I visited a local recycling center in Woodinville in August 2024 through a tour hosted by Zero Waste Washington and I have some thoughts… 

People often ask me about what they can do to live more sustainable lives. Many of us try our best, which is noble considering that we live within imperfect and extractive systems that make living in complete alignment with our values a somewhat impossible feat. 

ENJOY YOUR ENVIRONMENT: Dig your hands into the soil. Inhale some fresh air. Dip your toes in cool water. Take a walk around the block. Have you ever gone birdwatching or mushroom hunting? Make the time to enjoy all the wonderful things our planet has to offer.

If you’re looking for thoughtful gift ideas, look no further! This season is filled with pressure to spend more than we have and it ends up being the most wasteful time of year. We can find alternative ways to show our loved ones how much we care. One idea to experiment with this year is to choose gifts using love languages as a guide. Feel free to combine ideas from this list into a customized gift that your loved ones will deeply appreciate.

Let’s talk trash for a moment. The average American sends ~4.5 pounds of waste to the landfill every single day. This includes textiles, paper, plastic packaging, old electronics, rotting food, and much more. This amounts to nearly 300 million tons of waste collecting in American landfills each year.

When it comes to sustainability, one of the first words that comes to mind is most likely recycling. We know we’re supposed to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” but sometimes it feels easier said than done. We were told that much of the stuff that would otherwise become litter could be melted down or shredded up and made into something new.

I sat down with Sasha Mazur, owner of Green Life Trading Co. at a local coffee shop. We talked about why she decided to start an online zero waste retail store, why it's important to her to operate a business that aligns with her values, and how GLTC is helping people be better for the planet.

I spoke with Dee Hunter, owner of Rooted Curbside Compost, to ask all my burning questions about running a composting business. Dee offers services to residential and commercial clients in the Madison area who are looking to reduce the organic waste that they send to the landfill. She then turns this waste into nutrient-rich compost on her farm in Barneveld, Wisconsin.

I had a conversation with Laurel Burleson, owner and chef at Ugly Apple Cafe. We talked about her most interesting recipe, what makes her food cart unique, and how she's working to save as many "ugly" fruits and veggies as possible.

i chatted with kristy kleist, the owner and designer of swoon swimwear. she creates stylish swimsuits in milwaukee, wisconsin. we talked about why she avoids outsourcing her production to sweatshops, her favorite suit that she sells, and her plans to continue to operate her business ethically and sustainably. kristy’s swimsuits are especially great because they are reversible, so you get two suits for the price of one!

I met with the co-creators of Rowan Tree Bath Works, Trisha Lundquist and LeeAnn Abrams. We discussed why they chose to use olive oil as their soap's main ingredient, what local ingredients they use in their products, and why it's important to read the labels on your beauty products.

Donale richards is the manager of off the block (otb) enterprises in madison, wisconsin and a 2018 sustain dane live forward awardee. in this second part of our conversation, donale explains his definition of sustainability and his future career aspirations.

Donale Richards is the manager of Off the Block (OTB) Enterprises in Madison, Wisconsin and a 2018 Sustain Dane Live Forward Awardee. We talked about what his path to OTB looked like, his passion for social entrepreneurship, and his part in creating community.

I spoke with Ben Brady, the General Manager of Miko Poke and Everly in Madison, WI. He told me all about Miko Poke's compostable packaging, sustainable seafood sourcing, and his career in the food industry.

I chatted with Ardis Burr of Up & Undies. She helps divert excess clothing from landfills by upcycling old t-shirts into new underwear. She shares why upcycling is important to her and the process to get your very own pair of undies!

Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry creates unique pieces from recycled metals and ethically sourced diamonds. She stands out in the sustainable jewelry industry by being an exceptionally talented Black Latina in the predominately white fine jewelry industry, but also because of her commitment to sustainability. Valerie shares how she got started, her inspiration, and the importance of creating everything in her city, Seattle.

Abena boamah is the founder of hanahana beauty. she shares how she started hanahana while she was in grad school, what she wishes she knew when she first started her sustainable beauty business, and the importance of building a true relationship with the women in ghana who supply the shea butter for her beauty products.

Lois Ko is the owner of Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery which has two locations in Ballard and the U District in Seattle. in our conversation, she shares her journey from being an ice cream scooper to an organic ice cream shop owner, how she’s managed to reduce waste in her business, and her advice for other business owners...

Blendily is a skincare kitchen based in Portland, Oregon. We got to chat with founder, Ivy Chuang, who was motivated to create Blendily by her daughter’s birth...

Girlfriend Collective is a sustainable fashion brand based in Seattle. We got to learn more about their environmentally and socially responsible initiatives including their new closed loop manufacturing program, Girlfriend, in this interview...