Talking Trash: My Year In Zero-Wasteland

by Jaren Cerf

This is the story of how one woman transitioned to zero waste without totally losing her mind...ish. Jaren Cerf, a newly single recording artist in her mid-thirties with two toddlers, decides transitioning to zero waste is exactly what the doctor ordered. Not only will it look like she has her life together, she’ll also have a project to keep her mind occupied when the kids are with their dad. How hard could it possibly be? Zero-waste living has a lot of you can pay off your mortgage and student loans faster than your friends, save hundreds of dollars buying your wine in bulk, and spend half the amount of time it normally takes to do laundry. But isn’t it still kind of a hassle? Follow Jaren in her journey as she attempts to ditch her old life as a chronic clutter-butter (a term she invented) and embrace a new, less-is-more lifestyle, one change at a time. Included in her book are hilarious stories about her Wild West upbringing; rants about random things like miswak sticks, the cleaning fairy, and that huge new mall in Moscow; and plenty of examples of what not to do when you’re trying to transition to zero-waste (for how not to compost indoors). Unlike a lot of the great books about zero waste on the market today, Talking My Year In Zero-Wasteland isn’t a how-to guide. Jaren is not an expert in the field of zero waste, nor does she try to be. She’s simply a storyteller who changed one habit a month for a year in an effort to make the world a better place. Did she succeed? Find out! What you'll find Down In The Dumps Chapter 1: BYOPackaging Chapter 2: I've Got Worms Chapter 3: Zero-Waste Beauty Chapter 4: Zero-Waste International Chapter 5: Zero-Waste Soap Chapter 6: Safety Razors Chapter 7: Decluttering the Closet Chapter 8: Cloth Pads and Diapers Chapter 9: Meltdown Chapter 10: Saying "NO" to Clutter Chapter 11: Upcycling and Multipurposing Chapter 12: Zero-Waste Gifting Chapter 13: Reparations Chapter 14: Six-Month Update Jaren Cerf is a multi-award nominated recording artist/actress/songwriter most recognized for her work in the genres of electronic dance music and folk music.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2018

Reviews

[Jada Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny and piercingly honest account of not only a transition to zero waste, but also of the life and experiences of a strikingly self-aware woman who rides the ups and downs of the transitional periods in her life with a grin and roll of the eyes. She gives great tips and recipes that inspire the readers’ own examination into their own lives and habits. A fun and easy read in which the author’s personality shines through!

[Rachel Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was written in a fun, humorous way that kade it fun to read. My only complaint is the style of the font / layout / spacing resulted in a lot of blank space which used more paper. An odd choice given the book is on zero waste but otherwise five stars.