Author: Sandra Maki

A Successful Clothing Swap

June 18, 2018 Off

One of the reasons that I decided not to shop for 52 weeks is that I learned that fashion is the #2 most polluting industry after the oil and gas industry. How? Just to list a few examples: polyester and nylon are synthetic fabrics made from polymeric or plastic fibers, potent chemicals are used to…

By Sandra Maki

Fashion Reuse

A Fashion Make-Under: Revamp of Old T-shirt and Jeans

June 11, 2018 Off

After 22 weeks, fashion deprivation is starting to kick in…must stay strong…but seriously, I am not about to quit now. My colleagues at work advised me that it would be OK to go to a friperie (used clothing store) but for someone like me, that’s like telling an alcoholic that it’s OK to have…

By Sandra Maki

Food

Easy and Delicious Zero Waste Vegan Rhubarb Pie

May 29, 2018 Off

Rhubarb is one of those vegetables that people love or hate. I fall into the love category (and my husband falls into the hate category). Growing up, our family garden had lots of rhubarb and I have fond memories eating my mom’s pie. Last spring, I finally got a rhubarb plant from a friend. …

By Sandra Maki

Food Reduce Our Waste Lifestyle

Starting a Garden

May 24, 2018 Off

I have to admit something. I don’t exactly have a green thumb. Unlike my mother in law who has a gift with plants, anything green left me with me eventually turns brown or worse, dies. Whenever I went on vacation, I used to tell my plants that they were going to the spa (aka my…

By Sandra Maki

Reduce Our Waste Lifestyle Travel

A Reason to Continue

May 15, 2018 Off

A few weeks, I had the privilege of travelling to sunny California for business. I was going to meetings in El Segundo, about 20 minutes from LAX. El Segundo is a chemical engineers dream: decorated with steaming distillation columns and perfumed with oil refining. El Segundo (The Second, in Spanish) became the second site of…

By Sandra Maki

Reduce Our Waste Lifestyle

Experimenting with Homemade Cleaning Products

May 8, 2018 Off

As a wanna-be zero waster, I know that I have to make and use homemade cleaning products. Unfortunately, my efforts to date have been limited and somewhat unsuccessful. In researching the topic of homemade cleaning products, three ingredients appear: vinegar, baking soda and castile soap. I have tried a vinegar and water 50/50 blend for…

By Sandra Maki

Fashion

A Failed Attempt at Wardrobe Minimalism

May 2, 2018 Off

At the start of this zero waste project, I gave myself a stretch goal of not shopping for 52 weeks. As a hardcore fashionista and shopaholic, this goal frightened me. However, 17 weeks later, I am proud to report that I have not shopped yet (Shout-out and congrats to my friend Marianne who is also…

By Sandra Maki

Reduce Our Waste Lifestyle

The Sad State of Glass Wine Bottle Recycling in Quebec

April 22, 2018 Off

I like, I mean love, wine. And like many people here in Quebec, I dutifully put my empty wine bottles in my blue recycling bin. I was recently horrified to learn that much, if not all, of the glass in the recycling bin ends up in trash. Why? Cross-contamination. When glass bottles break, the broken…

By Sandra Maki

Reduce Our Waste Lifestyle

Zero Waste Jar Envy

April 17, 2018 Off

My brother has joined the zero waste movement and he recently asked me how much I had reduced my garbage. He has already reduced his waste 80%! Since we were already composting, I expected that the waste reduction that I would see after 3 months would be negligible. Plus, we have a cat (really not…

By Sandra Maki

Reduce Our Waste Lifestyle

Reflections on 3 months of the Zero Waste-ish Lifestyle

April 12, 2018 Off

Wow! It’s been already 3 months that we have been testing out the zero waste lifestyle. I am very proud of all the changes that we have made as a family. I wanted to share some comments, questions and feedback that I have received: Share and Educate. I spend a lot of time talking about…

By Sandra Maki