Hellooooo 2019! What better way to start off a brand new year than with a brand new instalment of Eco Friendly Friends? If you're not already familiar, this is a blog segment where we interview gorgeous gals from the sustainbility realm.

A while back we brought you the first instalment of Eco Friendly Friends - a series of interviews with other bloggers/Instagrammers in the space - with Jen from Nearo Waste. This time around, I chatted to the lovely Jessica from Sustain In The Membrane about her zero waste journey so far.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

My name is Jessica and I am a Speech Language Pathologist. I work with adults who have speech, voice, swallowing, and cognitive deficits due to stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s. I grew up in New Jersey and now live in the beautiful green mountain state - Vermont. My interests include dogs... and I suppose hiking, skiing, crafting, baking, and reading ;) 

When did you first start becoming interested in the #zerowaste lifestyle? Was there something specific that sparked your interest?

I think I may be unique that my first ever zero waste swap was actually a menstrual cup! I have a very busy job and (sadly) bathroom breaks are few and sometimes never at my job. During my period that just won’t fly. So I started to look into solutions. Then I came across the ingredients in tampons and my eyes almost came out of my head. I then looked into 100% cotton, which was expensive and I am admittedly cheap. Then I saw the menstrual cup and thought, well, I may as well give it a try. I fell in love with it. I thought “if this can save me time, money, and keep me healthy, what other swaps can I find?” And that's what started my zero waste/minimalist journey. 

Are there any products you miss from before you started reducing your waste? If so, have you found a replacement yet?

This may sound silly, but clementines! I can’t find it without the darn netting... and honestly regular oranges don’t taste as good to me. I know some grocery stores accept them back but I haven’t tried yet. Maybe one day! Other than that, I have found an alternative for almost everything else or gave it up without sacrificing my quality of life. I recently started making my own tortillas/chips which has been easy and fun! 

What's the biggest lesson you've learned on your journey so far?

That I can’t beat myself up. There are many times when I first started that I would allow myself to become angry or feel so guilty for things that were really out of my control or were a small oversight (like forgetting to ask for no straw). I had to come to terms with the fact that I would never be perfect and truly zero waste, but as long as I was trying, I should feel good about that. I don’t think changing your lifestyle is worth it if it is going to be so frustrating that your quality of life is impacted. If I resent having to go out of my way to do things that aren’t giving me pleasure and happiness, I will never sustain that lifestyle. So to sum that up, I think allowing myself to make mistakes and be ok with it was a big lesson learned for myself. 

If you could give one tip to all the #zerowaste newbies out there, what would it be? 

Everyones zero waste life looks different! I wanted to throw out everything and get the bamboo/steel products that you see on everyone’s Instagrams. But really, I had all the things I needed. I didn’t need to buy a bamboo toilet bowl cleaner, the one I have works fine. I’ll replace it with a sustainable option when the time comes!  No need to make waste in the effort to be zero waste. But I also remember trying a shampoo bar and not liking it, so I tried Plaine Products instead (which I love). So just because you see a zero waste person with all their beautiful soaps and bags doesn’t mean you can’t be zero waste without those products. Use what you have, and love what you use or it will never sustain in your life. 

A huuuuuge thanks to Jessica for her thought provoking insights. You can find her on Instagram at @sustain.in.the.membrane. If you'd like to be a part of this segment, please get in touch via the Ethical Millennial Instagram or leave a comment with your contact details below and we can set up an interview!

The sustainability community is booming right now, and there are so many bloggers & Instagrammers who I love to follow, so I thought it would be a great idea to do a quick little interview each month with someone who's kickin' goals in all the right places. First up is Jennifer from @nearowaste. Read on to read more about 'near zero waste' as well as her fave eco-friendly swaps for a low waste life.

To start off with, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Hi Ethical Millennial folks! I'm a 30-something web developer living in the suburbs of Philadelphia with my boyfriend Chris and my almost-2-year-old son, Beans. 

The lovely Jennifer from @nearowaste.

I've got nearly too many side projects at any given time. Currently I'm blogging at honeyrule.com, a blog about minimalism, mindfulness, and crunch (including nearo waste, or near zero waste). I also love digital bullet journaling, hand lettering, freelance web work, reading, (thinking about) working out, and using second-hand possessions and natural products whenever possible. 

How did #nearowaste come about? What sets it apart from the classic #zerowaste movement?

The term nearo waste came to me one day, after Chris and I started focusing on our zero waste efforts by tracking our trash for two weeks. The zero waste movement is awesome, because it inspires folks to reduce their waste and make better choices for the environment. However, a lot of times people can get wrapped up in creating absolutely ZERO waste, which is near impossible. Following "perfect" instagrammers and youtubers is inspiring, but it can be discouraging if you start to compare your low-waste efforts to these social media celebrities.

I wanted to create a zero waste idea that would be more approachable and more realistic. Nearo waste means "near zero waste". It's all about making eco-friendly choices without completely changing your lifestyle or making your life more difficult. For example, I'm not able to go to a farm and get organic whole milk refilled in a glass bottle. Nor am I able to go to my neighbor and get cage-free organic eggs directly from a chicken. Some waste is inevitable. So nearo waste is all about being  zero waste in the real world.

Turns out #nearowaste already existed on Instagram and probably elsewhere. So while I didn't exactly coin the term, I want to make it a more widespread idea and movement.

What’s been the biggest challenge on your journey so far?

The biggest challenge on my journey is easily the fast food and dining out situation. I always carry my own cloth napkins and reusable water bottle, and I recently started using washable camping utensils instead of using plastic utensils at restaurants.

But really, whenever you get takeout or order from a non sit-down restaurant, you create waste. I like my Wawa hoagies (submarine sandwiches) too much. And I'm not going to bring my own container and ask busy Wawa employees to please put my sandwich in this weird glass Pyrex dish, please. Same with other similar restaurants. You win some, you lose some; but making strides to bring my own utensils and refuse the straw is still making an impact.

Are there any holy grail brands, products or recipes you’ve found that have become central to your daily efforts to reduce waste?

Marleys Monsters got me started on a no-tissue no-paper towels kick. We swapped out our tissues and towels for cloth wipes a while ago, and I even had some more made from Beans' old swaddling blankets (more on that here).

The other thing that has me jazzed is sugar waxing! Not only is sugar waxing green, natural, and nearo waste, it's also a LOT cheaper than getting a salon wax.

If you could give one tip to all the #zerowaste newbies out there, what would it be? 

Start slow. Don't expect to change your ways overnight. Remember every little bit counts, and every thing you do has an impact on those around you.

A big thanks to Jennifer for being our very first interviewee for #ecofriendlyfriends! You can find her on Instagram at @nearowaste and @jenny.pancakes, on Twitter, and at HoneyRule.com. She's also available for freelance web work. If you'd like to be a part of this segment, please get in touch via the Ethical Millennial Instagram or leave a comment with your contact details below and we can set up an interview!