Below is a comprehensive list of local businesses for zero waste purchases/loans, repairs, donations, recycling, compost, activities and more.

Petroleum-based plastics can take 100 to 400 years to properly decompose, depending on the type of plastic. During that time, it can break into microplastics, which can be mistaken as food by fish, and may release or serve as a reservoir for toxic chemicals in the environment.

When needing a consumable item, I look for options that are either refillable, unpackaged in bulk, or packaged in paper to avoid the plastic packaging.

Our bodies are nature. Our bodies are affected just like the earth is affected by contamination. I truly believe that the health of our earth reflects the health of our bodies.

In Closed-Loop Zero Waste, “reuse” has a two-part definition. The first: choose reusable items over single-use, disposable items. Here are 20 reusable items I use in my home to reduce the amount of recycling and trash I create:

A natural material to me is one that comes directly from nature, whether that be stones, wood, etc. Nature can use it through the composting and decomposition process.

There are ways to acquire items without using unnecessary materials, and we need to start asking ourselves if we can refuse or reduce first: “Do I really need that item or its packaging?”

Essentially, we want a frame of mind, habits and lifestyle that utilize materials that can be used again and again, and can be returned to the earth, resulting in a circular model rather than a linear one where materials end up in a landfill.

Living a Closed-Loop Zero Waste lifestyle is about living more in alignment with the earth and its natural systems, using materials that, in the end, can be given back to the earth, reducing the resources you use and in general the negative effect you have on the environment.