unhinged zero waste habits to STOP in 2024!

it turns out many zero waste teachings are either unnecessary or downright harmful, despite what eco influencers tell you! in part 1 of this series, we talk about a few sustainability habits + beliefs to think about leaving behind in the new year. why? so we can grow as earth people and invest our limited resources (time, money, and energy) into the things that ACTUALLY help!
↓ WATCH THIS NEXT
◖ part 1 of the series ☞ • MORE unhinged zero was...
◖ the plastic-free movement is a sham ☞ • why i QUIT zero waste ...
◖ INSTAGRAM | bit.ly/3L3E69M
◖ support our unpaid content + donate to our fair trade coffee fund! ko-fi.com/allisonfromearth
↓ DISCOUNTS for brands we love to support [affiliate links help us keep the wifi on!] ↓
◦  DROPPS | zero waste laundry + dishwasher pods
dropps.pxf.io/x93bxx [DROPPS15 for 15% off]
◦  ETSY | support small makers + shop my favorites!
creatoriq.cc/3KSM3Bk [carbon neutral shipping]
◦ A SIMPLE PLANET | refillable hair care
bit.ly/3QH60fQ [ALLISON15 for 15% off]
◦  FOODCYCLER by vitamix | countertop food recycler
www.jdoqocy.com/click-1009546... [free shipping over $100]
◦ REEL TOILET PAPER | tree-free tp delivered to your door
shrsl.com/46s62 [HOLIDAY25 for 25% off first-time purchases]
◦  EARTHHERO | zero waste personal care, etc.
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◦ MOUNTAIN ROSE HERBS | shop ethical, sustainable herbs in bulk
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◦ BACK MARKET | fight e-waste with expertly refurbished tech
[use referral code 13529b6e830500dc for $10 off your purchase]
◦  PACT | earth-conscious basics
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◦ SKILLSHARE | learn new creative skills
skillshare.eqcm.net/Gjbx42 [one month free!]
◖ SOURCES:
www.producebluebook.com/2023/...
journals.lww.com/nutritiontod...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
www.safefruitsandveggies.com/...
• Reef-Safe Sunscreen? T...
labmuffin.com/is-your-sunscre...
www.sciencedirect.com/science...
ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/coral...
nap.nationalacademies.org/cat...
chemistscorner.com/3-reasons-...
www.theecowell.com/blog/a-cas...
www.safefruitsandveggies.com/...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20582...
www.forbes.com/sites/kavinsen...
• Ditch The Dirty Dozen ...
◖ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - can we stop being unhinged
0:31 - do-it-yourselfer beware (habit #1)
3:44 - unhealthy obsession (habit #2)
7:38 - chemophobia + cleanwashing (habit #3)
12:17 - blind faith (habit #4)
14:08 - thank you for being cool
all music in this video was written + recorded by my band, the mites
bit.ly/3Gqn7OH

[@allisonfromearth]

if you enjoyed this video stay tuned for part 2! are there any habits you thought were sustainable but later found out the opposite? how about any you’d like to stay committed to but just can’t keep up long term? share with us please!!

[@chrystalteal4171]

Any tthoughts or opinions on cloth diapers, or using bamboo washcloths as toilet paper and washing them in the washer? The diapers have plastic snaps and plastic lining. They save money because diapers are expensive, I don't use them for environmental reasons. I assume keeping thousands of diapers out of landfills has to be a good trade off for any of the snaps or lining, correct me if I'm wrong.

[@allisonfromearth]

@@chrystalteal4171 must admit this is something i haven't looked super in depth into since i'm child-free, but i'd say if you're cloth diapering for the sake of frugality, that's money well saved! i'd be curious to see some sort of analysis though because i'm skeptical it makes a huge difference environmentally 🤔but as i always say, money is a non-renewable resource too and if the extra labor is worth it for you, keep rockin it

[@lifeoutnumbered]

Buying something because it was marketed as eco friendly and I was a sweet gullible young thing. Now I just in general try to buy less, buy quality products that will last longer and buy thrifted things and if I have to buy something in a single use plastic container I usually buy it in the biggest size I can get (I also am married with three kids so it is much more feasible for our household to actually use up the bulk sizes of things before they expire).

[@susandean8584]

I feel as thought we have been firmly convinced that we can buy our way out of the environment crisis -stasher bags, beeswax wraps, tooth tabs, whatever. I think however that the reality is that the only way out of this disaster is for all of us to consume less of everything. Unfortunately buying less s*it is not the most popular concept.

[@allisonfromearth]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@skykitti1913]

Buying all these eco friendly things are still feeding into consumerism. Like you said, buying less shit is the way ro go

[@jenniferfriesen7691]

Am I the only person who finds beeswax wraps gross? The texture, the idea that it traps particles.

[@susandean8584]

@@jenniferfriesen7691you are not the only one who thinks that they are gross.🤮

[@katie7748]

The beeswax wraps aren't just for less waste. Some people use them because they want to get plastic and aluminum out of their lives. Everyone I know who uses them uses them because of THAT.

[@mushkyzajac8356]

DIY can produce more waste because we don't necessarily have the tools, time, or space to produce products in the most efficient manner. You bring up a very good point. Sometimes DIY is better, and sometimes it's not. We need to realize that DIY doesn't automatically mean less waste.

[@insidiouschaos812]

i’ve mostly given up on “zero waste” and now focus on just minimizing waste - i buy the biggest container of laundry soap i can find (minimizes plastic packaging and i dont have to buy it as often!), i try to get good quality shoes and clothes if i need new ones (especially shoes i focus on leather shoes that can be conditioned and resoled for years), instead of buying bottles of gatorade i buy the powder and use my own pitcher (the container of powder makes eight gallons which means i dont have like thirty bottles to throw away!) and honestly, following these are also cheaper in the long run (not necessarily up front though, it’s not for everyone) - buying in bulk means you arent paying for three to four times the amount of packaging, good quality shoes and clothes dont need to be replaced nearly as often, and the gatorade powder costs as much for an 8 gallon amount as like two of the 8 pack bottles.

[@princessaome]

@insidiouschaos812 I do that too! (getting the biggest container) 🎉, but I don’t buy leather shoes, and so I wanted to mention to look into the leather industry. I recently heard a podcast that got me curious and I did some research and what I learned changed my mind. I now choose to not contribute to the animal agriculture business and save some animals’ lives in the process while also knowing I’m doing the best I can for the environment. If you’re curious too and want your search to be less overwhelming, let me know, and I can send you the one podcast episode or anything else that could help, we are all here with the same goal so let’s help each other 😊

[@insidiouschaos812]

@@princessaomei have done my own research and am comfortable buying good quality leather and other animal products, thanks!

[@muffledwhispers]

I love the term "minimising waste". It's so much more realistic than "zero waste". It's also a healthy approach to helping not just yourself but also the environment. Sometimes, we can only do so much.

[@622chaos]

thank you for spreading the truth about cleanwashing, organic lies, and chemiphobia. the fear of "chemicals" never made sense to me after learning that TABLE SALT is a chemical compound that we put on our food all the time. That was like 6th grade lmaoooo so I dont get how people with fully developed frontal lobes are still saying things like "chemical free" and "chemicals are bad" when it makes 0 sense

[@allisonfromearth]

lmao yesss! every time i see someone on social media complaining about the length of the ingredients list on a product, i wanna scream HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE INGREDIENTS LIST ON A DANG BLUEBERRY? it's so long and very, very hard to pronounce 🤣

[@622chaos]

EXACTLY lmaoooo. @@allisonfromearth

[@film9491]

Literally everything in the world is chemicals. I think when people say chemicals in this context they usually mean artificially produced chemicals. These often are a problem because of the lack of regulations in the United States. Meaning many of these chemicals have not been safety tested

[@allisonfromearth]

@@film9491 well that's just silly because naturally occurring chemicals can also be very dangerous, so people who say "chemicals are bad" need to be more specific! also, there is a lot of chemical regulation in the US thankfully!!

[@nadiasawicki4108]

One can stop buying table salt and changing to rock salt or sea salt as both are healthier.

[@johnwise7693]

I was an organic farmer for decades. I don't use "organic pesticides". I grew strawberries using composted manure and cover crops for fertility. For weeds we hoed and used geese after harvest(geese don't like the taste of strawberry leaves, but love grasses, dandelions and other weeds). Insect pests were seldom a problem-I used a parasitic wasp to control the worst pest.

[@bethanybrookes8479]

More biodiversity! Something to do with the manure other than just throw it all away! (And i net tha geese poop also helped keep the soil fertalized aswell) Fantastic! Keeps the soil healthier for longer and has a lower risk of eutrophication or pollution in thr waterways aswell.

[@johnwise7693]

@@bethanybrookes8479 Yep! "weeder geese" were used in strawberries by many farmers before herbicides came on the scene.. Keeping them in the patch was a problem until I discovered electrified poultry netting, which kept the geese in and predators out.

[@MyFocusVaries]

Thank you for sharing this and challenging the idea that organically grown produce involves pesticide use.

[@johnwise7693]

@@MyFocusVaries To be clear, there are "organic" pesticides. Elemental sulfur, finely ground, can be used against certain fungal pathogens like mildew, and various naturally occurring substances are allowed for the control of some insects. Concentrated acetic acid(vinegar) can be used for weed control. But the main point of organic farming is to keep the soil biosphere healthy, and the farm ecosystem varied(eg.., keep naturalized areas where pollinator and predator insects, and birds can live).

[@MyFocusVaries]

@@johnwise7693 I appreciate the clarification. And I know they are not universally applied. I gave up using vinegar as weed control years ago. It's got limited use and can kill plants you didn't want to affect. And it affects the soil. Yes, creating a healthy environment is the ideal.

[@hollo0o583]

Your body is the greatest chemistry lab on earth. It takes the food you eat, chemically deconstructs it and re shapes it into diffrent molecules so your cells can absorb then and repair the body!

[@52sreshtasamanvitha15]

And Jesus our creator is for sure the greatest chemist

[@kaleyjanenigh]

​@@52sreshtasamanvitha15 Really? Was that necessary?

[@RealBradMiller]

​@@kaleyjanenighI wonder why people are so obsessed with applying Jesus and God to everything... It does nothing for no one, and allows horrors to multiply under the guise of God's plan. 😬

[@lauriepowell3959]

What a great point you made! I will have to be even more grateful to be alive in this miraculous body!

[@hollo0o583]

@@lauriepowell3959 (the wrong chemistry is bad fallacy)

[@janetstonerook4552]

I have finally given up on removing all plastic containers from my home. And I don't try to repurpose or recycle everything. Instead, i just cut down on buying stuff in the first place. Simplifying my purchases and frugal use prevents a lot of trash in the first place.

[@karynstouffer3562]

I was discussing this with a coworker, just last night. A couple of people were talking about putting their rolling bins out the night before pick-up. About how, sometimes, the bins were top-heavy because of how they had filled the bin. I told them about we make sure that the bottom of our bin is heavier, or the same weight as the top. By not producing a lot of trash, we can evenly load the bin, plus only need to put it out every 2-3 weeks.

[@tiskihuora]

I used to be a hardcore hippie and did a lot of unhinged stuff, including: - using soap nuts/berries (so basically same as washing my clothes with plain water) - not using spf and then using super expensive mineral one that irritated my skin - not using toothpaste for many years and then using only fluoride-free 🙃bc third eye or smth and now I have zillion cavities - not using shower gel or shampoo etc etc basically just using water and maybe soap if I had visibly dirty hands or feet - not using deodorant, only coconut oil (luckily I don't sweat that much) - coconut oil for face and body even though it worsened my acne and dry skin (bc plain oil does not hydrate your skin) - so much essential oils, esp tea tree and pathcouli - using cocoa powder and rye flour as dry shampoo (didn't work) - drinking spirulina every freaking day thinking it would cure my anemia ( it didn't) - not using pain killers, birth control pills etc bc scary big pharma chemicals - instead using high doses of super foods like ashwagandha, golden root etc which triggered a manic episode Aaand so much more... Must´ve smelled pretty good back then 💩

[@lauriepowell3959]

👍❤️

[@RalucaCiocianArdeleanu]

I really applaud you for your bravery to admit that some of the things you did were not the most scientifically sound. As she says in the end, to be able to change your mind in face of new evidence is commendable and not a lot of people can do it.

[@bpcc-b8579]

Yeah, when someone says it’s natural I always think so arsenic

[@allisonfromearth]

right?? so convenient how they forget about arsenic, etc. 😅

[@Speeskauwgeul]

Or asbestos. A really amazing natural mineral.

[@lsamoa]

A friend of mine kept having her daugther eat apples fully, including seeds, because "it's natural, it's good for you". I had to metaphorically slap her in the face and explain to her that she was slowling giving her kid arsenic poisoning. This is why we study chemistry in school, people!

[@corvusmonedula]

a few Apple seeds won't kill you

[@lsamoa]

@@corvusmonedula Twice a day every day for months while being 8 years old definitely will

[@Meg.Radiant]

I just found your channel and YES. I have a science background and sometimes I just have to shake my head at some of the claims. Subscribed! Also, whenever someone talks about "chemicals" I always want to shout that WATER is a chemical. Just word salad to scaremonger.

[@allisonfromearth]

ahh welcome! i'm so glad to have a sciencey person watching 🥰 please don't hesitate to let me know if i get something wrong!

[@FabianPFrank]

same here. subscribed. ;)

[@carolynjaussi709]

Retired scientist and chemical officer here. Love organic gardening so kids can grab a tomato or pea off the vine and safely enjoy it sun-warmed. HOWEVER… I hate the supermarket BS. ORGANIC CABBAGE? Remove 2 leaves. Wash your fruit and veggies before eating them. Use common sense. If it sounds scary, it’s likely just a sales pitch for something more expensive. That nonsense just increases an already restricted food budget for folks who should be able to eat a healthy range of regular produce. End rant.

[@allisonfromearth]

@@carolynjaussi709 i myself garden "organically" just 'cause i'm too cheap to buy *any* pesticides/herbicides/fungicides, whether synthetic or natural, plus i don't mind sharing the bounty with local creepy crawlies! and according to research many organic pesticides are just as toxic as (if not more than) synthetic pesticides, so i'd rather just use zero inputs on my garden and buy whatever i can afford/looks good at my local grocery store and farmers market and give it a decent wash (mostly just to remove dirt) 😅

[@katie7748]

Science or $cience?

[@linzertorte4003]

I was listening to an interview with Bea Johnson and she suggested reusing condoms and I was like, oh, this is wacky territory…

[@allisonfromearth]

omg!!! now THAT is unhinged 💀

[@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195]

I'm sorry but WHAT THE FU*K

[@gillianmilburn3712]

My mum joked once that's how she became pregnant with my brother. My father was a tightwad (this was in the 1940s)

[@hollo0o583]

Synthesised versions of natural things are usually quite a but safer than their natural counterparts because they are much more consistent. Less variability equals more consistent results.

[@allisonfromearth]

and usually better for the environment too!!

[@thebeatles92195]

This isn’t meant to come off as though I don’t believe you. Just wondering. Could you provide any examples?

[@DavidCruickshank]

@@thebeatles92195 Aspirin and salicylic acid both come from Salix Alba, specifically its bark. You may see it in more "natural" products under the ingredient "willow bark extract". The question then becomes do you want the active ingredient salicylic acid or aspirin or do you want a much weaker salicylic acid mixed in with a bunch of random chemicals (ie all the other natural compounds in the plant) which at best do nothing but dilute the active ingredients and at worst can cause allergic reactions and other health problems. And let's not forget how castor oil is processed castor seeds to remove the natural super deadly ricin.

[@bethanybrookes8479]

Also, the saved space from not having to farm massive amounts if land for a tiny bit of product also helps.

[@synthetic_animal]

Thank you so much for making this video series! I went hardcore zero waste back in 2017 but am coming to terms with how silly, out of touch, and harmful some of the popular zero waste practices and problematic mindsets were back then. In the end, I don't regret it at all though- the movement really helped open my eyes to how wasteful our society is and helped me establish a new intentional way of consuming and creating. It helped me save money and buy less in general and inspired me to cook more as well as thrift most of my clothes. But I do love how our collective mindset is shifting to a more reasonable, sustainable approach- and shifting the blame from individuals to major corporations! I'm really loving how a lot of the sustainable influencers are making videos like these reevaluating the hits and misses of the movement :)

[@allisonfromearth]

literally could not have said it better myself! i'm glad we were both able to discard what's not helpful and keep with us those lessons that are truly valuable 🧡

[@hollyhock.and.lavender]

I’m glad that you mentioned that essential oils generally are safe, but can be misused. I use lavender oil in my laundry to keep mildew smell from forming when I hang dry stuff or…forget it in the wash for like an entire day. Works like a charm, no issue. I also use it as a bug repellant (along with cedar wood oil) and I’ve only had a tick once! They’re also anti bacterial, anti fungal, anti microbial, etc (depending on the kind) so they can be good for cleaning. But like…wtf are people doing putting them in FOOD. Not diluting them enough, not doing skin patch tests, using them on their cats and dogs with only as much info as the doTerra rep gave them, putting them in soft mucous membranes, I just can not. People know better than to eat dish soap or bathe in bleach but they’ll eat borax and put tea tree oil on their dog and think it’ll be fine. I’m a low chemical girlie. Absolutely on the crunchier side. But like…come on… Also attempting herbal medicine but using essential oils instead of following instructions and using raw plants…You can get seriously sick and in some cases worse.

[@kaleyjanenigh]

There's this chick on SkillShare and she has the only essential oils course. It was pretty 101 stuff, I already knew everything she was saying, but she LEGIT RECOMMENDED putting lemon EO in your water! DAILY! There were other red flags, too, but you can't tell people that! Only serious, qualified herbalists can recommend something like that, and they typically DON'T. FOR A REASON. Yeah, people want to play pretend with herbalism, but shortcut it and they assume using an EO is equal to using the raw plant. That's absolutely NUTS and disastrous. Great comment! ❤

[@RealBradMiller]

Sometimes you do gotta bathe in bleach, just sayin' 😂😂😂

[@lsamoa]

Hear hear. Some people have no sense of basic chemistry safety and should get nowhere near essential oils, it's quite scary.

[@hollyhock.and.lavender]

@@lsamoa the fact that some people think using peppermint oil in a tincture that calls for steeped peppermint…it’s wild out here 😂

[@hollyhock.and.lavender]

@@RealBradMiller there do be days like that 😂

[@julesf494]

I work in net zero health policy and I just wanted to say THANK YOU. Healthcare emissions are HUGE and we need to prevent people from coming to hospital with melanomas or dental issues because they're scared of using toothpaste or sunscreen because it's damaging to the environment. Look after yourself, it will reduce emissions in the long run.

[@allisonfromearth]

soooo you're telling me that not only is prevention going to save money and time and pain, but also the environment??! haha it's so obvious now that you brought it up but i've literally never thought of it that way, thank you!!

[@pyewacketkitty8404]

Thank you so much for sharing this info. My dad is a PhD chemist, so we roll our eyes a lot at all the hippie dippie claims and outright lies made by companies nowadays just trying to make money off of ignorance with good intentions. Actually knowing what's what does far more good.

[@allisonfromearth]

oh gosh, if only we could all be raised by scientists!! or at the very least that research-backed information was the norm instead of the exception! thanks so much for watching 😚

[@erlenmeyerm6349]

The fear mongering of chemicals and GMOs makes me sad as a scientist in sustainable biotech. We genetically engineer microbes to make chemicals more sustainably than chemistry or extracting from natural resources. But sustainable/green chemistry has its own strengths and will be part of a more sustainable future.

[@aliakrerowicz6427]

I am married to an organic chemist. He helps me break things down in the eco brands, so if it's still useful or not. I have low chemical use in my home, since I am sensitive to fragrances and don't think we need to use the harsh chemicals as heavily as they are being used for general cleaning. Cleaning hoards or bio hazards need the heavy duty stuff.

[@21earlthepearl]

The thing I had to stop was buying a sustainable toilet paper subscription. The subscription is $37 for 24 rolls, and it's only $13.50 for the same number of rolls of TP made from recycled paper at Target. (I don't actually know which is more sustainable, but I can't justify the price difference).

[@allisonfromearth]

recycled toilet paper is a GREAT alternative to conventional TP, and let's not forget that money is also a non-renewable resource so we need to spend it wisely!! i do believe that much of the markup on these bamboo TPs is to cover the cost of excessive advertising

[@courtneychappelear1142]

Hey! Not sure if this is something you'd be into but we got an "aftermarket" bidet that has a booty and "female" setting, and the pressure goes from super light to painfully heavy so it's good for 1 and 2. You don't even need TP, but we still keep some to dry with. If you wanted to be really sustainable you could rip up old t shirts to dry with and just wash them after. Since you're already clean when you use the rags, it would be cleaner than washing underwear even. It was a one time purchase of about $50 and we've used it for years. Cheaper in the long run and you don't have to go to the store!

[@RealBradMiller]

I was buying recycled TP... And then they stopped carrying it. I now use a bidet, and barely use TP.

[@katie7748]

Or, you know, do what we did before TP existed if you REALLY want to "help the planet."

[@nomegirl907]

Bidet! I got a bidet toilet seat and I’ll never look back.

[@ceciliagarcia4097]

I follow my grandmother`s zero waste habits, and I also use the clothes she and my aunts gave me, as well as kitchenware they used for years and years and still work perfectly fine, etc etc.

[@kibbyanimates6251]

I always had to hold back laughter when I saw "chemical free" labels or when someone said they didn't trust products with "chemicals you can't pronounce" in them. A chemical is just a bond between atoms. Everything is chemicals!

[@snpauls]

I started getting my skincare from the zero waste store in my town and I had an acne reaction so bad I’m still fixing it three months later so we’re just using a brand that has mostly glass packaging and is non-comedogenic now and we’re cleaning out the packaging to either reuse or recycle at Sephora. Also I feel the toothpaste difficulties ugh

[@sonjebianca2483]

Despite dealing with chronic illness, I was making my own cleaning products and skincare products for a while. I also tried the no shampoo thing. Figured out that I was getting horrible results with my laundry, my hair started falling out, and I was creating more waste and spending more money (that I didn’t have). I use so much less product now that a bottle of shampoo lasts months, toothpaste as well. Buying good products and replacing them less often/repairing when able is the way to go for me. I would bet my carbon/waste footprint is far lower this way. Being mindful of the amount of product one uses each time is important, too. People tend to use far too much dish soap, shampoo, conditioner and such than they really need just out of habit or simply not paying attention.

[@jennahawk12]

I am a vegan who eats tons of produce. I still think it is a good idea to know the dirty dozen as it helps you decide which fruits and vegetables to rinse off well before eating. It is helpful to know which fruits and vegetables have the highest amount of conventional pesticides, because whether you like it or not, some of these are carcinogens. Many people in the United States have unreal levels of glyphosate in their blood and I think it's a good idea to try to limit that in any capacity. That being said, I totally agree that organic fruits and vegetables still use organic pesticides. We should be washing and rinsing everything if it is not pre-rinsed! Especially things like berries and apples. (BTW, many greens, such as kale in the list, are pre-rinsed. You actually do more harm than good by rinsing them a second time.) You should do a video on which fruits and vegetables to actually take time to rinse and which ones are typically pre-rinsed. This would save a lot of time and keep us safe!

[@allisonfromearth]

lots of things are possible or probable carcinogens, including some organic pesticides, which the dirty dozen completely ignores. as they say, the dose makes the poison!

[@kyliemarrs]

I really appreciate this video. I recently have been trying to become more zero waste in my daily life. I feel immense guilt if I buy toothpaste or a conventional toothbrush. My bamboo toothbrush was causing me to have receding gums. It’s nice to know that what works for me is GOOD ENOUGH!! Eco friendly sometimes means more expensive and that’s hard in this economy!

[@lsamoa]

Haha, I love this video. Thank you for telling it like it is. One thing that's bothered me since early on with some of the ZW dogma is the notion that you can use baking soda for anything and everything. Toothpaste, hair conditioner, deodorant... No you cannot! Bicarb damages tooth enamel and hair folicles, causes skin rashes and stains melanated skin. It's great for cleaning burned food out of your cooking pan but it is NOT the miracle product that some people make it out to be. Another thing is the notion that it's more eco-friendly to DYI everything. Sure, if it's a matter of just mixing together a couple of things you already have in your pantry anyway, using existing kitchen utensils, then sure it's worth doing it. But if it means sourcing a multitude of different ingredients from different shops, each in their own individual packaging, and purchasing specialized equipement just for that? How is it more eco-friendly than manufacturers doing the exact same thing but in bulk and through optimized processes? It definitely feels like posturing rather than problem-solving tbh. ZW is a good idea and a lot of tips about how to aim for it are very useful, but let's not just buy everything people tell us just because they call it ZW. Chemistry and science are more complex than recipes.

[@terryhenderson424]

My personal gripe is related to reducing and recyling plastic. Back in the 1990's when only clear water and soda bottles were recyclable in upto far and few between places, it was more possible to have less plastic packaging in one's waste stresm (landfill amd recycle) than it is today.

[@JamieHaDov]

Re: essential oils - anyone else remember that trend in like, 2010 for dumping citrus oils into your water-bottles? My office had an oil mlm lady in it who convinced a bunch of people to put like, a teaspoon of random oils in their water every time they filled it up. She was making bank off them

[@anna-fleurfarnsworth104]

Just got recommended this video from the algorithm out of the blue and I ended up happily watching it until the end. You seem to be the kind of person I want to aspire to be like. It's rare that I take such inspiration over a video of someone I've never seen before. Immediate subscribe, looking forward to going through your other videos!

[@allisonfromearth]

as a small creator this means the world 😭🧡 thanks a million for taking the time to share that with me!

[@DavidCruickshank]

We seriously need more people like you and lab muffin beauty science etc, debunking the fear mongering and educating people. 😀👍

[@juniperraven1386]

Thank you for mentioning lab muffin, I love her videos and wanted to reference her... But couldn't remember her name.

[@allisonfromearth]

lab muffin, the eco well, and food science babe changed me with their badassery!!

[@micajahsmom]

My dear, i am an original tree hugger/bug hugger at 75 years old and have learned soooooo much from you in this video. You are easy to listen to and have such good info. Thanks.

[@JO-mo3qp]

Using up what we already have and mindful buying, are slowing down what comes into our home. Great video ❤!

[@allisonfromearth]

thank you thank you!! 🧡

[@sallydeslandes7990]

I really appreciate your wisdom of fact checking products and food claims etc and it has made me realise how gullible I have been . Where do you recommend we can go to look for evidence based science. Thank you for making these videos; they are both grounding and motivating.

[@allisonfromearth]

you are so not alone! i spent 5 years unknowingly spreading misinformation within the zero waste + sustainability movements so now it's all about trying to right those wrongs and grow as good earth people 🧡 my favorite science communicators are the eco well, unbiased sci pod, lab muffin beauty science, and food science babe -- all these scientists are active on IG, but lab muffin and food science babe are also on youtube, and unbiased sci pod and the eco well have really good podcasts!

[@lsamoa]

@@allisonfromearth Also chemistry books from your local library are worth getting ;)

[@faithhaines]

This is your first video I’ve ever watched. Love it! I’ve been saying these things for years to any friends and family who try to get me to buy into all these things. Thanks so much for sharing this!!!

[@katiemae9412]

I just found you and I'm so excited to see where you go with your channel and hear more about the science of things! I know you're not a scientist but knowing that you have been reading/ listening to more science as a personal goal gives me excitement. I'm excited to see how you grow!

[@lisaschyllert2703]

I'm so glad that I found your channel! I often feel like the critical perspective is missing when people talk about zero waste. I think it is very important to discuss how sustainable some products really are in relation to conventional ones

[@jadaochoa2911]

This is the first time I’m hearing about the EWG not being reliable! I didn’t even think twice about it, thanks for bringing that up. Can’t wait to look more into it and re-evaluate where I might have fallen for that marketing

[@allisonfromearth]

trust me i'm right there with you!! i was pretty bummed when i found out, you just feel duped ya know?

[@mstsp9546]

Great advice! I catch myself believing things that I really should look up. The point of keeping an open mind is simply beautiful, but, so hard to get people to listen! Thanks so much for making attempts, its got to be worth it.

[@imcameronskye]

I hope your career flourishes now that you've eschewed pseudoscience! This video was so well edited and researched and I actually learned a ton! The space needs more creators who are scientifically literate and are unwilling to scare their audience to make a buck. I ended up falling out of love with personal sustainability because of how much creators like that make it seem like it's all about buying the perfect items. I'm glad to be back into it finally with a better outlook!

[@allisonfromearth]

that was a huge cause of eco burnout for me too! it was like every other day i was guilt-tripped into buying something else i "needed" to buy/replace, and a lot of the time i totally fell for it 😩 but at the end of the day, refusing / reducing are where it's at! and thanks so much for the kind words, your comment really touched me in the heart department 🧡

[@mightyrachel1]

Working in communication/public ed at a recycling center, I LOVE your tip to check with your municipality! Recycling Partnership is a quality resource if you can’t find information on your city’s website.

[@DocAcher]

Thank you! This analytical lens is so desperately needed in this space.

[@julianagc1989]

Great video !!! It's so important to recognize that be healthy and safe it's vital and we can do our best in other ones

[@user-gi3tr1kq3n]

Thank you for this video! I feel like I have been obsessed with perfecting my zero waste life, at the sacrifice of other family benefits (driving all over for that package free option, ordering online for a zero waste option when something okay is sitting at the store nearby....). This is eye opening and would love to see more videos like this!

[@earthmommaco]

I absolutely LIVE for your rants, keep them coming 🙌🏽

[@allisonfromearth]

oh adriana!!! i'm sure we'll never run out of rant material, will we 🤣

[@HoshinoRei]

Thanks for posting this, a good look into the issues of going zero waste.

[@GoldenRtvrs18]

Thank you for this! It's soooo good to hear a more skeptical approach to sustainability. Following the evidence not the marketing. This video made me follow you😊

[@allisonfromearth]

yahooo!! thank you thank you 😊

[@juulian1306]

I'm really not a fan of essential oils and hate that they are so prevalent in eco-friendly soap and shampoo options. I have an allergic reaction to at least a few of them, while I can often use cheap soaps with synthetic fragrances without any problems. I still prefer unscented products though for the most part. Edit: Also thanks for mentioning sunscreen. I've felt a little guilty for prefering non-mineral sunscreen over mineral one because I like the consistency better especially in my face. Granted there are still many non-mineral brands that feel disgusting in my opinion but at least there are like two that feel ok.

[@_hamsterchen]

Thank you for sharing! Very reflected and informative.

[@allisonfromearth]

appreciate that so much!

[@charlotteparadis4754]

Thank god you exist. So many people need this video. Great job!

[@ma66ie]

Thank you for sharing this stuff - way too many people fall for what's easy and don't fact check anything at all. We need more people to accept that things like this are incredibly nuanced and complicated

[@youprettywow]

I just found your channel and it's so refreshing!

[@aprilflora]

You are amazing! I appreciate your real talk SO much. I just want to do my best to be decent consumer without making it the only interesting thing about me/part of my personality. Thank you, totally subscribing!

[@ellaella2346]

Yes!! I got into zero/low waste in preparation for moving out of my parents' 6 months ago and most of it is really cool, but yeah, the issues you bring up are... scary. and very prevalent, there still are people advocating for essential oils in everything and people being terrified of "chemicals". this has especially been an issue when trying to read, watch and listen to everything i can find, including ten year old stuff that might not even align with their values anymore, and definitely not recent science. But yeah, sorry for the rant, health has become my main boundary when it comes to zero waste What I've decided to focus on has become farming practices and transportation of food, recycleable packaging and REDUCTION. you don't need it. you don't want it. don't buy it.

[@allisonfromearth]

never apologize for a rant on this channel!! we love a rant! and i agree 😊

[@laurynw.5864]

I always appreciate your level-headed, thoughtful, and playful takes on sustainability (and def still buy "regular" toothpaste because your cavity from the brief time without fluoride scared me lol)

[@criticaloptimist]

Thank you for not being irrational about fluoride!

[@cozycasasmr4510]

this video was so good, i couldnt believe you only have 2k subs when i saw the subcount! this is top tier content

[@allisonfromearth]

ahh haha i appreciate that! hopeful to reach more earth people as i make more content 🤞🏻

[@kristen90c]

Great insight on so many different topics! I would like to see more about debunking USDA loopholes, seeing their logo on everything lately.

[@allisonfromearth]

ooh do you have any specific examples of USDA loopholes? i'm not sure i know what you're referring to!

[@DeputatKaktus]

Yeah, all the clean- and greenwashing really has become a problem. I mean - you might as well slap a huge sticker on a bar of soap or a bottle of shampoo that is shouting "NO Arsenic, NO Mercury" on it in big and friendly looking letters. It might be correct but it is also saying nothing. Many also confuse "zero waste" with "I have less stuff in my trash can". Regardless of where else there might be more stuff going in the bin. Case in point: essential oils, as brilliantly pointed out here. Same as with energy efficiency labels you find on anything from washing machines to light bulbs. They are pretty much bunk and paint a pretty distorted picture of reality. My mum once said "Well, if they put on more "plus" signs on new devices - do we even need to plug them in anymore or do they make their own power?" Pretty "boomer" take but she does have a point. It does not matter how long you make that green bar or how many plus signs you paint on it. It's all relative. Sure, if you have a 25 year old fridge, then a new one is certainly going to use less power and is therefore also very likely to be more eco friendly than the old one. That is all well and good. I have no issues with that. Does that mean you have to throw out a fridge as soon as it is downrated to C? Absolutely not. That would be insane and uneconomic. It would make appliance makers happy, though. The LED light bulbs in my home had an A++ energy rating when I bought them. They still work fine years later. Now they are rated F or even G. Which might make some people feel bad for having them or buying them now. Does that mean I am going to throw them out? Hell no. Those things are expensive. Once they eventually break, yes I will definitely replace them with whatever good rating variant available when that happens. However: I am not going to send a perfectly working appliance to the landfill because because it is "not green enough". Because that is something that would be pretty wasteful - the opposite of green. But that is something that manufacturers do not like to hear because they want you to buy their stuff, and more faster please.

[@ruzies]

new to your channel and just subscribed -- i haven't seen a zero waste habits vid so founded in science and it's like a breath of fresh air!

[@allisonfromearth]

appreciate that so much 😊

[@ByTheWay2Day]

Thank you for making this video. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this as I have been thinking, and have discovered many of the same things. As a person on a low income and also being concerned about my health in the environment, I have sometimes fallen in to just believing what is said even though as you pointed out, there is no scientific proof. Thank you for putting this information out there and sharing your experience.

[@allisonfromearth]

oh it's SO easy to believe these things! thanks so much for taking the time to watch + comment 😊🧡

[@teresalowe271]

I happened to come across this video and I appreciate your presentation. It is hard to acknowledge when we made cringy comments in the past, and I also appreciate your take on things. I have also come to a lot of similar conclusions.

[@sheralbee]

Thank you for this video! Lots a great information, and sometimes all people need is to hear the "permission" from someone else to make a change in their life/mindset (though I understand that can go both ways - SO I HOPE MORE PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE WATCH YOUR VIDEOS!). I really appreciate that you are thoughtful and consider things holistically, and importantly, you understand the difference between Research (peer-reviewed independent scientific-method using work) and a google search (spanning the spectrum of quick to rabbit-hole indepth). Can't wait to watch your other videos!

[@kaleyjanenigh]

Hey Allison! I adored this video. I'm legit sharing it with my Mom. She takes the damn "Dirty 30"/"Clean 15" shit as gospel. Insanity. So, I was put off of the zero-waste movement for some time because of the crazy content creators, lies, green/cleanwashing, etc. I'm a minimalist, so YT thinks it needs to throw zero-waste at me constantly, too, because algorithm. I much prefer simply being as informed as possible, making smart buying decisions, and composting. I think the label zero-waste has ruined itself. Like someone else said above, I fervently believe that less/smarter consumption is the key. Thanks for this video. You're a rockstar. I'm subbing! ❤🎉

[@hand_rod]

Thank you for saying what you know and being honest!!!

[@bizzyandbart]

That chemophonia section was fantastic! The whole video was good but that was great! Also yay to fact checking. Great education for your whole audience

[@allisonfromearth]

appreciate that so much! 🕺🏼

[@thelullinthestorm]

This is refreshing. Would love to hear how you decide which produce to purchase. When you toss out concern between labels of conventional vs organic do you instead look up the individual farm’s practices? Account for shipping distance? Worry about packaging vs loose? Just buy what you want and not worry about it?

[@allisonfromearth]

amazing question! i'd love to make a video on the topic. for now i try to prioritize local and seasonal, whether it's organic or conventional -- but unfortunately the budget doesn't always allow, so i have to make frequent concessions. ideally i'd go for local and seasonal produce without packaging whenever possible, grown using an optimized combination of organic practices and conventional practices (some organic methods are better for the environment and some conventional methods are better for the environment). my next "project" is to learn more about that!

[@barb9990]

Thanks for your honesty. The underlying message here is that there’s only so far we can get as individuals. Government policy, regulation on how things are sold, and re-thinking consumerism in the late capitalist age are what we need to focus on now. The other message: don’t do things to impress others or ‘educate’ others. You describe it beautifully.

[@lilyflower0616]

At 12:55 - that is me!!! I constantly talk about “voting with my dollar” but how it’s spreading me too thin

[@allisonfromearth]

ah man i have THOUGHTS about that slogan! i realize now how privileged and insensitive it is to advocate spending more money than you can afford on the luxury of morals -- especially when the morals you're "voting for" may not be as great as they appear, like our miyokos butter example. luckily, i do think being environmentally conscious ends up saving money, some of which can be used to sort of "subsidize" a few of the more expensive things (like fair trade coffee for instance), but still...to encourage or even expect folks to do that for *everything* is overly idealistic and doesn't help!

[@josie.dp_]

I just found your channel and have watched all your videos. I love your content. Thank you for making these videos.

[@allisonfromearth]

that is so neat 🥰 thank YOU!

[@boob1022]

This. Video. Is. SO. GOOD!!!!! I watch soo much sustainability oncept and rarely nowadays feel like I learn something new, yet, I know there's always more we can learn about the issue of sustainability because it's so complex. Keeping on educating ourselves and not falling for the idea of a "merit badge" is so important to truly make the world a more sustainable place. I'm truly impressed by your content, please keep up the good work!!!!

[@allisonfromearth]

few eco creators want to share about this side of sustainability because it makes their audiences really angry! but i'm at the point now where i couldn't care less if i tick some people off, as long as there are some who walk away with a more nuanced viewpoint (myself included -- a lot of my own opinions changed while researching this video). thank you thank you thank you for being one of those awesome earth people!!

[@emmesun]

Super interesting video, thank you for all these great informations 😍

[@allisonfromearth]

🧡😊

[@findingthebroom]

really appreciate your honesty

[@Fayefaye013]

I gave up trying to 'properly' dispose of everything in 2023. It was causing so much stress. I still have a couple of terracyles and I take stuff to the recycling yard regularly but it was very freeing to say ok, that's going in the dumpster and I'm ok with that.

[@engineer_with_issues]

I thankfully live in a country where recycling is organised for you by public authorities. The only things I would have to bring somewhere more then 10 minutes away are special waste products like old paint etc. We can only do so much as individuals without proper systems and legislature in place!

[@cat_doge]

GREAT video!! i love your perspective on things cant wait to watch more videos

[@allisonfromearth]

music to my ears, thank you!! stay tuned for part 2 coming out next week!

[@wongles]

Production value is so good! Happy to subscribe to your content :D

[@allisonfromearth]

what a nice thing to hear as a new youtuber! thank ya 😊

[@TheAmazingfulOne]

Thank you for calling out the chemophobia! So so rare to see that in eco/low waste spaces

[@allisonfromearth]

so so rare! i hope more eco content creators start to appreciate the damaging consequences of sharing misinformation and feel supported enough to correct themselves going forward 😌 one can dream lol

[@RaineInChaos]

This is my first video, but I'd definitely be interested in which things you're still DIYing! I like to garden and work with herbs, so I usually use my own whole herbs instead of EOs

[@Patchouliprince]

I’ve never liked using essential oils for diy cleaners because I usually have very bad allergic reactions to them. I’ve always used extracts, like I use peppermint extract in my homemade cleaning product and mouthwash, and I use that a lot for baking anyways so it’s multifunctional, and you can make it yourself. So overall yea way better than essential oil

[@allisonfromearth]

huge fan of the extract as well! thanks for sharing that 🧡

[@bluesash10]

Thank you! All I gotta say. 💓

[@Ohwhale79]

Wait......hold on. You're a sustainable focused channel and you AREN'T crazy?!?!? AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray!!! I'm sooooooo excited! I'm subscribing right away!!! *Love* the science backed content!

[@kayo5291]

Just remember that science is the ultimate work-in-progress. PS Aren't we all just a weeee bit crazy?!!!?!!!?!!!... 😄

[@Bopzibeel]

The US needs to take a look at some European countries and upgrade their eco and sustainability ethos. Decades ahead of the US in these respects.

[@rainforestspirit]

I'm 99.9% sure that the miyoko's butter wrapper used to be compostable. I remember reading this on the back of the container and we would compost them in our backyard. But it isn't on the label anymore. So the influencer that you followed might have been correct when they posted the info at that time. I still use it because it is the best tasting vegan butter and doesn't contain palm oil. And yes, there are nuances to palm oil but I am tropical conservation ecologist so my view is that it is better to not buy/support palm oil since that agriculture industry destroys the rainforest (which is the most biodiverse ecosystem on land and also typically is better at storing carbon than other terrestrial ecosystems).

[@P0nyl0ve]

I was surprised to see your subscriber count! This video is very good!

[@allisonfromearth]

haha love that! hopefully as i make more content the right people will find it 🤞🧡

[@pattireidinger7127]

Good for you admitting these things.

[@lindabourcet1349]

I have just found you and am now subscribed because you are against pseudoscience and fear mongering. Thank you for exposing‘influencers’ and actually following scientific research. Having an opinion does not make someone a scientist.

[@MyFocusVaries]

Some DIYs are a great idea to reduce plastic use. Such as spray cleaners, which are super easy to make. I've never found a DIY dishwasher powder that works.

[@JuliaKirsty]

I had thought, if I DIY my skincare, hair care and make up, I would not create as much waste and could save some bucks. Well... while I had to try out different recipes first, to find something that would work for me, I also wasted a lot of ingredients on trying to make my own mascara (hint: none of the recipes I found, worked). I also came to the realization that I could not use up the final products before they turned, even though I used them every day. They were very easy to use and luckily also didn't break me out (until they turned, that was how I figured that out) and I then had a lot of the ingredients turning bad before I could use them up even though I created literally everything I needed myself (besides mascara). The reason why I started to do this was merely because I wanted to use more "natural" products and any natural cosmetics product I had tried broke me out like crazy, caused rashes and irritations (even my scalp and body skin got messed up). Besides that I think if you found products that you always re-buy because they work perfectly fine for you, that's still better than trying out thousands of different products which then land in the trash (or buy all the ingredients to make your own products which also land in the trash because you can't use them up in time). Where I live basically anything can be recycled. Glass, plastic, aluminum foil, tin cans, paper, tetra packs etc. What I also wanna meantion: I used to have flatweave cotton rugs and my cats destroyed them. I now have flatweave rugs made from polypropylene and they don't show any signs of scratching even after years. They are also VERY easy to clean and don't stain - all of that already made them last WAY longer and will probably make them last for many more years. THAT is now something I am looking for. Products that work and last. I am not looking into buying everything new after 1 or 2 years of usage. I want things to last. And if that means the material isn't natural, so be it. I think we need to realize that a lot of things that get bought for the sake of sustainability don't really last very long and need to be exchanged constantly. And while production always creates harm to the environment, I really prefer longevity. Of course if one's a person who wants new things all the time, it probably is better to go for more natural materials, but if you're like me and want things to stay for as long as possible, it isn't always easy or even possible to find a purely "natural" solution for that. On the other hand: we do have stainless steel wine cups, they look cool and don't break and I am thinking about getting plates and cups made from stainless steel once my regular ones aren't doing it anymore. But that might take a long time still. I'm not tossing stuff out that's still fine to use.

[@butterpoweredbike6135]

New subscriber thanks to this content. Thank you.

[@allisonfromearth]

welcome aboard 🥳 glad to have ya!

[@DangItsKayla]

I just found your channel a few days ago and was stoked to see that you also live in Chapel Hill!!!

[@allisonfromearth]

howdy neighbor!!!

[@katrinab494]

omg you live in Chapel Hill? I used to live there til I graduated 6 yrs ago but I love and miss it! especially Weaver Street was my favorite place to shop for mostly zero waste :) and the walkability and buses. sigh I miss it! but great video!

[@vi4543]

My thoughts exactly!

[@Freckleducky]

I would love a video on what DIYs you still find useful!

[@CurveTheRain]

Duude Hey Humans was the best! Affordable and in stores so no additional shipping needed! I hope they’re just getting ready for a revamp or something! 🤞🏽🤞🏽

[@allisonfromearth]

pleeeease let this be the case!! also wouldn’t be mad if they came out with an antiperspirant 🤞😩

[@susanmorris7892]

Thank you! I am a hand-crafted soap maker and I used to have the same attitude about essential oils vs fragrance oils in my soap. But why have all those expensive oils go down the drain with the lather when a touch of skin-safe fragrance will be just as nice and can be safer, more affordable and more sustainable?

[@chloeokura6329]

Thank you for debunking the Dirty Dozen! I’ve definitely fallen for greenwashing and chemophobia before, so it’s good to learn this information. Looking forward to more videos from you 👍

[@kayo5291]

Help me. Why does everyone here hate the EWG's Dirty Dozen ? Is it not "science based"?

[@user-lv6hw7sc8t]

This popped up in my recommended section, and I really enjoyed the video! The background music and sound effects, while fun, were a bit loud compared to your voice and would be less distracting if they were slightly lower volume. I will still be subscribing and watching more of your videos tho!

[@allisonfromearth]

appreciate your feedback very much. this was only my 11th video so i'm still learning 🤭

[@Jessie73944]

Oh my gosh literally following because of the rant.

[@allisonfromearth]

lmao YES!!!!

[@peyvandf]

This is great. Although it makes everything super complicated. What should we actually do and buy and support to be a bit effective in this multi crises situation? I love that you take a scientific approach on social media. It’s really missing. At the same time I hope we can have more of good alternative approaches despite these facts 💜🌷

[@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195]

The most zero waste product is the one you already have, the next one is the one you use up. locally produced makes less pollution than imported and delivered

[@SnowLeopard-ro3wy]

Thank you so much for the fruit and veg information. I try to get a lot of both for my family, but we dont have a big budget, and the tiny eco perfectionist in me would nag whenever i bought something, not organic. Especially if it was on the "dirty dozen" list. Now, i can more easily tell that voice to shut up. Thank you.

[@Ripplesinthewaters]

I can’t handle fragrances, so, I don’t use essential oils. You can still DIY without it.

[@racheldebasitis8184]

I do the same. Skin stuff because my skin (especially on my face) is super-sensitive, but also in the household cleaners I make because I don't want to put oil in something that's supposed to clean my countertops, mirrors, etc. :)

[@AlannaTheBanana]

Love this, and I gotta nerd out a little and nitpick (because what am I, if not pedantic?) When it comes to "mineral" and "chemical" sunscreens, it's not about "natural" versus "man made ChemiKills," but the process through how they work. Yes, mineral sunscreen is made up of chemicals, because everything is chemicals, but the term refers to absorbing and diffusing UV rays through a chemical process, rather than blocking through a physical process. And as for the "reef safe" claims, the real solution is stop tourism, which would devastate local economies, so the green bandage gets slapped on, so people still get to go snorkeling while feeling like they're doing no harm.

[@allisonfromearth]

absolutely right! my point is that when someone hears "mineral" or "physical" vs. "chemical" they shouldn't assume the "chemical" ones are inherently bad!

[@AlannaTheBanana]

@allisonfromearth absolutely! I used to be an esthetician and am big on preaching about sun protection, and whenever anyone asked which is better, I told them it depends. Both are equally effective when used correctly. I use tinted mineral on my face because I'm sensitive to most chemical sunscreens, and folks with oily skin tend to like how it's more matte. But with mineral, people tend to mix it with makeup or not use enough to avoid the white cast it leaves behind, decreasing its effectiveness.