Easy Eco Organizing Tips: Stopping it Before It Starts! Tomorrow on April 22nd it will be the 50th anniversary of earth day! Happy birthday, momma! Check out earthday.org for ideas
Ec Organizing Tips in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day!
Jessica Nguyen joins us and shares some thoughts on the zero waste journey. She’ll give us some examples that make life a lot easier while doing good for you and the planet! With less stuff, you have less to declutter and organize. This is one of my favorite eco organizing tips and I’m excited to share with you!
TRANSCRIPT
Julie Coraccio 0:01
Pay on clear your clutter inside and out. We’re talking about the zero waste journey. How can working toward zero waste reduce your clutter? Would you like to save time, money and resources? Do you want to live with less, but not sure where to start? Learn more about clearing clutter with zero waste as we continue our month focusing on being more eco friendly. Do you control your clutter? Or does your clutter control you? unclear your clutter inside and out will teach you awareness as well as action steps to create change in your life. Come on. Let’s get started. Today’s episode was I was inspired because this is an area where I feel I need to up my game. If you’ve listened to the podcast for a while, or watch me on YouTube, you know, we try to get solar, we’re still have not given up on that dream. When we were moving to they have a solar cop. So I’m going with the mindset that it wasn’t meant to happen here. And we’re going to get an even better deal when we move. And we have an electric car. So we’ve made some big changes because of our commitment. Although, you know, my commitment is definitely more towards environment. My husband’s more about saving money. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I definitely want to save money. But as I’ve mentioned, you know, solar was about part of our retirement strategy. But this is an area where I need to step up. I’m really good about recycling, about upcycling when I can or reusing. But I’m really trying to get better and get in the forefront of stopping it before it even comes in. When I was in there was one in Los Angeles although sadly there wasn’t one in Pasadena where I live but when I lived in LA and when I live in Vermont they had an amazing thought. I think I’ve mentioned that the one here is an hour away it’s just not when you look at everything else it’s really not feasible for me. And so
I really hope maybe you have to see I haven’t googled that yet where we’re moving if they have a cop, but when I’ve learned in the cop, you could bring your reusable jars and I know that wholefoods has started to do that. So there are certain things you can buy in bulk, you bring your jars, you do the weight and do all that which I think is great, because that cuts down on packaging, right? And I’ve talked about how countries are saying hey, us, we don’t want your plastic we don’t recycling anymore. So the more we do to reduce all that. And when you make the choices consumer, people are going to listen, they want to make money. So they will listen to you as a consumer but we have to get to that tipping point where It reaches that we are going to demand these enough people demand that will change. And so this again is an area where I’ve tried to improve and one thing I’ve noticed, I’m 50 is and this is an area where I notice it. As I’ve mentioned, I’m trying to learn to make my own products and and buy less. But I don’t remember as a kid in the area of makeup, I haven’t worn a lot of makeup personal care like now we have disposables, right? You have those disposable like one and done. I mean and not just with razors. I mean I think maybe as a kid. I don’t even know if I remember disposable razors as a kid like makeup wipes or and I have to tell you, I need to find a solution because if I see these I’ll buy those. I’m too old to have acne. I’m really quite frankly over it. And so, like those little strips that pull and get out all your duckies I need to find something like a mass. I don’t No, these things really work. But being more than saying okay, like use a mask instead of using your little acne strips there. And so I joined on Facebook, a group called journey to zero waste. And so that’s been really beneficial to me because I read a lot. Now group as a whole is pretty good. You have some people that are stinky that are what I call just just can be harsh and unkind. So ignore those. You’re going to find that everywhere on social media, but I found it really beneficial to learn. Okay, what else can I do? How else do I need to be aware because this is again, an area that I think is super important for all of us. And I will tell you here what I talked with Jessica, you know, we talked about simple changes that really have a huge impact. And I wanted to thank I had had someone lined up to interview and they flaked on me and I’m gonna I’ll create a podcast episode out of it right make milk from honey or eggs scrambled eggs from eggs. Whatever the saying is, make something good out of a bad situation. And so because I have I’m really hoping the second half of the year is going to be easier I the date keeps changing when they’re going to build next door. And so the challenge for me is that the builder already told me it’s going to be two months and as I’m here in the office, I look out and I see outside and it’s gonna be right outside my office and even with this new headset, I just don’t think I can record so I feel a little bit of pressure to get as much done since I’m not going to have control and I can’t be very difficult to even go to a workspace even with a closed room to record this. I feel like I have a better shot doing here. So anyway, I’m feel a lot less pressure for the second half of the year. And hopefully I’m hopeful that construction will be done by July when I take my break so fingers crossed on that. Anyway, so I had someone and they flaked on me. So I posted in the group And this nice young woman and I was really excited because Jessica is a recent college grad, I thought these are the kids making the changes. These are the kids that are demanding that we wake up and we do think so. You know, it ended up as I trust the whole process. We have a short interview, I would like to have been longer, but it is what it is. And so anyway, she stepped up another woman who wanted to promote her company. I was like, Man, it’s not about promoting your company. It’s about your personal journey on this. So anyway, it all worked out as it should. And I’m excited. Hopefully you’ll learn something. Reminder tomorrow on April 22. It will be the 50th anniversary of birthday. Happy birthday Mama. Check out Earth day.org for ideas. I did the best I could we had some challenges with audio in the interview. So just hang tight with me. I have a Been skewered a couple times about audio do the best I can again this month starting with this new headset. I’m hoping that we’re good to go. Let me tell you about today’s guest.
Jessica Newman is a recent graduate from the University of Connecticut, where she majored in finance and minor in digital marketing and analytics. She currently works in IT consulting at Ernst and Young and hopes to work in sustainability consulting one day. In her free time outside of work. She enjoys watching the bachelor franchise, exercising, traveling and spending time with family and friends, Jessica. Hey. So tell us a little bit about how did you get started? Well, first, let me ask you this. What do you consider the zero waste journey or being zero waste? What does that mean to you?
Jessica Nguyen 7:55
I would say it’s just reducing how much trash and waste that you You put in a landfill and trying to reduce your carbon emissions in your everyday life.
Julie Coraccio 8:05
Perfect. So how did you get started on this journey?
Jessica Nguyen 8:08
I watched a few videos. I think it was like a BuzzFeed video or something about like zero waste. And I also stumbled upon Lauren singers videos, which is, her YouTube channel is called trashes for tossers. And she’s awesome. So she owns a store in Brooklyn and Manhattan called package free shop. And she sells a lot of like Zero Waste items. And she studied sustainability like at NYU. So I really like learning about how she like makes her own products and, you know, compost and how she makes it easy on a daily basis to be zero waste.
Julie Coraccio 8:49
I think that’s really important because I think a lot of people listening might not have heard of zero waste. I really we talked about clutter and clearing clutter and why I wanted to talk about zero waste is That’s gonna give you less clutter because you are not bringing in the house. And so right off the bat that helps you to clutter more in your life, what have you found to be the biggest challenges? When it comes to doing zero waste? I
Jessica Nguyen 9:18
would say I’m definitely like buying food just because like, my parents love Costco, for example. And like everything ever in Costco is like packaged in plastic. And you know, like, they’re not really going to change. So it’s like difficult to try and help my parents change their mindset about like buying less plastic, or, you know, like, trying to buy foods that aren’t packaged in plastic. So it’s definitely hard to find food that isn’t covered in plastic, but there’s a really cute book store by my town. So I love like bringing my own mason jars and like filling them up. So that’s really easy and I love going to farmers markets and supporting local farmers that sell food. Without plastic and I also think when you see like, just being prepared on a daily basis, really so like, in my work bag, I would carry like a Tupperware with me in case like I were to buy food to try and put it in that instead of like a single use plastic, you know container, like some of my co workers would be like, why do you carry that everywhere with you? So, yeah, it’s just like being prepared on a daily basis and like trying to buy things that aren’t covered in plastic are definitely a challenge.
Julie Coraccio 10:38
unorganized, always looking for things hard of losing money and your sanity. With today’s technology, Julie Coraccio is able to assist people around the globe and offer virtual organization. Learn more about virtual organization at reawaken your brilliance calm COMM one of the easiest things I think people can do that really has an impact is getting reusable straws. Because I read something ridiculous like there are 500 million thrown away daily and I think that was just in the US. And you know, I know in other countries they charge you want a plastic bag, we’re gonna charge you a nickel or dime or whatever it is to. And that can be a motivating factor as well.
Jessica Nguyen 11:27
Definitely I live in Connecticut So recently, a few months ago, they imposed like a plastic bag tax so it’s like 10 cents. And then I think they like banned plastic bags completely where it’s just paper bags. So it’s really easy. So everyone has been carrying around reusable bags and like it’s surprisingly easy. And with the like the plastic straws I try to ask for no straw when I go to the bar. It’s like difficult because like you’re like shouting at the bartender. You’re like, no straw, please but like, it becomes a habit to just ask for like your drink without a straw. It becomes really easy. You
Julie Coraccio 12:00
I think that’s really important. You said, I think the reusable bags are another great thing. Just keep them in the car. If you have a car or whatever, and you get in that habit and or if you have to put them in the front seat until you’re a member if you keep them in the backseat, but just to keep doing it, definitely, what have you found to be the benefits because for instance, I always joke and I say, if you don’t care about the polar bears, then you know, you can save time you can save money, and, you know, I try to be very careful. I don’t like to tell people what to do, because I don’t like to be told what to do. But I feel as I’m doing a talk in a couple months, and I’ve thought you know, we as an industry need to step it up. But we as humanity, in my view, need to step it up. I mean, look at the Australian fires, you know, and I know there was one started by arson because I can hear someone telling me that already. But climate change has definitely contributed to that and they believe a billion animals have been lost. You know, Australia is Got a very unique bio diversity. And so there have been so it affects it but what would you say you found are the benefits? I mean, again, like it’s, it’s for the environment, but what other things you found like wow, I really appreciate on this journey that I’ve saved money or what has it been for you?
Jessica Nguyen 13:20
I found that I’ve definitely been eating healthier, just because usually when foods that are like packaged plastic, like we were saying, aren’t like the healthiest, they’re like processed, so definitely eating healthier overall, and eating foods that are grown locally, and like obviously reduce, like any health issues that you might be having in the long run. So definitely eating healthier is a huge benefit. And I’ve noticed that we haven’t had to take the trash out as much like at all and I’m not perfectly zero waste. Like I’m on a journey. I’m not perfect. So we try to compost food and everything like I’ll bring it to the local transportation to be made into compost, which is super easy. So we just keep it in the freezer, and we barely have to take the trash out or anything anymore because everything is either recycled or composted for the most part. So that’s super easy. And overall, like, I just feel better that I’m not putting as many things into the landfill. And I also try to take like public transportation every day, which is like, a lot cheaper than driving every single day. So it’s cheaper in the long run, and I have a better impact on like the environment. And like, what is happening in Australia makes me super sad because I studied abroad there for like a semester at the University of New South Wales in that country. So beautiful. So obviously, we could be like, not all of us have to be perfect, but in the long run, if each of us makes changes, small changes, we can prevent huge environmental disasters like that.
Julie Coraccio 14:57
Now, what are some tips you could share? We’ve talked about straws and bags for people, especially at the beginning of the journey. Can you think back to when you started you’re like, you know what, this was easy. I could do this and build upon that. What tips would you share with people I would
Jessica Nguyen 15:14
say, like we were saying, musical bags just like keeping maybe like a like Zero Waste kit with you wherever you go. So like a reusable bag and put like a water bottle inside of it. So you could refill it anywhere and you never have to buy plastic water bottles, which saves you money. And like you won’t be throwing away plastic all the time. I’m like a reusable straws, reusable utensils, maybe like a Tupperware thing. So just having a little kit like on hand that it’s like really small and could fit in your purse or your backpack or whatever is super easy, and can make a huge difference.
Julie Coraccio 15:50
Fantastic. Now, you’d mentioned a YouTube channel that you watch and said she has a store what resources can you share that again, any other resources that might be helped For the people,
Jessica Nguyen 16:01
so I really like trashes for tossers. So she’s on Instagram and YouTube. And she’s made like little videos about like how to make your own toothpaste or like how to make your own lotion without waste. And there’s also an Instagram that’s really neat called the zero waste chef. And she cooks in shows recipes. And like her Paul’s from like the store without plastic, which is really neat. And there’s like a lot of TED Talks. And just generally like, if you look up zero waste on you, there’s like so many videos about how like cooking clean, and just like live your life on a daily basis with producing last place on Facebook, on the group that both of us are in, during the zero waste is also pretty useful and people ask a lot of questions about how they can reduce their impact on their environment, on a daily basis and how to like, be more zero waste and everyone in that group is like at a different level of zero waste like no one Perfect, but the best thing you can do is at least try.
Julie Coraccio 17:04
Absolutely. Well, thank you unless you have any other parting words of wisdom. We appreciate it. Anything else last words you’d like to share with everyone?
Jessica Nguyen 17:13
If you think you can ask me.
Julie Coraccio 17:16
All right, thank you. Thank you. Now after the interview, I wanted to share this. She was so sweet Jessica texted me. And she said, Oh, you know, I forgot to mention her had. Have you talked about the buy nothing project? And I said, Oh, no, I didn’t even think of that. So she gave me a website. It’s buy nothing project.org and through this, and she also has something set up in her town, which reminded me duh, I belong to a group here in Raleigh. So what she shared with me is and I thought it was really well written you gift items. You don’t need any more that are collecting dust. You wish for items that you need, and you express gratitude for the people you’ve met or the gifts you’ve received. And it’s an amazing way to meet people in the community. Ah that’s so smart because she talked about and Connecticut in her hometown or they have something set up locally. And I know here in Raleigh, they have a meeting now in a different county but wait county had a place where you could drop up things it was just you didn’t want and people could come and get them. So not quite the town dump because how rallies we had recycling and trash and rally but then we had like for instance, I had to take battery somewhere else. If I had a computer I would say it’s like this huge they had two huge waste areas and then from there recycled or did whatever they did, but they also had a separate location where you could leave stuff for others to take and I know in our area on Facebook, for the old people. My niece Emma, I want to see your play hockey. It was in 2000 At 18 So anyway, in Facebook when the memories come up, and when I posted in 2018, she said you could post on Facebook because that’s for old people, but I wasn’t allowed to post on Instagram for because that’s cool. And that’s for the younger generation. So the memory came up again, and I kind of chuckled. And so if you’re an old person like me on Facebook, you probably aren’t going to find Well, that’s not true on Instagram, you could search by tag like, hashtag by nothing. But I know on Facebook, there’s a group locally, you know, buy sell trade, that there are options, and different things. There’s also free cycle.org I believe it’s free cycle comm or free cycle.org. Same thing you post what you want to release, and then people will post what they’re looking for. So have fun with this. Enjoy yourself and Google and find stuff that works for you. There’s a lot of options if you’re willing to learn Look. And finally, one last point that I want to emphasize, do what works for you. Do what you’re able don’t get set in a guilt trap and feel like oh, I’m this bad person. That’s not the point of this this whole point, as is what the entire podcast is about being aware and taking action and taking change. If you are concerned about clutter, the zero waste journey automatically creates less physical clutter, it’s going to create less mental clutter because you don’t have as much clutter in your space. You’re going to be less anxious if you’ve been worried about money. You know, I believe it clears emotional clutter because it really makes you become aware of the difference you’re making. And that’s like a good boost of vitamin C and a shot in the arm to make you feel good. It supports you in releasing spiritual clutter because you’re making a difference not only in the world, but in your community. All the Actions a little steps that we take really add up. So again relate this and when you’re considering a zero waste journey on how it can support you in clearing clutter in your life. take actions from today’s podcast, research zero waste and see what else you can learn. Ask others who are on the zero waste journey for tips. Examine where you can buy less and where you can create zero ways. commit to making small changes where and when you can. Consider sharing what you’re doing with others. On our next episode, we’re talking about eco friendly apps to make your life easier Go out. Clear your clutter to create the life you choose deserve and desire.
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DIY Options To Clear Clutter
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