“I Decided to Go Officially Trash-Free”

When you work in media, you hear about a lot of stuff, people, and events, but every now and then something really catches your attention. That’s exactly what happened when a Glamour editor mentioned, oh-so-casually, that one of her roommates was trash-free. *Wha-what?*Stevie Van Horn, 27, is a sustainability activist who blogs about her story on Trading Waste for Abundance (plus shares seriously yummy sounding recipes for things like almond flour apple crumble). And while the idea of going without waste is amazingly impressive, she was sure to point out that her end-game is more than that. “The lifestyle is about saying no to unsustainable practices also,” she told us. “Not only do I want to refuse plastic and trash, but I want to educate myself on all my purchases. Buying and keeping in mind a product’s packaging, source, impact, material, lifespan, and lifecycle.”

Herewith, the convo that transpired as soon as were were able to link up (including questions about that time of the month and how in the world she ever gets to eat at a restaurant).

Glamour: When and how did you decide to go trash-free?

Stevie Van Horn: I decided to go officially trash- and plastic-free on my birthday last April. I’m an all-in or all-out kind of gal, so I was prepping for a couple of months prior to avoid any serious mess-ups. I came up with my own system of what recyclables I’ll use based on the lifecycle and end result of the item—absolutely no plastic since it’s practically immortal, but I do reuse paper, cardboard, etc. I still avoid it all costs, but when I get receipt paper or get sent a package I tried to reuse it first before it goes in the recycling bin. Refuse or reuse before you recycle.

Initially I was thinking I’d only try it for a month. Doing the research—reading articles and studies, watching documentaries, and seeing how unsustainable our methods for living actually are—there was just no way I could turn back. Now that I’m practicing minimal living, it’s too rewarding and addicting to give up.

Van Horn in a secondhand top and jeans from Reformation, a cool-girl sustainable fashion line

Glamour: Has it been harder or easier than you anticipated?

SVH: It’s been both tough and a breeze. I’ve realized that the world has been made for convenience, so the second you step out of your house you’re giving plastic cups, straws, to-go boxes, etc. The hardest part is understanding that as much as I leave the house prepared, I can’t control everything—and that’s okay. When I saw “no straw” or “put my coffee in this mason jar, please” and things like that, I’ll occasionally get a straw anyway or someone pours my coffee in a paper cup and then into my jar. Initially, that was so discouraging. I used to give myself a hard time, but then I realized that as long as I’m trying my very best, I’m on the right track.

The easy parts are how much fun you can actually have and how rewarding it feels. Most of the things I thought I needed in packaging is really no good for the planet or my health. I loved chocolate bars, granola bars, sugary cereals, and lots of meats and cheese. However, since this adventure started I’ve found awesome alternatives, like making my own healthy sweets and eating more farmer’s market veggies and fruits. I feel more creative, healthy, and in control of my life.

Glamour: What was the response like from friends and family?

SVH: It was a mixed bag. My family’s always supported me so they had zero questions. My friends were a bit different. They had a lot of questions, which in the beginning was a great way to start because they made me think of everything. They wanted to know every detail and were a bit skeptical with some things, but once I figured out all the answers and was making it work, they had my back and were so motivating. My roommates are amazing. They bring me home stainless-steel Tupperware and deal with my compost piling up in the freezer every week before I take it to the farmer’s market.

Glamour: Were there any particular things or products that proved to be tricky?

SVH: I found alternatives to all the foods, clothes, make-up items, and bathroom essentials that were originally producing tons of trash. The biggest problem that’s coming up is sunscreen. The sunscreen from my trashy past is almost empty, and I really have no idea where to get bulk sunscreen when it’s all gone. Perhaps you can make your own, or I can resort to a non-plastic packaging, but I need to do more research. It gets me anxious thinking about it.

You can find a lot of people who are on the same mission as you through social media. There’s a really awesome zero-waste community around the world who support one another and are super inspiring, so you can find answers for things like this.

Glamour: You mentioned bathroom essentials…how do you handle items like toilet paper and tampons?

SVH: Toilet paper is something I do use. There are some people out there who use cloths to wipe and wash them, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to that. The important question with this is how is the toilet paper manufactured? I buy recycled paper that hasn’t been bleach-dyed and is in non-plastic packaging; I use a compostable bamboo toothbrush by Brush with Bamboo.

I use the Moon Cup for menstruation which is a million times better for the planet and more comfortable than tampons. It’s made with medical grade silicone, you can keep it for years, and you barely know it’s there during your period.

When it comes to grocery shopping, I use hemp cloth bags by Simple Ecology for produce and bulk ingredients, which I’ll transfer to Weck glass containers in my pantry later and reusable grocery totes and stainless steel containers by Lunchbots for raw meat and cheese. As for products that come packaged, I simply don’t buy them. I don’t even give myself the option to, and it turns out that I save money and maximize my health by doing so. As for products that aren’t sold at a farmer’s market, I ask myself a set of questions on total overall sustainability of what I’m buying and go from there. It really makers me more conscious in everyday life too—there are so many things given to us that just aren’t right for the planet. Feeling more conscious is definitely one of my favorite perks of this lifestyle. I’m more aware and feel more alive throughout the day, which makes me so happy.

Glamour: Are you never able to go out to eat?

SVH: I do! I return their napkins and so no to straws and any other trash that would result from the meal. The big thing with this question is where to eat. There are a ton of farm-to-table places in Brooklyn that practice sustainability so I try to do that—it just so happens that the food is best there as well.

If you’re fascinated by all of this, head to Van Horn’s blog: There’s a five-step starter guide to living better (plus links to products she’s found helpful).