25+ things that are NOT zero waste but are sustainable 🌎🌱☀️

[@nancyplants757]

Another hint to be more sustainable: talk to old people who lived through the depression or hard times. They often have really good insights on how to be sustainable by reusing things, foraging, reducing food waste, etc… A lot of stuff I do I learned from my grandparents and the residents at the nursing home I work in. They may have done things for different reasons, but they didn’t waste things like other generations. Also, you can cheer up an old person who might be kinda lonely.

[@rushellrousseau9197]

Love this idea!

[@sommerjohnson9129]

Yes! This is such a sweet idea 🥰

[@alysontraylor1062]

This!! The old folks at my nursing home are so thrifty and they love to talk about it

[@myearsareheavy]

Also talk to boomers, encourage them to take fewer cruises and be just slightly less wasteful

[@consultinghistorian]

Love this ❤

[@jo-annali-nandalal529]

When I have a broken umbrella, I remove the fabric from the frame and make a shopping bag with it. I love using the bag and sharing it's origin. One of my friends was inspired to do it recently so hoping more people will consider this upcycling hack.

[@blessmeachoo6]

I never thought of that. Thank you for the idea!

[@alekasmith9373]

I’d love to see how you do this!

[@rachel_was_here]

I'm officially inspired. I've been holding on to one because I love the pattern on it but haven't figured out if I can repair it. Reusing the fabric is now my backup.

[@lithopheliax61x5]

i dont think i have had a broken umbrella for a decade? so, how much material do I save here? that said as first reaction, if you love sewing, I love the idea 😊

[@prizem2862]

I use them to make skirts! They are great, it fits many of my oufits and are super super light and flowy (sometimes too light, i recommend using shorts). Plus they are good for parties and rainy weather because of their impermeability. Many of my friends loved the idea and brought me their umbrellas to turn into skirts too, even some of my male friends, who were absolutely thrilled by owning their first skirt, with the added bonus that you can make it to fit your exact proportions.

[@kara.g.]

The “trash jar” concept was so very unattainable that it definitely turned me off from the zero waste movement. It did fascinate me slightly, possibly enough to get me interested in sustainability. However, following your channel and learning more ways to be sustainable always does motivate me to do my best!

[@RangeGleasry]

What even was the trash jar? I don’t remember this

[@eightstars]

@@RangeGleasrypeople were attempting to fit all of their trash into a mason jar

[@RangeGleasry]

@@eightstarsI searched it… I didn’t realize that was a thing 😅 thank you

[@juniperjabber]

it also isn't representative of how much waste and pollution you actually caused/helped fund

[@AnnekeOosterink]

The idea of reducing your waste is great, but it is really hard to get to such a small amount if you don't have access to the right shops for example. Like, there are bulk grocery stores, or "fill your own jar" stores, but they are not near me, or they don't deliver to me. And the videos I've seen were very judgy towards people who do not reduce their waste like that. (admittedly, I didn't watch a whole lot, and I might have just seen the few bad ones) The most impactful thing is voting tbh. Because while consumer driven pollution/waste etc is certainly a thing, it's much smaller than the industrial and commercial driven pollution and waste. I try to do what I can, and voting is certainly a part of that, but I will never be able to fit all my waste into a jar.

[@lyndabethcave3835]

How to Make your Clothes Last Longer (I feel like this is super basic information but also I went to fashion school and am constantly living in sustainable fashion spheres to there's a good chance it's not as widely known as I think it is) - Wash your clothes less frequently (seriously, you only really need to wash them if they're sweaty or have visible dirt; air them out between wears) - Wash in cold water - Hang to dry, or if you can't do that, dry on the lowest dryer setting - Turn things like jeans inside out when washing - Hand-wash delicate items like bras (it's not that scary and doesn't take that long! there are lots of internet articles about how to do this) - When buying new or secondhand clothes, avoid spandex/lycra/elastane. It's a weak fibre that breaks down much more quickly than the rest of your clothing, and will make your clothes lose shape after a few years. If you need stretch, buy knit fabric (most t-shirt fabric is knit fabric, and has a natural stretch due to the interlocking loops) - Learn basic stain removal (The Spruce website is a good resource for this) - Patch worn areas and repair small holes or ripped seams early, before they can turn into big holes.

[@spiralali]

A stitch in time, saves nine. Thank you for sharing this list!

[@felesnocis]

This is an awesome list!! I’ll definitely screenshotting this for future reference. These tips might be are obvious to you but I didn’t know a few of them.

[@miar659]

And definitely avoid buying things made out of or with fake leather cause it tends to break into pieces sooner or later. If I can avoid I'll never buying those things again.

[@heyits_cat8966]

I am a fashion designer and lover that uses as much second hand materials as I can (/afford) and these are SO important for people to know! I'm constantly trying to tell people how to get longevity out of their clothes. Thank you for sharing!

[@daniellegetz1931]

I think the best starting place for reducing food waste is meal planning and prepping! Every fresh ingredient will be used in my house with recipes all complimentary to each other that week so no leftover celery stalks etc. having some go-to “left in the fridge” recipes help too for the end of the week (stir frys, soups etc!)

[@gardencat4952]

That is great strategy. Combine it with seasonal eating and you can really start to save money on your low waste method of cooking.

[@SleightWryder]

Canteens would be a nice project...

[@AnnekeOosterink]

Planning is the biggest there, I think. Prepping can be a part there, but isn't quite as important as really planning what meals you eat and only buying the ingredients you need. It also helps to buy the non-perishables in bulk, but the veggies, dairy, and bread every few days, so they don't spoil. We did that anyway, but we've since switched to a grocery delivery service, so we aren't as tempted by promotions etc. I follow a writer who writes about saving money on food mostly, meals for 4 people for about 1 dollar per person. She focuses a lot on things like buying a whole chicken to get 5 meals out of, filet, wings and legs, back, shredded leftover meat, and broth from the carcass, and lays out 5 meals with all the nutrients you'll need. She grew up with a single father who struggled to get her and her siblings fed, but always managed to give them a full meal rather than fast food or prepackaged meals. So she really cares about good meals. Often the cheapest options are also food that's in season, eating with the seasons is not only great for the wallet, but also the environment. If you eat things that are produced locally, in season, they won't have to get you your summer vegetables from the other side of the world.

[@jenniferhunter4074]

One of the biggest tricks is to keep it simple. Does everybody really need that much variety? So can I get away with a few great meals that my ravenous hordes will happily devour for leftovers? And of course, fried veggie rice or noodle to clean out the bits and bobs. think about it. ... lasagna tastes great on Monday and it taste just as good on Thursday. You can microwave/reheat smaller portions so you don't even have to slave away at that oven and thus, reduce energy consumption. Same with pasta sauce. Make a base pasta sauce and then, throw veggies and whatever else your family enjoys and you have a low effort meal that can be easily assembled and customized. same goes for stir fry or things like that. also, knowing the time a vegetable will last in your fridge. For example, herbs tend to be short lived. Root vegetables like carrots or parsnips...they can last as long as you don't peel them. Just a brown paper bag/newspaper to keep things a bit dry and airy. Also.. cleanouts. Maintaining a clean fridge means less chances of a spoiled apple ruining the rest of the food. So things that are looking like the might go, will be on the top of the list to be cooked or chopped a bit to remove that soft spot. remember, the food rules for restaurants are meant for restaurants. If it smells good, feels good, it is going to be safe most likely. There is this hysteria around food with Americans where they look at the sell-by date and throw something out. The think is that if you bought it, kept it chilled and stored properly, you probably have some lee way if you're not freezing it or doing another long term storage method. (I use those reusable hot cold packs in my insulated bag/cooler. My cold food products stay cold. so it moves from cold supermarket to cold insulated bag to cold refrigerate/freezer. pro -tip if you buy bulk potatoes or onions or things like that. I spread out my produce to air dry it out. (Same for herbs as well because supermarkets spray water over this stuff). this way, the excess moisture is removed so you delay herbs going off so quickly. It also allows me a chance to visually inspect and remove suspect vegetables that I may have missed when they were in that 20 lb bag. (I like to sniff.. you can smell when there's something wrong in a potato or an onion bag. The nose knows.)

[@erikao3982]

Yes! I plan all of my meals on Sunday and I pretty much never throw any food away

[@LeOpinionatedOne]

In 2015 I bought a hybrid because I was trying to be more environmentally conscious. Fast forward to now and the repairs are significantly more than standard models. And that’s not counting the fact that the hybrid battery had to be replaced at my 5 year mark- thankfully under warranty but now I’m outside the warranty. To replace the battery again (which I’m assuming I’ll need to do in ~2 years) will be $5-6K. This is on top of paying $24K + interest for the car. I understand the push to go EV but I don’t think a lot of people fully realize the cost to do so. EV batteries will cost anywhere from $4K to $30K to replace. How are regular people supposed to swing this? I’m privileged af and I still can’t afford it. 🥺 Are there any petitions or movements out there I can support to address this?

[@ANPC-pi9vu]

Not only that, but EV batteries are horrifically bad for the environment, and a massive fire hazard that can burn for days when they are big enough for motor vehicles. They aren't the 'green solution' virtue signalers make them out to be.

[@winterzealot]

Thank you for sharing this. I seriously had no idea...

[@teresahegerich8835]

I have driven a 1998 Camry that got ridiculously good gas mileage, and now have a 2015 CRV that costs me $20/month to fill the tank. If I ever get to travel again, it will cost more. I don't live in an area with good mass transit, and moving costs money, too. My rule is do what you can until you can do something else. What the jar did was make me think about my purchases and consumption habits, and work to reduce where possible.

[@the_glamour_witch2721]

I think you also have to consider where you live. I live in Canada and the temps are regularly -40C in the winter. I just don't think EVs are sustainable here. Our grid is also already overtaxed. Then I visited my SIL in Southern BC and she mentioned they have regular power outages due to the remote location. They've lost power as long as 4 days and she figures it happens every 2 weeks or so. What do you do with an EV in this case? It's also an area that has experienced many forest fires lately and the idea of being trapped with a powerless EV in remote BC during an evacuation is scary.

[@hawkatsea]

I really like the phrasing around home gardening and butterflies. Beautiful "wildlife" really does exist in urban and suburban areas "just waiting" for you to put out familiar and nutritious often decorative) plants, even if they're just in doorstep pots.

[@AnnekeOosterink]

I get really sad when I see my neighbours' gardens. Several of them have built many sheds/overhangs/veranda type things. One of them built all of those, so they have almost no open air in their garden left. The rest of them have mostly pavement with a few plants. Barely any green at all. I don't like to garden, so I don't want to spend all my time doing that, which has led to our very very very low maintenance garden. Ferns that sew themselves, geraniums that are hardy and will spread out themselves as well, some rosemary, sage, and thyme for the kitchen (no parsley 😜), some hostas, some hydrangeas, climbers such as grapes and wisteria on the fences, so even the vertical space is green, a few hedges, an almond tree, etc. None of these plants require much, no extra water, no moving in winter, and because most of them cover the ground without me doing much to help them, I have very little weeds to pluck out. I deliberately picked the kinds of plants that require almost no input from me to thrive.

[@lindaliriel]

A tip to reduce food waste: plan a weekly menu! Write everything you plan to cook the coming week (stay seasonal when possible) and only buy what you will need for those recipes. This will save you money, time, mental energy/less stress during the week wondering what you're going to make, and you won't waste as much food!

[@sophiaderrick7550]

Keeping veggie scraps in a “broth bag” in the freezer is also really handy.

[@wanda_walker]

If the Texas heat is an issue and you're really wanting to bike, I would highly suggest getting an e-bike (you can probably find one used). I live in swampy DC and rode my bike about 20 miles to work and back in 100 degree weather, and I sweat even less than I would have on a walk, because going 20 mph means you get a breeze + no real effort on your part in biking. It's not as comfortable as a climate controlled car, but e-bikes can REALLY make you more willing to bike because you don't end up sweating and straining to get somewhere, and you just feel happier on a bike than you do stuck in traffic in a car. I'm a huge e-bike evangelist and it's literally changed my life, and I'm someone who never biked before I got my e-bike. Now I get my groceries and go to work on my bike (way better than using public transit, even in DC) and I barely use my car at all. That said, it's not a solution for people who live on dangerous roads (that takes activism!)

[@AprilCMango]

I work in DC and walking 3/4 miles on Connecticut one way (even after driving) in the summer was a nightmare 😭 and i don’t even get hot!!! just so many bugs and the humidity. but there has been so much construction already that the bike lane may not happen

[@lynndollarhide6887]

No issue here biking in Texas. Sweat won’t kill you.

[@hannahwiz1]

Would LOVE a dedicated video on a yearly calendar of what you do when to grow your own food/where you get seeds etc! I completely missed the boat for growing anything this summer so want to get prepared for spring!

[@gardencat4952]

I have friends and family asking me to do this for our local area. So many people are starting to grow their own food in the US and it is wonderful.

[@greaterfleshmachine]

Check out the AG education department in a state school you're nearby, or the AG state dept :)

[@gigglesandhugs5690]

I think its more a mentality versus not. Its being honest with yourself and being happy with "not being the jones" . Speaking for myself when i stopped caring if i had the things/ looked a certain way i found i was happier. My house is not magazine worthy but its cozy and i find joy in it. people can be here and content. food we dont waste because we know what we enjoy eating and close enough to purchase what we will actually use before it goes bad. we compost and reuse as much as possible.

[@kirstenmc68]

I was shocked to find out how much energy it takes to use storing data in the clouds and also AI. All the online stuff uses an enormous amount of energy. I live in the Netherlands and here we got a park with windmills and solar for clean energy, all to be used by a Google data center. It could have served a city….

[@shelbylengwenat3774]

That is so interesting. I'm hoping to move to the Netherlands. Sustainability being one reason for that

[@lunayen]

​@@shelbylengwenat3774 Bring your own house if you plan to move. There is a major housing shortage.

[@shelbylengwenat3774]

@@lunayen Oh no. I cannot afford a house in my "low cost of living" country right now either. 😆I will up my savings goal before I move. My BF is handy though so we could live in a hovel and fix it maybe? Is that an option?

[@SuperLiesZ]

​@@shelbylengwenat3774 Not sure where you live right now, but the housing prices here are insane, depending on where you want to live in the country. I don't think we would have a lot of available hovels. Maybe some fixer upper homes but those could still be very pricey.

[@ANPC-pi9vu]

Fast Nuclear is actually far more efficient and sustainable that solar and wind. It uses up way more of the radioactive fuel than older reactors, leaving waste with a very short halflife that eventually becones innert led. The reactors are also safer and smaller. Look into it. We need to reinvest into the newer nuclear technology. Oh, and the way fast nuclear works, it can't have a mentdown like older systems. Solar pannels require a lot of rare warths from China that produce extreme polution and human suffering, and wind turbines have a short lifespan and produce huge amounts of unrecyclable waste when decommissioned. These technologies have their place in back yards and small rural comunities, but to do them on a scale needed to sustain mosern cities and technology would be extremely wastefull and destructive.

[@jessicamckay0514]

To help with food waste I keep lists. I have a pantry list inside my cabinet and a fridge/freezer list right there with a magnet. That way no food migrates to the back and is forgotten about. You can also do excel spreadsheets or keep it on your phone.

[@aubrey_outside]

I really appreciate this video because it really feels like you are offering SO many options to implement sustainability in our lives without feeling like, as a viewer, I am being shamed or lectured. Thank you for making this information approachable and digestable!! :) Thank you for all the time, intention, and research that you put into your work and for sharing so much. I really appreciate you!

[@misscrackwood]

I love your channel because I never feel judged, or that I don't do enough, it's always just a gentle reminder of things we can all do that do make a difference, even if it's not perfect. Aiming for perfection will just discourage us, and that's not what we want! Your flexibility make us feel welcome to start our own journey, one little step at a time. Thank you for taking the time to share your insights! And I'd love to hear more about your planned month-long car free journey!

[@amyward8861]

You are such a good role model Shelbi. You found your passion and are fighting ardently for it. I wish i had half the energy you do!

[@helena-hp8vl]

I love that you talked about swaps & repairing, perhaps the intersection between those that I've seen popping up is repair cafes! They're community events, like swaps, run by volunteers to help you repair your objects :) from clothes to electronics to bikes to furniture, the point is that you can bring things that need some tlc but might be above your own skill level or require tools you don't have. I think it started in Amsterdam and I've only heard of 2 here on the east coast, but technically anyone who's willing & able can start this in their own community so it's always helpful to know :)

[@wendieghostie]

I was already thinking of switching banks bc I didn't really like all the fees I could be hit with and how little I was getting back in interest. The only thing stopping me was knowing alternatives that would've been worth the effort of closing and transferring all my accounts. The fact that you brought this up feels like such great timing and I'm so glad I got to see this video when I did :)

[@victoriam9242]

Re: making chargers last longer, avoid bending the cord at the part where your phone connects. That’s where a lot of my issues have historically formed so I stopped excessively bending at that point. It would often happen when I was charging and hiding my device at the same time and I’d rest my cord on a surface as I used it. It unnecessary applied pressure.

[@lyndabethcave3835]

Oh! And another way to make cords last longer, is to make sure you loop them smoothly without twisting. Look up "over-under cord wrapping" to learn how sound techs and movie set grips wrap cables to keep them tidy and in good repair. (I'm gonna write this as a main comment too.)

[@felesnocis]

When mine start to fall apart I use a couple inches of heat shrink to stabilize them Not the prettiest but definitely gets more wear out of them

[@v_bunny]

your vids have gotten me into practicing sustainability and i’ve never been happier to be more conscious about what i use ❤

[@amberdon1809]

I've followed your videos for a few years and always appreciate your thoughtful and informed content, and how you take into account certain limiting factors and accessibility issues that people may or may not experience. Certain other "zero waste" videos, groups, and comment sections I've seen honestly leave me feeling cruddy... a mix of eco-guilt and feeling judged. But I like how your videos present options for small changes with the understanding that there is no one "right" way to do things that will fit everyone. I never finish a video feeling judged, which is very valuable, and always feel like I can trust you as a reliable sustainability resource. Thank you so much for your content!!

[@hollythehare]

One of my favorite ways to shop for kitchen 'necessities' secondhand is through estate sales! That's where I found an ice cream scoop, lime press, mesh sieve, extra tablespoons, and silicone food covers. :)

[@Coucolu]

One thing that third-world country people do ( or at least in mine) is that we don't throw away ruined clothes, but we turn them into different things, like a pajama or if it's really old, then a little cloth for cleaning. That way we don't buy towels for cleaning; usually those things are useful for at least two years more!

[@HanhNguyen-uk8bc]

I've started experimenting with gardening lately. It isn't much as I live in an apartment, so I can only keep plants in containers. It's proving to be quite difficult, and I'm struggling a lot with pest infestations. I think that if you have the space to actually grow a proper garden, try growing plants that will attract pollinators and predator bugs first. Then begin planting crops. When it comes to how I reduce my food waste, I buy frozen fruits and veggies. I still consume some fresh but I'm not the best about it so having frozen stuff that will keep until I'm ready to use it has been the better option for me.

[@krististroschein4908]

I love how you show the most simple ways to make small changes and over time,just keep doing more and it becomes habit.

[@syddlinden8966]

Shelbie out here talkin PRAXIS and DOING PRAXIS! YES!

[@nicoletim8095]

Can I ask for a video eventually on sustainability tips for when you have kids? Especially once they're old enough to ask for things they saw someone else have. I feel like having on a guest that has kids would be a good idea.

[@eightstars]

I would also love to see this!

[@AprilCMango]

just an auntie/tita here, but i saw that people do buy the things if it has been a while! so you can tell it’s also an actual interest and not a quick trend.

[@charmiancooper4966]

I use two strategies for my 5 yr old. 1) we take pictures of things he wants and if he keeps asking about them months out then they get added to a birthday /holiday wish list. 2) if something is poorly made I am honest with him about why he can't have it. He understands that in our household we don't buy things that won't last. We also help him understand how upset he would be if his new toy broke because it was poorly made.

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

Have a big Christmas, then next year do a small one. Alter them so you’re not feeling like you have to outdo last year. Make them write their list and know it’s what you can find/get. Works for us, no Santa, they know we get the gifts

[@annaslater11]

THANK YOU for all you do, you have influenced me to buy second hand first like 70% of the time and to convince my group house to go in on a compost pickup subscription. It's wild to see how much this company will accept (dairy! meat scraps! paper towels!) and how much we send there instead of to landfill each week.

[@annaslater11]

Oh yeah and utilizing my local credit union! (My pretty cool parents already had me using one, but I got my husband to keep using it for our shared finances instead of a big bank)

[@kiterafrey]

It isn't "last longer" but it is a good tip. If you are someone who sends letters or seals anything, you can use the left over wax from candles or wax melts to melt as a seal if you have something to press into it.

[@magizzles]

Oh thats a cute idea, I like that!

[@Angel-rq3pi]

But they have no flex so will either get caught in the machinery of the USPS or will just break and fall off during handling...leaving your mail open. Sealing wax is a different formula so these don't happen.

[@scottfranks4015]

Hey, I love your videos! Would it be possible for you to eventually make a video about the environmental impacts of consuming music? Like streaming vs buying physical copies such as cds and vinyl? It’s a question that is constantly swirling in my head.

[@MeldaRavaniel]

4:08 if you can afford it, an e bike, or an electric bike conversion kit like the CYC Photon if you already have a bike (this was my route), is great. Mine is literally the best purchase I have ever made. Not only does it make my extremely hilly city bikeable, but it's also *faster* than driving for the vast majority of the trips i would use a car or public transit for. I can park anywhere, usually, and for free. I cannot say enough good things about e bikes.

[@oliv3691]

I love this video and am sending it to my friends and family. I think a lot of people feel hopeless lately given the state of the world but I guarantee everyone I know is doing at least one thing in this video and can do many more. Two things I have started more heavily prioritizing are utilizing public transport in my city when possible, and getting more involved with local government. It’s been really great to feel like I am making a small difference in positive ways.

[@ckdraws410]

When I moved to a different city, I was so excited to have real, functional public transportation… only to find out that it takes 3-8 times longer than using a rideshare app to get anywhere. A 20 minute drive to the aquarium is 2.5-3 hours by public transportation. The only place where using public transportation is reasonable is going to the mall, which I think only has one second hand store that exclusively sells clothing

[@karaleigh_eva]

I would love an in depth video about how you embodied your goal of community environmentalism. I feel a bit intimidated by the prospect of it, to be honest. After this video, though, I did do some digging as to how I can get involved to help conserve Louisiana wetlands. I've contacted a couple people from Audobon to ask for assistance in finding ways to volunteer, and I hope that my community environmentalism can grow from there :D I feel so inspired and hopeful from this video and advice, thank you as always Shelby (also you've inspired me to go fix my busted shoe before it's beyond hope and needs to be thrown out)

[@domy6827]

Practical, compassionate and down-to-earth advice

[@RobinT346]

I love your emphasis on advocacy, campaign and community work. There's so much emphasis on individualism but our environment is something we share as a community and the only way we can look after it is together as a community. Our individual actions do matter and do help and are part of what's needed but it's community and society level changes which will make the big long lasting changes.

[@suzi1980]

I'd be really interested in your video on storing food properly. I would like to buy fresh items in bulk but I don't want to waste food when it goes off before I can use it.

[@ivanagasparova2687]

What do you think about taking bus? I live in a town where there are little to no biking lanes and things are far away for to walk. So I take bus to school but when it’s nice and warm I walk home. But otherwise my parents need to drive me anywhere else.

[@zakosist]

Collective transport is generally better than driving a car, and the bus would go anyway. People often need to get around so I dont think we should blame people too much for that. Just try to avoid unnecessary driving trips, but I do drive (or more exactly let other people drive me since I cant drive) for activities so Im not perfect there. Also live around 3 kilometers from the food store and really prefer someone drive me, especially in winter

[@lost_in_the_forrest]

I really appreciate how insightful yet concise this video is. It really is a great beginner video that covers a lot of ways you can create a impact that’s also very rewarding and smart. I would love to see a video breaking down where you put your money, the benefits from a financial perspective/environmental perspective and why you decided to put your money in each place. Appreciate the work you do. 🧡🖤❤️

[@RangeGleasry]

Congratulations on your win this year with stopping a major construction. Right now in Canada we have a housing crisis and apparently the government is attempting to fast track building to reduce homelessness and make housing more affordable. I wonder if you could make a video on how we can balance out constructiiom to ensure ppl have adequate housing while also protecting the environment. Thanks ❤

[@RobinT346]

I think this is a really good example of how environmentalism and other social issues intersect. so taking action on socialissues can also have an impact on environmental stuff for example campaigning for rent control so that existing housing is affordable to those who need it, supporting legislation that means landlords have to maintain properties and properties that have been left unoccupied for X amount of time get acquired by the city to house people, etc etc this all not only means that people who need homes can access housing but also means that we are using existing housing stock instead of building new. (It's common for there to actually be a lot of empty houses in cities even during a housing crisis because that housing simply isn't accessible to those who need it). And sometimes it's about compromise or less obvious solutions. For example in our city it's common for students to live in former family homes which have been converted into shared student accommodation, but by supporting developments that are converting existing disused buildings (office blocks and factories) into specific student housing or building on brownfield sites it theoretically frees up that housing stock for families to be able to move back into without having to build on green spaces or expand further out of the city. Which is made easier with support of legislation as discussed above. So obviously that's housing specific and is going to vary by city and region, but the same sort of thinking can be applied to all sorts of issues. And like Shelbi says it's not about being perfect, sometimes there's compromises and we accept "better" when "ideal" isn't available.

[@ajum89]

Recycling for paper is generally good in the U.S. Also for aluminium. Glass recycling depends on which county you live in. And I used to collect metal scraps in my trunk and then end of year, I took it to the metal scrapyard. Never got more than $4 but it is okay. Atleast the metals did not get landfilled However, plastic recycling is mostly a sham. Previously it got sorted and sent to China till China stopped taking it in 2018.

[@anaveragemuppet]

So I’ve been into composting and growing for as long as I remember but recently I’ve been using the kids’ broken water bottles and lunchboxes (when they break the lids) and also packaging to grow herbs inside my house and I could show my kids that the latest bottle has mint sprouting in it this morning. It’s a clear bottle and in a sunny spot, they loved it! Our Guinea pigs and hamster waste gets composted by black soldier fly larvae and then mixed with shredded cardboard and other carbons and put in a separate compost bin for the other critters and the compost is used to grow everything we can

[@TheGreatAlbinoTV]

Can you make a video just on ways to get involved in the community, like the nitty gritty details of what to search for and different actions?

[@TheGabygael]

Your channel might give me back some faith in the movement, nothing deters me from engaging in more sustainable activities than when i see something labeled as anything honestly because there's be so much fear mongering in the last decade alone that every single label comes off as marketing and low key greenwashing, i was interested in eating more plant based and homemade products for the economical and cultural aspect of it on the one hand (i want to connect with the food my parents and their parents made so that i can perpetuate those efficient easy and nutritious habits when they're gone) and i think my gut microbiome is a bit if a mess so more vegetables won't hurt

[@ethicaleducation6726]

A suggestion when it comes to food waste; "spicy moustache." That's the name of his channel. I've seen him talk about ways to reduce food waste. (A lot of gardening related channels talk about ways to reduce waste.) Gardening channels in general are worth checking out.

[@nataliawineland34]

I feel like you've been poppin out the content! I love it

[@gmt5664]

I’ve been asked to lead an effort to teach bokashi in my temple system. And I’m happy to hear you talk about community, local government activism and voting, as well as the climate plan and inflation reduction act. 2024 will determine whether we continue on this path, or allow it all to be torn down and put the oil lobbyists back in control of the EPA.

[@alexiablanton9085]

Yes yes yes more tips on sustainable shopping and gardening is much needed!!!!

[@thoughtfullytherese]

in terms of groceries, as a college student it can be difficult measuring out how much groceries you need, so i think meal prepping is the easiest way to go about it. learning the best ways to store food as well helps have your food last longer. i cook a lot of asian foods, so i reuse a lot of the same ingredients, i.e. soy sauce or garlic, so buying those in 'bulk' and knowing how to store it saves money which can also help the environment. a lot of towns have farmer's markets and (at least in ca) a lot of college students qualify for ebt/cal fresh, and a lot of farmer's markets match how much you spend, so that not only helps locally, but it's also a lot fresher of food. generally this is a difficult topic because everyone has different lives and different capacities of actions in terms of food, so its important to be kind to yourself and understand that everyone's situation is different.

[@colettedill-lerner5620]

We live in LA and actually cannot get a provider to actually come out to get solar. Its so frustrating, 3x we have had appointments and no shows with sales folks or installers. I wish I knew how to get solar on my house!

[@gardencat4952]

Learning to cook from whole ingredients is a great way to reduce package waste, better utilize local farm production, be healthier, and save money. If you can garden learning food preservation to make the most of what you grow. If you can have laying hens where you are they are fantastic to converting food waste, garden, and yard waste into eggs. Our compost pile is in the chicken run and the chickens do the composting and gift us with eggs.

[@helenapflaum6800]

Additionally, if one (who doesn’t already have) is looking into caring for hens please consider adopting them as opposed to buying them. Often there are hens will need homes, additionally male waterfowl and roosters often are in need of homes because people don’t want since they can’t lay. (This is what Shelbie did)

[@lyndabethcave3835]

How to make cables and extension cords last longer: Make sure you loop them smoothly without twisting. Look up "over-under cord wrapping" to learn how sound techs and movie set grips wrap cables to keep them tidy and in good repair.

[@KittyMontrealPar]

Please explain more about those community activities, give us more ideas and how to start them from scratch

[@lyarcadia]

This is a great summary! Recently the only two shoe repairers in our city retired and I really hope we could have new she repairers coming but it is hard for small cities. And now I just found it is a lot of work to alter my clothes myself. I really hope I can find an expert to do that, and it would be great if clothes are made adjustable in size.

[@valerierose817]

Please make a video of how you began to get that involved in your community. Like how and where do we start

[@christophervasquez6878]

I would def like to see what your experience going car free for a month in Austin, Texas. It's the closest example of a walkable city that I saw when I visited Texas. I would recommend getting a bike rack and panniers for your bike if possible. Really changes the utility and comfort of using a bike for transportation!

[@onepipwonder915]

Great video! I am encouraged. I loved hearing about your win to stop that development in your city! That is awesome, I need to hear more stories like that. Thank you for sharing.

[@onepipwonder915]

also I am now following Berk Nature, a local non-profit conservation organization.

[@girl_in_yell0w]

A tip that I recently learned to make your laptop last longer is to make sure to shut it off. I know this sounds like common sense but if you're like me who's a college student who's always running from class to class, I often forget to shut my laptop off completely before putting it in my backpack. If you leave it in sleep mode in a closed bag, it can "suffocate" the laptop which leads to a shorter lifespan.

[@phyliciajoykloes]

Great chat, Shelbi! Thanks as always!

[@jetteharris9128]

Project Drawdown is so full of hope. I hate the voice they used for the audiobook, but it ended up being one of my comfort listens.

[@BelsaliasMarymaeh]

Another video full of golden nuggets of wisdom from Shelbi, thank you!!

[@hfortenberry]

You’re awesome!! Thank you for all the great work you do! I agree that getting involved in community is key.

[@kristaw206]

I've evolved so much in my sustainability journey, I started with the trash jar and now I'm full blown anticonsumerism and anticapitalism 😂

[@Avery-od6lc]

Hi Shelby, could you make a video on your opinion of online thrift stores and their actual impact considering shipping and other factors

[@cheynic1828]

I genuinely look forward to each video you post! I continue to watch you because you’re one of my favorite educators on the topic of sustainability and overall just enjoy all your content! The bank one is such a good point and really just doing your best at what is available to you is so so important! Thanks for sharing! 💚🌎

[@henxinggan]

Can you make a video about your journey in restoring natural habitats? I have bought plants and more than one occasion and found out my landscaper was pesticiding them thinking they were weeds.😩 I am wondering what areas of your yard you restored, how you chose which plants, where you got them, whatever else was part of your journey.

[@wendy-zarate]

I love wealthfront! I actually signed up because of you shelbi! I love their high yield savings rate and so it's easy to save though them!

[@lostboy8084]

Buying plants with roots you can replant lettuce and a lot of plants and saving the seeds a lot of seeds can be replanted. Myself I have chickens and the scrap food is feed to them you can food processor it to smaller bits if needed. Leftover food veggies and fruits can also be dehydration or made into what is trail mix.

[@32Koifish]

I love the acknowledgment of plants and native plants 😭😍🥰

[@rejoice37]

I’ve just started my journey of buying quality instead of quantity starting with my purses because I have way too many bags break because I’ll just buy whatever is at Burlington without even looking into the brands and now I’ve started looking for bags from small to medium size business so I keep them for longer

[@itskaybe6348]

I just really needed to appreciate that this is like a 9 minute video. I am so happy to see a video from you and then for a moment I didnt know if I could handle getting into all the doom. But then I thought I can handle 9 minutes. And Im glad I did. I hope to see some change for those future people. And im sad for my child. I hope we can save each other and ourselves.

[@roziefero]

a really important factor for phone chargers and phone batteries is that if you use cords that aren't designed specifically with phones in mind or that have corners cut in production, you can damage your phone battery. for example, using a $5 gas station cord can push too much power and lead to early degradation of batteries!! if you can't use that came with your phone (or they stopped giving us those), try to buy from a reputable brand like Anker, Belkin, Mophie, etc etc.

[@Storytelless]

I love your videos because everything you say is usually so spot on and wholesome💖💖💖 When I started learning about sustainability at first what I found was more like advertising, and then I found your channel and you say and clarify a lot of things that bothered me. Thank you!

[@mariabarajas3859]

I love your videos and your content Shelbi! Know that I share KZbin and Instagram content all the time! I don’t have TikTok otherwise your content would be shared ! I am a big fashion girlie and I buy everything second hand except for leggings because of the see through component. Like you, I never repeated an outfit. Now, I love to repeat outfits! One thing that has helped me reduce over shopping second hand is a closet audit and spreadsheet. That way I won’t have duplicates and wear the pieces I truly love. I air dry a lot of my clothes to help them last longer. I have patched up a pair of jeans and mend as many clothes as I can. Regarding my tech, I’m going on 4 years with my current iPhone and I charge it during the day when I am able to disconnect it once it’s fully charged. I try to not charge it overnight because I honestly would leave it charged all night and I think that damages the battery sooner.

[@magwheels1232]

I also moved from an individual action to still doing those thing but focusing on community action! I love the Climate Action Now app which makes it easy to send emails to my state and local representative’s and companies. Also joined Climate Reality Project, League of Conservation Voters and Food and Water Watch! truly not a involved as some people but I do my best ❤😊🌍

[@ANPC-pi9vu]

Please use it to promote fast nuclear technogy! It is by far the lowest impact, highest output option available, but people just hear 'nuclear' and think of bombs and the melt diwns outdated models of power plants are capable of. Fast Nuclear is so efficient that spent rods from old nuclear can be used to fuel them, allowing us to reduce existing nuclear waste, too!

[@scottburns5242]

I’m surprised there isn’t more pushback on planned obsolescence of so many electronics, appliances, tools, etc… it’s a lot more environmentally friendly to have things that last and are repairable. Stop buying cheap crap that falls apart super fast.

[@rachel_was_here]

Carleigh of plantyou has written a cookbook called scrappy cooking that uses ingredients that might otherwise be wasted.

[@sweettthings]

Soaking all your produce, especially things like berries, cucumbers and other soft-ish things which tend to mold, in a white vinegar and water solution when you get it home from the store will deter mold for a very long time so food doesn't go to waste. Rinse (to remove the vinegar taste, lol) and store as normal. My other tip is Nuclear Energy. It may not be the final goal, but it is clean enough energy which will allow us time to get to where we need to go with solar, wind, etc., which are currently unsustainable and inadequate.

[@amapinup]

I meal plan monthly. Basically I copy and paste from the previous so It's easy to know what I need and to utilize it all. I switch up some of the recipes to match the seasons. Even if you don't switch it up and copy and paste the exact thing each month you're still only eating that meal 12 times a year.

[@aurorapapillon4883]

I have been given an energy efficient multicooker that has pressure cooking, slow cooking, airfrying, etc. These devices are smaller so they are more energy efficient than an oven and it's a multifunctional one so I have less appliances. Something to put on your Christmas list if you are moving out and people are offering to help you invest in appliances

[@avacurtis2729]

Sometimes you have to give up on something. I would love to compost but I live in a dorm rn and I don't want my roommate to have to deal with the smell or to take up the whole freezer so I had to give up on that for now but once I have a place without roommates I'll get back to doing that

[@mnmgirl24]

See if you can find a place that will take your compost! You can always just have a bowl with your scraps and take that with you regularly (if you have the resource). I know where I live there’s a local grocery store chain that will take compost, maybe there’s one near you too. 😊

[@aurorapapillon4883]

Reduce waste by growing a salad cut and grow garden, usually leafy greens go slimy because you have too much, you didn't plan specifically how to use it, it was just not fresh enough so you procrastinate using it. A cut and grow salad garden means you can cut what you need when you need it, avoiding the above problems and could make you more interested in your greens

[@starbug345]

Also can you recommend any local groups I can find here in Colorado? Thx

[@deersakamoto2167]

3:22 "alternative forms of transportation" EVs are nice but they do nothing for congestion and accidents. Moving to a walkable/bikeable place while young probably has 100x more positive impact for the environment

[@gardencat4952]

While there are advantages to being in a walkable/bikeable place in the US there are disadvantages. Finding locations where you can access most of your needs locally is hard to do in the US and not wind up in a food desert or unsafe neighborhood. Finding affordable places like this in the US very hard. I have done it and lived without a vehicle for 11 years. We intentionally moved out a walkable neighborhood to a place 15 minutes away where we could have a large garden and enough space to install solar, We are a one car household by choice and we are slowly making improvements on the house and property to be more sustainable and be able age in place once we retire.

[@thamires.magalhaes]

I absolutely loved this video, I'm for sure sharing it

[@tainoaquarian]

I’ve worked/ traveled far & wide & locally, to demonstrate, activate & continue the message of community solidarity in planetary/ human rights/ & movement ‘politics… So this is my fāv video of yours yet- for the more comprehensive model u present to get ppl involved through the most efficient, productive avenues. Saving rain water def IS ‘zero waste focused, as Water is Life~ & Mother Nature provides. It’s where ppl doubt this, where trouble takes root. Then sourcing gets (unnecessarily) complicated, lending to means that do little more than exploit n deplete; adding to the toxic mess of processing/ production/ shipping, then landfilling them when their cheap, short lived purpose is exhausted.

[@kikineki]

I love that you repeat important information throughout your videos, it helps me to remember and really hammer the information into my brain, it becomes something solid that i use to educate other people💚

[@jillianharringtonperkins]

I had an iPhone 6s for 7 years and just upgraded to the 12 a few months ago when the 6s was no longer functional for me. Over the 7 years I had, it only accumulated a few scratches and was overall in great shape for the longest time. I got this “new” phone from Trademore and it was honestly the best decision. I’m not really sure how I managed to make it last for so long🤷🏼‍♀️

[@lithopheliax61x5]

7 years is relatively long, but usually a devise of course will last 5years at last... depending on what you need of it, of course... my relatively cheap Samsung phone is kinda not serving me anymore, after 5-6 years, and all my phones have lasted that long (if they were not stolen...)

[@findingthebroom]

yes, you _are_ a really important part of my learning journey

[@ShubhraPandey]

❤Thankyou shelby❤

[@MikaylaRickard]

We put solar on our old house about 3 years ago and recently moved and put solar on this house because of those new legislative incentives.

[@jenniferfujii9989]

Definitely interested in a car free month.

[@ievazak]

hi!! could you possibly do a more in-depth video about electronic waste, right to repair and used market and tech companies "green goals" in this high tech companies topic? would really love to get to know sustainability from tech stand point because a lot of youtubers in sustainability area do not touch on that topic and of course because of lack of interest or knowledge but i think it would benefit a lot cause we all use tech in your lives unavoidably. thanks!! really really loooking forward to video of this topic

[@hiccups98]

I live in a rural area and we don't have public transportation and nothing is close to me. Would love to do that though.

[@surfskate3]

eating the right amount of food is also a really good way to reduce impact (calorie count) but environmental cost on food is really complicated. one of the best examples i have thought of is bread vs pasta. almost the same thing health wise. bread is flour water and yeast (preservatives) and pasta is only flour and water. it has a much longer shelf life (little to no food waste). far more calories of pasta can fit on a truck then bread. so for breakfast i eat eggs pasta butter and cheese salt and pepper calorie counted to about 700 calories. rather then a egg and cheese sandwich. one really difficult thing to wrap the brain around is the carbon cost of the transportation ships are the most fuel efficient per tonnage next is train and then big rig truck. some times it had a lower carbon footprint to eat foods from another country. another thing to think about if a calories per acre. per chemical use, per gallon of fuel, per soil degradation. and run off. chemicals in are lakes and rivers because of vegetarian diet. as a vegetarian would you buy calorie dense food? or a large amount of stuff that requires lots of land to grow and lots of pesticides herbicides a fungicides some foods for pig / cattle come from waste from making beer and other food wastes. how about what happens to the rest of the soybean plant. i cant eat that but a cow / goat / sheep can. pasture has more plant diversity and can have trees better root structure and cleaner water run off. more wild life. sustainable food is really complicated.

[@CC-sp8wm]

If I have chargers that are just a thin plastic cord I wrap them with embroidery thread friendship bracelet style. It looks pretty and helps protect the cord.

[@gjstone368]

Eating green is not possible for all. Some of us are allergic, actually braking out in skin flair ups, after eating green leaf foods more than twice in a week… any suggestions for ppl who's gut has an allergic reaction to a green diet?

[@helenapflaum6800]

Well, if you’re allergic to “green leaf foods” you could try focusing on pulses, fruits, grains, and other vegetables. All those are a key part of a plant based/leaning diet.

[@aundriamorgan4210]

I found that using a lily pad charger is a lot better for our cellphones. I’ve had mine for at least 6 years now. Those cords that come with the phone get shorts easily, or get damaged during daily usage. I don’t have to plug in anything to my phone. I simply just sit my phone on the lily pad charger. The one I have is by Belkin.

[@magnificentmarbles]

This video motivated me so much!! Thank you for making it

[@starbug345]

How can you support your community going solar? I see a lot of individual houses but we can’t do that on our own. I would be thrilled to help if it was say, a neighborhood shared solar panel or something