My Zero Waste Kitchen • Page 2 of 3 • A blog about transitioning to a zero waste kitchen.

The Best Zero Waste Shampoo Bars for Every Hair Type

08.05.2019 by zerowastekitchen // Leave a Comment

The focus of this blog is the kitchen, but I wanted to occasionally write about other ways to reduce waste around the house. A post about zero waste shampoo bars seemed like a good place to start because shampoo bars are a lot of people’s entree into the whole zero waste lifestyle. I did an informal poll in a zero waste Facebook group I’m in to get everyone’s opinions on the best zero waste shampoo bars for every hair type and here they are!

Shampoo Bars for Normal Hair

If you have normal hair, you’ll have the easiest time finding a zero waste shampoo bar.

Aspen Kay Solid Shampoo Bar – This citrusy bar comes in a tin, so it’s great for travel–and a tin is zero waste packaging because it can be upcycled.

SKINNY and CO. Chemical Free Lavender Orange Shampoo Bar – One problem with some shampoo bars is that they can leave your hair weighed down with residue, but this bar removes build-up.

Ethique Pinkalicious Eco-Friendly Shampoo Bar for Normal Hair with Grapefruit & Vanilla – Ethique has a huuuuge cult following, with shampoo, lotion, and even serums in bar form. One bar equals 3 bottles of shampoo!
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What Is Zero Waste Packaging?

08.03.2019 by zerowastekitchen // Leave a Comment

Seeking out zero waste packaging is the first step to living a zero waste lifestyle. When you’re not bringing all that plastic packaging into your house in the first place, you don’t have to worry about what happens to it when you throw it away. These are the 4 main types of zero waste packaging.

No Packaging

This is the best zero waste packaging option! You can bring your own produce bags to the grocery store. Or skip the bags entirely–do you really need to put that onion or lemon you’re buying in a bag at all? Use the bulk bins at your grocery store and bring your own jars instead of using the plastic bags supplied by the store. (I usually use jars I save from food, but Weck jars are really great too because they don’t have a metal lid that can get rusty.)

If you have a local farmers market, this is a great way to go no packaging too. When I go to the farmers market, I bring a big canvas bag stuffed with BeeKeep, small reusable sandwich bags, and large produce bags. Cheese goes in the BeeKeep, pastries go in the sandwich bags (I can’t leave the farmers market without treating myself to pain au chocolat), and loaves of bread, fruits, and vegetables go in the large produce bags.
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The Best Essential Oils for Cleaning Your Kitchen

08.02.2019 by zerowastekitchen // Leave a Comment

A big part of my transition to a zero waste lifestyle has been ditching store-bought cleaners and making my own. There are a lot of ingredients I rely upon to do this, but deodorizing and disinfecting essential oils are one of my favorites. These are my picks for the best essential oils for cleaning your kitchen and some ways that I use them in my home.

(A quick note: the cost of essential oils can add up quickly, but since you’re only using a few drops at a time, they’ll last you a while. Some trustworthy brands are NOW, Aura Cacia, Edens Garden, and Plant Therapy.)

My Favorite Essential Oils for Cleaning the Kitchen

When you’re choosing essential oils for cleaning your kitchen, you’re looking for two main things: essential oils that deodorize and essential oils that kill germs. I’m not a fan of flowery scents in the kitchen, so when it comes to deodorizing, I stick to herbaceous and citrus scents. Most disinfecting essential oils kill bacteria only, but there are some essential oils that have antiviral components too.
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