#SomethingSignificant: Trash Is For Tossers

At Something Social, we believe what goes around comes around. We also believe in the golden rule (and something that’s arguably more important than the previous belief), treat others the way you want to be treated. So that’s why we started #SomethingSignificant. Every month, we share a new way to give back with you. with you a new way to give back. Whether it’s volunteering at a local food drive, or spreading awareness about an issue close to your heart, your Something Social team is here to encourage you to do #SomethingSignificant.

In a month focused on travel and gift giving, there’s a major amount of heavy lifting that can be done to reduce how much waste we’re generating. Which is why we felt it appropriate to leave 2018 on a Zero Waste Note. Trash is For Tossers is a blog rooted in the philosophy of making sustainable living easy. Written by Lauren Singer, the blog is a creative guide to reducing waste and encouraging environmental responsibility.

You may know, Lauren as the viral sensation popularizing the Zero Waste Lifestyle. After three years of living a zero waste lifestyle, Lauren did a TedxTeen talk that you can watch here. Our favorite part? Lauren’s talking points are distinctly focused on being easy. “I’m a normal, lazy person,” she says, “I wouldn’t be living this lifestyle if it were difficult.”

As an Environmental Studies major, Lauren had always talked the talk of loving the environment, but she had her “aha!” moment when she witnessed a fellow Environmental Studies student bring her lunch in a single use plastic bag with plastic utensils every single day. “I would sit there and think, we are supposed to be the future of this planet and here we are with our trash, messing it up.”

She’s used the reach of her highly influential blog to not only make Zero Waste living accessible, but she’s turned it into a store and a product line. Lauren’s store, Package Free Shop, offers solutions and resources that are essential to reducing your personal plastic use. The shop stocks everything from her all-encompassing Zero Waste Kits to bamboo straws to personal hygiene products sold in plastic-free containers. Package Free Shop has made an impact, reporting that since opening, the company has helped divert 4,025,600 plastic straws, 3,061,240 plastic bags and 1,419,260 non-recyclable bottles out of the landfill.

Ready to follow in Lauren’s low-carbon footprints? Her top tips for going no waste are pretty simple.

Bring your own bags. Shop in bulk goods sections and farmers markets to avoid plastic.

Make your own products.

Buy your clothes second hand.

Konmari your lifestyle.*

Grocery Shopping + Farmer’s Markets in Los Angeles

Erewhon Natural Foods: At their locations, you can find a good selection of standard bulk foods like grains, beans, nuts, seeds, snacks, herbs, spices, teas, and more.

Sprouts throughout the city: What you can purchase in bulk here varies by location, but options include grains, beans, nuts, seeds, granola, snacks, baking supplies, dried fruits, and more.

Santa Monica

Co-Opportunity Natural Foods: Has a large bulk section, which offers the standard selection of grains, beans, nuts, seeds, granola, dried fruit, snacks, herbs, spices, and teas, as well as a few particularly exceptional offerings: nearly 30 different types of bulk coffee, machines for freshly ground almond, cashew, and peanut butters, and bulk liquids like honey, maple syrup, kombucha, and apple cider vinegar.

Culver City

Rainbow Acres: Bulk dry goods (pantry staples like beans, grains, nuts, and snacks), bulk liquids like soy sauce, and a big selection of herbs, spices, and teas. They also have bulk cleaning supplies like borax, beeswax, and soaps.

Long Beach

Bring Your Own Long Beach: At this spot, you can stock up on bulk home and beauty products, like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, body lotion, jojoba oil, Castile soap, baking soda, laundry detergent, dish soap, dishwasher detergent and more. They also sell zero waste goods for the home. Find them at a pop-up location or at their refill station.

Eastside LA

Broome Street General Store: You can find nontoxic and refillable soaps and household cleaners made by Common Good.

Sustain LA: Package-free household cleaning supplies and bath and beauty products; you can bring your own container or purchase one of theirs to fill up. They pop up at Farmer’s Markets in Highland Park, Atwater Village, and Altadena, but they have an online store you can check out as well!

Composting in LA

Composting isn’t tough. Figuring out what to do with the scraps when you don’t have the yard space (or a yard!) for a compost bin is the hard part. But the good news is you have options!

First, take a look at the options your waste management company provides. If you live in a house, this one is a no brainer! The city will just pick up your compost for you when you put it in your green bin. Don’t have a green bin? You can request one through your waste management service! (They’re legally required to provide one upon request!)

If you live in an apartment or just aren’t in control of your waste management options, but still want to compost, it requires a little more leg work. That’s where Epic Renewal comes in. For the low cost of $30/month these green thumbs will provide you with a 3 or 5 gallon compost bin, pick it up, AND compost it. For more info on Epic Renewal, check out their website here.

The best spots for second-hand clothing in Los Angeles

Melrose Trading Post (Your non-stop shop for second hand goods of truly any kind.)

Wasteland (A must for the brand-oriented thrifter.)

Crossroads (They’ll buy your unwanted threads too!)

Squaresville (Seventies jumpers and sparkles galore. Perfect for the retro diva.)

Jet Rag (Check out their $1 sale every Sunday!)

Goodwill (Pro-tip: go to the locations in rich neighborhoods.)

Our favorite Zero Waste products:

Silicone Bags

String Bags

Travel Mugs

Articles to continue your education: