This series of blogs features guest student author Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. Join us here for this final article in the series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – through non-recyclable plastics!
With confusion around plastic recycling, another motivation for my capstone project was aiming to find a temporary solution for plastics that are typically not accepted at recycling plants. Plastics with Nos. 3-7 on the bottom are less likely to be taken at recycling facilities throughout the United States. If these plastics are not accepted and end up in a recycling bin, they get sent to landfills. This is also similar for a lot of PLA’s – plant-based plastics – and plastics that are too small to be recovered in the sorting process [1]. These plastics that make into our landfills, oceans, rivers, and so forth, and pose a threat to our environment, animals, and us. These plastics pollute our waterways, get mistaken as food by animals, break down into microplastics (which poses threats we have yet to fully uncover), and so on [1].
These pieces were painted on large plexiglas plastics – which are not recyclable.
By using plastics that are generally not recycled, in the creation of art pieces, people can find a temporary solution for keeping non-recyclable plastics out of our waterways and oceans. More education on what plastics are accepted in an individual’s county/processing service are needed, but this is a fun way to encourage people to learn about their local recycling inputs, while also making art and contributing to less harmful waste in our waters. Eventually, it is possible for this art to take off, with styles emerging, and plastics becoming recognized for their art potential, resulting in less plastic polluting our water. This would be a temporary solution until plastic recycling is advanced, and or different packaging materials become the norm, or we find more ways in daily life to use less single-use plastics. While I recognize this is idealistic, I do believe there is potential showing this message by making art with current-day, non-recyclable plastics. Read the next blog in this series to consider more about reducing consumption and use of single use plastics!
These pieces were painted on large plexiglas plastics – which are not recyclable. These were submitted by Chris Gildow’s class!
This series of blogs features guest student author and BASSP student Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. Join us here for this series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – by considering overconsumption and making unused items into art!
When looking at the United States’ consumption patterns, it is clear that we consume more than we likely should. Our capitalist economy encourages this behavior, through constant advertising, sales, and the next “best” thing. This leads to many of us owning more than we will ever likely need. Overconsumption is seen in our food purchasing, energy usage, clothes/goods purchasing, and so forth. This takes a toll on the environment and ourselves [1]. With art in mind, I believe many Americans can repurpose and or upcycle their excess items into something great. If these items are in working order, they should be donated or given to someone that needs them, but if they are broken and or unwanted, there is potential in repurposing them into art, or donating them to someone that has plans to.
Devon in the art gallery exhibit!
This concept is reflected in the Japanese practice of Kintsugi, which takes broken pottery and repairs it through the use of lacquer and/or powdered silver, gold, or platinum. This technique embraces the idea that items are prone to breaking, and rather than hiding it, Kintsugi highlights the imperfections of the broken pottery. Kintsugi explores the ideas of loss and rebirth, while repurposing an item that would otherwise be deemed a throwaway item [2]. Conversely, there is also merit in living with more of a minimalistic approach to our lives. While the saying can be cliché, less is more. Studies have shown that a minimalistic approach to consumption can lower stress and anxiety levels, save mental energy, increase introspection and reflection time, and a myriad of other positive benefits [3]. A minimalistic approach can make it easier to get rid of items taking up space, while also encouraging people to think about their household items and consumption habits in a different light. This promotes a repurposing mindset and may result in less overconsumption, and fewer values attached to material items.
1. Wiedmann, T., Lenzen, M., Keyßer, L. T., & Steinberger, J. K. (2020). Scientists’ warning on affluence. Nature communications, 11(1), 3107. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16941-y
3.Jain, V. K., Gupta, A., & Verma, H. (2023). Goodbye materialism: exploring antecedents of minimalism and its impact on millennials well-being. Environment, development and sustainability, 1–27. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03437-0
Welcome to a new Waste Ambassadors waste management program! We in the joint Cascadia/UWB sustainability offices are introducing a Plastic Bag and Film Recycling Challenge for 2024!
Challenge details
The challenge is to collect 1,000 pounds of bags and film and divert them from the landfill. The Sustainability team will track weights, and work with the Woodinville Haggen for recycling. If we reach the goal, campus can earn a free bench made from post-consumer plastics! We’re hoping to get this amount/weight throughout 2024 entirely – and have a community partner in NexTrex to increase this hard to recycle material! Remember – do NOT place plastic bags, film, or packing materials (and tape!) in regular recycle bins! Also, please do not put in any plastic foams blocks. We sadly cannot take those in these bins – but do message us if you have larger styrofoam blocks!
We’re putting this out into the community, as we also know that many grocery locations, where people generally bring soft plastics or bags, so we’re working to have several of the soft plastic recycling locations in public places. In addition to specialty recycling already available – we are happy to be a hub for the community to drop off various items. For instance, every month or so – there’s hazardous waste drop off event on campus – the next one should be in February.
Materials accepted for recycling
Plastic bags: includes grocery bags, bread bags, ice bags, produce bags, dry cleaning bags Product wraps: includes the plastic around paper towels, electronic wrap, the plastic wrapped around cases of water bottles Shipping material: includes plastic shipping envelopes, bubble wrap, air cushions, pallet wraps
Drop off bin locations
CC1-341- lunch room, next to the shred bin
CC1-154 – Student Learning Office workroom
CC2- Information Services Office Help Desk (on 1st floor)
CC3-326 – Workroom on the 3rd floor
ARC-ILO – right by the entrance doors on the right
INV- 2nd Floor Innovation Hall, by the specialty recycling bin (batteries and E-waste!)
The Collaboratory in Discovery Hall
2nd floor of Innovation Hall (next to the green e-waste collection bin)
Break room in Husky Hall
We’re excited to share that our partners at UWB IT, Cascadia IS, the mail rooms, Gold Brew, campus facilities, and the ARC are internally collecting their plastics for this challenge with us!
Important reminders
Please try to re-use your materials whenever possible. Recycling is a last resort!
Plastic should be clean – please avoid food waste or too much tape
Don’t know if it can be recycled – just grab it and pull, make sure it can stretch a bit. If so, it’s good to bring to these bins!
This series of blogs features guest student author Devon G on his recycled art project, featured in Mobius Gallery in Spring of 2023. Join us here for this series of thoughts and considerations on art, community, and society, and how they impact and are affected by sustainable practices – through recycled art!
The main inspiration for my recycled art capstone project was a documentary we viewed in one of our classes in the Bachelor’s program in Sustainable Practices, with professor Soraya Cardenas. The name of the documentary is called Waste Land, which follows the Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz. Earlier in Muniz’s career, Muniz would work on a piece called Sugar Children, which involved photographs taken of children on a Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Upon viewing the photographs, Muniz wondered why the children photographed seemed so happy, while the adults were the opposite. Muniz realized it was the 16-hour work shifts on sugar farms that changed the adult’s moods. In other words, the sweetness was taken out of them over time, due to intense, grueling work. He realized he could use sugar to recreate those photographs, symbolizing the value of these materials and resources, while also using a medium not commonly seen in the art-world. These art pieces went on to transform Muniz’s career. The act of using sugar as an unconventional medium for art blossomed into using trash for art pieces.
Muniz’s plan was to spend two years at one of the world’s largest garbage dumps in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, looking to explore the vastness of classicism rooted in the country; to learn from the locals and workers in the area, trying to find the intentions and plans behind his upcoming pieces. Upon meeting the catadores (garbage pickers), Muniz was amazed by the spirits of these workers in unfavorable working conditions. Their spirits shifted Muniz’s plans into a collaborative effort between the catadores and Muniz. Muniz took photographs of the catadores, projected them onto a warehouse floor, and constructed the portraits using recyclables and trash collected from the trash dump. This inspired me to explore using trash/recyclable materials as a medium for art [1].
With an art medium that is not commonly used, but found everywhere, creativity and improvisation are necessary. In my experience, using trash and recyclable materials in art was a fresh undertaking. Going through the process reminded me of how much waste is generated on a daily basis, even for one household. Additionally, it raised questions around our current consumption habits, packaging amounts, future use of packaging materials, and so forth.
Art can show us the hardships and beauties present in our society. Furthermore, it can show us the intricacies and inner workings of the minds’ of artists. In exhibits and pieces like Muniz’s work, people can see workers such as catadores in a new light, and with a new level of respect, while also re-imagining art in a fresh, new way, with infinite possibilities. So below are some images from my capstone project art show in Spring 2023 in the Mobius Gallery, showcasing various artists’ art from recycled materials!
editor’s note: This article was scheduled to post in March 2020, and the hope was the feature Chelsea and her amazing work with Recology back then. But with the pandemic, and people changing jobs, Chelsea moved on from Recology. However, other BASSP graduates and students now work at Recology, and Chelsea’s interview is an fantastic example of what kind of work graduates of our bachelor’s program in sustainable practices can accomplish, and beyond. We hope you can still enjoy her interview from back then!
What are you doing now that you’ve graduated from the BASSP Program? I’ve been working as a Retail Associate and then a Lead Retail Associate at The Recology Stores since 2018. Recology is the largest employee-owned environmental services company committed to reducing waste by commodifying recyclables as much as possible.
What are your main responsibilities in your role? Does your work tie into sustainability? My main responsibility is managing store operations which includes the intake of at least 11 types of hard-to-recycle items, providing customer service to Recology customers, educating the public on what goes where and offering products designed to reduce waste. Recology’s mission is zero waste which means we’re very focused on putting resources to their highest use which is one of many ways to create a sustainable world!
What do you do on a day to day basis in your position? Each day can be very different! I might be helping customers recycle the hard-to-recycle items like styrofoam, batteries and electronics; make changes to their account, like getting a bigger yard waste bin or smaller garbage; consult with them about which of our products could reduce waste in their life; research new products or recycling resources; or merchandise the store to bring in new customers and feature our products.
What do you enjoy about your position? There are many enjoyable aspects to my job. Generally, I love creating a positive customer experience for our varied demographic where I can plant the seed of sustainability in a way that applies to that individual’s life, whether that’s helping them find ways to reuse, donate, upcycle or recycle anything and everything, educate them about why our products and services are beneficial, or provide the space to simply listen and relate to their personal journey in sustainability and living a zero waste lifestyle.
What was your best experience/memory in the BASSP program? I am the first in my family to pursue a bachelor’s degree and I felt a lot of pressure to do a good job so that my siblings knew that anything is possible. I also struggle with depression and I chose to be open about it so I could manage my expectations realistically. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude for the teachers, students and faculty that took the time and energy to support me through the program to where I could not only succeed, but really thrive. The whole experience was invaluable to me. Thank you.
Did your experience in the BASSP program help you get this position? Absolutely. Recology was always on my radar because I love their mission but in this case, networking was the catalyst. My fellow classmate 2017 alumni Elena Dashti suggested I apply to the Retail Associate position and put in a good word for me and that’s what started it all!
Are you using any skills you learned at Cascadia in your current work? I utilize many of the skills I learned in the program but it’s been primarily soft skills. I work collaboratively on projects in the store and communicate with varying departments, local government and businesses to assist in outreach, education and project development constantly!
Anything you’d tell students interested in the BASSP program? Dive in! Sustainability is broad since it applies to everything. If you’re not sure what you want to focus or specialize in, try everything you can! The program is a lot of work but is so rewarding when you hone in on your interests and apply every class to developing those. Communicate with your teachers and cohort so you can support each other. Network as much as possible and you will be surprised by how many opportunities come your way.
I worked as a temporary recycling and outreach assistant for a recycling company, and this has given me new insights into how the recycling and garbage industry works, which is generally not seen by the common people. The first couple of days were a learning experience that showed me scenarios from the drivers’ as well as their supervisors’ perspectives on how they handle difficult routes, missed pickups and so much more. I got a chance to ride along with a driver once, seeing things from their point of view, it’s a difficult decision for them as well, their threshold for contamination rates of recycling bins is quite high, this driver even got out of his truck a couple of times to remove Styrofoam from residents recycling bins, which isn’t his responsibility, but he did that because for the most part, those people were trying to recycle the right things and he was quite aware of that.
I am glad I got to start this internship working with kids and I still remember the props we made which included half garbage items and half recyclable items and us driving from one school to the other setting up those props for the relay game. We began by asking the kids what they knew about recycling and then once when the kids were engaged enough, we played the relay game, and you get to see from a kid’s view what they see as trash and recycling. Kids are extremely smart even when they didn’t know whether an item was trash or not, they looked into the item to see whether it had any information about such things, and the fact that kids never stopped themselves from asking questions like why this wouldn’t go into a recycling bin even though it has these three recycling arrows. I believe these kids have a strong and better knowledge of what goes into a recycle bin and what does not. This gave me a little bit of satisfaction and happiness knowing that I was able to educate and create awareness among a handful of kids who are the next generation. I had the experience of visiting the material recovery facility which is this humongous facility where almost all of Washington state’s recyclable contents finally reach. I was able to see how contaminants like a long piece of cord or a thread and especially plastic bags get wrapped up in these huge circular metal discs. Twice a day workers had to shut down the entire machinery and physically get in between and on top of those machines to cut them using pliers which is not only expensive but involves a safety concern as well. I was able to see the contamination rate at these facilities because of food scraps, spoiled liquids, and so many other decaying materials. These facilities had rodent and bird problems, to control the situation, the company hired a woman who stood by with a predatory bird to keep those rodents and birds in check. Her job was to stand there for hours holding onto the bird and making sure the workers were able to work in peace.
The other major role for me was to wake up early at 4 am to take pictures of certain residents recycling bin contents before the driver starts his route. This was another experience that we had to do for a couple of months. After taking these pictures I had to gather information and analyze data for the contamination percentage and figure out the type of contamination and then educate residents accordingly. We did this by tagging their carts with relevant information after the first pictures were taken, two weeks later we went back again to check for progress and then another 2 weeks later to see further improvements. A lot of residents were glad that we were researching and educating people about better recycling practices. I am happy and grateful to know this was my first internship related to sustainability as it gave me a lot of inside inputs and contacts to move forward in this field.
Our Bachelor of Applied Science students get real hands on field experience, and opportunities to learn in a variety of interested careers! For more information on BASSP, please go to https://www.cascadia.edu/programs/degrees/bassp.aspx or check out other student stories on the main Sustainability page!
co-written by Stephan Classen and Rachel Luther, UWB Sustainability Coordinator
I keep getting this question – when we host food events, when we talk about agriculture, or food systems, food access, and food waste: How is Food part of Sustainability? Isn’t that more social justice focused, or at least – why are the Sustainable Practices Offices focusing on food?
Well, it’s actually not a big jump – as food is one of the main topics that sustainable practices can impact – locally, personally, on campus, and beyond.
Personal Impact
The choices that you make as an individual might not seem like they matter very much, but in reality every choice is like a domino effect. Flicking over one domino or making one small lifestyle change might not make a huge difference, but when you stop to watch how your choices affect all of the interconnected pieces of our lives and others’ it’s like watching the dominoes cascading down the line. Food is incredibly interconnected, not just because it is a social justice issue, an equity issue, a sustainability issue, and more, but also because our food system itself is so incredibly complex.
Take the hamburger example. You may choose to stop at McDonald’s this very day to buy a $3 hamburger on your way home. This decision to buy a hamburger from McDonald’s may seem flippant, but let’s consider the ripple effect of that decision. A hamburger is made of beef which is one of the most environmentally destructive foods. That single hamburger required as much water as you would use in your shower for 2 months. The problem with beef is that a cow requires a lot of food to get up to the required weight and to do that, they are usually fed grain and corn. Corn is another extremely inefficient crop because it grows slowly and requires a lot of fertilizer and pesticides to keep up the high yields that farmers demand. So not only does it require a lot of land, and a lot of chemicals, and a lot of water to produce a hamburger, it also presents a justice issue. What could you choose instead?
And yet, as a social issue, many people live in food deserts – a location in a city or town where their only options within a 5 mile radius is a McDonald’s hamburger. How do we create more food options for people who are limited in choices? We can all agree that more fruit and vegetables are needed for healthy diets over hamburgers, but the system is not that simple for many Americans, much less the rest of the world. Healthy, affordable food options aren’t available for more people that we realize.
A vegetarian diet uses much less land and resources than a traditional meat-heavy American diet, a vegan diet uses even less. But asking everyone to go vegan or even vegetarian is a lot. Just reducing your meat consumption can make a huge difference! Think about the impacts of one hamburger, if you choose to eat the equivalent of one less hamburger per week, that actually has a large impact. Individual choices have an even larger impact if everyone pitches in just a little bit. If everyone in the world ate closer to three portions of meat about the size of a deck of cards per week, meat consumption would be on a much more sustainable trajectory. So never say that your choices don’t matter!
Campus Food
Food availability might be a challenge on campus, but it’s an important issue for more than just where to find lunch or coffee! There is growing information about food insecure students, and our Kodiak Cave and Husky Pantry are there to serve and support students – including with goals about nutrition and food access we mentioned above!
The campus farm is also open to students and staff who are interested in learning how to grow their own food. Excess food harvested from the farm gets donated to the Kodiak Cave and Husky Pantry, but the farm is actually open to anyone on campus who is brave enough to pick from it. If you are interested in gardening but you don’t know how to get started we are hosting a series of lunches at the farm where you can learn introductory gardening skills during spring quarter.
Local Food
Food transportation is a major equity and environmental issue – so it’s everything sustainability covers. Climate impacts of food growing through agriculture, environmental damage from pesticides, carbon emissions from transportation, food waste through loss, rot, and things thrown away, are all various environmental concerns about food.
Health issues from eating those pesticides, access to nutritious food, and chemical concerns within foods are all equity concerns.
Where does local food fit in? It can solve all the above problems – if grown right!
Many local farms are organic or at least pesticide free. The distance from farm to your table makes a huge impact for both food waste and carbon pollution. A local farm is also community based – so it helps your neighbors and your own food access in cases of catastrophe! Buy local where you can, and support regenerative farming!
We are lucky to live so close to so many amazing farms, Seattle has lots of year-around farmers markets and nearby cities like Woodinville and Carnation are home to farms and farm stands like Oxbow, Carnation, and 21 Acres.
Plus, as people grow their own food in gardens, you rely less on the grocery store – look at egg prices right now, with a supply shortage and Avian Flu killing chickens, egg prices are skyrocketing!
People connect over food
Food is a social thing too, from cultural elements, sharing, and connecting with others over a meal. Joy and positivity are always a part of sustainability! We have to find ways to adapt, build community, and support others in society if we want to build a better world! Food has built and sustains many cultures around the world because it can be a social act of showing someone that you care, learning more about them, and spending quality time together. Many traditional foodways are being lost to the commercialization of food, but learning how to cook for yourself is an essential life skill. PCC Markets offers fun cooking classes and if you are interested in learning more, Eating to Extinction by Dan Saladino is a fascinating story about the traditional foods that are being lost to globalization.
Resources
Want to learn more about food, agriculture, climate change, and beyond? Tune in for the Ag/food Climate Speaker Series, part of our campus Climate Dialogs!
My name is Hayley Mascaro, I am a student at Cascadia College, approaching my senior year in the Bachelor of Applied Science and Sustainable Practices (BASSP) program. During my summer quarter, I have had the privilege of interning with Oceana. Oceana is an advocacy organization that is dedicated to conserving the world’s oceans. They have three major focuses in these efforts that include single-use plastics, offshore drilling, and sustainable fisheries.
Connecting with the amazing people at Oceana these past weeks has taught me so much about how I can make an impact on my community! I worked directly with Sara, the Washington Field Representative, who was incredibly patient with me as I navigated new territory. She is so knowledgeable and was an absolute pleasure to work with! She also connected me with other Cascadia student interns through consistent meetings, allowing us to collaborate and support one another throughout our internship experience.
My learning targets included local plastics policy research and campus plastic reduction research. With incredible resources from Sara, I was able to gain a deeper understanding about the plastic waste issue and the dangers of offshore drilling. From there, I was able to apply what I learned by researching ways to promote a petition for a plastic free campus, leaving a public comment on the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) 2023-2028 National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing program proposal, and reaching out to city officials to promote an extended producer responsibility bill to help mitigate the single-use plastic issue.
These are just a few of the incredible things I was able to do during my short time working with Oceana. I am immensely grateful to Sara and the Oceana staff for allowing me the opportunity to learn how I can be a better advocate for our world’s oceans and how I, as a student, can still influence positive change. Ocean conservation is an issue that is near and dear to my heart so this experience was very special for me.
written by ETSP student Jeff Edwards, in conjunction with his work interning with Oceana
We are completely surrounded by plastic in our daily lives, as if we had shrink-wrapped ourselves. Our food is covered in plastic, the products we buy are wrapped up and shipped with more plastic, Toys for kids, clothes made of polyester, the furniture we sit and sleep on, even the keyboard I’m writing on has plastic. Our options as consumers can make it feel almost impossible to break free from plastic.
However, organizations like Oceana and many others are working to make this a reality. The good news is that it doesn’t take perfection to make a difference. In fact, the responsibility of cleaning up the mess should not be shouldered by the consumers and communities most impacted by the mountains of plastic waste. Instead, there needs to be a shift in policy and regulations to make sure the companies producing plastic are held accountable for the products they sell.
As a parent, I see the effects of convenience that plastic has on our daily lives. When picking a snack for a child who needs 2-3 snacks a day it can be difficult to avoid the cheese sticks, granola bars, or other packaged food as an option. Busy lives cause us to rethink how we spend our time doing things. We are sold on the idea that time is money, and therefore we should spend as little time doing things as possible. This includes thinking about the health risks that go with eating so many plastic-packaged goods.
Often times I find it challenging to cut out different plastic uses. As consumers our choices are often thinned by what is available and affordable. While some reusables can save money over time, they often require some size of investment that can often seem daunting. Sometimes glass is not a viable option for people for various reasons. Accessibility is also a factor when thinking about breaking away from plastic; yet another reason why the burden of this responsibility should not be placed solely on the consumers.
One way to gauge how much plastic you use is to take a plastic waste audit. All this requires is that you keep your plastic waste and recyclables in bags separate from your garbage. Then, after a week, look through this collection of plastic use and analyze what the major sources of plastic are in your life.
Here are some other simple ways you can support plastic reductions:
If you want to help out right here at Cascadia Visit https://bit.ly/PlasticFreeCascadia To help, make Cascadia a plastic free zone. Students working with Oceana are trying to make sure the burden of responsibilities are not placed on the students here on campus.
There are many online petitions that people can sign to help spread advocacy for policy change. If you have autofill on a computer, it takes only a few minutes to sign all of Oceana’s petitions.
If you want to do more than that: go to your local city council meetings and just be a part of what is going on in your community. Try to be vocal either in person at the meetings or even through a personalized email to your local politicians.
Find one relatively simple way to try and be plastic free. I say “try” because I can almost guarantee no matter what you choose there will be some sort of obstacle you must overcome in order to make that switch.
One example is being plastic free with food. See how many items at the store you can swap for things without plastic. Analyze how many things you are not able to get plastic free because a regular grocery store doesn’t offer an option. Do you cook or eat with anything made of plastic? Swap out cooking utensils with wood.
As an individual there are many ways to reduce plastic use in your daily life. Always try to remember that the little things do add up especially when we get others in our community to do the same.
Learn more on Sustainability and Zero Waste Pathways on our main page for Sustainable Practices! Oceana is a non-profit group and partner for Cascadia. If you’d like to learn how to move your career path towards sustainability and social justice, please see our Bachelors of Applied Science in Sustainable Practices program – a 2-year program designed to help busy people get degrees!
written by Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainable Practices junior Naomi Short
Food waste is a MAJOR problem in most of the world, and the US is one of the top offenders. On average, 80billion pounds of food goes to waste every year in the US alone. That’s about one-third of all food produced! Growing food takes a lot of resources, and about 30% of all farmland and 25% of the world’s fresh water is used to grow food that never gets eaten.
Most of this food waste ends up in a landfill, where it cannot break down properly and return to the soil. Because of the lack of oxygen in landfill conditions, decaying food waste produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. In fact, if global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, behind the US and China.
While a lot of food waste occurs at the industrial level, in the US about one-third of all food waste is generated in households. This includes food that has spoiled, peels/rinds/seeds of produce that are thrown away, and perfectly good food (like leftovers) that gets tossed because no one wants to eat it. This blog post is intended to help you to make the most out of all of your food, so that you can start reducing your food waste!
This is not a complete list, and I hope more than anything that after reading this you are inspired to think about the food you buy on a daily basis, and to get creative with food you might otherwise throw away!
Use the whole dang vegetable (and fruit)
Lots of people throw out perfectly edible parts of fruits and veggies, especially stems, peels, and the leaves of root vegetables. Below is a list of produce that is often not used to its full potential, with tips and recipes on how to use the whole dang thing!*
Beets
The whole of a beet is edible: root, stem, and leaf! The greens make a great base for a salad, and the hardy stems can be roasted, sauteed, or pickled. For a zero waste meal, try out a whole-beet salad. I’ve linked a couple recipes, one is a brief overview and the other is a more in-depth guide.
Carrots
Carrot tops taste (and look) very similar to parsley, and can be used as a substitute in any recipe that calls for parsley.
You can also chop them up and add to a salad, or use them to make a delicious carrot top pesto!
Broccoli
The stems of broccoli are not only edible, but delicious. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that it’s a common practice to throw out the stems until recently, because my family always just chopped them up along with the florets and cooked them together. Pretty much anything you do to broccoli florets, you can do to the stems as well: steam them, roast them, stir fry them, or eat them raw with your favorite dip.
Similar to broccoli, the stems of cauliflower can be eaten along with the florets.
You can also eat cauliflower leaves — try roasting them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, or your favorite spice blend.
Kale and collard stems
Because the stems of these hardy greens are very tough and unpleasant to eat raw, they often get tossed. But when cooked — roasted, sauteed, or baked — they become more tender and can add a nice crunch to salads and stir-fries.
Potato peels
While peeling your potatoes and yams is totally optional, if you do prefer to cook them without peels you don’t need to let them go to waste! Potato peels can be baked or fried to make savory, crunchy chips.
Squash and pumpkin seeds
Save the seeds from squash and pumpkins to make this yummy snack. Wash all the pulp off your seeds, and toss them with a little oil and your favorite spices and/or herbs. The flavor combinations are pretty much endless here, here are some ideas to try out:
Pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves)
Salt and pepper
Garlic + onion powder, paprika, and salt
Chili powder
Rosemary + thyme
Place your seeds on a lined baking sheet, and roast at 325°F for 30 – 45 minutes or until the seeds start to brown, stirring halfway through.
Banana peels
Did you know that banana peels are edible? Instead of tossing your peels into the compost, save a few to make a delicious cake!
Alternatively, you can just leave the peels on when you make your favorite banana bread recipe. Just make sure to cut the stem and the bottom off, and blend it all into a puree before adding to your batter.
Citrus peels
There are so many wonderful things to do with citrus peels that I can’t possibly list them all here. Next time you eat an orange or juice a lemon, save the peel and try out one of these nifty recipes:
Oleo saccharum, a concentrated citrusy syrup that literally translates to “oil sucrose”.
To make it, take the peel from any citrus fruit and put it in a bowl, jar, or silicone bag (plastic is not recommended as some citrus oils can dissolve plastic). Add enough granulated sugar to just cover the peels, give it a good stir and let it sit for at least 8 hours. The sugar will extract the fragrant oils, creating a beautiful, rich syrup. Strain out the peels using a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag. Traditionally oleo saccharum is used in cocktails, but you can use it for mocktails, tea, pancakes, ice cream, and anything you want to add a kick of citrus to!
If you’re using fresh lemon/lime juice, but you don’t need the zest, zest the fruit anyway and stick it in a jar in the freezer. Then when you need zest but not juice, you don’t have to go out and buy more lemons or limes!
DIY multi-purpose cleaner
This is one of my favorite cleaners, and it’s stupid easy to make. Soak citrus peels in white vinegar for two weeks, then add an equal amount of water to dilute. You can take the peels out after two weeks if you like, but I just leave them in. Keep the vinegar solution in a spray bottle for easy cleaning!
Note: while vinegar is a great eco-friendly cleaner, it is very acidic and therefore not suitable for all surfaces. Do NOT use vinegar on the following: quartz/granite, wood, phone/computer screens, or inside your dishwasher.
Scrub out your kitchen sink with a lemon
Another ridiculously easy cleaning trick! Take half of a spent lemon, cover it with salt, and scrub it around your kitchen sink to remove stubborn gunk and restore shine.
Citrus-infused sugar
This recipe has the same two ingredients as oleo saccharum, but instead of making a syrup, it’s a solid sugar that’s perfect for garnishing anything from baked goods to the rims of cocktail glasses.
To make it, zest the citrus of your choosing, and mix it thoroughly with granulated white sugar. Exact measurements aren’t important here; I would recommend approximately 1 tablespoon of zest to half a cup of sugar, but play around with the ratios if you want a stronger or weaker flavor. Leave the sugar/zest combo alone for at least ten minutes to let the sugar start extracting the oil from the zest.
Next, add 2-3 drops of either water or citrus juice, and mix well. DO NOT overdo it here — you don’t want to dissolve any of the sugar, the goal is just to get it very slightly damp. If you’re making a large batch you can add a few more drops, but be very cautious.
Take your sugar and spread it out on a baking sheet or piece of parchment paper. Let it air dry in a warm, dry place, or put it in a dehydrator until it’s fully dry. You may also be able to dry it in an oven on the lowest setting (no higher than 170°F), just keep a close watch on it. I have burnt an entire batch using this method, however, so try it at your own risk. If there are any lumps, mash them with a spoon or use a food processor to break them up. The flavored sugar will keep for at least 6 months stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
*It’s important to note that some vegetables and fruits DO have parts that should not be eaten. For example, rhubarb leaves are poisonous and can make you very sick. If you’re not sure, look it up before you eat something!
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