A simple, easy to carry wardrobe.

　

Summer is here, and we have made our annual trip to France to visit my family, celebrate my younger brother's wedding and older brother's 40th birthday. We will be here for a couple of months.

This year's flight was a bit difficult: Although we came more prepared than last year (read about last year's travel experience here), our personal headphones did not work in Air France's two-prong connection and the flight attendant gave us a hard time for using our Klean Kanteen for drinks served in plastic cups. At the meat counter, "I don't have a trash can" is the easiest and quickest explanation to the jar I hand out. But on a plane, where the situation is not set for conversation (people waiting to be served, reaching over someone's head, and engine noise), interactions need to be cut short. When the flight attendant asked if I was afraid of the "parabens" in plastic cups - he probably meant BPA ;), I smiled and simply nodded.

Apart from the handful of winter pieces noted below *, I packed my whole wardrobe into one small carry-on, with room to spare, for our summer stay. Since I wrote the post "Zero Waste Closet", I have reduced and come closer to finding the exact amount and type of cross-seasonal pieces that work for me, the places I live/visit, and the activities I partake. I can mix & match (my base color being black), layer them, dress them up or down with different shoes, add leggings to dresses, roll up long sleeves for the warm weather, wear a long shirt as a dress, turn a loose skirt into a tube top with a belt, etc... I can let my creativity go wild ;) re: last post.

Since we started the decluttering theme, many of you have asked to go into detail about my wardrobe, so here is more insight.

• Seven Tops: Four basics, three "fashion". In order: Black long sleeve scoop neck, black 3/4 sleeve boat-neck, black spaghetti tank, black loose tank, hot pink loose tank, grey sparkly tank, ruffle long one shoulder. Tip: Find shirts that are long enough, so they can also serve as mini-dresses in the summer.
• Three Sweaters: *Hooded sweater (heavy weight), black V-neck (medium weight), striped boat neck (thin weight). Tip: Buy good quality that does not fuzz up.
• Three Dresses: Black sheath, denim shirt dress, colorful dress. Tip: Dresses for a simple wardrobe are made of a material that is cross-seasonal; for example, tweed does not apply.
• Occasional Dress: Green Awards/dress for my brother's wedding (I am now ready to donate, sell or redesign this one). Tip: Buy an occasional (once every five years) dress used, and donate it back to the thrift store after the event.
• Six Bottoms: Jeans, trousers, black leggings, fitted skirt, loose skirt, shorts. Tip: Stay away from khakis/khaki color, which do not work well with winter pieces.
• Intimates: Seven undies, matching convertible bra, two pairs of medium socks, *two pairs of thick socks, footless tights, PJ's, and a swimsuit. Tip: Find the perfect bra first, match undies second. PJ's should be light enough for summer, warm enough for winter, and be decent enough to wear overnight at someone's house.
• Six Shoes: High heels, boots, medium heels, jazz flats, sandals, *slippers. Tip: Match the color with your purse(s).
• One All-Purpose Purse: I used to have three purses, but found this one used on my last shopping spree... my computer fits in it, and it has a removable strap to turn it from messenger into clutch for occasions. It is black to match my shoes. Tip: Make a list of items to fit in the "new" purse, take your computer to the store if necessary.
• Five Toppers: The family blazer (Max, Leo and I have all shared it), black cardigan, *leather jacket, *sporty waterproof jacket, and a *cozzy. Tip: Go for texture and don't be afraid of color, if your purse matches your shoes.
• Accessories: *Winter hat, summer hat, belt, jewelry (wedding ring, belly piercing, fashion piece), All purpose cover-up, sunglasses, and *gloves. Tip: Stick with a hardware/metal color that fits your complexion (gold/silver), and find accessories that carry your base color and have dual function, such as a necklace that can serve as a belt.

Obviously if you work in construction in Alaska, your needs will differ from mine. The key is evaluating what your everyday needs are while incorporating cross-seasonal/activities essentials into your wardrobe as much as possible.

What is your key to a simple wardrobe?

Tweeting Zero Waste in Provence

One of the benefits of living simply, is being able to easily vacate our home. We can clear out our personal belongings within 15 minutes - and therefore easily rent it while we're gone.

This first time required a bit of preparation before leaving:

• Creating labels for the various in's & out's of our 1920's home (e.g., "Do not spin" the bubble chair - or it may detach).
• Writing a "Zero Waste Home Operating Guide" to let our renters know about our lifestyle - and to give them some easy to try tips.
• Reinstalling the trash/recycling cans for the multiple renters (Ugghhh!!! I am hoping they will be inspired to start this journey as well...)

Our efforts were well-rewarded though, since renting not only covers our flights to France, but also the rental of a cottage for a portion of our long stay. And, thanks to the internet and European clients, Scott and I are able to work from here, while Max and Leo perfect their French in the local summer camp.

Importantly for me, for the first time, I will also be able to test "la vie sans dechets" in Provence! (Note: We usually stay at my mom's for the whole period - so usually it is not possible to go Zero Waste.) With the five cloth bags that I brought from the US, plus the 2 totes, jars (6 x 1 liter, 6 x 350ml) and car that my mom is lending me, I am ready to go and excited to discover new "eco" ways.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be chronicling our Zero Waste experience through Twitter. Make sure to follow me or come here often to view my tweets (in the bar to the right), many include pictures! (I will look into posting these on FaceBook as well).

A personal revelation



Easter Fun by Bea Johnson

For the artist worrying about the impact of Zero Waste on art-making, I thought I would share a personal story.

Five years ago, my artwork was showing in seven galleries at once. I had an inventory, hundreds of frames, dozens of unpainted canvases, gallons of paint, countless brushes, and loads of miscellaneous art materials stored in the studio. I was proud of my clientele and the recognition that my work was getting. But I also remember being frustrated at my lack of creativity.

We then moved, and as you already know, we let go of much of our belongings. It included evaluating those items related to art-making. I donated some to schools and friends, shared some through Craigslist, and brought some to Scrap (a reuse shop for artists).

What I found going thru that process, was not only an incredible sense of relief but also a significant gain in creativity, thus transforming my art-making.

As I let go of potential/unfinished projects and seldomly used materials, I let go of frustrations and expectations: I realized how much the art supplies had weighed on me awaiting to be used in some way, awaiting to become something better, something artful, something amazing, something that would overcome my fears and would exceed my abilities.

When we then adopted the Zero Waste lifestyle, I discovered that creativity need not be limited to the canvas, that opportunities to create abound all around us...

Through finding solutions to the logistical problems encountered on a daily basis on our road to Zero Waste (from finding a way to forgo the metal ties on my bulk bags to freezing bread without plastic), I unconsciously fed an insatiable need to create. In the studio, I turned hundreds of butter wrappers into lotus flowers for a piece, Leo painted over a large painting (his artwork is in our living room, as shown in a previous post), and Max is currently transforming a damaged canvas. Our yard, compost, or recycling have become our new source of materials. And since they keep recurring and are always on hand, the kids and I do not need to collect or store them, but simply reach for them when/where needed.

Just as "the clothes do not make the man", I believe that the art supplies do not make the artist. It is not a wealth of supplies that gave Van Gogh's work power, but rather his vision and execution. After all, "creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun" (Mary Lou Cook), none of it depends on supply inventory.

Today, my studio is bare, and my creativity on fire. I have come to learn that "stuff" does not boost creativity, it is rather the lack thereof, that has made me more creative. I realize that art and art-making are highly personal - and that my path towards Zero Waste diverge from others' at times, but I must say: I owe it to Zero Waste to have sparked "a lost" creative fuse in me.

To rethink our society's wasteful ways, Zero Waste needs your creative minds too. "Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of" (Geri Weitzman).

The Bottomline

Hi everyone! This is Bea's husband, Scott.

This is a note to the people that may be standing on the sideline, deciding whether or not this lifestyle or these changes make sense. Or maybe it is a note to the doubters that are thinking this is just a waste of time or money...or maybe it is to the husbands out there that are thinking this is just a big hassle. (I know because I was one of them at first...)

After some prodding from Bea, I went back over our expenses - in detail - from a few years ago (our "old life" in 2005) vs. our expenses now ("zero waste" lifestyle in 2010). To compare apples to apples, so to speak, I also took into account that our two boys are eating significantly more (ages 8 & 10 in 2010 vs. ages 3 & 5 in 2005). I could eat more than both of them put together in 2005 - now, Max eats as much as me - maybe more some days. (Note: Bea has always eaten more than me :)

The bottomline: It looks like we are saving even more than we thought...

> On food we are saving 36% overall:

• Groceries are down 33%
• Farmer's market is up over 1000% (from almost nothing to being a core part of our meals)
• Restaurants are down 67%

> On "drug stores" (like Target, Rite Aid, CVS Pharmacy, etc.) our spending is down 76% (We can't even remember what the heck we were buying there!?)> Overall - our spending is down almost 40% across those categories!!! (not counting for inflation)

I attribute these savings to:

• Shopping the outer rim of the store vs. the aisles
• Less meat for dinner (once per week vs. most days)
• More vegetables (we are spending a lot more at the Farmers Market every week)
• Less dinners out / more family dinners in... (sure some of that is due to the economy)
• Drug store purchases are way down - we don't buy all the "throw-aways"

And this does not factor in any of the time savings - fewer trips to the store, less time spent in the store, less time driving to/from the store...more time with my family, doing the things that we like to do.

Ok - back to Bea for the regularly scheduled program next week...(probably something on how to reuse turnip peels to degrease your stove :)

Should Art be considered in the process of letting go?

Distracting visual clutter not only affects horizontal surfaces but also vertical ones. But should Art be considered in the process of letting go?

"You've inspired me to another level of desire for a simple living. However, I do enjoy art [...] There are always some that are in my closet, as I don't have the space to hang them all, awaiting their turn to be brought out" wrote one reader.

When recently discussing the subject of living simply with mostly bare walls, a friend told me that he was intrigued and he too argued: "One needs some visual pleasure (beauty) in the home, don't you think?".

I understand the attachment to Art, as I too used to fill my walls with it. I hung on to Art for reasons such as: A home has to have Art, Art shows that I am educated, Art proves that I am an artist. Today, I no longer consider these reasons valid.

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we now only display a handful of non-functional pieces: the occasional glass of flowers or foraged plants, the painting on our largest wall, the found animal skull in the playroom (Max enjoys science and biology) and a couple of pieces in our shared office/studio. But we're not forever-attached to any of them. I find that visual beauty abounds around us and does not need to be canvas-bound. Beauty "is in the eye of the beholder" and can be found everywhere and anywhere: In the yellow bird outside of my window, in the light filtering through my chihuahua's ears, in the new shoots sprouting from my living wall, in my kids smiles, and in simple functional items in the home.

Furthermore, I have come to realize that:

• Showing less allows each individual piece to breathe and allows the viewer to fully emerge himself into it, without the distraction of neighboring pieces. In quantity, the individuality of each piece gets in part lost to "the competition" (the ones next to it) on a wall. But when a piece is isolated, it is "put on a pedestal" and given every opportunity to shine, inspire, and amaze.

• Overtime, many pieces lose their appeal. After the initial excitement, they lose their visual novelty and get forgotten (you'll walk by them, and won't notice them anymore): Sometimes due to a switch in decorating style or frame, sometimes due to relocating (to a darker corner for example), sometimes due to a fading trend: Remember when the velvet paintings were cool? Pieces (along with their frames) as such can however interest collectors/museums or be reused by artists and made into "new".

• Walls with windows, do not need art: A window can be a frame displaying beautiful nature, a living piece of art.

• The lighter the load, the easier the move. Moving Art is no easy task.

• A functional item can often fill or balance an "empty" area: Relocating a live plant, a chair or a lamp will often do the trick.

• Supporting local artists is an honorable reason to collect, supporting ZeroWaste artists is even better, when purchasing Art, look for Art that is 100% compostable or made from 100% recycled material.

We have not missed any of the "beautiful" pieces that we used to own and have sold. We now rather find "beauty" in living simply.

I don't expect many of you to agree with me here... What do you think: Shouldn't Art be considered in the process of "forming better shopping habits, sharing with others, or making Zero Waste manageable" (as mentioned in this previous post)?

Our white walls explained

Picture used for illustrative purposes only



Comments, such as the following, keep recurring:

• "I certainly would not want my children, when asked what their mom loves [...] to answer "clear surfaces and white walls." Anonymous

Critics come in waves. Through them, I have had to defend our car usage, our meat consumption, our toilet paper purchase... lately, our white walls (and I thought I was making a statement with the white floors;). That's right. White walls and decorating style. I sure did not expect to spend any time explaining my wall color or design choices when starting this Zero Waste blog.

• "Bea, it seems like you are advocating a style choice rather than a more environmentally friendly way" Anonymous

What do the color of my walls, and our mod decor have to do with Zero Waste? Where on this blog can you read that one needs white walls to adopt the Zero Waste lifestyle?

Honestly, these comments crack me up. They take my decorating aesthetics way too seriously. Again, this blog is not to dictate how one should live (or decorate), but to share the principles that I have found to work for myself and my family. This is simply NOT a decorating blog.

I thought it went without saying that to adopt of lifestyle of Zero Waste (or voluntary simplicity), mid-century modern decor does not need to apply, and could just as well be Moroccan, Mexican, shabby chic, French country... or whatever style you're into (I can't believe I writing such an obvious statement).

• "You [Bea] confuse personal aesthetics with zero waste, [...] I would go nuts in a white home!" Mitty

Ironically, the color of our walls save us a lot of energy: We intentionally chose white to brighten up our house (and in turn lower our electricity consumption). Although we live in the trees, we do not need lights on a rainy day or before night fall. Every bit of daylight gets used and reflected. On a hot day, the house stays cool. Not to mention that for me, a light house has always meant a happy house. The white walls represent a canvas colored by people and their personalities, shadows on the walls change with daylight and seasons, the windows and outdoor views become living artwork. I understand that this color (or the lack thereof) choice might not be everyone's cup of tea, but hey, that's a personal preference, no need to lash out about it. As for our decorating style, it simply evolved from what we were able to find used...

None of this criticism obviously would have come out, would I have omitted pictures of my interior, which happen to be a quick and easy way for me to add visuals to my posts... I could search for alternative pictures instead, but I find that my time is better spent sharing lifestyle choices than decorating styles. That said, you are free to post and share pictures of your interiors on the forum or our FaceBook page.

Some days I wonder: What did I get myself into? What am I doing giving my time away to hungry angry critics using my walls as a target? What am I doing complicating my life by sharing our voluntary simplicity? Then I remember those of you, who do not get hung up on my white walls but rather read beyond or see through them and I keep going.

Now, enough about decorating style, let's keep this blog and its comments focused on the core values covered in the articles: Waste and time/money/resources wasted on the unnecessary (this article would be one example).

Granted!

Had I not picked 36 lbs. of organic strawberries on Sunday (which needed my attention on Monday), had I not been at work until 8pm Tuesday, and had I not deleted my post by mistake last night, I would have made this blog announcement earlier!

We won the Green Parent category at The Green Awards last weekend! Check out the other category winners here: https://www.thegreenawards.com/

Your votes, which accounted for a 1/4 of the voting process, combined with those of a panel of environmental judges (such as the Rainforest Alliance, Surfrider Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Working Group), gave us first place in our category, providing us with a $25,000 prize (read: grant) to take Zero Waste to the next level. Thank You!

Wow. The announcement sure came to me as a shock. While unprepared to give an acceptance speech (but happy to have saved the bit of paper), words of emotion filled my mouth, as tears filled my eyes. In the audience, my pre-teen guest, Max, kept his cool. A blase moment for him, but an out-of-body experience for myself. The white lights glaring in my face and the microphone echoing at the sound of my voice, made it all feel surreal.

Some of you criticized the Green Giant sponsorship, but not to the surprise of the sponsor who well knows that criticism comes from exposing yourself... as I too found out from writing this blog. And although Green Giant would appear to be an unlikely supporter of Zero Waste, I greatly appreciate their willingness to promote new thinking, approaches, and business concepts. Ultimately, we need to work together (forward thinking individuals and corporations alike) to build a more sustainable future. So, I thank you, Green Giant for giving individuals the opportunity to publicly share their sustainable ideas and provide us with the funds to spread the word about Zero Waste. We will keep you posted on our progress.

Trip notes:

• The new terminal at SFO, sports hydration stations (to refill water bottles), along with compost receptacles.
• Despite our relentless attempt to find a pair of pants to match Max's black thrift shop blazer (which fits 3 of 4 members of our family), we ended up buying a new pair at the last minute ;(. My dress only cost $5 though ;)
• As you would guess, I refused the swag bag on the spot.
• I would have liked to refuse the award on location for The Green Awards to reuse next year (a bit of sanding or a plaque over my name for next year's winner should do), but I leave that decision to Max, who "always wanted a trophy". (Green Giant offered to have me send it back to them, should Max change his mind.)
• Offsets were covered by the event. And besides the cocktail paper napkins, I did not notice disposables at the event. Impressive.
• While in LA, Max and I went to an amazing Street Art exhibit at MOCA's Geffen. I highly recommend.