Zero Waste Outlet Blog

Store-bought mascaras are far from ideal because they’re almost never sustainable. Your makeup drawer need not be filled with plastic and harsh ingredients. There are a few ways you can cleanse your cosmetics cabinet of wasteful products and restock with a small number of versatile, earth-friendly makeup options.  Ever considered making mascara at home or having it delivered to your door? Handmade mascara can have great quality and be absolutely zero-waste. Here's a guide to the best eco-friendly mascaras! The Trouble With Buying Eco-Friendly Mascara   When you are first looking for a way to avoid overpriced, wasteful mascaras, you...

  Jeff Bezos started Amazon over two decades ago selling books out of his Seattle garage. He's now the world's richest, worth over $190 billion. WOW. Hey, I'm really happy for Jeff. But in reality, our country's infatuation with Amazon comes at the expense of so many other entrepreneurs.According to a 2020 NPR/Marist poll, 92% of America's online shoppers buy from Amazon. Amazon Prime boasts 100 million memberships! But there are some serious problems with shopping Amazon:* Amazon's over-packaging is notoriously wasteful. Example: my mom received a lip liner PENCIL in two layers of plastic bubble wrap and a 8x10x3" box! What the...

Say NO to heavy and wasteful plastic laundry jugs with these amazing-small laundry detergent strips!       Imagine 900 MILLION laundry jugs piled on top of each other. Unfortunately, that’s not a random number; it’s just the amount of plastic laundry containers that are thrown away each year in the U.S alone. While the bottles are recyclable, only 30% of them end up in the recycling bin, and it’s probably because it’s inconvenient to rinse out the empty jug. Meet the laundry solution that completely eliminates the need for plastic detergent jugs!' Tru Earth Eco-Strips are 100% biodegradable, vegan,...

The controversy around tote bags grew linearly to their popularity. A versatile and fun accessory, the bags have been cherished now across many subcategories of fashion. But in recent years, the environmental efficacy of cotton bags has been called into question by reputable sources. The fascinating fashion history of tote bags is a strange tale. At the crossroads of high-class clothing designers and business-convention marketing strategies lies the tote bag. Companies give bags away for free as advertising while consumers pay hundreds of dollars for a logo or pattern from top designers.To understand the environmental efficacy of cotton tote bags,...

How sustainable is mass-produced soap? Not too much. Here's a list of options for those that need to find a zero-waste soap: Why Is Mass-Produced Soap Unsustainable?   Mass-produced soaps in both bar and liquid forms contribute to a vast plethora of environmental issues. The primary concern about soap is that many formulas contain palm oil, a substance that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. The World Wildlife Fund says producing palm oil is a “major driver of deforestation,” meaning the demand for it leads to more trees being cut down and a subsequent loss of biodiversity. If...