfate - a mineral which includes (you guessed it) aluminum ions. It's in a different form than the aluminum used in main-stream deodorants, which is significant, but Korst doesn't even seem to realize that she's contradicting herself.
I guess I just wish that Korst had stuck to her topic of waste reduction instead of trying to tell readers about what industrial ingredients are good or bad for them. Her book suggests that she doesn't have the scientific literacy to discuss that topic.
I had major issues with the credibility of the author from pretty early on in the book. For example, in chapter 2, she references a source that says an average American woman of reproductive age uses 2,182 tampons a year. HOLD UP. Any woman with basic math skills and some experience with tampons can see that this is a huge over estimation. Let's assume that a woman uses 6 tampons a day during her period. Let's also assume that she has a period that lasts 7 days (on the long end of "normal"). That's 42 tampons, but let's round up to 50 tampons/period, just in case we underestimated somewhere. (I'm pretty sure that any woman who uses tampons will tell you that this is already a HUGE overestimation, but bear with me.) Let's say a woman has a cycle slightly shorter than a month, so 13 cycles per year. 13 x 50 = 650. The number that Korst cites in her book is still 336% higher than my estimate, which I'm pretty sure is extremely high itself. The moral of the story is that I have a hard time trusting any other numbers in this book, considering that Korst and her editors included such an obviously inflated estimate.
I also didn't like the "anti-chemical" tone that Korst took throughout the book. (Disclaimer: I'm a chemist.) Two important truths I'm not sure the author appreciates: 1) Everything is made of chemicals. You, me, the apple in your lunch box, your plastic lunch box, or the paper lunch bag you use instead. 2) Whether something is naturally oconcurring or man-made tells you nothing about how it will affect your body or the environment. For example, Korst cites the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for silica as reasoning for not wanting it in products you use. What she doesn't mention is that silica is naturally occurring - it's the main component of most natural sand. She also suggests using borax for cleaning, but doesn't tell you that some manufacturers of borax include a reproductive toxicity warning on their MSDS. I agree that we should be cautious of what kind of chemicals we allow in consumer products and foods, but that doesn't mean simply rejecting anything man-made. It's important to remember that the dose and method of exposure make all the difference when it comes to biological effects.
Another example of Korst's scientific illiteracy can be found in her discussion of deodorants. In one paragraph she says she thinks "aluminum compounds" are harmful and worth avoiding, but in the next paragraph she suggests switching to alum-based deodorants. Alum. As in potassium aluminum sulfate - a mineral which includes (you guessed it) aluminum ions. It's in a different form than the aluminum used in main-stream deodorants, which is significant, but Korst doesn't even seem to realize that she's contradicting herself.
I guess I just wish that Korst had stuck to her topic of waste reduction instead of trying to tell readers about what industrial ingredients are good or bad for them. Her book suggests that she doesn't have the scientific literacy to discuss that topic.
February 11, 2013
Some useful tips? Check.
A lot of things I already knew? Check.
Makes use of checklists? Check.
Author lives in a city with much more elaborate recycling capabilities? Check.
Quite similar to Plastic Free.
Mostly excited about Lush's shampoo bars (which is now located at Easton).
Am working up the courage to take my own containers to the deli counter at Raisin Rack for sliced cheese.
Good to know that the experts also have found no viable alternative to Q-tips and dental floss.
A lot of things I already knew? Check.
Makes use of checklists? Check.
Author lives in a city with much more elaborate recycling capabilities? Check.
Quite similar to Plastic Free.
Mostly excited about Lush's shampoo bars (which is now located at Easton).
Am working up the courage to take my own containers to the deli counter at Raisin Rack for sliced cheese.
Good to know that the experts also have found no viable alternative to Q-tips and dental floss.
April 6, 2018
This book is a life changer. Lots of good suggestions and ideas to make even the smallest changes.
February 6, 2013
(Oops! First time around I mixed this up with a different book. This is what I really read!)
This quick read dovetailed nicely with other books I've been reading about running a more natural, non-harmful household. I admire Korst and her husband for their utter devotion to producing as little trash as possible and knew immediately I was never going to have a zero-waste home. Tooth powder instead of toothpaste? Handkerchiefs over Kleenex (she hasn't seen the amount of snot my family can produce!)? Finding a place to buy liquids in bulk, so I wouldn't have to use container after container?
However, I did find the book realistic about just trying to encourage every household to kick it up a notch. She offered Easy, Moderate and Advanced changes, so anyone can make a difference. Use less. Avoid packaging. Avoid plastics.
According to Korst, "the average American produces three pounds of landfill-bound garbage each day." This amounted to 250 million pounds of trash in 2010, all dumped in lined pits in the ground, 82% of which leach crud into our groundwater. Not only that, but there's so much in there, piled so fast, that the Garbage Project discovered even biodegradable things weren't biodegrading. They found recognizable food that was 20 years old, as well as newsprint about the moon landing! Yikes.
And trash that doesn't end up in the ground too often ends up in our oceans, where it floats around in a mass 2x the size of Texas and kills 100,000 marine mammals annually.
Fortunately my city has excellent recycling and yard waste programs, so we're not a super-trashy family, but I was inspired to make some changes based on Johnson's book:
1. I bought reusable mesh produce bags. Plastic produce bags, like all plastic, come at a heavy environmental price, and those suckers never degrade or go away. And plastic, unlike glass or metal, can never be recycled into what it was--it always goes down the scale of products until it's tiny microplastics--great for absorbing pollutants and killing sea creatures.
2. I put empty plastic storage containers in the car to use in place of take-out containers or doggie bags, or even for bulk-buying of small or powdery goods. (Whole Foods will pre-weigh your container.)
3. I'm going to try making my own sour cream and yogurt--the two main grocery store purchases that fill my house with plastic containers. Besides gallon milk jugs, that is, but I'm not getting a dairy cow. Korst also includes a recipe for homemade ricotta!
4. I'm making homemade cleaners from vinegar, baking soda, and other environmentally harmless ingredients. Check back on my UrbanFarmJunkie blog for my forays into grout cleaner, bleach, and homemade laundry detergent.
5. Under the TMI header, Korst makes suggestions for feminine products, and I've ordered mine.
And, 6. If I must have it, and there's a choice between recyclable packaging and non (think clamshell containers), I'll choose the brand in the recyclable packaging.
For those families still with young children, Korst has a whole discussion of diapers which I--thank God--could skip over.
An easy read that could change your household habits! Recommend.
This quick read dovetailed nicely with other books I've been reading about running a more natural, non-harmful household. I admire Korst and her husband for their utter devotion to producing as little trash as possible and knew immediately I was never going to have a zero-waste home. Tooth powder instead of toothpaste? Handkerchiefs over Kleenex (she hasn't seen the amount of snot my family can produce!)? Finding a place to buy liquids in bulk, so I wouldn't have to use container after container?
However, I did find the book realistic about just trying to encourage every household to kick it up a notch. She offered Easy, Moderate and Advanced changes, so anyone can make a difference. Use less. Avoid packaging. Avoid plastics.
According to Korst, "the average American produces three pounds of landfill-bound garbage each day." This amounted to 250 million pounds of trash in 2010, all dumped in lined pits in the ground, 82% of which leach crud into our groundwater. Not only that, but there's so much in there, piled so fast, that the Garbage Project discovered even biodegradable things weren't biodegrading. They found recognizable food that was 20 years old, as well as newsprint about the moon landing! Yikes.
And trash that doesn't end up in the ground too often ends up in our oceans, where it floats around in a mass 2x the size of Texas and kills 100,000 marine mammals annually.
Fortunately my city has excellent recycling and yard waste programs, so we're not a super-trashy family, but I was inspired to make some changes based on Johnson's book:
1. I bought reusable mesh produce bags. Plastic produce bags, like all plastic, come at a heavy environmental price, and those suckers never degrade or go away. And plastic, unlike glass or metal, can never be recycled into what it was--it always goes down the scale of products until it's tiny microplastics--great for absorbing pollutants and killing sea creatures.
2. I put empty plastic storage containers in the car to use in place of take-out containers or doggie bags, or even for bulk-buying of small or powdery goods. (Whole Foods will pre-weigh your container.)
3. I'm going to try making my own sour cream and yogurt--the two main grocery store purchases that fill my house with plastic containers. Besides gallon milk jugs, that is, but I'm not getting a dairy cow. Korst also includes a recipe for homemade ricotta!
4. I'm making homemade cleaners from vinegar, baking soda, and other environmentally harmless ingredients. Check back on my UrbanFarmJunkie blog for my forays into grout cleaner, bleach, and homemade laundry detergent.
5. Under the TMI header, Korst makes suggestions for feminine products, and I've ordered mine.
And, 6. If I must have it, and there's a choice between recyclable packaging and non (think clamshell containers), I'll choose the brand in the recyclable packaging.
For those families still with young children, Korst has a whole discussion of diapers which I--thank God--could skip over.
An easy read that could change your household habits! Recommend.
August 29, 2016
Super informative! Favorite part about the book is that it breaks down the things you'll need/could to do in order to minimize waste in easy, moderate and advanced categories. It makes the transition less intimidating. I also loved the A-Z Guide to Recycling at the end of the book. Great resources.
March 1, 2018
An easy to read guide to a life with less garbage. It's pretty cheerful and low-key, so you don't feel like a giant wasteful jerk as you read through it. Also, it contains a great guide to where to recycle a lot of weird stuff!
April 5, 2022
I am horrified by the trash I generate, the role of garbage in my life. Plastic is everywhere and unavoidable. Sometimes, at night, I apologize to God for my trash. I know my life as it pertains to garbage is not right — that I, as a human, do not need fleeting moments with disposable goods that will live for hundreds or thousands of years beyond my body and anyone who knows of me.
Relatedly, I do goofy things. I pick up dog poop with empty bread bags. I give beverage sleeves back to the barista. I have begun to compost (not goofy) and obsess how its texture and smell changes based upon what I put in (goofy, yes, but did you know how amazing lemon slices are?).
So, I think I’m Amy Korst’s target market. But for me, even me, The Zero Waste Lifestyle goes too far. I am not going to make my own dog food, candy canes, and toothpaste. I am not going to separate the plastic pieces from the metal tines on my toilet brush so I can recycle them. I am not going to insist on all the neighbors coming to my house on Halloween so everyone has homemade candy with no wrappers. I do not have time, and her strategies and tips are misguided. I say this with the full weight of someone who has spent multiple hospitalizations in an eating disorders unit — what the author is suggesting is a type of anorexia, an anorexia from society.
Recognizing that the onus is on society to change, rather than the crunchy individual to abstain from virtually everything, is the beginning of the solution. For all we can and should do personally, we need public policy. We need laws banning plastic bags, plastic clamshells, and single-use plastic utensils or free samples of any kind being given to people without being verbally requested. We need laws holding manufacturers accountable for how they ship, create, and package. I don’t want you to have to sew your baby’s diapers. I want all of us to stop this shit.
Relatedly, I do goofy things. I pick up dog poop with empty bread bags. I give beverage sleeves back to the barista. I have begun to compost (not goofy) and obsess how its texture and smell changes based upon what I put in (goofy, yes, but did you know how amazing lemon slices are?).
So, I think I’m Amy Korst’s target market. But for me, even me, The Zero Waste Lifestyle goes too far. I am not going to make my own dog food, candy canes, and toothpaste. I am not going to separate the plastic pieces from the metal tines on my toilet brush so I can recycle them. I am not going to insist on all the neighbors coming to my house on Halloween so everyone has homemade candy with no wrappers. I do not have time, and her strategies and tips are misguided. I say this with the full weight of someone who has spent multiple hospitalizations in an eating disorders unit — what the author is suggesting is a type of anorexia, an anorexia from society.
Recognizing that the onus is on society to change, rather than the crunchy individual to abstain from virtually everything, is the beginning of the solution. For all we can and should do personally, we need public policy. We need laws banning plastic bags, plastic clamshells, and single-use plastic utensils or free samples of any kind being given to people without being verbally requested. We need laws holding manufacturers accountable for how they ship, create, and package. I don’t want you to have to sew your baby’s diapers. I want all of us to stop this shit.
March 1, 2016
This book was kind of hit-or-miss for me.
First I'll start with the good!
I think this book is a good introduction to the zero-waste lifestyle. It is filled with a lot of tips and tricks which I like. It is also very informative in respect to "the evils of plastic." I also loved that the book itself is printed on 100% post-consumer fiber with vegetable based inks!
But that being said there are other books, mainly Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson, that I feel might be better as the first book to read about zero waste.
Here's what I didn't like:
The author herself says that her toothpaste tubes is trash that she can't avoid, yet you could easily make your own toothpaste at home or if you don't trust yourself, can buy toothpaste in metal tubes or buy toothpaste tabs (which are solid tabs that you put in your mouth and crush with your teeth to use as toothpaste; they look like Altoids!).
She also purposefully makes a piece of trash every week for herself and her pets as well as her husband. I think it's hard to say you live a zero-waste lifestyle and actually choose to produce trash. Because of that I find her view to be wishy-washy.
Also, some of the information in the book needs up be update. For example, Diva cups are made to last 10-15 years but she states that the company says to replace this and similar cups every year. Someone who knows nothing about zero waste might take that as fact and decide against the lifestyle based on that alone.
Overall, I think it's a good companion book to other zero waste books but I definitely wouldn't start with this one.
First I'll start with the good!
I think this book is a good introduction to the zero-waste lifestyle. It is filled with a lot of tips and tricks which I like. It is also very informative in respect to "the evils of plastic." I also loved that the book itself is printed on 100% post-consumer fiber with vegetable based inks!
But that being said there are other books, mainly Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson, that I feel might be better as the first book to read about zero waste.
Here's what I didn't like:
The author herself says that her toothpaste tubes is trash that she can't avoid, yet you could easily make your own toothpaste at home or if you don't trust yourself, can buy toothpaste in metal tubes or buy toothpaste tabs (which are solid tabs that you put in your mouth and crush with your teeth to use as toothpaste; they look like Altoids!).
She also purposefully makes a piece of trash every week for herself and her pets as well as her husband. I think it's hard to say you live a zero-waste lifestyle and actually choose to produce trash. Because of that I find her view to be wishy-washy.
Also, some of the information in the book needs up be update. For example, Diva cups are made to last 10-15 years but she states that the company says to replace this and similar cups every year. Someone who knows nothing about zero waste might take that as fact and decide against the lifestyle based on that alone.
Overall, I think it's a good companion book to other zero waste books but I definitely wouldn't start with this one.
August 23, 2021
Honestly this book was not what I expected, the first few chapters just repeat the same concept of how trash is bad and Americans produce so much of it, which is true enough. But I was looking for something more informative and not so repetitive. Also, there was a "facts" section on how much trash the avg American throws out each year in which she says that the avg American woman of reproductive age throws out 2,182 tampons a year. I calculated this to be around 182 tampons per month! Absolutely ridiculous, so I checked her source and the first line on the website states that life starts at conception so no wonder they gave out bogus information on tampon usage 🙄
April 9, 2017
Expected this book to be a bit extreme but from the outset the reader was encouraged that any small change is good too. The book covered many areas in your life that you could reduce your waste and included a range of practical tips at the end of each chapter. Whilst I won't adopt an extreme zero waste lifestyle I am going to make some changes to reduce my waste.
January 5, 2018
Overall, the book is pretty good and would be a decent place to start for someone looking to reduce the waste they produce. The author gives plenty of tips for reducing waste in various areas of our homes and lives. She does rely a bit more heavily than I'd like on recycling versus avoiding packaging altogether however. Yes, we can recycle the plastic from the toilet paper, but she didn't even mention buying rolls wrapped in paper. Paper can be composted, or lacking that option, can be more easily recycled than plastic. I did appreciate how she points out that even if we are doing our part as consumers to avoid packaging and recycle, there's a great deal of waste from manufacturing and shipping of goods.
Even companies taking extra steps to be more environmentally-friendly can misstep at times on easy ways to reduce waste. I ordered t-shirts made with organic cotton, sewn in the US (avoiding sweatshops) and dyed with earth-friendly dyes only to have them arrive each in their own plastic bag. 😕 This same company now carries shirts made from non-organic cotton and made in South America. When I emailed the company, stating that I appreciated the organic, earth-friendly products made in the US and asked about these new products, I was told that their customers wanted lower prices. Now, I shop secondhand at thrift stores mostly. This cuts down on waste and on supporting business practices not in line with my values.
For those wanting to take things further, check out Bea Johnson's Zero Waste Home and Beth Terry's Plastic-Free.
Even companies taking extra steps to be more environmentally-friendly can misstep at times on easy ways to reduce waste. I ordered t-shirts made with organic cotton, sewn in the US (avoiding sweatshops) and dyed with earth-friendly dyes only to have them arrive each in their own plastic bag. 😕 This same company now carries shirts made from non-organic cotton and made in South America. When I emailed the company, stating that I appreciated the organic, earth-friendly products made in the US and asked about these new products, I was told that their customers wanted lower prices. Now, I shop secondhand at thrift stores mostly. This cuts down on waste and on supporting business practices not in line with my values.
For those wanting to take things further, check out Bea Johnson's Zero Waste Home and Beth Terry's Plastic-Free.
August 28, 2017
Very informative book, though longer than it needed to be. Several of the chapters near the end just re-iterated the same principles from the early chapters. My wife and I have been implementing many of the principals in our daily lives and we are down to maybe one bag of garbage a week (and thats without composting since we live in an apartment). We have gotten some annoyance from grocery workers when we bring our tupperware for meats, but most have been curious and impressed that we're trying to cut plastic waste out of our lives.
The only reason this isn't a 5 star book, is the repetition in the later chapters and the author's wishy-washy stance on plastic. At the beginning, she was adamant that plastic should be eliminated as much as possible due to the fact that it isn't truly recyclable (its down-cycled) and never biodegrades. Several points in the book, though, she says plastic is recyclable so its ok. (I'm on the side of eliminating as much as possible.)
There were however excellent online resources mentioned throughout the book that have helped us recycle some hard to recycle items and find better sources for humanely raised meats and organic produce that hasn't been shipped thousands of miles across the world.
The only reason this isn't a 5 star book, is the repetition in the later chapters and the author's wishy-washy stance on plastic. At the beginning, she was adamant that plastic should be eliminated as much as possible due to the fact that it isn't truly recyclable (its down-cycled) and never biodegrades. Several points in the book, though, she says plastic is recyclable so its ok. (I'm on the side of eliminating as much as possible.)
There were however excellent online resources mentioned throughout the book that have helped us recycle some hard to recycle items and find better sources for humanely raised meats and organic produce that hasn't been shipped thousands of miles across the world.
August 16, 2024
Oh boy, I finally got around to reading this one: ELEVEN YEARS after I added it to my "to-read" list!!?
Was it worth the wait? Probably not. Lots of good info and resources in here, of course, but nothing that I hadn't already heard before (it has been 11 years, afterall). Things such as making your own deodorant and composting. Nah, that's not going to work for me; I wish I was like that, but I'm definitely not.
This book (and books like it) serve well simply to remind me to keep trying to be less wasteful. Consume less, waste less! If everyone did just 1% less, what a huge difference that would make.
My personal recommendations: don't make any more humans, and use your local library.
Was it worth the wait? Probably not. Lots of good info and resources in here, of course, but nothing that I hadn't already heard before (it has been 11 years, afterall). Things such as making your own deodorant and composting. Nah, that's not going to work for me; I wish I was like that, but I'm definitely not.
This book (and books like it) serve well simply to remind me to keep trying to be less wasteful. Consume less, waste less! If everyone did just 1% less, what a huge difference that would make.
My personal recommendations: don't make any more humans, and use your local library.
March 15, 2021
I dunno why Goodreads is only letting me rate this 1 star. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars if I could. It was going to be 5 and then the author wrote that if businesses won't let her open a box to see what the packaging is inside then she doesn't give them her business. Yikes. Like it's the business owner's fault how manufacturers package their goods. Then you've now opened a box that they will no longer be able to sell thus creating trash. Other than that this was a good read with lots of ideas with sources. Keep in mind that this book is now outdated so there are a lot more ways to reduce your trash than the author states.
August 26, 2022
There are some great ideas for how to reduce waste in your everyday life. I was pleased at how many I already do (I live in Vermont after all) and I got a few more easy to implement ideas. For example, I rarely finish a meal at a restaurant and the book gave me the idea to just bring my own to-go containers. When I tried it out, I didn't even bother asking about it. I just pulled it out and emptied my plate into it right at my table.
November 16, 2017
I liked this book overall. I am trying to be more responsible when it comes to taking care of our planet- I didn’t agree with everything she said (hence the 3 stars) but I was able to gather a few helpful tips to be more eco friendly. Not gonna lie though, I skipped over a few sections. Sorry, but I just can’t come to terms with reused floss 🤦🏼♀️
May 11, 2019
I learned a ton from this book. I was happy to see that I already did a lot of the basic steps to get started towards living zero waste. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to reach absolute zero (I love chips too much), but just knowing there are resources out there, encourages me to do the little bit that I can.
March 13, 2020
Not as useful as other books. It’s a bit older (2012), but she seems to encourage recycling as if it’s actually successful when we now know it really isn’t. Not enough of a focus on reducing consumption in my opinion. I do like the end of chapter summaries w easy, moderate and advanced steps.
January 12, 2015
this book's strong suits: a really thorough analysis of what is actually recyclable and what is not. i had been recycling prescription bottles at my job (i work in mental healthcare) in blithe ignorance. the horror! recycling plant employees are just throwing them away. now i will hoard them and drop them off at whole foods, which apparently accepts #5 plastics. the book is good for little tips like this--obviously, ms. korst has really done her research.
the thing that i don't like about this book is that it seems to be aimed for people exactly like her--white, straight, middle-class--and it seems to assume that EVERYONE shares her values. i was particularly annoyed at the part about shaving, where she brings up the notion that she would stop shaving as completely dismissable because SHE personally likes the way her legs look hairless, and instead brought up ways to use razors that don't produce quite as much trash. it's like, ok, maybe not shaving is unacceptable to you, but do you think it's so abhorrent to everyone reading your book that you can't, like, even mention it as a possible alternative? not shaving is a very simple way to reduce trash in yr life and have a little bit more time to, like, cuddle with your cat or read a book about recycling or whatever you're dying to do. i don't know, little weird fussy details like that kept popping up that just annoyed me (which i admit probably has a lot more to do with me), like the chapter on zero-waste housecleaning, which actually has a lot of really helpful tips & recipes but has little asides like, "i put essential oils in my vinegar because i don't want my house to smell like easter eggs after i clean it." it's like--really? is that so unbearable? i think most people who clean with vinegar know that it smells for a little bit, but it usually dissipates in like half an hour, and it can take other mild household odors with it.
all in all, this book is good for its inspiration and thorough research. there was a lot i already knew but also a lot i didn't that was helpful! i personally found the tone annoying, but maybe you won't, or maybe you are better at overlooking those kinds of things?
the thing that i don't like about this book is that it seems to be aimed for people exactly like her--white, straight, middle-class--and it seems to assume that EVERYONE shares her values. i was particularly annoyed at the part about shaving, where she brings up the notion that she would stop shaving as completely dismissable because SHE personally likes the way her legs look hairless, and instead brought up ways to use razors that don't produce quite as much trash. it's like, ok, maybe not shaving is unacceptable to you, but do you think it's so abhorrent to everyone reading your book that you can't, like, even mention it as a possible alternative? not shaving is a very simple way to reduce trash in yr life and have a little bit more time to, like, cuddle with your cat or read a book about recycling or whatever you're dying to do. i don't know, little weird fussy details like that kept popping up that just annoyed me (which i admit probably has a lot more to do with me), like the chapter on zero-waste housecleaning, which actually has a lot of really helpful tips & recipes but has little asides like, "i put essential oils in my vinegar because i don't want my house to smell like easter eggs after i clean it." it's like--really? is that so unbearable? i think most people who clean with vinegar know that it smells for a little bit, but it usually dissipates in like half an hour, and it can take other mild household odors with it.
all in all, this book is good for its inspiration and thorough research. there was a lot i already knew but also a lot i didn't that was helpful! i personally found the tone annoying, but maybe you won't, or maybe you are better at overlooking those kinds of things?
April 8, 2019
Good basic info on low /zero waste
The book had some good info and if this is the zero waste book you can get your hands on, it is a good start. I have liked other zero waste books better, but maybe I have just read to many books on the subject and have been in the movement for too long and this book was not as new and exciting as some of the earlier books I read.
The book does have a lot of great info (I will put a short list of things below)
I think too much time was spent on the book listing ways to do things in a zero waste way... like give gifts for example, but if you are new to the area seeing different ways to eliminate waste is helpful and really very easy so this might answer some questions and give you some ideas.
The author seemed young and pretty new in her low waste journey at times to me. I have been doing this for a LONG time though. She spent a ton of time in the book listing alternatives to things to one use products, but still missed a ton of key things in her lists of how to avoid waste. I thought these lists (if you are going to do them) could have been better researched.
For example while she talked about these subjects, she missed key alternatives that are really popular in the zero waste community like: shampoo and conditioner bars instead of bottles, lotion and massage oil bars, refillable silk dental floss now in glass containers (instead of plastic containers and plastic floss), that some products you really just need to stop purchasing and not look for a replacement (like glitter, Amy talked about glitter like it was OK and did not list the many issues with glitter - UGH), punching holes in leaves for confetti instead of paper, laser hair removal and epilators as an alternative to disposable razors.
Amy did have a short list of recipes but Yogurt was not in her recipes, but candy canes were?? Personally, I find homemade yogurt and yogurt cheese (add herbs and it is a great dip too) is a great way to reduce waste and its easy and haven't had a candy cane in a decade.
My advice - Look online for recipes for yogurt and more information and don't be intimidated. The easiest way I have found is to sterilize stuff when you run the dishwasher, use whole milk, the microwave, a thermometer and then time things so you can do it without thinking later. For example, for MY microwave (your times will differ) using a full 4 cup pyrex measuring cup I start with 4.25 minutes in the microwave to heat to temperature (175) and 30 minutes to cool (check temp needs to be 110) before adding yogurt culture and powdered milk (for thicker yogurt). You can keep to temperature for the next 8 - 10 hours a ton of ways, for example, canning jars in the Instapot on 'yogurt setting' or if you have a GAS stove in the stove and the pilot light will keep it to temp. You can also wrap the mixture in towels or use a yogurt maker.
Amy did have sour cream was and that is something I have not made yet. I am looking forward to trying that.
Amy also spent a lot of time talking about toilet paper and the problems with it (if every household in the US replaced ONE 12 pack of TP with recycled we could save 1.9 million trees, 690 million gallons of water, and 4.8 million cubic feet of landfill - according to Seventh Generation TP); but failed to give an alternative other than using recyclable TP. There are great options that are better, bidets and family cloth for example. I would have liked to have seen more about these in the book, especially since TP was a hot subject for her.
She did not cite her sources all the time which bothered me. When she did her citations were sloppy. If you are writing a book like this... you need to do better. Some of her 'facts' seemed off too. Like the tampon and TP ones. I would like to have had a link to where she got those from.
Amy did have some really good info on composting. I have been a lazy composter (Amy is too) since the 1980s but did not have a name for it until I read the book. The name fits though. It is a REALLY easy way to get great compost and help prevent putting things into the landfills and takes almost no work. She also good info on the other styles of composting hot and worm.
I have been on a low waste journey (not perfect of course) since the 1980s and always thought of zero waste as a very personal decision and one that I inspire others to by showing how I do things. Amy's section on corporate responsibility (my words, not hers) was a big eye-opener to me.
Amy uses the terms Extender Producer Responsibility (EPR) and product stewardship. This is that product manufacturers are responsible for their own packaging, not us. At the moment, producers can put whatever cheap impossible to recycle garbage and as much of it as they want and it is our and our communities responsibility to dispose of it. This means we are PAYING for their poor environmental decisions.
Corporations need to be responsible for the trash they create. This means not only in the packaging but in the manufacturing too. Why should we as a society pay for this ourselves? The waste a company creates should be part of their cost of business from product design to disposal.
The good news is that this is coming. The European packaging directive, the green dot program, bottle bills are some things to look up. There are also a list of organizations with zero waste goals
Here are some more things that really struck me in this book
* 2/3 of all beverage containers do not get recycled
* 'suicide plastic' is a great name for the stiff plastic that is really hard to open that many things are packaged in now. The name fits... if you don't know... you want to avoid this...
Most Americans produce around three pounds of landfill-bound trash EVERY DAY.
Bubble wrap can be recycled after all the bubbles are popped
According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, three times more money stays in the local economy when you purchase from local stores vs big box stores.
* Even a banana or newspaper will last pretty much forever in the dump - for more info see William Rathje’s Garbage Project which started in 1972
*75 years ago most Americans were pretty much zero waste. We do not need those single-use disposals and pretty much all of the ready-made food we purchase we can make at home... and some of it is really easy to do (cleaners, crackers, bread)
"THE AVERAGE AMERICAN USES … 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year 350 to 500 plastic shopping bags each year 8 to 10 diapers per day (average newborn) 584 plastic straws each year 122 yards of floss each year 2,182 tampons each year (American women of reproductive age) 218 bottles of water each year (Sources: www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html; www.reusethisbag.com/25-reasons-to-go... www.femininehygiene.com/tampon-safety/; www.back2tap.com/assets/forms_pdfs/bo... www.bestrawfree.org; www.deltadentalok.org)"
The book had some good info and if this is the zero waste book you can get your hands on, it is a good start. I have liked other zero waste books better, but maybe I have just read to many books on the subject and have been in the movement for too long and this book was not as new and exciting as some of the earlier books I read.
The book does have a lot of great info (I will put a short list of things below)
I think too much time was spent on the book listing ways to do things in a zero waste way... like give gifts for example, but if you are new to the area seeing different ways to eliminate waste is helpful and really very easy so this might answer some questions and give you some ideas.
The author seemed young and pretty new in her low waste journey at times to me. I have been doing this for a LONG time though. She spent a ton of time in the book listing alternatives to things to one use products, but still missed a ton of key things in her lists of how to avoid waste. I thought these lists (if you are going to do them) could have been better researched.
For example while she talked about these subjects, she missed key alternatives that are really popular in the zero waste community like: shampoo and conditioner bars instead of bottles, lotion and massage oil bars, refillable silk dental floss now in glass containers (instead of plastic containers and plastic floss), that some products you really just need to stop purchasing and not look for a replacement (like glitter, Amy talked about glitter like it was OK and did not list the many issues with glitter - UGH), punching holes in leaves for confetti instead of paper, laser hair removal and epilators as an alternative to disposable razors.
Amy did have a short list of recipes but Yogurt was not in her recipes, but candy canes were?? Personally, I find homemade yogurt and yogurt cheese (add herbs and it is a great dip too) is a great way to reduce waste and its easy and haven't had a candy cane in a decade.
My advice - Look online for recipes for yogurt and more information and don't be intimidated. The easiest way I have found is to sterilize stuff when you run the dishwasher, use whole milk, the microwave, a thermometer and then time things so you can do it without thinking later. For example, for MY microwave (your times will differ) using a full 4 cup pyrex measuring cup I start with 4.25 minutes in the microwave to heat to temperature (175) and 30 minutes to cool (check temp needs to be 110) before adding yogurt culture and powdered milk (for thicker yogurt). You can keep to temperature for the next 8 - 10 hours a ton of ways, for example, canning jars in the Instapot on 'yogurt setting' or if you have a GAS stove in the stove and the pilot light will keep it to temp. You can also wrap the mixture in towels or use a yogurt maker.
Amy did have sour cream was and that is something I have not made yet. I am looking forward to trying that.
Amy also spent a lot of time talking about toilet paper and the problems with it (if every household in the US replaced ONE 12 pack of TP with recycled we could save 1.9 million trees, 690 million gallons of water, and 4.8 million cubic feet of landfill - according to Seventh Generation TP); but failed to give an alternative other than using recyclable TP. There are great options that are better, bidets and family cloth for example. I would have liked to have seen more about these in the book, especially since TP was a hot subject for her.
She did not cite her sources all the time which bothered me. When she did her citations were sloppy. If you are writing a book like this... you need to do better. Some of her 'facts' seemed off too. Like the tampon and TP ones. I would like to have had a link to where she got those from.
Amy did have some really good info on composting. I have been a lazy composter (Amy is too) since the 1980s but did not have a name for it until I read the book. The name fits though. It is a REALLY easy way to get great compost and help prevent putting things into the landfills and takes almost no work. She also good info on the other styles of composting hot and worm.
I have been on a low waste journey (not perfect of course) since the 1980s and always thought of zero waste as a very personal decision and one that I inspire others to by showing how I do things. Amy's section on corporate responsibility (my words, not hers) was a big eye-opener to me.
Amy uses the terms Extender Producer Responsibility (EPR) and product stewardship. This is that product manufacturers are responsible for their own packaging, not us. At the moment, producers can put whatever cheap impossible to recycle garbage and as much of it as they want and it is our and our communities responsibility to dispose of it. This means we are PAYING for their poor environmental decisions.
Corporations need to be responsible for the trash they create. This means not only in the packaging but in the manufacturing too. Why should we as a society pay for this ourselves? The waste a company creates should be part of their cost of business from product design to disposal.
The good news is that this is coming. The European packaging directive, the green dot program, bottle bills are some things to look up. There are also a list of organizations with zero waste goals
Here are some more things that really struck me in this book
* 2/3 of all beverage containers do not get recycled
* 'suicide plastic' is a great name for the stiff plastic that is really hard to open that many things are packaged in now. The name fits... if you don't know... you want to avoid this...
Most Americans produce around three pounds of landfill-bound trash EVERY DAY.
Bubble wrap can be recycled after all the bubbles are popped
According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, three times more money stays in the local economy when you purchase from local stores vs big box stores.
* Even a banana or newspaper will last pretty much forever in the dump - for more info see William Rathje’s Garbage Project which started in 1972
*75 years ago most Americans were pretty much zero waste. We do not need those single-use disposals and pretty much all of the ready-made food we purchase we can make at home... and some of it is really easy to do (cleaners, crackers, bread)
"THE AVERAGE AMERICAN USES … 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year 350 to 500 plastic shopping bags each year 8 to 10 diapers per day (average newborn) 584 plastic straws each year 122 yards of floss each year 2,182 tampons each year (American women of reproductive age) 218 bottles of water each year (Sources: www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html; www.reusethisbag.com/25-reasons-to-go... www.femininehygiene.com/tampon-safety/; www.back2tap.com/assets/forms_pdfs/bo... www.bestrawfree.org; www.deltadentalok.org)"
March 28, 2014
As usual I received this book free in exchange for a review. This time it was via LibraryThing. Despite that considerable kindness I give my candid thoughts below.
When I won this book I was thrilled because having a lower-footprint lifestyle has been a goal of my own for quite a while. After reading Korst's book I feel that I'm much better equipped to do that.
Generally in a review I try to pull out positives and negatives about a book but in this case I don't really have any negatives. The book is intricately detailed and at the same time completely practical. It describes in detail how to deal with everything you may encounter from dirty looks from shoppers to multi-layered potato chip bags. It's exhaustive and yet accessible.
So if you want to pursue this lifestyle or if you just want to make less of an impact, this book is a great starting place. It does come down fairly firmly on the extreme end of environmentalism but it's not preachy about it. The author realizes that not every circumstance allows one to go all the way to 'zero' but will instead help you go in the right direction even if you don't end up at perfect.
When I won this book I was thrilled because having a lower-footprint lifestyle has been a goal of my own for quite a while. After reading Korst's book I feel that I'm much better equipped to do that.
Generally in a review I try to pull out positives and negatives about a book but in this case I don't really have any negatives. The book is intricately detailed and at the same time completely practical. It describes in detail how to deal with everything you may encounter from dirty looks from shoppers to multi-layered potato chip bags. It's exhaustive and yet accessible.
So if you want to pursue this lifestyle or if you just want to make less of an impact, this book is a great starting place. It does come down fairly firmly on the extreme end of environmentalism but it's not preachy about it. The author realizes that not every circumstance allows one to go all the way to 'zero' but will instead help you go in the right direction even if you don't end up at perfect.
May 16, 2013
Ok probably 5 star info for an newbie but For me I gave 4 stars because it was more of a reminder I can do better! All great information for people from consuming less to composting! I don't know I did like it enough that I might buy it as a good reminder to behave for mother nature. I see I am good but a few things the book offers that I admittedly do. So buying in bulk is preferred for obvious reasons usually price cheaper and less packages! I openly admit I buy indivual size package snack size stuff of Orel cookies or even the Annie's Binnie cheddar crackers for my daughter! Why when I know I could help out the environment! Well when its a prepackage of 5 Orel cookies. I know that is for my daughters lunched and I can not eat the oreos! See when in the bulk just open it up and make excuses later. But seriously this book gives great info on how to make less clutter for you and the world!
July 1, 2013
This is a great book for those wanting to reduce their impact on the planet as it provides both motivation (ex. discussing the impacts of our trash-filled lifestyles and why recycling alone is not enough), as well as tips for making lifestyle changes (easy, moderate and advanced). It is a quick and easy read and I intend to share it with family and friends.
While this book is a great starter, there will be inevitably some further research required of those interested in a zero-waste lifestyle given the varying waste and recycling programs in different jurisdictions. I think after finishing this book, and perhaps watching the recommended documentary the "Clean Bin Project", readers will be up to the task and will help spread the zero-waste message. I know I will!
While this book is a great starter, there will be inevitably some further research required of those interested in a zero-waste lifestyle given the varying waste and recycling programs in different jurisdictions. I think after finishing this book, and perhaps watching the recommended documentary the "Clean Bin Project", readers will be up to the task and will help spread the zero-waste message. I know I will!
August 8, 2013
I got too bored to finish this book. It's a guide to reducing your trash production, but I found it a bit too practical without enough encouragement to actually follow through on the guidelines. It was good for raising my awareness of the trash I create, but it wasn't the right fit for me. And, as somebody who is motivated to reduce her impact on the world, if it couldn't motivate me, I suspect it's a poor fit for a lot of people. In fact, it made the task of reducing waste more daunting than before.
January 14, 2015
Some good tips from a woman who pledged to live garbage-free for a year. The only thing – a lot of this isn’t practical. (I am not going to cart home all of my recycling from vacation, and I don’t have room to do a lot of this stuff, like composting – as much as I want to.) Still, I think aspirational. Reviews so could be used as a textbook even!
June 20, 2013
This book rules . This is not recycling , this is no waste, period. Cheerful and realistic, the book offers a list of EASY, MODERATE, and ADVANCED options to make changes, depending on your lifestyle. Everyone could walk away with something new from this book .
April 8, 2020
The world has changed so much since 2012...
Korst's book is a gentle introduction to a world that no longer exists, due to economic changes and a better understanding of business responsibility (or lack thereof) and zero-waste realities. Recycling is 100% not the panacea we once thought it was, Whole Foods is a laughable shell of its former low-waste glories, and the current global pandemic may set zero-/low-waste efforts back, despite best efforts. (Right now, I'm sorely missing our city's composting program, paused due to safety concerns. I'm hoping it will come back! Our own trash audit shows that most of our day-to-day waste is compostable food scraps, and I have a moment of sadness every time I throw out something that would otherwise go in the compost bin. [We have researched alternatives to city-provided composting and none of them are viable.])
Korst provides a lot of great ideas for people who may be early in their zero-/low-waste journey, but in the 8 years since the book was published, it seems that a lot of her ideas are (thankfully!) more mainstream, at least in my fairly eco-conscious city. However, she has a number of ideas that rub me the wrong way and/or are incredibly naive: encouraging homeopathic remedies, tipping restaurant servers higher when they adhere to your zero-waste requests (setting aside the power trip here and the horrible way in which American laws see fit to pay servers, servers are also under management orders to operate a certain way, and I would not want to be responsible for having someone fired for not following a (ridiculous, but still) management rule--just take the damn straw and save someone's job), encouraging dentists and doctors to use reusable products (nice, but wildly unfeasible if they don't want to get sued for something), telling people that you're allergic to plastic even if you're not actually, putting little notes on gifts to "recycle this packaging," and calling up companies to tell them you want less waste in packaging/their products (call me cynical, but I'm relatively confident that companies really don't care unless it helps their bottom line to do so).
What I appreciated--and Korst buried the lede on--is her too-short section on Extended Producer Responsibility, which is highly unlikely to become a reality in America in the near term. Companies have shifted the blame/responsibility for handling their waste from the companies themselves to individual consumers. While we individually may try to "vote with our wallets" and buy the more eco-responsible choice, all of that pales in comparison to the companies taking more responsibility themselves. Which is never going to happen absent government regulation. "Product manufacturers are responsible for the packaging they put around their goods. It's not your fault that a product you want or need comes wrapped in nonrecyclable materials. Although you can take steps to curb your consumerism, working to buy only things you need rather than simply desire, there's no getting around the fact that all of us ultimately must consume to live. ...Not only are we at the mercy of manufacturers when it comes to what they package their products in, but we are also responsible for paying to dispose of their waste. Yes, indeed, corporations can package their products in whatever they desire, and we bring home that product and pay to dispose of the overpackaging." (Loc. 4734)
Yes, this! More of this, please! Individuals can only do so much. It's important, for sure, but there are limits to individual action, even in the aggregate. At the end of the day, we can only do so much, and Korst does try to help people get started.
Korst's book is a gentle introduction to a world that no longer exists, due to economic changes and a better understanding of business responsibility (or lack thereof) and zero-waste realities. Recycling is 100% not the panacea we once thought it was, Whole Foods is a laughable shell of its former low-waste glories, and the current global pandemic may set zero-/low-waste efforts back, despite best efforts. (Right now, I'm sorely missing our city's composting program, paused due to safety concerns. I'm hoping it will come back! Our own trash audit shows that most of our day-to-day waste is compostable food scraps, and I have a moment of sadness every time I throw out something that would otherwise go in the compost bin. [We have researched alternatives to city-provided composting and none of them are viable.])
Korst provides a lot of great ideas for people who may be early in their zero-/low-waste journey, but in the 8 years since the book was published, it seems that a lot of her ideas are (thankfully!) more mainstream, at least in my fairly eco-conscious city. However, she has a number of ideas that rub me the wrong way and/or are incredibly naive: encouraging homeopathic remedies, tipping restaurant servers higher when they adhere to your zero-waste requests (setting aside the power trip here and the horrible way in which American laws see fit to pay servers, servers are also under management orders to operate a certain way, and I would not want to be responsible for having someone fired for not following a (ridiculous, but still) management rule--just take the damn straw and save someone's job), encouraging dentists and doctors to use reusable products (nice, but wildly unfeasible if they don't want to get sued for something), telling people that you're allergic to plastic even if you're not actually, putting little notes on gifts to "recycle this packaging," and calling up companies to tell them you want less waste in packaging/their products (call me cynical, but I'm relatively confident that companies really don't care unless it helps their bottom line to do so).
What I appreciated--and Korst buried the lede on--is her too-short section on Extended Producer Responsibility, which is highly unlikely to become a reality in America in the near term. Companies have shifted the blame/responsibility for handling their waste from the companies themselves to individual consumers. While we individually may try to "vote with our wallets" and buy the more eco-responsible choice, all of that pales in comparison to the companies taking more responsibility themselves. Which is never going to happen absent government regulation. "Product manufacturers are responsible for the packaging they put around their goods. It's not your fault that a product you want or need comes wrapped in nonrecyclable materials. Although you can take steps to curb your consumerism, working to buy only things you need rather than simply desire, there's no getting around the fact that all of us ultimately must consume to live. ...Not only are we at the mercy of manufacturers when it comes to what they package their products in, but we are also responsible for paying to dispose of their waste. Yes, indeed, corporations can package their products in whatever they desire, and we bring home that product and pay to dispose of the overpackaging." (Loc. 4734)
Yes, this! More of this, please! Individuals can only do so much. It's important, for sure, but there are limits to individual action, even in the aggregate. At the end of the day, we can only do so much, and Korst does try to help people get started.
February 18, 2024
I enjoyed this book. I picked it up hoping for information and inspiration to cut down on my trash production and that's exactly what I got. The author's tone was friendly and nonjudgmental throughout, and honestly, her dedication to the topic of garbage is fascinating.
Near the beginning of the book, she makes it clear that people are in different stages of their waste reduction journey, and that no one is "perfect" when it comes to living a zero waste lifestyle. Don't expect an "ultra crunchy" read but rather, a book that's more of an introduction to the concept of zero waste.
A few things to note:
- She does encourage recycling. However, she makes clear that recycling isn't a great solution since the quality of the plastic deteriorates with each recycling session. We all know recycling simply doesn't happen like it's made out to be. Unlike some other reviewers, I'm okay with the inclusion of recycling at this moment in time because, at the very least, I think it can encourage the phasing out of nonrecyclable plastic.
And from what I gathered, this book isn't intended to be a guide for living off the grid without using plastic ever again. Instead, it offers practical solutions that the everyday person can adopt without significantly reducing their quality of life. I don't think it's feasible for most people to never eat in a restaurant, never buy something with plastic, spend all of their time/energy cooking from scratch when they have a full-time job, etc.
That's awesome for people who are able/willing to do so, but I don't think I personally know anyone who could possibly make a "true" zero waste lifestyle work in my town. Most receipts aren't recyclable, and many places don't give you the option to not have a receipt printed. If you decline the paper receipt, they often still print it out and throw it away on your behalf (so you're basically making someone else take ownership of the trash). Dryer lint and vacuum dust contain small amounts of synthetic carpet/clothing fibers making these substances less than ideal for composting. Necessary medication often comes in plastic containers that may or may not be recyclable. As an individual living in the current US system, it's nearly impossible to escape plastic and trash in some forms.
- Some of the facts and information seem "off." Another reviewer mentioned the cited number of tampons a woman supposedly uses each year, which amounts to 100+ a month (obviously incorrect or possibly a typo). I also question the veracity of the claim that the average person uses 500+ plastic straws each year, as that would amount to two a day for many people. Possible of course, but it seems unlikely.
However, I didn't pick the book up for hard data, so these factual errors didn't bother me much. I really just wanted some tips for putting less in my garbage can. The author provides plenty of these. I came away with some nice suggestions and definitely feel inspired!
Near the beginning of the book, she makes it clear that people are in different stages of their waste reduction journey, and that no one is "perfect" when it comes to living a zero waste lifestyle. Don't expect an "ultra crunchy" read but rather, a book that's more of an introduction to the concept of zero waste.
A few things to note:
- She does encourage recycling. However, she makes clear that recycling isn't a great solution since the quality of the plastic deteriorates with each recycling session. We all know recycling simply doesn't happen like it's made out to be. Unlike some other reviewers, I'm okay with the inclusion of recycling at this moment in time because, at the very least, I think it can encourage the phasing out of nonrecyclable plastic.
And from what I gathered, this book isn't intended to be a guide for living off the grid without using plastic ever again. Instead, it offers practical solutions that the everyday person can adopt without significantly reducing their quality of life. I don't think it's feasible for most people to never eat in a restaurant, never buy something with plastic, spend all of their time/energy cooking from scratch when they have a full-time job, etc.
That's awesome for people who are able/willing to do so, but I don't think I personally know anyone who could possibly make a "true" zero waste lifestyle work in my town. Most receipts aren't recyclable, and many places don't give you the option to not have a receipt printed. If you decline the paper receipt, they often still print it out and throw it away on your behalf (so you're basically making someone else take ownership of the trash). Dryer lint and vacuum dust contain small amounts of synthetic carpet/clothing fibers making these substances less than ideal for composting. Necessary medication often comes in plastic containers that may or may not be recyclable. As an individual living in the current US system, it's nearly impossible to escape plastic and trash in some forms.
- Some of the facts and information seem "off." Another reviewer mentioned the cited number of tampons a woman supposedly uses each year, which amounts to 100+ a month (obviously incorrect or possibly a typo). I also question the veracity of the claim that the average person uses 500+ plastic straws each year, as that would amount to two a day for many people. Possible of course, but it seems unlikely.
However, I didn't pick the book up for hard data, so these factual errors didn't bother me much. I really just wanted some tips for putting less in my garbage can. The author provides plenty of these. I came away with some nice suggestions and definitely feel inspired!
July 11, 2019
I bought this book hoping to learn more ways to create less of an impact on this world. It definitely did that, but more.
The lifestyle Amy promotes is pretty hard core. However, in the book she starts out easy and slowly builds up to that. I also appreciate how each chapter offers three levels of implementing the ideas and solutions from the chapter.
There are only two things keeping me from giving this five stars. First, I’m living in a student apartment without garden, balcony or even multiple rooms. I was hoping some of the more important solutions would be suitable for my situation, or that alternatives would be offered, but alas. The most obvious example being composting. None of the options mentioned in the book are possible for me. I suppose I’ll have to find my own solution, if possible.
Second, this book is very heavily America-centered. A lot of tips and resources don’t apply to me, since I live in the Netherlands. This is not criticism to the author, because it makes perfect sense to write a book directed mostly at Americans from an American perspective. I just wanted to mention it in case anyone from anywhere else considers reading this. I will be definitely be looking out for a zero-waste book written specifically for the European Union, or even better, the Netherlands.
I will most definitely be implementing some of the tips and solutions from this book into my life. It’s been an eye opener and both educated me about the necessity of this lifestyle as well as encouraged me to try it as well. Overall, an excellent read.
The lifestyle Amy promotes is pretty hard core. However, in the book she starts out easy and slowly builds up to that. I also appreciate how each chapter offers three levels of implementing the ideas and solutions from the chapter.
There are only two things keeping me from giving this five stars. First, I’m living in a student apartment without garden, balcony or even multiple rooms. I was hoping some of the more important solutions would be suitable for my situation, or that alternatives would be offered, but alas. The most obvious example being composting. None of the options mentioned in the book are possible for me. I suppose I’ll have to find my own solution, if possible.
Second, this book is very heavily America-centered. A lot of tips and resources don’t apply to me, since I live in the Netherlands. This is not criticism to the author, because it makes perfect sense to write a book directed mostly at Americans from an American perspective. I just wanted to mention it in case anyone from anywhere else considers reading this. I will be definitely be looking out for a zero-waste book written specifically for the European Union, or even better, the Netherlands.
I will most definitely be implementing some of the tips and solutions from this book into my life. It’s been an eye opener and both educated me about the necessity of this lifestyle as well as encouraged me to try it as well. Overall, an excellent read.
March 31, 2021
"Trash is a big, dirty problem. The average American tosses out nearly 2,000# of garbage every year that piles up in landfills and threatens our air and water quality. You do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but is it enough?
In The Zero-Waste Lifestyle, Amy Korst shows you how to lead a healthier, happier, and more sustainable life by generating less garbage. Drawing from lessons she learned during a yearlong experiment in zero-waste living, Amy outlines hundreds of easy ideas -- from the simple to the radical -- for consuming and throwing away less, with low-impact tips on the best ways to:
*Buy eggs from a local farm instead of the grocery store
*Start a worm bin for composting
*Grow your own loofah sponges and mix up eco-friendly cleaning solutions
*Purchase gently used items and donate them when you're finished
*Shop the bulk aisle and keep reusable bags in your purse or cat
*Bring you own containers for take-out or restaurant leftovers
By eliminating unnecessary items in every aspect of your life, These meaningful and achievable strategies will help you save time and money, support local business, decrease litter, reduce your toxic exposure, eat well, become more self-sufficient, and preserve the planet for future generations."
~~back cover
It took me a long time to read the entire book, because there's so much information in each chapter, and I wanted to implement at least one tip into my life. If you're new to sustainable living, this book is a grand beginning!
In The Zero-Waste Lifestyle, Amy Korst shows you how to lead a healthier, happier, and more sustainable life by generating less garbage. Drawing from lessons she learned during a yearlong experiment in zero-waste living, Amy outlines hundreds of easy ideas -- from the simple to the radical -- for consuming and throwing away less, with low-impact tips on the best ways to:
*Buy eggs from a local farm instead of the grocery store
*Start a worm bin for composting
*Grow your own loofah sponges and mix up eco-friendly cleaning solutions
*Purchase gently used items and donate them when you're finished
*Shop the bulk aisle and keep reusable bags in your purse or cat
*Bring you own containers for take-out or restaurant leftovers
By eliminating unnecessary items in every aspect of your life, These meaningful and achievable strategies will help you save time and money, support local business, decrease litter, reduce your toxic exposure, eat well, become more self-sufficient, and preserve the planet for future generations."
~~back cover
It took me a long time to read the entire book, because there's so much information in each chapter, and I wanted to implement at least one tip into my life. If you're new to sustainable living, this book is a grand beginning!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews