Becoming Less

Bizz chats with Guiscela about wasting water and the differences she sees with water usage in Canada vs Mexico.   Tips to reduce water usage: Turn tap off while brushing teeth Turn on only the hot water while waiting to heat and start using as soon as it warms up Water lawn before sunrise or after sunset Change lawn from grass to garden to grow food, or to something that doesn't require watering Shop less and/or shop second-hand (manufacturing requires water, too!) Use concentrated cleansers and drink flavours Check for leaks and running toilets Get/make a rain barrel Shower less often/shorter showers/skip the hair every other time Low flow toilets and shower heads Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks Reuse clean wastewater for plants Things we talk about: Water isn't just used by using water directly, not just the water we see Direct uses: Drinking Cooking Water lawn/garden Shower/bath Indirect uses: Agriculture  Food Raise animals Materials for building Materials for clothing Industrial use Make pretty much everything we use About 1,800 gallons of water are needed to produce the cotton in a pair jeans Processing materials such as paper and steel Energy During a water shortage, often it's the individuals who are restricted, while large corporations can continue using as much as they want to produce non-essential products. Glaciers are receding - this is our water reserve! Lakes shrinking Oil spills can also affect water availability, and this can happen very quickly Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz and Claire chat about how doing your best doesn't mean doing everything and that creating a balance in your life is the key to sustainability.   Concepts: Focusing on one thing at a time Doing research before diving in Choosing to NOT do/use/have rather than finding an alternative Don't need to fit all your waste in a jar to be low waste Self care and self compassion Just DO. Doing something is better than nothing, even if it's small. Try to find the one thing with the biggest impact Try to find the simplest thing  Take into consideration other people in your life when making changes New changes in life can mean going backward a bit New job, new baby, new home, etc. Specifics: Public transportation  Using it is the best way to make it better Strategically choosing where you live  Size Location Efficiency Car share Cycling Meal planning Shopping for food in bulk Mending clothes Visible mending Compost alternatives to green bin for apartment dwellers References: Spud - spud.ca Bulk Barn - bulkbarn.ca Communauto - alberta.communauto.com Bike Edmonton - bikeedmonton.ca Bulldog Razors - bulldogskincare.com Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz and Bri chat about consumerism and the importance of switching to a circular economy system.   Things we talk about: Composting toilets Glass and aluminum instead of plastic Reuse vs recycle Clothing fiber content Visible mending Valuing service, not just "stuff" Amazon hurts small businesses and the expertise they offer with their products References we make: Earth's General Store - earthsgeneralstore.ca Compost S'Cool - edmonton.ca Blush Lane -blushlane.com  Patagonia - patagonia.ca Fjallraven - fjallraven.ca The Dress Library - dresslibraryrentals.com Edmonton Tool Library - edmontontoollibrary.ca Indigo Proof - indigoproof.com Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz chats with Megan about maker hobbies like sewing, crafting, knitting, etc.. With maybe a little tangent on the joys of cat ownership.   Things we talk about: Getting creative with what we already have Not being afraid to experiment Sourcing the best materials available to us Using all the little pieces Making new things out of old things Buying used tools and equipment, especially when just getting started Normalizing second hand Repairing and dying to lengthen the life of our clothing What to do with "unusable" scraps "Recyclable" doesn't always mean it's recyclable Plastic spools replacing wooden spools References we make: Natural Earth Paint - naturalearthpaint.ca Reuse Centre Website - edmonton.ca/reusecentre Facebook - facebook.com/edmontonreusecentre Bead Sweaters - pinterest.ca Yarn Ends Sweaters - ravelry.com/patterns/library/stash-dive-raglan Bizz's Scraps Hoodie - instagram.com/p/CTlA0WMMeOq/ Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz and Lesley chat about many things, most of which revolve around the balancing act of doing what you can, not burning out, and avoiding the all or nothing mindset.   Things we talk about: Avoiding the all or nothing mindset Embracing minimalism in order to avoid over-cluttering Minimalism Experimenting with DIY options Certain DIYs have a cost savings, others definitely do not Problem with system that making clothes is more expensive Mindful creativity Everyone make a t-shirt, then think about how much you think it should be worth Trading/swapping/barter system Giving unwanted items directly to those who could use them rather than relying on thrift stores who throw out or export 80-90% of clothing they take in anyway Read more on cbc.ca Capsule Wardrobe The struggle with finding your "magic bra" or any other unreturnable undergarments Gift giving and receiving Surviving cycling in the winter Visible mending References we make: Blenderz - blenderzgarmentrecyclers.com Girlfriend Collective - girlfriend.com Everlane - everlane.com Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz chats with Anka from Get Ruth to discuss more convenient options for becoming less with our periods.   Find Ruth: Website - getruth.ca Instagram - @getruth.ca LinkedIn Co-Founder - Anka Chan LinkedIn Co-Founder - Nicole Sanchez Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz chats with Steph about her kids thrift/consignment business, The Green Canoe Shop.   You can find Steph's kids' clothes at: Website - greencanoeshop.ca Instagram - @greencanoeshop Facebook - facebook.com/greencanoeshop Other great Instagram accounts to find second hand kids clothes: Oak Forage - @oak_forage Prairie Littles Co - @prairielittlesco United Clothing for Motherhood - @unitedclothing4motherhood Blenderz Garment Recyclers - @blenderz_garment_recyclers Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz chats with Jennifer of Jennifer Bergman Weddings about how to become less while celebrating one of the most important days of our lives.    Find Jennifer: Instagram - @jbweddings Website - jenniferbergmanweddings.com Things we talk about: Food - Buy local, use reusable dishes, find out where food waste goes Flowers - Buy as local as possible, buy in season, rent silk Decorations - No balloons, rent anything you can, use what you have Favors - Keep them personal, keep them plastic-free, or omit them altogether Attire - Buy used, rent, take dresses somewhere where they can be reused Location - Destination weddings have a huge footprint Size - Every additional guest means additional waste References: The Dress Library - dresslibraryrentals.com Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz chats with Tracy about the idea of themed thrift stores.    Things we talk about: Our own ideas to incorporate second hand into our own businesses Second-hand pet supplies Second-hand fabric and sewing supplies What kind of themed thrift is already out there Cars. Pretty much just cars. Oh, and women's clothing Other ideas for incorporating second-hand into existing businesses Gyms and water bottles Kitchen appliances Coffee shop - mugs, etc. Working around the "low end" feel of thrifting, normalizing Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)

Bizz and Emma chat about their own experiences doing home renovations and discuss ways to be less with our renovations.   Things we talk about: Use what you have Repair and freshen up before replacing Get materials used or other people's leftovers When buying new materials, aim for high quality that will last as long as possible References we make: Reuse Centre - edmonton.ca Habitat for Humanity - Edmonton: hfh.org - Canada: habitat.org Buy Nothing Groups - buynothingproject.org Tool Library - Edmonton: edmontontoollibrary.ca - Everywhere else: Google It Kijiji/Facebook Marketplace/thrift stores and other such resources for used materials and items Donate to support waste reduction at wastefree.ca or on Patreon Music by Vita Chino (@vitachino on Instagram, or find them on Spotify)