Frugal and sustainable minimalist home decoration

Welcome to my final post in my minimalist moving series! For now, anyway. 😉 In this article, I'm going to discuss all the budget-friendly and sustainable methods we used to furnish our new apartment.

In case you missed the first two posts, the recap is that a while back, I moved in with my partner to the house that they owned. We had 2 sets of everything. Their style of furniture wasn't really my style, and my furniture was not my style either.

So when we decided to sell their house, we also decided to sell or donate most, if not all, of our existing furniture and downsize the rest of our belongings so that we could start fresh together.

If you want more details, the 2 previous posts are:

Is it minimalist to move to a new home?

4 frugal minimalist tips for moving

As for what's in this post, the information is going to fall into a few categories.

1. Why we moved and where we're living now
2. How we downsized 2 households into 1
3. Budget-friendly and sustainable furnishing of a new home
4. Overall costs of furnishing a new home from scratch

1. Why we moved and where we're living now

My partner scrimped and saved every penny starting as a teenager to put a down payment on a house. At age 21, they bought a place they were barely able to afford. They had a roommate to help pay the mortgage at first, but that person unfortunately left and was never replaced, leaving my partner to work 6-7 days per week to make ends meet.

The house is older and had never been updated, which meant that esthetically, it was very dated and worn, as well as mechanically/structurally, it had things that were going to need fixing or replacing very soon. Some things were already in disrepair and were out of my partner's budget to address. 

When I moved in, that eased up my partner's finances a bit and with time and a LOT of money, we could have fixed the place up. However, given that it was an attached house (shared wall on 1 side with a neighbor) in a neighborhood that we weren't fond of, it didn't make a lot of sense to do it. Especially when we checked in with a realtor and it seemed like we'd be able to sell it for a modest profit to reinvest in a house that we both liked better.

Well, let's just say nothing turned out exactly as we thought, which was both good and bad. Firstly, the interest in the house was completely overwhelming. It sold for far more than we were asking, which was great.

But the downside was that even with such a large anticipated profit and both of our incomes instead of just one, the market outpaced our buying power and we were never able to find the right place to buy by the time our house sold. Ironically, we would not have been able to buy the house we were living in.

We don't regret selling it for a minute, though. It was what my partner could afford at the time, not their dream home, and it needed more from us financially than we could give it.

The house is about 1200sf and has a one-car garage. We moved into a ~800sf apartment with no garage or extra storage, and a completely different layout from the house. Lots of things had to change.

The apartment is newly renovated with only energy-efficient appliances, its own water heater, and very quiet HVAC equipment. It's nice to not have to speak louder each time the AC or furnace turns on! Each unit has a washer and dryer so we don't have to haul our laundry out to the garage like we used to in the house, or to some laundromat used by hundreds of people. 

It's a secured building, so no random strangers or salespeople knocking on our door. And the best part? If something breaks, we call maintenance and they fix it, and we don't pay anything extra to have a fully-functioning home. This is saving us potentially tens of thousands of dollars over the course of the next 12 months versus if we were to stay and tackle the needs of our previous house.

In this current economy with skyrocketing fuel prices and inflated costs for necessities like food, we are closer to my partner's work, and we have 2 reasonably-priced grocery stores within 5 minutes of the apartment.

The last reason why we moved into an apartment is that it leaves us free to make decisions without undue pressure. We found ourselves looking at houses farther and farther away from our target area. It ended up that the houses in a comfortable price range were in locations that we weren't very familiar with. The economy was not as stable and my partner would have to see about switching their job situation around, which might lead to a loss in income. Also, we were uncertain how we would feel about living there, as it was so different from our current city. 

We didn't want to make a hasty choice just to own a house because we were afraid of "wasting" money on rent, so we thankfully were able to find this apartment that we really like on short notice. The rent is comparable to our previous mortgage, but now we have no mortgage debt and more money in savings.

In my opinion, paying for housing is never a waste, whether you're renting, owning a house, living in an RV, car, a boat, or jumping from one hotel to another. Having a roof over your head is a necessity, and these days it seems to be a privilege that not everyone has access to. These financial gurus who shame people for housing choices clearly have no idea what it's like to be without a choice. Also, just because you can buy a house also doesn't mean you should. Homeownership is a large responsibility and ties a person to a location in ways that are not always easy to circumvent if you need to move.

In our case, we don't know what the future holds and if we want to be tied to a house at this moment. Our 12-month lease gives us time to regroup and decide what's next. Do we want to try again to buy something locally? Move out of the area? Or do we want to stay here and rent, either in this apartment or a different one?

Right now, I'm really liking apartment living and I definitely appreciate the convenience of our location and all the surrounding amenities. Not to mention the peace of mind of built-in repair and maintenance services. My partner grumbles occasionally about not having a garage, but oh, well. 

2. How we downsized 2 households into 1

This was a process we started when we were getting ready for me to move in with my partner. I more so than my partner, because they had their stuff already set up a certain way and didn't want to change it. I was fine with that because I had no emotional attachments to any of my furnishings; I just needed a place to do my work and crafts, which I got. This definitely doesn't work for everybody, though, and should be part of the conversation when people are deciding to move in together or to a new location.

As we planned our next move together, we looked at houses and discussed what kind of floor plan we were looking for, and determined what size house was in our budget. This helped dictate what we would keep from our existing possessions.

But then, when it looked like we might be moving several hours away, paying for a moving truck to haul everything looked very unappealing. Realistically, the houses in our budget were fixer-uppers. We would already have to set aside a renovation budget on top of a disgustingly large down payment and closing costs; did we really want to add (at minimum) a thousand dollars plus fuel costs to that? At this point, we started doing garage sales and Craigslist ads to see what we could sell, especially big items.

We also carefully went through everything we owned and decided what was in the best condition, was the most useful or practical, and was most important to us. My partner did a lot of purging of things that I never thought they would; they wanted a clean slate as well. I like to think I inspired them a bit with my minimalist habits. 😁

When we did a showing of our apartment, we knew we'd have to go even further with our possession overhaul. But that was fine because we were on a roll at that point.

On the weekend before closing, I was busy setting up our new place while my partner held one last sale at the house. They actually started giving whatever was left over away for free and posted an ad to let people know. There was only a small amount of stuff left that we had to donate once the sale was over, and we ended up with almost $3000 in our pocket from all the sales that we did.

And thank goodness we did because we still would have been hard-pressed to fit even one set of our existing furniture in our apartment. The way the space is arranged and the shape of each room is completely different from the house. 

I think the key factor that helped us to downsize was having a goal to motivate us that mattered more than holding on to what we owned. We both wanted a fresh start in a new place and the opportunity to decorate it together. And after our first garage sale brought in over $1000, I have to say my partner was hooked on the idea of selling things. 😛 They were happy to keep going with a sale every weekend until we ran out of time.

The last downsizing we did was to offload one of our cars. We're down to just a small SUV now, as my partner's pickup truck was just too gas-guzzling. Since I work from home and we're closer to public transportation, sharing a car has not been a problem.

3. Budget-friendly and sustainable furnishing of a new home

Out of everything we did to move into our new place, there was only one thing that we bought new. That was a bed. Both of our beds were not very comfortable anymore; my partner's bed was older and mine was a cheap mattress that didn't stand up to time very well. So we decided to invest some of our newfound money into a decent bed. 

We were pleased to find a company that manufactured locally. You can find eco-friendly mattress companies online, but they are usually much more expensive than non-eco companies. So this was our compromise; by buying local, we were supporting the local economy and also reducing the need for shipping long distances. This is a type of eco-friendly shopping you can incorporate into your life when overtly sustainable options are out of your price range.

Otherwise, everything we acquired for our apartment was pre-owned. Where possible, we got it for free or cheap from the community through Craigslist or local yard sales. A few items came from thrift stores that we weren't going to find easily through a Craigslist ad, like cloth placemats and a cooking utensil holder.

My one complaint about our kitchen is how narrow the drawers are. The top drawer is also so shallow that all you can realistically fit in it is a pair of scissors and a can opener. It didn't make much sense to put all our silverware in an upper or lower cabinet, so we ended up getting a free-standing cabinet that fit a silverware tray and helped us organize some other items as well.

One thing that's easy to find as a giveaway in our area is those cube storage units. You know, the open shelves that have square spaces for those fabric containers? I like them because they come in various heights and widths, so you can use them in just about every room.

We have one in our bedroom closet, a small one in the kitchen, and a large one in the bedroom that our TV sits on.

We already had a few of the fabric containers that we use to store our folded clothes in. But to better organize other stuff, we needed more cubes. Easy fix: I used a bunch of my leftover yarn scraps (and also made some "yarn" out of old clothes that were too worn out to donate) and crocheted myself some baskets. There are all sorts of free patterns on the internet for doing this; you can even coat the basket with a stiffener like corn starch to make the walls stand up better. Plus, you can customize the colors and sizes however you like. 

Most of the things we found were in decent shape and didn't need any fixing to be used straight away. However, the one struggle was with finding a dining room set. 

I wanted dark wood or shiny black finish, small (square or round), high-top, with 4 chairs. There were choices out there for like $150 used that weren't even really what I wanted. All the cheaper or free stuff was really banged up. 

But we finally found a real wood table and chairs for free. It needed some fixing to make it decent, but it's the right size and I'm happy with it.

We've been here for almost 3 months now, and I think we're pretty well finished with the setting up. I will probably do a few decorative items down the road, but for now, we need nothing else to be organized and comfortable.

4. Overall costs of furnishing a home from scratch

I consider this "from scratch" because we got all the essentials for our apartment when we moved in. The things that we brought with us (plates, utensils, cooking supplies, personal items, some art, 2 TVs) were things that we did see being offered for free or very inexpensively in the second-hand arena, so feel free to add on as much as $25 to our total if you want to be picky about it.

I'm also not including the cost of gas, because that was just too variable to keep track of. We tried our best to check ads while we were already doing something else so we wouldn't be using extra fuel. Or, we would set up a time to get something along a route we were already going to take the next day. 

OK, so onto the price breakdown. I'm betting many of you will find these details less interesting than I do, so I'll make it quick:

• New bed: $1400
• Small items from thrift stores (place mats, utensil holders, soap dispenser, spice rack): ~$40
• Cabinet with doors for kitchen, three cube storage shelves, sofa, living room TV stand, small bookcases, corner desk, desk chair: free
• Dining table and 4 chairs: free plus ~$30 in refinishing supplies
• Crocheted storage baskets: no additional cost (made from items on hand and acquired for free or bought a long time ago)

I think that's it. So as you can see, we came out well ahead after selling most of our old household stuff plus one car.

I hope the examples I gave you in this series are helpful if you have to move, downsize, or furnish a dwelling during these expensive times. See you next time!

5 frugal minimalist habits that are ruining the planet

Saving money is wonderful, especially these days. But being frugal at the expense of the environment is an issue that I think many people struggle with. This post is about frugal minimalist things that people do that are bad for the planet, and what you can do instead.

1. Looking only at prices
2. Shopping in all the wrong places
3. Spending money on the present, not the future
4. Not spending money when you should
5. Lack of planning

1. Looking only at prices

If your only factor when choosing what to buy is the price tag, you're missing the bigger picture. Purchasing decisions should be about the value of your money, not just paying the lowest amount possible. Here are 5 factors that you can add to the equation.

• Cost per weight. If you're buying something, such as food, a lot of the bigger supermarket chains will show you the cost-to-weight ratio. This may reveal that, for example, the 16 oz bag of rice that costs $0.76 breaks down to 4.8 cents per ounce, while twice as much rice costs $1.46 or 4.6 cents per ounce. The same math can be applied to just about any consumable product (not just food) to help better inform your decision about which price point works best for you. Obviously, you want to keep to amounts that you will use before it expires.
• Cost per use. A lower-quality item may be less expensive, but it will also wear out faster. You can spend about $4 on a pack of plastic disposable razors that you're only supposed to use once each. I chose instead to invest $15 into a metal safety razor that I have already had for over a year, and will likely have for many more years. A 50-pack of safety razor blades cost me $5.50 and after 12+ months, I still have over half of them left. 
• Quality of item. That razor I bought is definitely not the best quality available; you can buy safety razors for upwards of $200 that probably have warranties on them, and some that are specifically more eco-friendly. While that price point would still break down to very affordable throughout a lifetime, I think you can still get a decent-quality product for a good deal if you do some research. It rarely has to be one extreme or the other.
• Materials used for product and packaging. We never pay just for the product. We also pay for packaging, all the marketing on the package, and marketing that goes into the brand. Of course, getting something that's package-free and pre-owned is the simplest and most cost-effective way to eliminate the price of packaging, as someone else has already paid a good portion of that money upfront. However, buying used is not an option for food obviously, which is why I wrote the article about Eco-minimalist grocery shopping on a budget.
• Supply chain. There are so many new resource shortages that I read or watch about these days. Soil shortage. Sand shortage, rubber shortages. Then there are the shortages that are less new, like petroleum products of all kinds and our finite amount of fresh water. These are no joke and not to be ignored; they WILL get worse, and without intervention by everyone, the situation will become catastrophic. In some cases and for some people it already is catastrophic. I saw footage of a town in Arizona that has a water shortage so bad that people have zero access to water of any kind, from the city, whose water system is overwhelmed, or their own wells, which have run dry. They will have to leave their properties, and who will buy them without running water? Sadly, it has come to the point where every buying decision comes with consequences. Yes, I'm a broken record when I say that the solution is to do everything we can to keep what already exists in circulation for as long as possible. Take proper care of what you own; repair it if you can, and don't just throw it in the trash if you can't. If you think it's expensive to go shopping now, just think how much worse it will be when the resources needed to make new things no longer exist.

2. Shopping in all the wrong places

Product manufacturers and retailers know when they have you cornered. Movie theaters don't allow outside food, so if you're hungry, you're stuck paying $6.00 for a few cents worth of popcorn and some butter-flavored oil. You lose your sunglasses on a road trip and have to pay $30 for a replacement pair at a gas station.

There's a reason why they're called "convenience stores;" they have a few things conveniently located in high-traffic areas at astronomical prices. 

And don't even get me started on what a rip-off the various dollar stores are for what you get. But one report showed that each $1 item yielded an average of $0.35 - $0.80 profit. 

How well do you think something could possibly be made if it cost only $0.20 to make it?? Do you think the manufacturer (or the retailer) worried about the environment when they created or sold that product? Do you think they care that it's going to end up in the landfill in a month? No; and they actually look forward to that outcome. Because they make their profit on volume, so they hope items will break and you will come back as a repeat customer.

Aside from urgent/emergency situations, there are a few basic rules you can follow to ensure you don't run into the traps of spending your money in places that are bad for both the planet and your wallet. 

The general idea is to have a backup plan in place. If you own a vehicle, create a little emergency kit in a bag in your car with things you might need while on the road. What comes to mind for me are a blanket, extra sunglasses/eyeglasses, a first aid kit, spare clothes, water, shelf-stable snacks, utensils, a cloth napkin, a towel, some coins, and paper money, and an emergency phone charger. You can create a mini-version of this if you don't use a car, and put it into a bag or backpack.

At home, you can have a similar kit set aside for everyday life stuff, just in case an emergency happens and you need to leave the house quickly. Do similar planning for day-to-day food needs by meal prepping some items to store in the freezer and keeping staples on hand as for dry and canned goods. That way, you always have something to eat and don't have to get takeout when you don't feel like cooking.

Putting together these "kits" and stocking your kitchen is something that can happen over time--or, you may already have everything you need in your home and don't need to buy anything. There's usually no need to run out and buy what you want to include all at once. Be patient and choose carefully.

Lastly, learn not to give in to temptation. All the various techniques to avoid impulse buying and falling prey to marketing would require a separate article. But the goal for this article is to only ever buy gas at a gas station and to never step into a "convenience store" or a place that sells new junk for cheap ever again.

I'm aware that large portions of the U.S., and other countries, live in food deserts, and their only options to buy food places exactly like the ones I'm telling you to avoid. Obviously, if this is the case for you, then do what you need to to survive. If you need help with food or any other resources, here in the States you can dial 211. It looks like United Way has 211 services available worldwide as well, though I can't speak personally about that. For U.S.-based people, here's a website about how 211 works and the help you can get by calling: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/dial-211-essential-community-services

3. Spending money based on the present, not the future

Being eco-friendly is all about leaving a liveable planet for the future. So when you don't think of the consequences of what you do today and how they will affect tomorrow, chances are that you will make a less eco-conscious decision.

This once again requires restraint. Don't buy things just because you want them or they are affordable. There are many times I can recall in my life when I thought I "needed" something, and right away. It turned out that I really could have done without it.

Use methods such as a purchase pause to hold off on impulse buys. Keep a running list of things you want or need, saved on your phone, and take some time to try to track it down used.

Think as well about joining community groups that share items. Do you need to have this item on hand at all times, or can you borrow, barter for it, or rent it? Are there other ways to solve a problem than to buy something? Can you afford the upkeep of this particular item, and do you have a place to store it?

What other questions can you think of that are problems for tomorrow that buying something today might cause?

4. Not spending money when you should

Particularly where I live, it saddens me how much we've become a throw-away society. The trend is to have everything new, and marketing research likely shows that people will probably throw things away after a short time. This is great for them, so nothing is built to last.

Modern technology, clothing, and unfortunately, even people, are tossed aside once they don't meet societal standards. I've watched in anger as unhoused people where I live are shuffled from one place to another so that their housed neighbors don't have to look at them.

Just like with that issue, the first instinct for inanimate objects is often to get rid of them and buy something else shiny and new. This, too, is hurtful to people, because the objects that were thrown away were also made by people. If they were made cheaply, they were likely made overseas in unsafe conditions with underpaid employees by companies that care NOTHING for the environmental impact of their manufacturing practices. Then they ship a piece of plastic worth a few pennies across the world, burning large quantities of fossil fuels just so Westerners can save a few bucks, only to add to the landfill a short time later when the product inevitably falls apart too soon.

A better idea is to spend your money up-front with companies that have been vetted for being socially conscious. Try to get something that can be repaired, refurbished, recycled, or upcycled. And if something can be fixed or altered instead of tossed out, make that investment.

5. Lack of planning

A time-tested marketing strategy is creating a sense of urgency. Launches of new products are hyped up ahead of time using catchy music, celebrities or influencers, and alluring graphics. Then an "introductory price for a limited time only" creates a flood of sales. The buying frenzy, fed by a wave of hive-minded consumers intent on having the latest and greatest, drags everyone along until we've all spent money on a product that rarely holds up under scrutiny.

I don't want the latest smartphone or the newest TV. I don't want a new car model fresh from the factory, and I certainly don't want to be the guinea pig for the latest fad supplements or another throwaway clothing brand advertising on Instagram.

If you let time pass before you try a new product, it allows others to give feedback on how it works in the real world. You can bypass all the safety recalls and faulty parts that the brand-new buyers have to sort out. After a few months or years, you have a clear picture of how well consumers actually like something and how well it works. Then you'll know if it's really worth your money.

Play the long game and take your time. Plan waaaaay in advance. For example, I have a super-secret project I'm working on that may happen 6-12 months from now. And even though it's far away, I am starting to collect the supplies I will need now. I'm looking in the free sections, visiting thrift stores, and asking people I know if they have what I need. My very last resort is to buy anything new from a traditional retail store.

I hope you liked this episode of Marina scolding people for being cheap, lol. Just kidding (sort of 😉). I have almost completed furnishing our apartment so the wrap-up post on minimalist moving will be coming up soon.

5 advanced eco-minimalist tips

After much thought, I came up with some advanced tips that I feel are outside of the box. Some may push your limits of comfort, but these advanced eco-minimalist tips are sure to increase your impact as an advocate for the planet.

1. Help clean up oil spills
2. Use carbon-neutral shipping to send your packages
3. Adopt a climatarian diet
4. Live like it's 1900
5. Moderation for longevity

1. Help clean up oil spills

You can donate your hair to create wigs for children who have lost their hair. I have done that a few times, to an organization called Locks of Love. I think that's a noble and generous thing to do, especially if you're particularly attached to having long hair.

But I recently discovered there are other ways to do good with hair donation. I found Matter of Trust and their Clean Wave program. Individuals, farms, and businesses can donate hair, fur, fleece, and wool. The project uses the clippings to create mats to soak up petrochemicals. Because we all know how well oils can cling to hair!

I went through the donation process. It's kind of weird but ends up working out well enough, and there are clear instructions listed. You create an account through a partner website called The Hum Sum (they call themselves an environmental social media site). You make a post that you wish to donate a gift, and then you will get a response for where to send your donation based on your location. Pack it up and ship it (you will pay for your own shipping).

My partner and I both donated hair to the cause and feel happy for it. And our heads feel lighter too. 💇 You can also get a tax receipt for any donations you make.

You could take this a step further and loop in local salons, farms, and pet groomers. Ask them to collect their clippings. If they're hesitant, you could offer to pick them up and ship them yourself.

If you want to take a look, you can visit their website here: https://matteroftrust.org/clean-wave-program. I'm not financially affiliated with them in any way and I don't get anything for sending you to this website. 

2. Use carbon-neutral shipping for your packages

I mentioned shipping the hair. I used a company called Sendle because they offer carbon-neutral shipping via USPS. It's for small packages only, but I don't usually send large packages. 

For larger items, companies like DHL and UPS also have carbon-neutral options. Some shopping sites like Etsy and some Shopify sites have this feature built-in. 

What is carbon-neutral shipping, you might ask? Well, carbon-neutral means creating net-zero greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. Since virtually all the modes of transportation used to ship packages emit GHGs, a company must first calculate how many are created by their shipping practices. There are business-specific calculators available from what I understand.

Then, a company can either buy their own carbon offsets (like I do with my GoClimate subscription).

Or, they can skip the calculations and purchase carbon-neutral shipping, where the shipping company does their own calculations.

I do both because when GoClimate calculated my carbon footprint, they didn't ask about what I ship. Only about online shopping (which would mean items are sent to me, not the other way around). I don't ship things often, but when I do, it's nice to have an eco-friendly option on hand.

I always ask companies that I'm exploring if they offer carbon-neutral shipping. If they say no, I tell them about the options I know of and hope they will look into it. I think it's a great marketing tactic for companies that are trying to improve their appeal to people who care about the environment.

3. Adopt a climatarian diet

I talked about this a little before in my unpopular opinions post - I believe you can't be an eco-minimalist without eating a plant-based diet. But, it's a specific type of plant-based diet, and that is not vegan.

Or to clarify, vegan is far too broad a term. There are vegans who live off of Oreos, french fries, and vegan burgers. There are also vegans who enjoy exotic produce imported from other countries and other specialty packaged products. And other vegans don't know how to cook and eat out for every meal from restaurants that primarily use processed foods like meat and cheese alternatives. Yet others prefer a whole-foods plant-based diet, where they avoid processed ingredients as much as possible and try to get the best ingredients available to them.

No judgment on anyone who's a vegan. I'm vegan, and I certainly participate in all of the activities mentioned above, sometimes. It's unreasonable to expect anyone to be perfect all the time. However, eating any of those ways all the time is not climatarian--even, not necessarily, a whole foods diet, if you're not considering aspects explained below.

According to a health.com article from January 2022, "A climatarian diet is not a traditional diet in that it doesn't require followers - sometimes called climatarians -  to adhere to strict food guidelines. Rather, it focuses on eating foods that don't contribute to environmental harm, making it easy to follow compared to other eating plans."

The article then continues to describe the parameters that help you know what foods to avoid. They should not:

• require large amounts of land, water, or other natural resources
• contribute to pollution
• cause ocean acidification
• emit GHGs
• use excessive or non-biodegradable packaging

As far as I can tell, this is still a plant-based diet, so vegans can certainly adapt to follow these guidelines. However, as you can see by my examples above, there are aspects of each that may not fall in line with being climatarian.

If you need some hints on how to be more climatarian, I have some tips in my article about eco-minimalist grocery shopping.

4. Live like it's 1900

I am obsessed with a show called "Murdoch Mysteries." At first, I wasn't impressed. But it's definitely grown on me. 

The show is set in the late 1890s and moves through the early 1900s. Aside from the fascinating scientific inventions that Murdoch creates, the sly references to how we live life today, and my affection for Constable George Crabtree, I pay particular attention to how the characters live in that era.

There are a few things that an average citizen from the year 1900 might have done that I think are very eco-minimalist:

• Many individuals had very few changes of clothes and shoes
• Use of electricity was rare--clothes were washed by hand, most people didn't have refrigerators or electric ovens, and television didn't yet exist. Not all buildings had electricity
• People often walked, biked, or used horses for transportation
• Few people owned or regularly used cars
• Personal spaces were small and household possessions were few in comparison to modern-day life
• Items were often mended or repaired, not thrown away and replaced with new ones

If you believe in the historical accuracy of the show, then this all happened in a place that was rather large for its time. According to various things I read online, Toronto had over 200,000 residents back then and was the 2nd-most populous city in Canada after Montreal. I live in a city a little more than half that size in population, with a much smaller geographical area. I rarely see people walking or biking.

Of course, not everything was great. The industrial revolution was in full swing, using coal and wood for fuel. There was still pollution from factories, and those living closest to them were often in poor health. Lots of paper was used, wood was a common heat source, and gas or oil was used for lighting. 

People were unaware of the long-term consequences of some of their behaviors. The damage inflicted on the world today (and still occurring)  would probably be unfathomable to most people from 1900.

Nonetheless, the simpler aspects of life can inspire us to do better. We can utilize fewer resources, own less, live in smaller spaces, take care of what we have, and get more exercise.

5. Moderation for longevity

As with all things, I believe it's possible to be too extreme in eco-minimalism. Going too far or too quickly can bring about a lot of stress. 

Also, habits tend to stick around better if they're adopted in a slow and steady way, one at a time.

Eco-minimalism may be hot right now, but it isn't a trend that should fade away in time. It's a way of life that should be incorporated by everyone as much as possible. Permanently.

5 intermediate eco-minimalist tips

It's finally here--part 2 of my eco-minimalist tips series. Part 1, eco-minimalist tips for beginners, is all about ways to save money and also be more eco-friendly. Intermediate eco-minimalist tips still focus on budget-friendly items but include actions that require spending money as well.

Unfortunately, lots of greener alternatives cost more. Hopefully, as they become more mainstream, that will not be the case. But until then, it's helpful to put your dollars toward supporting them wherever you can. There are some more abstract concepts in here as well.

1. Financial institutions and investments
2. Waste
3. Internet
4. Make your home more resource-efficient
5. Decisions based on facts are eco-minimalist

Financial institutions and investments

Did you know that financial institutions are some of the worst offenders when it comes to funding fossil fuel companies? The bank that holds your savings account, credit card, mortgage, car loan, or retirement fund could easily be contributing large sums of money toward worsening climate change. Your money, which means that you are indirectly funding climate change as well, perhaps without your knowledge.

For example, in the States, we have 2 institutions, Citi and HSBC, which are pledging to be Net Zero by 2050 with 1 hand while the other hand gives money to extracting oil from the Amazon rainforests. According to a CNBC article from April 2021, the biggest fossil fuel financer is the Postal Savings Bank of China. But banks from all over the world are responsible for this issue, and some of them continue to increase their funding.

Other well-known banks that continued to support the oil and gas industries after the 2015 Paris agreement include JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, RBC (Canada), Barclays (UK), and BNP Paribas (France).

Likewise, some of the "top" stocks on the market are for companies that aren't sustainable. They also try to find ways to greenwash their brands because it will help their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria standing, which boosts their stock performance. In order to appear to care about what happens to the environment, they simply copy and paste some ESG terms on their website, all the while being extremely vague about what they are actually doing to be better.

Unfortunately, many companies that provide retirement plans for their employees simply choose index funds (a collection of stocks and bonds), which closely follow the performance of the stock market. These funds don't have to be actively managed, which means they save the employer a lot of time and money while still (hopefully) providing appropriate returns on their employees' investment. 

However, it also means that the assets that the retirement funds are invested in are a set of stocks that don't differentiate based on whether they are socially responsible. For example, an index fund based on the S&P 500 is going to simply be the 500 stocks that fall into that index. These are all large companies, which historically do not care about being socially responsible as much as they should. Recent companies that made the index are Facebook, Amazon, and JP Morgan Chase. 

Something else that many people probably don't think of in terms of climate change is their insurance policies. Be it life insurance, health, auto, etc., one of the ways insurance companies keep afloat is to take the premiums they receive from their policyholders and invest them to earn interest. Where does that interest come from? Usually, the same financial institutions and/or stocks that commonly fund Big Oil. So this is another avenue that needs exploring and possible correction.

Luckily, things are (slowly) changing. More employees are speaking up and asking their employers to invest their money in more ethical and socially responsible ways. Some financial institutions are changing their investments and working their way toward being green. And lastly, there are lots of banks and investment firms popping up that offer green alternatives.

I consider updating where you keep or borrow your money an intermediate step because it will take some time. Obviously, you are not going to change your mortgage, car loan, credit cards, retirement accounts, insurance, and checking/savings accounts overnight. Any loans have to be moved slowly because those changes affect your credit. So does opening new credit cards or closing old ones. Depending on how many accounts you have, it could take you years to completely transfer everything over.

That's why I'm asking you to consider making moves slowly but surely. First, make certain that you understand the consequences to your personal finances and credit for each move you make. Then start with something relatively easy. Take a few months to find new bank accounts and move your money over. 

Then, consider opening a green credit card and start using it to build up your credit with it while phasing out the use of your non-sustainable cards. You could actually stop using your old cards but keep them open. This way they still reflect positively on your credit reports as far as the length of credit history, but don't give your money to dirty energy companies.

Meanwhile, you can advocate with the company you work for to get them to switch over to socially-responsible funds for your retirement account. If you have a private retirement account, start researching high-performing green funds and decide what and when you want to move over to them. Thankfully, many green investment opportunities are matching or outperforming their unsustainable counterparts.

If you're thinking of buying or refinancing a house or car, look to applying to companies with sustainable values first. And if now is not a good time for you to change your loan holder(s), question that institution about where your money goes and advocate with them to move towards sustainability.

Waste

Make sure you fully understand what is trash, compost, and recycling based on your local waste management provider's rules, and how you have to prepare each item before you put it in the bin. For example, our local company allows plastics of only certain numbers (1-4), never plastic bottle tops, everything must be washed and paper labels removed. They accept glass jars and metal lids, certain types of paper, and no food scraps or compost in the yard waste.

After living in a few different cities, it seems their rules are pretty similar to other places I've lived. Of course, we have a lot of near-monopolies for trash and recycling providers here in the U.S., so it isn't surprising that they all offer the same services. It's probably the same company!

Sadly, some companies have decided to stop accepting glass for recycling. This is usually because they have a single-bin recycling system, where all the different materials go in the same container. Since glass breaks so easily, and into such fine particles, it contaminates the other items and also puts the employees at risk of injury. Therefore, broken glass mixed with other recyclables often results in the entire load ending up in the landfill.

Glass is infinitely recyclable, which is a good thing, because the sand needed to create new glass is not a renewable resource, and we're starting to have shortages. The bad news is that recycling glass is not happening often enough, and it is a labor-intensive process that creates its own pollution.

There is also the problem of mixed-media packaging, like those milk cartons and other plastic-lined boxes that some foods come in, or the paper coffee cups that have a plastic lining. Those are rarely recyclable because the facilities simply don't exist in most areas.

Keep in mind that the best packaging is no packaging at all. That's why an intermediate eco-minimalist focuses on package-free items, including pre-owned goods and unpackaged bulk supplies.

While we're on the topic of waste, I want to mention how important it is to understand how composting works. Whether you have access to a composting service or you're doing it at home, it's crucial to educate yourself. Just like with recycling, adding the wrong things to your compost bin that your municipality picks up can result in contamination of, potentially, a truckload or more. That material then gets thrown away, which is exactly what we don't need to happen. 

Also, just because a company markets its packaging as compostable doesn't mean that your local company recognizes it as such. Some items can be composted, but it has to be done with techniques that aren't used by all compost receivers. Those materials that require extremely high-heat composting are not going to break down in your home compost or will take significantly longer than the rest of the batch. 

Make sure you thoroughly vet any companies that offer home-compostable products. The last thing you want to do is poison your plants (or yourself) by putting a chemical-laden, supposedly compostable piece of packaging in and then using the mixture to add to the soil for your vegetable garden.

Internet

Remember how we used to think it was eco-friendly to be paper-free? People started putting things at the bottoms of their emails saying "Save the trees, please think before you print this email" and offices prided themselves on doing everything electronically. Yes, it's important to reduce paper usage because we need trees, especially old-growth trees, to stay rooted in the ground where they belong. But that isn't the whole story.

By being paper-free, we became more reliant on digital documents. Companies like Netflix and Hulu started popping up as more affordable alternatives to cable or satellite TV services. Social media came around.

Also to save paper, people started using ebooks and e-readers instead of buying paper versions. We read our news and gossip online instead of buying newspapers and magazines. I've heard that many college professors started preferring to receive essays and other homework via email, and it seems like nearly every doctor's office these days uses online patient forms, patient portals, and electronic messaging systems. 

And to think, there were days when the majority of people used paper maps or written directions instead of a maps app on their phone or a GPS system to navigate to their destination. I can't remember the last time I met anybody who does that anymore or anyone who keeps around a paper phonebook that their local phone company delivered to them. 

We even have purely digital money these days, like bitcoin and dogecoin and whatever else is out there. I even saw a mortgage company advertising the other day that they accept bitcoin for mortgage payments!

The problem is that the internet takes electricity and a lot of it. The servers used to run the internet are massive, power-hungry, and HOT. The rooms or buildings they are kept in need more electricity both to run the servers and to keep the rooms ice-cold so the machines don't overheat. 

Because so much important and sensitive data runs through the internet, these buildings often have the highest level of security, which probably means more electronic gadgets like security cameras and monitors, keycard scanners, and backup servers. 

Then there are the backup generators in case the main power source is lost. Most generators run off fossil fuels.

Some companies recognize the problems they have created by being such successful internet resources. For example, Google states that they have been carbon-neutral since 2007 and will be carbon-free by 2030. 

That's great, but I have one more point to make about the internet that many people don't think mention when it comes to sustainability--what it does to our health. I wear glasses, and my eye doctor told me that I (and many others he sees) have vision impairments that are due mainly to looking at a screen all day.

Having to buy glasses every year or two creates waste. While there are some companies that make more sustainable frames, they are usually quite expensive and might not be compatible with all types of lenses. And the lenses? They're made of new materials, of course, and are usually not recyclable. 

You can usually donate old prescription glasses, but I'm guessing that no matter what, everyone's glasses eventually become part of a landfill. 

And what about contact lenses? One study showed that 15-20% of contact users were flushing their used contacts down the drain. What??? That added up to 20-23 metric tons of plastic waste going into our water system! We do not need more plastic going into our water that will eventually break down into microplastics. Also due to their size and flexibility, they can easily slip through filters at water treatment plants and end up back in cleaned water. Blech. There are some programs to recycle contact lenses, btw. There are programs through eye doctors or you can send them directly to Terracycle.

While we're on the topic of medical waste, let's talk about other ways that the internet affects our health. Looking at a screen means more time being inactive (sitting or lying down), neither of which is good for our bodies. People often spend extended periods in positions that are not ergonomic, leading to chronic pain.

The light waves from electronic devices affect our circadian rhythms and therefore our sleep, which can lead to poor concentration, memory, decision-making skills, lowered immune systems, weight gain, and physical injury, just to name a few problems.

There's also a lot more stress involved with being so easily connected to the rest of the world. People can be reached more easily, and a balance between having privacy and interaction with the community is lost. Many feel obligated to respond immediately to any electronic request that comes through, even if it wakes them up in the middle of sleeping.

Easier access to the internet also means more exposure to all the troubles on this planet, all the judgment of others, and more problems that we have no power to solve individually. Anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts are emerging at younger ages, and many believe it's related to how much time a child spends on social media.

All these physical and mental ailments lead to more doctor trips. And if you've ever been in a doctor's office, I'm sure you've noticed how much waste the medical community creates. For our safety, most items that touch us are single-use. Protocols also dictate that healthcare providers wash their hands both before and after interacting with each patient, often with chemical-laden soaps, and then use paper towels to dry their hands because cloth harbors germs.

Then there's the medicine we're prescribed. Developing and mass-manufacturing drugs take a lot of resources. The meds come in bottles that most people throw away without even checking if they can recycle them. Unused medicines get flushed down the drain (and traces are later found remaining in our drinking water) or go into landfills where they can contaminate the ground.

Trust me, I'm not trying to demean our healthcare workers and all that they do. Nor do I necessarily have any solutions or alternatives to offer to the system that's already in place. I'm just saying that the system is not eco-friendly, and the more internet we consume, the more we seem to need healthcare and depend on this system.

Obviously, I love the internet. And it's great that some internet-related companies are moving toward sustainability. But there are still many consequences to spending so much time online, so I try to use it sparingly and focus my time on other things, like being outdoors or working on crafts. 

Make your home more resource-efficient

As climate change becomes more and more of a problem, virtually every place on the planet will experience more extreme weather. If you've noticed you need more heating and cooling each year, you're not the only one. 

And needing more climate control because of climate change is a vicious cycle, because of the energy consumption needed to keep a house comfortable. There are lots of free or less expensive ways to live with various temperatures, such as layering clothing, cross-breezes, consuming hot or cold food or drinks, etc.  But if you live in a place that gets especially hot or cold, more drastic measures are probably needed.

However, making a building resource-efficient goes beyond heating and cooling. It involves thinking about how your house uses fuel, water, electricity (besides climate control), and how both replacing or repairing some structural/mechanical items affect the environment.

I searched around for relatively easy ways to increase the resource efficiency of where you live. A lot of these can be done even if you don't own your home. I'm sure you all know about things like LED light bulbs and washing clothes in cold water, so I'll leave those out.

• Don't leave the water running when you aren't actively using it. That means turning it off while you brush your teeth, not having it gushing out while you're scrubbing dishes in the kitchen, and potentially turning it off in the shower while you soap up!
• All the appliance stores (and some power companies) will encourage you to switch out appliances, water heaters, furnaces, etc. for more energy-efficient ones. But where do the old appliances go? Ask an installer that before you agree to buy a brand-new version, and then decide whether repairing and maintaining what you already have is better for the planet. A third alternative is to replace a broken appliance with a newer, used one.
• Have plants to water? What about a greywater system? Funnel water from showers, dishwashers, and sinks (and only use eco-friendly soaps) through a filtration system, then into a tank that you use just to water plants. A cheaper alternative is to get rain barrels and hook them into your gutter's downspouts.
• In terms of plants, consider switching to native, drought-resistant plants that are perennials over annuals. Research into plants and trees that grow well together. Lastly, if you live in a climate that is favorable for it, why not try growing your own food in place of more decorative items? I've read that some people are also starting to convert their lawns into a vegetable garden, which sounds like a tasty and pretty use of planting space.
• Even if you can't install a solar system for your home because you rent or due to the costs, lots of municipal power companies are offering programs to buy into greener energy sources. There are also solar rental plans and community solar farms. If your power company or locale doesn't have these options, here's yet another opportunity to advocate for their availability.
• Did you know that windows have seals? These seals break down over time, which leads to increased heating and cooling usage and costs, and might also allow unwanted moisture into the house. You may be able to re-seal your windows. If not, consider replacing them. Sometimes there are tax rebates to do so, just like you can find with solar energy credits. Once again, please try to give your old windows to a construction salvage company.
• If it's going to be hot outside, close all your windows and curtains/blinds before the sun hits them. Invest in floor or ceiling fans to keep air circulating.
• Black-out curtains are great for temperature control, but they're usually made of petroleum products. You can get just as much insulating power by using multiple layers of natural fabrics. Just make sure your curtain rods are reinforced to hold the extra weight!
• In rooms that you aren't using, get vent covers and close the doors. No need to heat or cool a space that isn't utilized.
• Plug all your devices and small appliances into surge-protecting power strips to keep them safe. When you aren't using anything on the strip, turn it off or unplug it to reduce phantom power drain. Personally, I find this makes for more peaceful sleep as well. I enjoy sleeping in a completely dark room without all the little red, white, and green standby lights from nearby electronics.
• If you have electronics that use batteries, invest in rechargeable batteries. They cost more up-front, but many are made to be recharged 1000 times or more and are just as powerful as their single-use counterparts. I have some rechargeables that lasted even longer than the battery charger--they're over 10 years old.
• Maintain what you have. Now that I'm living in a house and not an apartment, I learned that furnaces and air conditioners should be regularly serviced to make them work more efficiently (you can't just switch out the filters!), and you have to actually clean your roof to keep it in good condition. As someone who always rented, this was all news to me!
• Speaking of furnaces and air conditioners, did you know there are reusable filters? Yes, they cost more, and you'll need more than one. You take one out and clean it (I think most people use a hose) and a second one goes in while the first is drying. Pretty much all of those single-use filters are made of non-compostable materials that you can only put in the trash.
• Add a microplastic filter to your clothes washer. There are a few different options. I've seen one that's a ball that goes inside the washer, which is helpful if you have to use a public/communal laundry. Others get attached between the washing machine and where the water drains out to the sewer. Like with the lint filter in your dryer, you have to clean these regularly. But totally worth it to reduce the amount of plastic going into our water.

Decisions based on facts are eco-minimalist

Whenever I think of something I did that I later regret, it usually was the result of deciding what to do based on my emotions. Whether it was that dessert on sale that hurt my tummy or the outfit that sat for a year in my closet with the tags on, I did not think through the consequences of my decision before I acted. I went with what I felt at the time and let that rule my future, often with undesirable results.

As eco-minimalists, there is usually a lot more thought and research required for every action we take because all those emotional decisions can add up to a lot of consequences for the planet.

Someone who buys a brand-new, gas-guzzling car for the looks and status is deciding with their emotions, not with facts. People who decide to do things that are unhealthy even though their doctor says their health is in danger are not using facts. And someone who lives in the desert and insists upon having a lush green lawn, watering it incessantly through the hottest times of the year, is not educating themselves with facts when they decide to do so.

Of course, some people know the facts but just don't care. That is another form of emotional decision-making.

This is not to say every decision has to be dissected and researched to death before being made. But rather that you lean toward having more knowledge for more decisions. For many things, you will end up with a comfortable routine where you know what is the most eco-minimalist choice in a variety of situations, so you don't have to stop, pull out your phone, and research every time a decision comes up.

In fact, I discourage that behavior. Over-researching will probably lead to eco-anxiety. This brings us back to the risk of making emotional decisions--it's possible to care SO much about the environment that you're paralyzed with fear about what's right and can't decide anything at all.

Also, sometimes you will realize that there is no good option. There's just the best choice out of a bunch of not-so-great choices. And sometimes that's what we have to accept and live with. When this happens, try not to be too hard on yourself. Remember that this situation is often the result of the restrictions put on us by others. People with more money and power than us (our government, industry, manufacturers, society) play a large role in what is available to us, and sometimes you can't escape their influence. 

So how can you make more fact-based decisions and fewer ones based on emotions? Here are the methods I use.

1. Go slowly. Don't try to research every single item or subject at once. Start with one thing at a time, and build confidence in an area that helps springboard you into learning more in other areas.
2. I said it already, but be forgiving to yourself if the facts show that there are no perfect options.
3. Do nothing. If you're not sure, feeling overwhelmed, or feel like you need more information, then don't take action. Put the decision aside for another time.
4. Ask for feedback from others. If you have access to other people who care about eco-minimalism, see what their perspective is. Of course, you should still think for yourself and fact-check where possible. But collaboration with like-minded individuals can help inspire new ideas.
5. Use a purchase pause. Wait a day, week, month, or longer, and then revisit whether you really need this item.
6. Write a pros and cons list. I know this is sort of old-school, but I love listing all the facts. It also gives you a record you can refer back to if you start wavering toward making an emotional decision.
7. Find reliable resources for your fact-gathering. Any info provided with authority (i.e. stated as a fact or statistic) should be back with references, and those references should also have a factual basis.
8. Keep in mind that research continues, and therefore what is "fact" sometimes changes. Something you learned 10 years ago may no longer be accurate today. Refresh your information periodically to make certain you are still making the most factual choices.

What is extreme minimalism?

How is extreme minimalism different from other types of minimalism? I decided to do this as a separate post from my last post about anti-mainstream minimalist concepts because there are so many different aspects of extreme minimalism. This topic needs an article of its own! 

What I find interesting is that when I looked into extreme minimalism, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about it. But I'll get into that in a little bit. Here is the run-down of topics:

1. What does extreme minimalism mean?
2. Examples of extreme minimalism
3. Misconceptions about extreme minimalism
4. The benefits of extreme minimalism
5. Is extreme minimalism selfish?

What does extreme minimalism mean?

Just as a refresher, "minimalism," as defined by this blog's original owner, means letting go of things that are less important--whether it be things, activities, or people--to focus on what's more important.

In contrast, extreme minimalism is about paring your life down to the necessities. Some people may refer to it as essential minimalism, or essentialism, which is evaluating wants and needs, with a preference towards only acquiring what you need. If you want more details about essential minimalism, we have a post all about it here.

Examples of extreme minimalism

Besides essentialism, there are several examples of minimalist archetypes that can fall under extreme minimalism. For one, there are types of experiential minimalists called nomadic minimalists (the article goes into some detail about minimalist nomad life). 

I also recently did a post specifically about sailboat-dwelling minimalist nomads because I read a book about it that I liked so much. Other types of nomadic minimalists are people who live/travel in vehicles on land or people who live out of suitcases or backpacks, like people who hop from one Airbnb to another or who are professional house-sitters.

But extreme minimalists don't have to be nomads. They can live in a small space in one place, such as an apartment. Their home can be very minimal in aesthetic, possessions, and cost. This can include a lack of decorations and furniture. I'd say my bedroom makeover in my old apartment probably falls into the extreme minimalist category. 

While a "normal" minimalist could streamline their clothing with a capsule wardrobe, an extreme minimalist would go down to a single change of clothes, shoes, etc. (plus an extra for wash day). 

They could also own a single set of silverware, one plate, bowl, cup, etc. per person. 

Some people choose to have mats or pillows as their only seating, no TVs or other personal electronics and place their mattress on the floor. They only have one set of sheets. They're "zero waste." 

Some people base their minimalism on how many possessions they own overall. I read about this 100 things challenge where you downsize until you have only 100 things left. I also saw that one person has 15 possessions!!!

I have to admit, I kind of drowned in all the ways you can be an extreme minimalist. I'm going to truncate my descriptions so it doesn't take you an hour to read this post. Here are some more:

• Fasting/intermittent fasting/very low-calorie diet
• Abstinence
• Sobriety
• Religious/spiritual pilgrimage
• Extreme frugal minimalism

Basically, any way you can be a minimalist, you can take it to an extreme level. 

Misconceptions about extreme minimalism

I think people unfamiliar with how regular minimalism works might look at extreme minimalism and think that it's normal minimalism. That everyone who says they're a minimalist only owns 15 things and lives in a 200 square-foot apartment with a mattress on the floor and a single pair of socks. 

I think this assumption is what leads people to go overboard in their minimalist journey, thinking they have to meet other people's expectations. They eliminate what's important because they think they have to. Then they regret their decision, end up "hating minimalism," and become anti-minimalists because they think that will make them happy.

Whether you take conservative steps or extreme ones, your minimalist journey should be about what's right for you. Giving things up that enrich your life is not minimalist. It's sacrifice. 

Likewise, people who criticize others for being too extreme or not minimalist enough don't really understand minimalism either. If a minimalist wants to have 50 t-shirts or 100 paper books or save 3000 pictures, how does that hurt anyone?

I also don't see a problem with someone being not minimalist for special occasions. Maybe they're a frugal minimalist all year, but they splurge on an awesome annual vacation, treat their partner to a luxurious anniversary date, or spoil their grandchild on their birthday.

The benefits of extreme minimalism

While this type of minimalism is not for everyone, there are some potential benefits. Even more so than standard minimalist practices, extreme minimalism could lead to more free time, debt elimination, stress reduction, early retirement, the ability to pursue your passions instead of chasing a paycheck, better physical health, and a smaller impact on the environment. 

It's just a question of creating a balance until you maximize benefits and minimize side effects. Depending on one's tolerance for extremism, in theory, the more extreme one goes, the more benefits one receives.  

Is extreme minimalism selfish?

As I was reading about this topic, I actually came across a few articles that addressed this question. In their minds, anything extreme has the potential to be selfish. 

If you minimize your possessions while only considering yourself, then this could lead to complications. For example, one person said she had dinner guests over and drank her wine from a coffee mug because she only owns 2 wine glasses. But, she reasoned, this was still better than not having enough glasses to serve them wine at all.

I guess that's one way to think about it. Another way is that it's pretty shallow and privileged to be worried about whether you're drinking your wine from a mug or a wine glass. I wonder how much of her concern was about her worry of how others saw her?

My predecessor on this blog told me that it isn't uncommon for RVers to not have enough chairs, cups, or even food to accommodate guests, due to their limited storage space and tiny little kitchen areas. She said this is acknowledged as part of RV life, and there's an easy solution for it. When one RVer invites another over for a gathering, you ask what you should bring. Whether it's side dishes, a chair, or even your own plate, this is something that's considered an acceptable ask of your guests. Nobody gets judgy about it or thinks it's rude. It's common for the RVing community to share what they have and help others when they can. Isn't that nice?

And actually, my parents raised me that a polite guest always asks what they can bring or do to help when they're invited to someone else's home. When did it become a rule that what someone brings has to be limited to a bottle of wine or a bag of chips? 

Someone else said that when he was a minimalist, he was a "taker" because he lived in a trailer and rode a bike everywhere. So he could be a guest, but not have a guest. And he couldn't give anyone a ride anywhere. He also mentioned that he was strapped for cash.

I don't understand why it's selfish if you can't afford a car or an extra bed sitting around in case, someday, you need to use them?? When did living within your means make you a "taker?" 

Or what if you just think that's wasteful? I think it's more of a problem that people are perceived as selfish for not owning excess things instead of evaluated for the quality of their personality and morals.

Also, if you only have to work part-time because you're an extreme frugal minimalist, maybe that means you can offer free dog walks to a neighbor or be available to drive your relative to their doctor's appointment. It means you don't have to miss important things in the lives of your loved ones because you're too busy working. That doesn't seem selfish to me.

But in the end, it isn't always bad to be a little selfish. Everyone is entitled to live in an authentic way, and sometimes that means that your wants and needs take priority over what other people want or expect you to do. It's unhealthy to give all your time and energy to everyone else. Even the most altruistic amongst us recognize the importance of keeping themselves healthy so they can help more people. 

Right now, there are a lot of problems in this world that are the result of perceiving things a certain way that is not the most useful. If we want to improve our situation, it has to start in our heads and being open to thinking differently. Extreme minimalism might not be for everyone, but the concepts are certainly food for thought. 

Eco-minimalist grocery shopping on a budget

How do you buy groceries in an eco-minimalist and budget-friendly way? I'm about to tell you. But first, let me get this out of the way. This is not about "zero waste" shopping.

In case you didn't know, zero waste was a term developed for industrial purposes in the 1970s specifically an electronics company. It's since been adopted by other businesses and consumers, but in reality, no consumer can be zero waste. By virtue, a consumer will create waste due to their consumption because each item they buy comes from an organization that produces waste. Also, zero waste is a term I've seen influencers and brands use incorrectly for what they were actually doing. For example, someone did a zero waste "grocery haul" but then bought several of food products that I know for a fact are not compostable or recyclable. That isn't zero waste!

I also want to add that if you're in a food desert or food-insecure, please check out this link for the U.S., this link for Canada, this website for the UK. For any different countries, try searching for food banks in ____ (enter country or city).

Anyway, here's the index for this article.

1. Resources
2. Origins
3. Time of year
4. Beyond the packaging

1. Resources

Here in the U.S., Litterless has a zero-waste grocery guide by state. Check on the "nationwide" link for companies that ship to the U.S. if there's nothing local on the list. If possible, find out which of these companies use carbon-neutral/carbon-negative shipping, or buy your own carbon offsets.

However, I have a few problems with the Litterless resource. For example, not every state is listed. I noticed right away that Idaho doesn't have a link. Then as I mentioned, there's the whole zero-waste thing. If a company doesn't want to be associated with that term or feel (maybe incorrectly) that they don't meet the requirements, then they won't be on the list. But that doesn't mean that at least some of their business practices are not low-waste or eco-minimalist. I think you can work with just about any store out there to limit your waste when shopping.

For example, I like to shop at a place called Winco. They have low prices and a great bulk food section, but you're supposedly not allowed to bring your own containers. For nut butter and some liquids, they have plastic containers that are probably new plastic and the tops are not recyclable. For everything else in bulk, they offer plastic bags that they say are recyclable, but it's sometimes difficult to find a place to do that. They are also made from new plastic. I've snuck in my reusable produce bags for things like pasta and rice in bulk, and the cashiers never say anything to me. They already don't subtract the weight of the containers, so I don't see that I'm really losing any money by doing this. A quick comparison tells me that the bulk prices are often cheaper than the prices of pre-packaged options. Bulk foods are not waste-free, but the volume of food to the ratio of packaging is different than buying individual packages.

One thing I don't like about Winco is that they don't compost their food waste or seem to have any arrangements to give stock to food banks or shelters. I feel like this is something that every business in the foodservice industry should be doing in this day and age. 

Another issue I have is how around Thanksgiving, Winco gives a "free" turkey to anyone who purchases at least $100 worth of groceries. We don't eat turkey, we asked if they could donate it to a food bank instead. Nope. Well, could we get a free large bag of rice or potatoes instead? Nope--even though these things are probably cheaper than a turkey. Not very inclusive. It's nice for some people, but not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving or even eats turkey.  It also makes me wonder how many of those frozen turkeys get thrown in the dumpster every year because people don't spend $100 per visit and/or don't buy them.

Some estimates are that food waste composes as much as 50% of the waste that goes into the landfill. There's a misconception that it will just compost in a landfill, which it doesn't. It breaks down in a way that releases methane gas into the atmosphere, which is the last thing we need more of. 

Businesses that sell food certainly create a large portion of this food waste, but what households produce adds up in a collective way. There are simple and free things you can do at home to reduce your food waste:

• Know what you have on hand before you shop and when it will expire
• Plan out your meals and create a list so that you only buy what you need
• Learn the best way to store items to keep them from going bad
• Freeze foods before they rot if you know you won't have time to eat them first
• Find out how to arrange your refrigerator to keep food fresh
• Buy only exactly what you need 95% of the time. For example, did you know that cooking with oil is generally not necessary? It's also expensive and usually, the containers are very wasteful, I use vegetable broth, a little water with spices, or nothing to cook my food, and it comes out just as well. Growing crops that result in cooking oils can lead to soil erosion, endangering native plants with pesticides, adding more toxic residues to your diet, high water usage, and native forest/plant/rainforest deforestation.  Also, farmers from both this country and developing countries are often mistreated and under-compensated in general, but oil production is big business. So mistreatment is more likely to happen in farmers aligned with agro-corps like cooking oil usually is.
• For more tips, I found this blog post that includes tips about a 5-minute meal plan, composting, food prep, and more. She even has links to tips about composting when you live in an apartment.

Speaking of composting, that's something I recently started doing. I didn't do it in my apartment, because I didn't know how to work with my lack of outdoor space. But since I moved into my partner's house, we got a scrap container for the kitchen (thrifted) and one of those tumbler composters (free from Craigslist!). Since we eat plant-based, all our food scraps go in there and I'm proud to say that we no longer put any food into the landfill. We also buy some products that have home-compostable packaging and put that into our composter as well. We're still learning, but so far it's been really easy to maintain composting as a part of our routine.

While we're on the topic of home waste, think about the non-food waste left by any products you buy, and make sure you're clear about how to dispose of them. Don't be a wishcycler!

Other options for eco-minimalist groceries are: 

• imperfect food boxes, where they deliver you perfectly good food that doesn't look pretty enough to go to the store
• shopping for clearance items if you know you'll eat something soon or can freeze it--this stuff often gets thrown away
• restaurant supply stores open to the public, which sometimes have bulk foods at lower prices
• farm co-ops and farmer's markets
• mom & pop stores that want to please their customers by catering to people who care about the environment

If you have any other resources, please comment down below so other people can use them as well!

Origins

Find out where your food is coming from. If you live in the far northern hemisphere and you're buying something that originated in the far southern hemisphere, that food is probably going to be more expensive, not as fresh, and have created a lot of pollution to get to you. Even if it's a banana with no packaging, that doesn't mean it's the most eco-minimalist choice. If your store doesn't have clear labeling about the origins of the food they sell, then ask. While you're at it, try to advocate for a systemic mandate for your area.

I'm sure many people are balking at the thought of giving up a beloved food because it came from the opposite side of the world. But I can tell you from personal experience that people are creatures of habit. I have switched out items that I really liked for ones that I liked less, whether for health reasons or due to food shortages. I just kept eating it and with time, found that I had a new habit of liking that food! Give yourself credit for having the discipline to change your food habits, and reserve less sustainable foods for rare occasions. You got this!

Time of year

People talk about eating in-season, but I doubt many actually follow through on this. A quick internet search should tell you what's actually ripe and fresh for your area and time of year.

I've seen and heard about some weird things even at farmer's markets, like farms selling things way outside of the normal growing season. In states warmer than mine, I guess there aren't really "seasons" and some things are grown year-round, even though they probably don't taste as good. For example, I read that ruby red grapefruit is supposed to be in season from October to May. It's November right now, and the ones at my local store are pale and have weird spots on them--not ruby-colored at all! But to be fair, I doubt grapefruits grow well where I live anyway. What was my point? Don't rely on your stores or farmer's markets to provide in-season foods. They're going to sell what makes them money. Do your research.

Beyond the packaging

Most packaged foods have websites these days. I don't just care about the packaging, I care about the business practices of the company. If the website doesn't have a page outlining their sustainability practices, I email them and ask them why and request they send me that info. I believe every business with a website should discuss its sustainability efforts. This shouldn't even be optional any longer, because at this point it's critical that everyone and every company is thinking about how their actions impact the planet's future.

It's important that a company is transparent about the entire supply chain involved in every product, not just the packaging it ends up in. They should also be using eco-conscious vendors as well as incorporating sustainable practices in places like their offices and break rooms.

But of course, they could be lying about how sustainable things really are. At least a few of the larger companies have been caught out on that. They put out statements that say "our goal is to do X by 2020" but don't explain how. Then 2020 ends and they never update their website to report that they've actually done X.

This is why I try to avoid packaging as much as possible. It's just easier than trying to research a million different items to try to find the best option. That way, I can focus on just a few brands that I know are doing a good job.

I also try to make things myself as much as possible. This is easier than it sounds because I do things that only take a few minutes but go a long way toward making my meals filling and healthy. I use a pressure cooker, so making rice takes less than 60 seconds of my time. Beans take about 2 minutes (because of soaking), or maybe 10 minutes if I want to puree them (e.g. hummus or not-refried beans). The pressure cooker does the bulk of the work for me and they come out perfectly cooked every time. I use this same tool to make potatoes in bulk, cook ears of corn, artichokes, or spaghetti squash. I think this is a great option for people who either don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or are intimidated by cooking from scratch.

In conclusion, you don't have to go to fancy stores like Whole Foods to be an eco-minimalist grocery shopper. You can do it on a budget and without spending all your time working on food-related issues.