Book Review: 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste

 

Title: 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste
Author: Katheryn Kellog
Publication Info: Countryman Press, 2019
Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb:

We all know how important it is to reduce our environmental footprint, but it can be daunting to know where to begin. Enter Kathryn Kellogg, who can fit all her trash from the past two years into a 16-ounce mason jar. How? She starts by saying “no” to straws and grocery bags, and “yes” to a reusable water bottle and compostable dish scrubbers.

In 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste, Kellogg shares these tips and more, along with DIY recipes for beauty and home; advice for responsible consumption and making better choices for home goods, fashion, and the office; and even secrets for how to go waste free at the airport. “It’s not about perfection,” she says. “It’s about making better choices.”

This is a practical, friendly blueprint of realistic lifestyle changes for anyone who wants to reduce their waste. 

My Review:

I found the tone of this book to be annoying (a little too cute and conversational), but there is a lot of solid, helpful info in there. Much of it is perhaps too basic for those of us who have been aware for decades of the problem of plastic, but for those starting out, Kellogg communicates clearly how to manage the simplest lifestyle changes--ditching bottled water and single-use grocery sacks (tip: with a few exceptions, in developed countries, tap water is safer--and better regulated--than bottled water).

I did bookmark a number of suggestions and recipes for my own use. Since the library book expired while I was out hiking, I'll have to check it out again and copy those tips. I was particularly interested in recipes and tips for cleaning, as most cleaning supplies, in addition to coming in plastic bottles, are pretty toxic. I'm not freaked out by chemicals, but I am conscious of what we are putting into the waste stream, including wastewater.

There were whole chapters I skipped, on makeup and other things I simply don't use, but which could be very helpful to those who do.

In the end, maybe the best take-away, besides reminders to stop "wish-cycling" and really make sure you are recycling correctly, and not introducing contaminants into the recycling stream, is that we should concentrate on the first two words of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" mantra. With the emphasis on the first.

My Recommendation:

This isn't the be-all and end-all of waste-reduction books, but there are a lot of practical tips, and it's presented in a way that allows for quick browsing. It's worth taking a look, and taking some notes.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”   

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2021

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