by maia836 | Nov 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
Articles & Resources
Ideas and inspirations for your Zilch Lifestyle.
by maia836 | July 6, 2022 | Zilch Tips | 0 Comments
In this episode, our guest, Kelli Etheridge, talks about her journey to becoming a zero-waste entrepreneur, tells us about Reusables Vancouver Island (which offers reusable take-out containers at participating restaurants) and Zilch Boutique (which offers zero-waste personal care products), and shares what she loves to do in her “spare” time.
by maia836 | February 16, 2021 | Zilch Tips | 0 Comments
Changing small habits in our daily life can have a tremendous effect on the environment. With 2.25 million cups of coffee consumed daily around the world, we have to choose the most environmentally friendly options to limit the impact on our planet. Every little bit helps and being imperfectly zero waste, is better than not trying at all.
by maia836 | December 15, 2020 | Holidays | 0 Comments
Christmas is one of the most wasteful time of year. From wrapping paper to ribbons, an immense amount of waste is created each year during the holidays. An average of 25 million tons of garbage is thrown away from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, which is an extra 25% more trash than any other time of year. Thankfully there are many beautiful and eco-friendly alternatives for wrapping up your Christmas gifts this year.
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by maia836 | Oct 3, 2019 | Holidays
With Halloween just around the corner, I thought I would shed some light on the amount of unnecessary waste this holiday can create, but making it a sustainable holiday can be easy. So just to throw a couple facts out there, an average of 15 million pumpkins are carved during the season – none of which are eaten. Additionally, around 12,500 tonnes of Halloween costumes get sent to landfill each year. This isn’t even including the amount of waste is created from the candy that is consumed. Refusing, reducing and composting are things to consider when getting ready for the big day. Here are 6 tips for a sustainable Halloween:
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Decorations– When finding decorations, look for things that can be used year after year, rather than single use, non-recyclable decorations. Make your own decorations with things around the house, or art supplies. Decorate with LED lights to minimize the energy usage.
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Costumes– Make your costumes from items you already have, or make a trip to your local thrift store to find some cool second hand costume pieces. Try to purchase items that you could wear again so you’re reusing. Or repurpose items or fabric into costumes. We created a voodoo doll costume from burlap coffee bean bags that we picked up for free at a coffee roastery.
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Pumpkins/Jack-O-Lanterns– Get the most out of your pumpkins by turning them into delicious treats after the holiday. Use the flesh to make baked goods or soups. Remove the seeds and roast them for a snack, or turn them into bird feed. Don’t forget to compost any pumpkin scraps you may have during this process.
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Going Trick or Treating– Bring a pillow case or reusable bag to put your treats in.Limit the houses you plan to stop at, to limit the amount of waste you will receive. When you have a choice, choose the candies in cardboard boxes, such as raisins, Milk Duds, or Nerds. If possible, trick or treat close to home to limit the use of gasoline.
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Handing out Treats– Homemade goods are the easiest way to limit your waste when handing out treats. If baking isn’t your forte, opt for snacks that are packaged in cardboard or compostable packaging. Another idea is to give out handmade trinkets, such as woven bracelets, soaps, or rocks/crystals.
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Be a Role Model– Educate your kids to ensure they make sustainable choices when celebrating Halloween. Suggest more sustainable options to your friends or neighbours who may have not have considered it.
These tips were put together in collaboration with Kelli Etheridge of Halloween Party Planner.
by maia836 | Aug 5, 2019 | Welcome
Welcome to Zilch Boutique!
The idea to open this shop began when I realized how little people knew about being low-waste and sustainable. Many believe that the answer to saving the planet is to stop drinking out of plastic straws, but what about the plastic cup that the drink is in? That plastic cup is just as wasteful as the straws, but to keep up with the latest trend people have stopped using straws. You’re probably thinking “oh, but we can just recycle the cups after.” However, there are studies showing that only 10% of plastic is recycled in Canada. The other 90% ends up in the landfills, oceans and parks mainly due to food contamination and residue on the plastics.
During my research regarding recycling, it was brought to my attention that this has detrimental effects on our wildlife. Nearly 90% of seabirds are found to have plastic in their gut, which eventually fills the bird’s stomach with this indigestible material. This then leaves them with little to no room for food, causing them to starve.
So recycling is not the answer to cleaning up the planet. Cutting out the plastic and single-use items in your life is the only way to truly give this planet a chance to survive. That’s where Zilch Boutique comes in.
My goal is to be a reliable resource to my community, to provide all the essentials, and education needed to easily begin a zero-waste life, minus all the stress or high priced products being sold on the market. I focus on supporting local/Canadian companies and also ensure my products are of high quality to guarantee that they are long-lasting. I provide ingredient lists, packaging information, end of life practices for each and every product to make sure starting (or continuing) your zero-waste life is as easy as possible. I hope that I can be an inspiration to my community and I hope to be part of the change and growth of this planet. I hope that you will join me on this waste-free journey to ensure our children, and our children’s children have a beautiful planet to live on.
Sincerely,
Maia
