5 ways zero waste didn't make sense // don’t make these mistakes when going green

This video is sponsored by Ruby Cup; Ruby Cup is doubling its donations this month for Menstrual Hygiene Month - so 2 cups donated for every cup purchased, and 4% instead of 2% donated with every pair of pants.
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[@cakie1771]

The mantra I keep chanting in my head whenever I start overthinking is “we don’t need a few people being sustainable perfectly. We need a lot of people being sustainable imperfectly.” Fear of imperfection is what drives away so many people from environmentalism. It has driven me away at times as well. We do not need the elite few who have managed to completely cut out plastic from their entire lives, while everyone else in the world continues to go on as normal. We need more and more and more people TRYING, and EDUCATING THEMSELVES, and CHANGING. There is no perfection required.

[@ibislife]

I never felt comfortable with internal products. But when they started to sell reuseable pads with wings and either velcro or snap on butttons, I switched from disposeable ones. I found them more secure, never had leaks. Today, I am one year into menopause, and I dont miss my periods for a second. Very nice video, I applaud your openness. I think we are all trying, but far from zero waste. The easiest route is the personal hygiene and laundry. There are so many products to choose from, and the waste goes straight into the nature, so it is where I have focused the most.

[@rochelle2758]

I had the same experience: I used to be really judgy about other people’s disposable diapers and then realized I would spend decades throwing away disposable pads. So I switched (mostly) to cotton ones and used them for over 20 years. I don’t miss periods either now: sometimes menstruating seems like a weird dream I had once after too much spicy food! 😂

[@vedotin]

Same here, never been into internal menstrual products. I also switched to reusable pads and not only do I feel like I'm wasting way less materials by just eliminating single-use pads, I've also found the reusable ones to be much more comfortable. No regrets so far.

[@leahwilton785]

I am a period panty girl through and through. 90% of the time I leaked before was during my sleep from things just shifting around. and that just doesn't happen anymore.

[@antzieisme]

I can’t for my life place the cup well so I stopped trying but I’ve been using reusable pads and underwear for years and I love it! It totally changed my perception of my period and made it so stress free ❤

[@yellowlabsrule]

I really love the mental switch from a "don't leave that with me" to "if it's left with me at least I can reuse or recycle it properly." My parents do not recycle usually but when they're at my house they started letting me recycle or compost their single use stuff which at least meant it didn't immediately end up in the landfill!

[@MutszMyrble]

I felt so SEEN when you started talking about disregarding the discomfort and then spiraling down the "bad zero-waster, bad environmentalist, bad person"-line. I didn't experience it much with changing my personal hygiene habits thankfully, but I definitely got close to a burnout when trying to rapidly change my habits around doing plastic-free groceries and cooking sustainably and meal prepping and packaging my lunches - I really couldn't keep all of it up, but "it's better for the environment so I should do all of it anyway." (Edit to clarify: I lived in an area where plastic-free groceries or shopping just wasn't possible at that time, so...)

[@laylaw.4346]

I am a pretty chaotic person (adhd) and it happens quite often that I forget to bring my own food/water/bottles/cups/cutlery when I am spending a day out. When I just started trying to be zero waist I felt so guilty about buying food in any kind of package that that would sometimes mean that I would just not eat for a whole day if i would not have the opportunity to get someting package free that i could afford. Absolutely bonkers lol.

[@hannahm3126]

The way you talk about the mindset of putting the environment ahead of your own needs, makes me think of vegans who won't take medicines or seek proper medical guidance and detriment themselves for the animals. It's really sad, I completely understand, but then if we're not taking care of ourselves how can we help the animals and help the planet? I love that we all care so much, I think I'd rather care too much than not at all but definitely need to be finding the right balance for ourselves ❤ Also period underwear has changed my life, I am scared of menstrual cups and think I'll stay away forever but my underwear has lasted me YEARS so far and aside from horrid panty lines in my activewear.. they are perfection

[@lyndabethcave3835]

Sustainability includes your energy. . . If a habit or practice is draining your energy beyond your ability to renew it, then it's not a sustainable habit.

[@theunicornrainbow363]

All the guilt I felt for using dog poopbags. 😂 I just want my dog to be happy and my neighbors not to hate me, so a girl's gotta use poopybags and yes, they are made from plastic. 🎉

[@ema-b1h]

absolutely I had let go a little bit of the obsession of being completely plastic free I do my best but sometimes there's no other options and sometimes there are options but I'm too drained to do them so I am more forgiving

[@ema-b1h]

I was trying really hard at the beginning do a capsule and when I purchased stuff to try and do it sustainably like new sustainable brands items. after a while I realized the most sustainable thing is to buy something you will wear forever and you really really like and that's how I reduce my on used clothes and materials and I started drifting more sustainably. doing a heavy research every time I need to buy something was just wearing me out

[@themostUNlikelyCreature]

I’ve put myself on a no buy cause I have like a I’ve never thrown away a garment in my life situation and I rarely give away clothes. It’s important to me that regardless of them being stained or a hole or looking worn they are still with me and can become yardwork clothes, sleep clothes, or hang around the house clothes. Not to mention I need rags to clean around the house. I hate seeing the documentaries of clothes littering the beaches of other countries. I never buy polyester and strive to only buy cotton and linen.

[@SauerPatchGardening]

The best thing about being human is that we can learn things and change our mind. Once we know better, we can do better. And that is everything. 😊

[@nature_rabbits5370]

I have always used pads. The first time I used a tampon was traumatizing it was with an applicator. Than I started using to tampons without the applicator. But after having a bartholin cyst and having a traumatizing pelvic exam I stopped using them. I haven’t used them since my senior year of high school. I was already using thinx and reusable pads.

[@SaligramS923]

Totally relatable! I would drive myself crazy trying to be plastic -free 😅. Now that I live in a place where being plastic -free (and sane at the same time 😂) is impossible, not to mention unreasonably expensive, I've learnt to do my best and not sweat it 😊

[@ssaaoo312]

I love how your experience with the menstrual cup really hones in on how our practices need to be something we can commit to long term and how not every “sustainable” product is for everyone (and that’s ok). As someone who’s allergic to silicone, period underwear has been such a great alternative to menstrual cups. The importance is finding something that works with your life.

[@TheCaitling]

wrt plastic bags - 90% of the time, I remember my reusable bag for groceries or any other type of shopping, BUT I always use them and actually steal plastic bags from my friends to reuse as trash bags/ liners (why buy brand new plastic bags just to put trash in when they appear in my house for free?), something to put dirty laundry in when traveling, something to put my gym sneakers in to separate them from my clothes in my gym bag, etc etc etc. I've also started setting aside clean plastic bags that bread products and frozen items come in because they are convenient to wrap opened blocks of cheese in; then I don't have to purchase a specific container for that purpose or dirty my glass jars/tupperware and so on, or I reuse them to put smelly trash in in my kitchen so the kitchen trash can doesn't stink up the joint before I take the trash out (think saucy stuff, oily stuff etc that cannot be composted). Also, on rainy days, the postal service puts packages in huge clear plastic bags that are perfect for the large kitchen trash barrel, or for donations (versus the trend of putting donations into new kitchen trash bags).

[@cassienester1187]

I think as long as you're trying, you're doing great! No one should ever make you feel bad for trying. Whether it's getting healthier, reducing waste, all kinds of things. And if you're having a tough time with anything, and you're giving it your all but it only feels like 50% well guess what! In that moment, 50% is your 100% right now and that's okay!!

[@GarouLady]

the mesh produce bags. I bought some and have NEVER used them. Since a lot of produce is wet it will just seep through the bags, so what I do is save my bread bags and put a piece of reused duct tape over the barcode and use those for my produce bags if I need them. Most of the time I really don't bother. i plan on washing everything when I get home anyways or I don't eat the outside, like bananas, and kiwis.

[@TheCaitling]

wrt to period products; I hated diva, luna, and one other typical tulip shaped cup, but I LOVE the nixit cup. I've discontinued using my Thinx (so glad I invested all that money, naht) and now I use 100% cotton pads with snap closures from an Etsy shop. I have also found that one of the best period products is not a period product at all - I cut up an old flannel shirt and I fold it to use as a liner or thin pad or as a thin topper on a cotton pad in the evenings that I ditch before lying down to go to bed. Since it's "single ply" and just folded, it washes out incredibly easy, versus soaking and scrubbing the thick cotton pads (which is fine; I rather like care taking my belongings in this way). I have been the low-waste guinea pig, as my sister is a frugal minimalist who will not spend money to "try" items she might not like, so I have wound up getting her the nixit cup for Christmas (lol) and a comically large overnight cotton period pad for her birthday, to allow her to try them out and ditch plastic period products. My sister would never tolerate being uncomfortable, so consider the fact that she has gotten at least 3 other friends to try nixit and just asked which Etsy shop I used for the cotton pad - and trust that it is superior to so many other options. I no longer have to purchase any period products or store them in my bathroom and only hang onto my old stash of tampons for when someone has an emergency at work lol

[@LauraMizrachi]

Girl i use a big reusable makeup wipe and water to take off my makeup and it works wonders, and my skin thanks me for it. Ideal af! Dont worry about it! Your skin looks A+

[@lankakaaos]

I started my journey in 1990’s. First thing was learning how to make my own clothes and how to mend them. When I moved to live on my own I decided that I woud buy dishbrush with reusable handle. You just buy new brushpart for it. Back then it was partly harder and partly easier to be susteinable. There was less options to choose from. That meant that most of foods were local, most thigns were made to last or be repairable. Darker parts of those times are for example ”everything” was animaltested, you coudn’t find out how and where your t-shirt was made. It was made in China, but that was all you could find out. Back there was more locally made things. So you could choose local things that could be fixed. I still try to buy things that last long, are local and are fixable. I’m happy that during years it has become easier to choose susteinable options and recycle things. Thrifting doesn’t have bad stigma anymore. Many toxic chemicals are forbidden by law. Thigs are better in so many ways, but there still is room to improve things. Your channel is nice to watch. It’s interesting to see how different ways you can get to similar result.

[@lawra89]

I use a Saalt menstrual cup and period underwear, they also have a menstrual disc. They give back 2%, education girls and women about period care and how to use them. All of their packaging is recyclable. They also have wonderful customer service and a KZbin channel with helpful info.

[@gardeningtheearth]

Love this talk about expectations and reality. We all need to be more gentle on ourselves and each other.

[@sophieisabelle3762]

I use a microfibre cloth for removing makeup, the few times a year I ever wear it. Same one I use for my hair 😂 It’ll take off even the most stubborn product, and a lot of products just won’t come off with soap and water.

[@igeorgoudi]

I have a suggestion for make up remover: if you have mixed skin, buy a zero waste charcoal based face soap specifically for your make up remover/ face cleansing. It will make it easier. I have a similar routine because you know what? Face cleansers clean make up just as well as make up remover.

[@Rollypollyrory]

Raise your hand if you let yourself become dehydrated because you refused plastic water bottles 🙋🤦

[@catherineleslie-faye4302]

I'm sitting here being happy that I'm post-menopausal. No menstrual cups for me. I do what I can otherwise. I can and do recycle glass metal and paper. I also recycle fabrics.

[@ozok17]

i'm se glad to hear you phrase how it's helped you rather that what someone else "should" do. thank you.

[@lorettatayor5840]

Aso good for taking off make up is coconut oil. in the past i used mineral oil or baby oil to take mine off. Although now we know these are not great for your skin. So now i use coconut oil to take it off. we even used crisco to take it off if we didn't have anything else! I also made natural tampon sponges out of natural silk sponges gathered from the ocean. you can find them in art stores. I threaded a piece of heavy floss through it and tied the end. you can use them, then rinse them wash with soap then soak in water vinegar mix to sanitize them .. let them dry & good to use over and over.

[@kamrieriley6411]

I’ve struggled with having kids and eating, shopping, planning to be plastic free is so hard!! I live in a remote area where everything is barged in or flown in sooooo that makes it hard to plan good deals, plastic free or anything like this.. My family brings cut fruit in plastic containers to my house…. I was frustrated so a while until I realized I could start plants in those shell containers and it was like a little green house!

[@maureensamson4863]

There's also someone using plastic fruit containers for sewing and craft supplies .😊

[@natashak3387]

Hey Beautiful! Love and hugs from Florida! Love your videos!!!

[@elizabethtrujillo-nolan7814]

Miami, Florida here tooo!! 🎉

[@natashak3387]

@@elizabethtrujillo-nolan7814, hey neighbor. 😉 Hope you are doing well and having a great Summer so far!

[@lorettatayor5840]

oh, the silk sponges can be trimmed with a scissors to "fit" you better, if necessary. Good luck!

[@SaraSmiles29]

I have a menstrual cup now, that I really like. But because I had to test a bit I now own 3 cups. I feel bad about having two I don't use and you can't really resell them...

[@allaganqueen]

from what I understand, medical grade silicone can be burned. So the cups you can't use, you can basically incinerate at home and they just turn to ash.

[@SaraSmiles29]

@@allaganqueen I could though but it is still quite wasteful... Recycling of them would be nice, maybe some companies allow that 🤔

[@gabystringer2056]

You really don't have to feel guilty about that! Try to remember the bigger picture, of the overall reduction in your waste (from disposable to reuseable) through the transition and you still end up way ahead. I use a mix and match approach (same with my son when he was in nappies) and all of that leads to a reduction in overall waste. It doesn't have to be all or nothing ❤

[@Celebrinthal]

You can resell them, sterilized. Search for the Put a Cup In It buy and sell group. You may need to become a member of the main group to get access.

[@supernova622]

I sold panty liners I didn't like and a cup that didn't fit comfortably after trying for 1 cycle.

[@emmamacdonald82]

Before I went on birth control (which in my case made my period so light, I only need the occasional panty liner during my period) I used to use the menstrual cup, too. And I also started using it without having had used tampons regularly. Something that really helped me with insertion was coating the opening (which is the first part you need to insert) with lube (like the stuff used in sex, which back then I only bought for this purpose). So if you have had trouble inserting it, and keep lube around, try it out. I don’t think anything else can work as effectively for making it so easy for it to slide in. As in the bedroom, you need only very little for it to be effective, so if you have to buy a little bottle, it will last you for years (assuming you aren’t using it in other contexts). Also, make sure to position the menstrual cup correctly once it is inside (you may need a bit of trial and error, and try out a position and see how well it “catches” the blood, and try a slightly different spot or angle if it doesn’t work well). As others have mentioned, you shouldn’t really feel the cup inside you and if you do, you likely have it position incorrectly. But I generally could feel the tip (the little part you pull on to get it out) of my cup slightly, though it wasn’t uncomfortable. Hope all this helps whoever might be interested!

[@samanthamartin1407]

When I was in high school, I used to be too lazy to fill in my brows every day. I would fill them in in the morning, and for the next few nights, I would wash all of my face except my eyebrows. To have to fill them in every day felt like a waste of product and time lol.

[@bunnymoore6747]

I have a medical condition that makes having a plant based diet impossible for me, and I know that there are others in the same situation. My biggest recommendation is to switch to less impactful animals, such as chicken instead of beef, and to just do your best wherever you can!

[@olgaplay5898]

Менструальные чаши точно не для меня! Я даже не умею пользоваться тампонами, лол. Тем более недавно я узнала, что у меня эндометриоз.. 4 года назад я купила чашу и она до сих пор лежит в моей сумке, у меня просто не получается ею пользоваться! Очень жаль, что на это были потрачены ресурсы, тем более такой предмет никому нельзя отдать, потому что это негигиенично. Многоразовые прокладки моя любовь! Мне очень комфортно использовать их. По поводу последнего пункта - Вы очень помогли мне. Я стараюсь быть идеальной во всём и очень часто довожу себя до истощения.. Ваши слова подбодрили меня. Спасибо.

[@fromsiberiaavecamour]

По-моему её вполне можно отдать кому-то, только прокипятить 🤔 ведь раньше и шприцы были многоразовыми

[@olgaplay5898]

​@@fromsiberiaavecamourдело в том, что мне даже некому отдать) Окружение у меня небольшое и после такого на меня будут смотреть, как на идиотку😂

[@angeladol6140]

Thank you

[@taylorsimone333]

id wake up with 34 zits if i didn’t take off my makeup ur so lucky! i even slept with my eyebrows done and woke up with literal pimples in my brows its crazy.

[@sadiequackenbush777]

Gittemarie, I'm super curious what you think about the donut economic system, and whether you think it's sustainable or realistic. I think your views on it would be super insightful!

[@mindart237]

My skin would have rebelled big time if i ever once decide to not wash off my make up 😅 literally produces acne when the wind blows the wrong way. There are special face wash soaps, no need for plastic packaging. But it always depends on your skin type what kind of soap you can use. I used one of the soaps that where designed for the face but i did break out when i used it every time. At the moment i use the black african soap dudu osun and it works for me but it's more for oily skin. Helps prevent acne for me but everyone needs to find what works for them.

[@sophiatomlinson1231]

What's the source of the chart for the food impact? I would love to show it to my boyfriend!

[@AnnabelFayAnnadorabel]

Gittemarie this make up section was STRESSFUL. Hand soap? Sleeping in make up? No SPF? GIRL

[@annemievandenbrande1194]

It is less waste if you don’t use make-up 😅

[@livinglomax]

Could you provide a source for the stat about 5% of food's environmental impact being from packaging? Thanks!

[@Gittemary]

absolutely, here is the most easily accessible article: foodplanetprize.org/news/cop26-fails-to-systemically-tackle-the-biggest-ghg-emitter-the-food-system/

[@livinglomax]

@@Gittemary Thank-you!

[@Em-bv7oo]

Reusable pads for the win. Washes with laundry. No discomfort! I don't think it's comfortable to be walking around with silicone or tampons wedged inside, it just doesn't feel comfortable for me 🤷‍♀️ I stopped using disposable pads years ago when I realised that in landfill somewhere is a load of period pads just polluting, plus the possible carcinogens from scented pads. The reusable pads are made of cotton and bamboo fleece and they wash perfectly.

[@Celebrinthal]

Most people can't feel a tampon or cup when it's the right size and inserted properly. I definitely wouldn't use such products myself if I could feel them 😅

[@brendalauts8473]

If you can feel a tampon, you aren't using them correctly.

[@justynaaleksiejuk1802]

Few days ago I was on my groceries shopping and I'm trying to not to buy vegetables and fruits in plastic containers. (I do shopping in big shop like Kaufland, bc it is the nearest one and I don't have any kind of market at my place) But this time I bought three-set of bell peppers in plastic bag, bc these free container were absolutely enormous. On one hand I felt guilty, but on the other... I dont think that any human being needs the gigantic bell pepper. (Probably GMO, lol)

[@estellec5340]

Did your friends say anything? I would be weirded out about the plastic bag thing...

[@ievazak]

ive bought the menstrual cup and tried to use it and just couldn't put it in there. maybe it's too big? idk... i havent had anything in there yet so the feeling inside is soo uncomfortable. tried tampon once just to go swimming and even with tampon i dont think that i had put it correctly.. could it also be that your v*gina somehow is anatomically different and not suitable for an internal menstrual product? i just think its not for me but i'd like to use them because even compared to period undies they probably are more sustainable because of easy cleaning and overall product footprint, material- silicone is much more lasting.. do you guys have any tips on how to actually start using the cup, or if you really struggled how you got to use it?

[@gaj30]

it could be the size, maybe you need a smaller one. maybe you need a different shape. also the position of your womb matters and also where your cervix is. i have a retroverted uterus so i have to insert things differently than a normal uterus and i have a very low cervix so i had to cut off the entire stem of my menstrual cup. so there’s many things to consider but honestly if you’re not used to having anything being inserted there you don’t have to force it. period underwear and reusable pads are great too. do what’s best for you :)

[@jesslewis7851]

Just to add, different brands have different stiffness. I've used Me Luna for over 10 years and at this stage wouldn't use any other brand because it works for me. Around the 4 year mark I bought a random other brand, so I had a second one, and it was so stiff and hard to use, I hated it so much and ended up not using it.

[@gabystringer2056]

​@jesslewis7851 soft vs hard is a such an individual thing. I've got on better with a stiffer cup as its easier to get the placement right and pop open. But the softer cups can be easier when an internal option is new and scary. I had my first cup months before I used it, and it was a slow journey to feeling comfortable with both insertion and removal. Now it's my most comfortable and effective method but definitely a steep learning curve, and not the best option for some

[@supernova622]

Put A Cup In It is a great resource for this and also has a Facebook group for rehoming period products that didn't work out for you

[@katjaheidweiller7187]

The videos of Gittemarie helped me with overcoming the problems I had when starting the cup! The biggest problem I had is that I didn't get a vacuum so the blood would flow around it. And start building it up: first only half a day, maybe later a few hours everyday day and overtime your whole period. It took me three years to completely get used to it. Good luck!

[@lulu65245]

GitteMARIE FTW!

[@wendycandy5496]

The Video has no sound

[@lorettatayor5840]

One more comment; these sponges are natural silk sponges grown in the sea. DO NOT USE REGULAR SPONGES FOR THIS!! Do not use a regular sponge you use on dishes!!! No! Make sure these are NATURAL SILK SPONGES from nature!! O.k. i'm done!

[@Anna_ForFutureAdventures]

When I found out how awful fast fashion is, I decided to get a shirt from a fair fashion brand. But I ordered it from the USA and I live in Europe 😅 It wasn't even anything super special, just a white shirt with a print but I just wanted to buy something fair fashion SO bad. Back then I still thought you could just buy your problems away 💀

[@KSMP]

I waited months after my first menstrual cup attempt as well. But eventually I tried it again and then didn't look back.

[@Autisticheather]

Love this evolution and maturity. Same with me!