Zero Waste

If you read my last blog, you know that mushrooms are currently the “it girl” when it comes to popular supplements for holistic health. Sold in a range of products—teas, coffees, and pills—they can help boost your immunity, boost mental clarity, and even help lower your cholesterol. Mushrooms are a wellspring of benefits, and it’s about time they get their time in the spotlight.

And while these perks alone make them a fantastic addition to anyone’s diet, mushrooms have a surprising versatility that allows them to go far beyond just supplements.

Mushrooms and sustainability

The benefits of mushrooms aren’t limited to just vitamins and minerals. In fact, as more innovators have looked at alternative materials for a sustainable world, mushrooms have become an adaptable source for production in packaging, fashion, and even construction.

So, as a fangirl of our fungi friends, I thought it only right to elaborate on some of the amazingly unique ways we’ve utilized mushrooms in the modern era.

Vegan Leather

While there are some mind-boggling alternatives to leather on the market now, (hello, cactus?!) mushrooms have proven to be a worthy competitor because of their short turnaround rates and minimal space needs. Although they’re currently only being produced on a smaller scale, mushroom leather has already been used in retail by big names like Stella McCartney and Adidas for womenswear and footwear respectively.

(For our eco-conscious fashionistas, our blog on innovative fabrics is a great place to get some ideas for materials to look out for when shopping for a more sustainable wardrobe.)

Fun(gi) Packaging

There’s been a big uptick in consumer demand for biodegradable and recycled packaging in the last decade or so. Smaller companies, who have more control over what materials they use and are impacted more heavily by their buyers’ preferences, have been able to match this demand and incorporate sustainable sourcing into their business model. But it’s been hard for larger corporations to phase out single-use plastic because of the sheer volume of demand.

While one might shrug and just assume the mega-brands of the world will never change, Ikea has shown that using mycelium packaging is possible. They’ve started to replace Styrofoam with fungi, and have even pledged to phase out plastic packaging by 2028. They’ve proven that size doesn’t matter when it comes to switching to sustainable practices. However, I’m sure for most companies, profit is what rules those decisions.

Greener Building Blocks

“Mycotecture” is a way of turning mushrooms into renewable, natural building bricks that are twice as strong as concrete. They’re fire-resistant and lightweight, and can reduce the waste created from growing edible mushrooms by using the leftovers after harvest to build these bricks. While there’s been promising results in early research, fungi bricks still have a lot of testing to pass before they can be used in residential and commercial building.

Meat Alternatives

I think we’ve all seen those scallops made from oyster mushrooms. Or the shiitakes used as burger patties. Mushrooms have always been a solid choice for vegetarian alternatives because of their meatier texture and umami flavor, but what I don’t think some people realize is that there are brands now that make “official” mushroom meat products.

Eat Meati was founded in Colorado in 2016 and sells vegan steaks and cutlets made from mycelium. It’s kind of unbelievable how realistic their products look but unfortunately, for most vegans and vegetarians, buying their products is a bit difficult at this stage in the company’s growth. While they distribute to store in Colorado and Arizona, the only way to buy online is to sign up for notifications and cross your fingers that you’re one of the few folks they send a small batch to each month.

Have you heard all the buzz about mushrooms and sustainability? Which gives you the most hope for a more environmentally friendly future?

One of the many things I learned on my journey to become more eco-friendly is that there is actually this lovely term, “eco-anxiety”. Eco-anxiety is basically the overwhelming sense of existential dread one feels about issues like climate change and global warming. And not to sound defeatist but, when you know that there is a huge disparity in impact between you as an individual consumer and that of large corporations, it makes sense that some of us are overcome with anxiety about the planet’s future.

I know it seems pointless to even try as the daily news bombards us with stories about coral death and sweatshops, but it’s more damaging to do nothing than to do one thing that ultimately compounds into a more sustainable lifestyle. Being eco-friendly isn’t a competition or standard—there’s no need to approach it from a perfectionist standpoint.

It’s just about doing what you can to lessen your carbon footprint—both as an individual and as a consumer. So here are a few tips on how to be more eco-friendly in 2022.

Start small

No one wakes up one day and says, “I’m going to be zero-waste starting today,” and actually does it. Part of the journey to living a more sustainable life is making mistakes and figuring out what works for you. Small gestures turn into habit over time, and by taking off the pressure of going from 0 to 100 overnight, you’re allowing yourself to grow at a pace that you can actually maintain… and even enjoy!

Avoid single-use waste when possible

This may seem daunting—especially during a boom for food delivery services and health and safety concerns—but as the world goes back to some semblance of pre-COVID times, try to reuse containers when possible. (And no, I don’t mean use that one Indian take-out box for three weeks straight.) Consider buying from places that allow you to use your own bags or jars like bulk dry goods stores or farmers markets, and bring your own produce bags for loose items like onions when you can!

Buy secondhand when possible

Although I’m sure most people jump to fashion when I say secondhand, you can also buy goods like pots and pans, or even furniture. By buying secondhand you not only lessen your carbon footprint as a consumer, you’re also keeping something from just being thrown into a landfill. However, not all things should be bought second hand—mattresses and shoes for example collect sweat, dead skin cells, etc., not exactly sanitary.

Become a conscientious consumer

All this takes is a little mindfulness. This means buying from sustainable businesses with transparent manufacturing processes. Buying groceries from local sellers. Educating yourself about ingredients and fillers that may be particularly damaging to the environment (hi, palm oil). I know how tempting it is to buy into the fast consumer market and the shockingly low prices, but just because you’re not footing the bill when you check out, doesn’t mean your actions aren’t starting a chain reaction that can reach across the globe.

Advocate for change

Never underestimate your power as a consumer. In this age of peak social media consumption, regular people are instigating change every day. We’ve seen monopolies fall, and huge companies issue apologies because regular people demand change. Children are pressuring whole governments to go green.

Pay attention to your local ballots. Vote for green measures, and educate those around you who may not know better. Support figures who are passionate about the environment, and petition your local governing office if you have to.

None of us are perfect. None of us can be perfect. Becoming eco-friendly isn’t about transcending your current ways into this absolute zero-lifestyle; I’m pretty sure none of us were zero-waste in our formative years. Living sustainably is about mindfulness and intention. We can’t be “on” 24/7, but being “on” more and more every day is a great place to start.

How will you be more eco friendly in the new year? Share your ideas below!

We’re all familiar with the little blue bin we see in classrooms and offices—the three arrows that we’ve been taught is a symbol of reducing consumption guilt. But while we all want recycling to be this fix-all for the ever-growing list of problems that come hand in hand with a planet struggling to keep up with our growing population, you have to wonder—how much of a difference is it actually making?

We’ve also heard about how individual efforts pale in the comparison to the potential impact of big corporations, but does that mean we should just give up on recycling? Is recycling just wishful thinking at this point? And while some communities have gotten creative about how they approach sustainability and recycling, like Thailand’s efforts to replace plastic packaging with banana leaves, it’s hard not to feel like we’re swatting at rhinos with paper towels as the global climate crisis grows.

does recycling matter?

Let’s look at the facts. According to the EPA, the average American created about 4.9 pounds of waste per day in 2018. This waste includes bottles, boxes, food, furniture, and more. Of the total 292.4 million tons (!) of waste produced, only 69 million tons were recycled. That’s less than 25% of all waste.

Branching into different categories of recyclables, only about 9% of all plastic gets recycled. That means the other 91% is slowly breaking into microplastics in landfills, which can, and have, leaked into our ecosystems, and even infiltrated our food chain. And while 9% may still seem better than nothing, the unfortunate reality with plastic is that its recycling process often involves downcycling—which just lessens its usefulness each cycle until it’s too thin to be used.

more recycling stats

Now, paper paints a brighter picture. (I mean, as bright as it can get). As terrible as cutting trees is, paper recycling is far more prevalent—about 68% of all paper and cardboard is recycled! 

Glass and metal are also recycled at much higher rates than plastic—over 30% for both—but overall the recycling game leaves a lot to be desired. 

And while all these numbers are bleak, I think one message stands out—we have to work together to make real change. Not just with recycling but advocating for businesses to implement more eco-friendly packaging. Petitioning governments to fight harder for green initiatives. Actively fight to inch ourselves away from ecological destruction.

I’m sorry to say that despite seeing the problem, addressing the problem, and knowing how we could theoretically fix the problem, I don’t have a clear-cut answer for whether recycling is worth it. Yes, individual recycling seems futile, and doesn’t even create a blip on the grander scheme of things. But to give up just because you don’t see you own actions making change seems like it would do more harm than good. And I’m not saying recycle just to make yourself feel good about yourself—I’m saying explore what you can do more of.

Shop sustainably. Buy goods meant to last or sourced ethically. Use your power as a consumer to force corporations to shift their business models. Money talks louder than words when it comes to big companies and their waste production. We’ve seen a surge in smaller sustainable businesses in the last decade because that’s what newer generations want. 

That’s how we’ll make lasting changes.

At the end of the day, it boils down to if you’d rather be a glass half-empty, or a glass half-full kind of person. I think that as a society we are painfully aware of how ineffectual our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint feels sometimes. But that doesn’t mean we should stop. The debate about the impact of recycling is just that—a debate. Until we can come up with a solid plan to replace consumer recycling, innovate a new way to reduce waste, there’s nothing wrong with just trying to do your part.