The Glass Pantry is a zero-waste, bulk store located in Milwaukee, WI. You bring the containers, and they provide the goods. Their goal is to make zero waste shopping easy, accessible, and fun. In this week’s blog post, you’ll learn all about the zero-waste lifestyle with The Glass Pantry’s founder, Jenna Meier.
1) For those that don’t know, what is zero/low waste?
Zero Waste is all about doing our best to reduce the waste in our lives and households. Waste can come in many forms - trash, packaging, emissions, etc. Working towards the goal of reducing waste looks different for everyone! Buying in bulk, driving less, buying local, growing our own food, thrifting, DIY-ing, cooking from scratch - all of these things reduce waste! There are so many fun ways to live more sustainably which is great because different things appeal to different people depending on your habits and interests.
2) What is the easiest switch for people to make in order to produce less waste?
It totally depends on your own habits and lifestyle! I suggest doing a "trash audit" to see where your trashy habits lie before going out and buying a bunch of "eco friendly" items that may or may not apply to your own habits. To do a trash audit, just dump out your garbage can when it's full and see what's in there! If it's mostly food packaging, try shopping in bulk or at a farmers market! If it's packaging from new items or clothes, try shopping second hand next time you need a new item! If it's food waste, look into composting options! It's best to know what your pain points are before you start because it'll give you a great roadmap on what habits you can focus on.
3) What are your favorite zero/low waste hacks?
I love love love bulk shopping. I also have switched to mostly solid options for things like dish soap, hand soap, laundry detergent, and shampoo. Water based versions of these are so much more difficult to package and ship while their solid counterparts are compact, easy to transport, and can usually be found by a local maker. I've switched to bar soaps, laundry powder, shampoo bars, and dish soap blocks and they all work great!
4) Do you recommend that people transition to zero waste living gradually, or make the switch right away?
Definitely gradually. It's very difficult for us as humans to overhaul our habits overnight. And when we put all that pressure on ourselves and then can't stick to it, we feel like a failure and tend to give up. I know everyone is different but in order to give yourself the best shot, I always recommend starting with ONE HABIT at a time. Give it as much time as you need for the new habit to become second nature and then pick another! And remember to celebrate each time you choose a sustainable choice! It makes a difference!
Follow The Glass Pantry on Instagram and Facebook: @glasspantrymilwaukee
