Scheduling Warranties and Important Documents

May 4, 2020December 7, 2020 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

05.04.2020

0600

Materials:

Warranties
Receipts
Important Documents

Tools:

Calendar (preferably digital)

I like to organize important due dates in my life. This includes scheduling warranties, scheduling retail items that I purchase and might want to return, even scheduling the expiration date for my drivers license and passport. I tend to date a lot of my purchased items, because I just want to remember when I purchased the products. Also, most warranties will ask for the Date Of Purchase. But if there’s a warranty attached or some type of expiration date attached to the product, I will schedule it in my calendar. It’s basically a reminder for me to make a decision to take action or not. I actually keep a digital file on my hard drive, that has a folder assigned to every product that I’ve bought that came with an owners manual. Within each file, I save whatever information I need per product.

With balancing my work life and my home life, I utilize my digital calendar all of the time. Since I don’t buy too many products, scheduling warranties and items to return doesn’t really clutter up my calendar. However, if I don’t schedule those dates out, I will forget them.

WARRANTIES

When I buy any electronic retail product, or any product that I have to assemble, I will jot down the date of purchase on the warranty document that comes with the product (usually in pencil in case I don’t decide to keep it), and then take a photo of it. This photo will be filed away in the digital folder assigned to the product, along with all of the other photos of this specific product.

I’ll then take a picture of the UPC number, the serial number (there’s usually a plaque or label on the product that describes all of the products details), and the receipt\invoice of the product. Once I decide that I’m going to keep the product, I’ll sign up for the warranty. I then set up the expiration date of the warranty in my digital calendar. I use a Google calendar to organize my life, but most digital calendars will help you do this as well.

I’ll usually gather the following pieces of information, and save it in a digital folder for my own record. I might also record all of this information on the expiration date in my digital calendar.

Date of purchase
UPC number
Serial Number
Brand and Model number
Receipt/Invoice

RECEIPTS AND INVOICES

For the non electronic products that I purchase, I will keep the receipt, and I will schedule the maximum date possible to return the product. Sometimes, if I don’t have an immediate time slot to return the product, I will find a time in my busy schedule to return the item. I will keep the receipt with the products, and then schedule the maximum return date on the receipt in my digital calendar.

For retail products receipts, I will write down in my calendar:

Time frame to return product
Date of purchase
Receipt/Invoice

BILLS

When it comes to bills, I always schedule those out as well. For each bill I assume that the amount will be similar to the month of the previous year, give or take $50 based on the current year’s circumstances. If you can guesstimate how much money you’ll need every month for bills, you’ll likely know how much money you’ll have available to spend on other stuff.

If you’re looking to switch service companies, or maybe switching a service provider, I would definitely schedule out a date to do that. This way, you as a consumer, can search for and receive the best deals. For instance if your cell phone bill is due on the fourth of every month, and you know that the best deals show up on the first of every month, schedule about two weeks prior to the first of the month to search for deals. That way by the time you decide to either upgrade your phone, or switch carriers, you’ll have all your information ready by the due date of the bill.

For bills, I’ll keep an eye out for monthly promotions or deals. I’ll schedule time out to talk to a representative (on my calendar), and then switch carriers.

Utilities: Look into switching carriers and look for deals
Mortgage: Save enough money by the due date

CREDIT CARDS

For credit card bills, my rule is to be able to pay off your credit card in a timely manner. Always have the amount in your checking account that you need to pay off your credit card each month. If you have to make payments, that’s fine too, but as long as you know that you have the money set, and ready to pay off the credit card.

Credit Cards:
- Update all accounts tied to each credit card
- Make sure you’re able to pay off the credit cards

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

When it comes to more important documents in our lives such as a drivers license or passports, I will always schedule these expiration dates.

To renew most drivers licenses, there’s always a process to go through. If you can schedule out this process ahead of time, you save yourself from wasted time and a headache.

For passports, it’s the same process. I will schedule out my expiration date for my passport, but I set a reminder about four months prior to the expiration date. I do this because, to renew your passport takes a bit of time. Sending the passport off to be renewed, and then receiving it again takes 6-8 weeks.

Drivers license: Make an appointment, gather all necessary documents, study, pay fees
Passport: Gather all documents together, pay fees, allocate enough time to send off and receive before traveling

MEMBERSHIPS

I’ve also scheduled out my membership dues and fees for my life. Some memberships I decide to decline continuing, and some I decide to renew. It’s really dependent on what my goals are, and how much extra time I have to dedicate to those memberships. I just don’t want my memberships to expire unexpectedly.

Memberships: renew annually as necessary

I like to keep track of my warranties in case my products break down or a product problem arises. Each time I buy a new product, I will always go through all of the paperwork and pamphlets to find PDF versions of them online. I will create a digital file of each product and jot down the Date OF Purchase. This does take a little bit of extra work, but I prefer to keep digital copies of everything. I organize all of my digital files by purchase date in the form of “year-month-date”. I’ll still download digital PDF pamphlets of the products I’m not sure I’ll keep. I do this because I’d rather get the work done initially, right when I purchase the product, than waiting to do it later.

But then I do schedule all of my warranties and items I plan to return.

Scheduling those dates as well as bills, credit cards, legal documents and membership expiration dates, helps keep my life more organized. I love utilizing my digital calendar and honestly, it makes my life so much easier to maintain.

My Trash Doesn’t Fit In A Jar

June 17, 2019June 24, 2019 / Yen-Van Tran / 1 Comment

06.17.2019

0600

My trash doesn’t fit in a jar anymore. When I started my zero waste journey, my trash did fit in a 16 ounce mason jar. However, int he past few years, I needed to purchase items that had extra packaging in which would not fit in my nice little jar anymore.

A lot of the time, when we shop at bulk bins in grocery stores, although we don’t bring home trash into our homes, products do get shipped to grocery stores in packaging. We as consumers don’t see it, but it doesn’t mean that the packaging doesn’t exist. Now, I’m not saying that every company is wasteful, but truth be told that is how our products are packaged from the manufacturer and then transferred to the distribution companies.

Trash pollution, plastic pollution is hidden in plain sight. We as consumers, do have the choice to not bring trash into our homes, and that’s a privilege. But packaging does exist, it’s not always compostable, and it may not even be sustainable. We as consumers can still vote with our dollar, and we still need to remind manufacturing companies that our trash pollution is at the highest quantity right now. I do think the tide is turning, but with The daily production of trash in the speed at which it is produced, we’re going out to tackle a very, very large problem and that’s with magnified with an unimaginable speed.

I live in the Bay Area, and bulk food items and products are readily available here. There are plenty of other states and areas, which bulk food is not available. If you can fit your trash into a small jar and continue to do so, I think that’s amazing and admirable. If your trash can’t fit into a jar, just keep in mind, the trash you’re producing and keep putting effort towards living a more zero waste lifestyle. I think using the glass jar as a standard is a bit unreasonable, because not all of us are lucky enough to live and afford certain amenities where we are located.

So my trash doesn’t fit in a jar this year, maybe next year it will be less. If not, I’ll keep trying to continue to strive to live a zero waste life.

Celebrate Earth Day 2018

March 15, 2018August 12, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / 8 Comments

03.15.2018

0600

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

This year, in the celebration of Earth Day, I thought I’d walk through my process of how to do a plastic audit in your home. But first, let’s take a look at the dangers of plastic and why it is not as recyclable as we are lead to believe.

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON PLASTICS

What do you know about plastics? Although it is one of the most common packaging material used worldwide, it ends up in our landfill and our oceans. It eventually makes its way back to us through the foods we consume. There are also a lot of facts that are not widely known, here are some facts from the Plastic Pollution Coalition.
Although it was considered one of the breakthrough materials discovered in 1907, only now are we realizing the damaging consequences of using this material so rapidly. How is it harmful?
There is a huge misconception that all plastics can be recycled, however, that is not the case. Microplastics are small plastic particles in the environment. They come from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, clothing, and industrial processes.Two classifications of microplastics currently exist: primary microplastics are manufactured and are a direct result of human material and product use, and secondary microplastics are microscopic plastic fragments derived from the breakdown of larger plastic debris like the macroscopic parts that make up the bulk of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Both types are recognized to persist in the environment at high levels, particularly in aquatic and marine ecosystems.Because plastics do not break down for many years, they can be ingested and incorporated into and accumulated in the bodies and tissues of many organisms. The entire cycle and movement of microplastics in the environment is not yet known, but research is currently underway to investigate this issue. Here is more information from the National Ocean Service, What are microplastics?
Why is recycling not effective? Learn about the different types of plastics

HOW TO TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE PLASTIC IN YOUR HOME

What plastics can you REDUCE or better yet, REFUSE in your home? Track the amount of plastic used in different rooms/areas of your home by using the Daily And Monthly Plastic Pollution Chart (this chart is a template, feel free to customize it)
- Keep track of items that are contained in plastic by going through areas such as your: (add or take out any items that are missing or not applicable in the chart)
  - Kitchen
  - Bathroom
  - Bedroom
  - Home interior
  - Home exterior
  - Home etc.
- Slowly go through and keep track of each item on a daily basis or monthly basis
After charting each item, plan how to avoid purchasing plastics by using the Plastic Pollution Audit Chart. What actions will you take to reduce the amount of plastic being brought into the home? Can you refuse the plastic packaged product by finding an alternative in a non-packaged form? Or would reducing the amount taken in be a better step for you? Maybe consider investing in a sustainable, resuseable product, so you eliminate the single use plastic product.
If you choose to keep track of your plastic use on a monthly basis, you can audit each month by recording how much plastic you use and compare your yearly results using the Plastic Pollution Tracker.

SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY

Around your home
1. Change out all of your light bulbs to energy efficient CFL or LED light bulbs. The energy savings of cooler-burning bulbs, including CFL and LED, can have a significant impact on your utility bills and on making your home greener. An Energy Star light bulb replaces about six incandescent light bulbs because it lasts six times longer than the average light bulb.
2. Change out your dangerous household cleaners with safer versions or make your own from vinegar/apple cider vinegar and water. Vinegar is a mild acid, which makes it a great multi-purpose cleaner for around the house. As a household cleaner, vinegar can be used to do anything from removing stains, to unclogging drains, to disinfecting, to deodorizing, and it can even be used to remove stickers. You can use it undiluted, combined with baking soda, or as an ingredient in a homemade household cleaner, and every room in your house can benefit from vinegar in some way. Check out 45 Uses For Vinegar.
3. If you have the option of drinking tap water, switch to tap water or buy a attachment filter if needed.
4. Stop catalogs and junk mail by signing up with Data and Marketing Association
5. Opt out of credit card solicitations with Opt Out PreScreen
6. Pack your car with reusable grocery bags so you won’t forget them on the next shopping trip
7. Watch environmental documentaries to learn more about what has been researched and discovered through these films. Here is a list of some movies I found on Youtube in which you can watch for free.
With your community
1. Bike or take public transportation instead of driving. Instead of driving everywhere, try taking public transportation, biking or even walking to places.
2. Schedule a visit your local recycling center and tour the facilities to understand where your trash goes and how it gets sorted. It sounds strange but every piece of trash we throw away has a different route towards recycling or on its way to the landfill. Each county and each state has different recycling processes and so learning about your local recycling process is always helpful. You’ll be more informed and more aware of what REALLY happens when you recycle your trash.
3. Join a local park, river or beach clean up.
4. Plant a tree, herb garden, or even flowers!
5. Check out your local city’s or county’s Earth Day activities

Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22, 2018 this year, so you still have over a month to decide what you want to do! Check out the Earth Day Network to find out more information. They have an extensive website that has a list of campaigns and activities for participants.

In the honor of Earth Day, check out some of these blog posts from other fellow bloggers:

Ever Change Productions – How To Compost In An Apartment
Curbside Overhaul – How To Repurpose
Paw And Pines – Pet Friendly Essential Oils For Cleaning
Little Sprouts Learning Garden – Quick And Easy Dinner Ideas- Meatless Meals
Design Life Hacks – Earth Day

Minimalist Cooking Hacks

September 26, 2017August 12, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

09.26.2017

0600

As someone who likes to make my routines as simple as possible, I also try to create simple cooking habit routines as well. This approach simplifies the ingredients I buy and my grocery shopping haul trips. Here are seven simple tips and tricks for cooking hacks.

1. Focus on Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods

Whole, single-ingredient foods are the key to good health.
Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fish, poultry and eggs are great examples. These foods are incredibly nutritious and satisfying.
When you focus on whole foods and high-quality ingredients, you will automatically start to eat less processed junk foods.
Processed foods often come with misleading health claims and long lists of ingredients, many of which you can’t even pronounce. However, truly healthy foods don’t even need an ingredients list. They are the ingredient.

Bottom Line: Eating healthy can be quite simple. Stick to whole foods and avoid processed foods made with refined ingredients and artificial chemicals.

2. Use Simple Flavorings

If you buy high-quality ingredients, you don’t need to add a lot of flavoring. Olive oil, salt and pepper may be enough.
Fresh herbs can also do wonders for a meal.
Try to avoid buying new flavorings unless they are something you think you will use often.
If a new recipe requires hard-to-find spices and condiments, you can most likely replace them with something you already have.
A rare ingredient that you will end up using only once is a waste of money and space in your kitchen. Most of the time, you can stick to common ingredients that you already own and know how to use.

Bottom Line: You don’t need to own a lot of rare ingredients in order to add flavor to your food. Simple ingredients like high-quality olive oil, salt and pepper can be used in almost anything you make.

3. Clean Out Your Spice Cabinet

Most people keep a lot of herbs and spices on hand. That’s perfectly fine, as long as you use them regularly and don’t have duplicates.
If your spice cabinet is disorganized and overflowing with spices you never use, you might want to tidy it up a bit.
Try to combine duplicates into one container and donate spices you never use. Throw away/compost spices that are old or bland.
Having a tidy spice drawer will help you cook faster because it will be easier to find the spices you’re looking for.
A good rule of thumb is to go through your spices at least once per year.

Bottom Line: Having a tidy spice cabinet will make you more efficient in the kitchen. Keep spices you use regularly within reach and combine duplicates. Throw out old spices and donate the ones you never use.

4. Keep an Organized, Minimalist Pantry

Keep a clutter-free pantry stocked with quality foods you use regularly. Preparing healthy meals will become much easier.
A clutter-free pantry also makes your food less likely to spoil, since you’ll be able to see all your food items neatly organized.
You’ll find it easier to navigate your pantry and locate the items you’re looking for when cooking. Here are a few tips to help you organize your pantry:
- Optimize storage: Store items you often use on the bottom shelves or near the front. Items you use less often can be stored in the back or a little higher.
- Sort and group: Designate shelves for similar items, such as keeping your canned foods on one shelf and your breakfast foods on another.
- Label everything: Label all of your pantry items and store them in clear, well-sealed containers so that your foods don’t spoil.
- Increase accessibility: Try to place items so they are either directly accessible or you can reach them after moving just one item.

Bottom Line: Taking the time to plan and organize your pantry will make both shopping and cooking easier and more enjoyable.

5. Simplify Your Kitchen Tools

There are tons of clever gadgets you can purchase for your kitchen.
Yet many are nonessential, single-purpose appliances.
You don’t need fancy kitchenware to cook a great, healthy meal. Simple meals require just a few basics.
If your kitchen is cluttered with items you rarely use, consider selling or donating them. Focus on keeping the functional items you use on a regular basis — it’s a plus if they serve multiple purposes.
However, figuring out what’s essential is entirely up to you. This varies, and something you regularly use may seem unnecessary to someone else. What you use depends on your lifestyle, how you cook and what kinds of foods you like to eat.
Try storing the items you rarely use in a box. If you haven’t opened it in six months, then it’s probably safe to sell or donate those things.

Bottom Line: You don’t need highly specialized, fancy tools for most tasks in the kitchen. Consider selling or donating kitchenware you don’t use often and keeping only the most useful kitchen items.

6. Think Before You Shop

You should think carefully before you purchase a new kitchen gadget.
Start by asking yourself if you really need it. If you’re not sure, think it over for one week before you decide to buy it.
Setting yourself a rule of “one in, one out” may also help. So for any new item you bring into the kitchen, another needs to go.
Think creatively and you might even be able to use something you already own in a different way than you’re used to.

Bottom Line: When it comes to kitchen appliances, less is more. Think carefully before you decide to add another item to your kitchen, especially if it’s an item that’s designed to perform just one specific task.

7. Clear Your Kitchen Counter

It’s time to de-clutter your kitchen counter.
Store kitchenware you use less frequently in your cabinets and drawers instead of on the countertop.
This is especially important if you live in a small apartment with limited counter space.
You’ll have more room to prepare meals and you’ll probably enjoy cooking more if there is less clutter around you.
This will also allow you to be more organized and focused while cooking.
If you need to keep items on the kitchen counters because of limited cabinet space then make sure they’re frequently used and essential for food preparation.
If you like to store items like keys, mail and wallets on your kitchen counter, make sure everything has a place where it belongs.

Bottom Line: Kitchen counters tend to attract clutter. Keeping them clear will give you more space to prepare meals and enjoy your time in the kitchen.

Cooking And Serving Preparation Hacks

July 18, 2017August 12, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

07.18.2017

0600

Quick, easy and simple are always my goals when I do any type of task. If I can hack a procedure to simplify steps in any task, then I will. I find more value and satisfaction in saving time and energy when I do tasks. I’m simply not the type to make extravagant dinners or parties. There are always ways to simplify life and that is always a goal in life for me. My personal hacks might cut out one extra step but one less step is still saving time.

Cooking Preparation Hacks

When you’re in a hurry, and you need to eat or prepare food fast, here are some hacks that I use so I can speed up the preparation process.

Using a spoon to scoop and round produce or vegetable that fits in the palm of your hands
- Hard boiled eggs, avocados, kiwis or any other small round produce that will fit in the palm of your hand

- Dicing or Cutting on a cutting board
  - To change the direction of the cuts, rotate the cutting board or move your own position towards the board. Don’t move the produce on the cutting board.

Sliding produce to pan from cutting board
- Once done with dicing or slicing your vegetables on the cutting board, use the opposite side of the knife blade to slide the chopped items the pot or larger container. This way, you don’t ruin the blade of the knife.

Cutting oranges
- Cut oranges in half by cutting the first slice horizontally, and then create the divides from there. That way you create small triangles when you peel bech each individual slice.

When cutting long vegetables
- When cutting long vegetables, always cut the produce in half for each cut, so it takes less cuts to reach the desired length.
- When I cut carrots it’s in a similar manner. I cut them in half and then split the halves into halves. I pretty much use this method for most any vegetable I cut.

Extracting garlic
- Gently extract garlic out of its skin by using the side of a large knife and simply pressing on it, on the counter. The garlic will loosen from its skin and simply cutting off the end of the garlic will release the skin from the garlic meat

Serving Food Hacks

A lot of my workday consists of time management so my hacks really stem from my desire to save time.

Serving Food
1. I use glass tupperware bowls when I eat, that way, if I have leftover food, I throw on the tupperware lid and I’ll have leftovers for a snack or for another meal. Also, there are less dishes to wash after the meal.
2. Mugs with handles are our friends for foods that have temperature issues such as hot soups, or cold ice cream.

Returning To The Beach

June 6, 2017August 15, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / 4 Comments

06.06.2017

0700

On my journey to a more minimalistic life, I donated items and slowly learned to not live without others. I didn’t donate everything to donation stations, but I also tried to donate to organizations that I knew, could use my items. For my college textbooks, I donated some of them back to the school libraries so perhaps other students could use them. For my alumni collegiate programs, I donated my scanner and other art materials to the materials library for future students.

When it came to items that I had collected from camping trips or even small rocks I collected throughout my childhood, I knew I had to return those items back to their rightful spots.

The beach was always a place where I still have fond memories of, along with my family. The smell of the air and the sand between our toes, and watching the ebb and flow of the tide coming in, all form a significant part of my childhood memories. We never lived by the beach, but it certainly impacted me enough to this day.

Among my “items to donate,” I found a bag of sea shells that my brother and I collected when we were young. I knew I had to return them to the beach, because that’s where they belonged. As a kid, I was so fond of the beach, I always wanted to take it home with me. I remember being excited to create a small sea shell collection and that all of these smaller items were mine. I wanted to know why I felt this way, and why I approached collecting items the way I did.

Our sense of ownership emerges at a very early age. Growing up, we learn to become attached to items, and the feelings of ownership over our possessions is a part of our culture. In psychology and behavioral economics, the endowment effect (also known as divestiture aversion and related to the mere ownership effect in social psychology), is the hypothesis that people ascribe more value to things merely because they own them. This means, that we value items more more highly as soon as we own them. Part of this reason is tied to how quickly we form connections between our sense of self and the items we consider ours. Even as children, we believe that our objects have a unique essence and prefer to not have a duplicate of the same item.

Looking back on my collection of sea shells, I never separated the idea of owning an object, and keeping the memories that the object produced. It seemed that having an object from that event, could and would bring forth the memory of that event. Even so, if I had to attach an object to the event, I think I would only choose to attach a photo to it now. But with all of the social media and everyone seemingly documenting their lives, even photographing events wears on me.

So I’m returning the sea shells. I’m returning them to their rightful home and where they belong. I return a lot of items that I know have homes other than my own. I’ve returned dry cleaner hangers to my local dry cleaners, I’ve donated my books to the library, and I’ve donated my old records to Rasputin Music & Movies. (Most of the records were not in good condition, but I knew the store would dispose of them properly). This list could go on and on, but I really do try to return items to appropriate locations and organizations.

There is a home for every object in our lives. If we take a little time out, and do a little bit of research on your own, perhaps you can find the best home for it.

My Cat Is Not Zero Waste

September 21, 2016August 14, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

09.21.2016

0800

Trying to create zero trash for my cat is almost impossible. I’ve tried, but due to some medical conditions, it’s virtually impossible. I have a male cat and he was neutered when he was younger. Unfortunately, male cats who are neutered, are more prone to urinary tract infections and therefore, require special diet food that has a low sodium content. Also, in order for him to not develop another urinary tract infection, he needed fresh water constantly. We bought him a small drinking fountain which he helped himself to. These two requirements produced empty tin cans of cat UTI management food as well as charcoal filters.

As he aged, he developed Diabetes and requires insulin shots twice a day. This required insulin medication as well as insulin needles. He’s a large cat, but he’s always been a large cat so weight gain was his genetic default. Lucky for us, he’s always been an indoor and outdoor cat, so he always used the backyard as his giant toilet. But with him being an indoor and outdoor cat, he required flea medication. I’ve been asked “Why don’t you just make him an indoor cat? It would cut back on the flea medication trash that you produce.” But forcing an animal to stay inside when we clearly have outdoor roaming space for him seemed unnatural to me. I wanted him to roam free and go play outside when we weren’t home. So the diabetes and flea medication produced tin cans of glucose management food, insulin needles, insulin medication and the flea applicators.

Over the years, he also got into a few fights with other cats or raccoons that roamed the neighborhood. For those special occasions, he required medication and sometimes even surgery which produced trash as well. I usually return the pill bottles and jars to the veterinarian so they can dispose of it. I’m lucky that I live in an area that allows free medical waste dumping, and even if I didn’t, I know my veterinarian will collect the medical waste from his patients for a small fee.

As for toys, he never loved to play with a lot of toys. In fact, he really only likes his catnip pillow, shoelaces and metal chain necklaces . I had a catnip plant that I grew for him awhile back and once in awhile, I would dry the catnip leaves and compost the old catnip. I would then refill his pillow with new dry catnip. Unfortunately he liked it so much that he would lay on it and eventually crushed the life out of it. That too went into the compost bin. I’m lucky that he’s easily entertained. He also never wanted his own bed, he always just adopted any place in the house to sleep.

Facts:

Urinary Tract Infection Medical History = Prescription Diet c/d canned food & Filtered water with charcoal filters
Diabetes II Medical History= Glucose Management m/d canned food, insulin needles, insulin medication
Indoor & Outdoor cat = Advantage Flea Medication BUT no litter box
Entertainment = Catnip pillow, but I refill the catnip pillow with fresh catnip. He just likes to play with shoelaces and metal chain necklaces.

So the recyclable items that I do produce are the tin cans of UTI food and diabetic food. His insulin medication, insulin needles and other medications are also recycleable, but considered medical waste recycling. The charcoal filters and advantage flea medication are the items that do end up in the landfill. I actually have a separate jar of trash that comes from owning a cat. He also no longer uses the water fountain that used the charcoal filters, he requests fresh water from the faucet when he’s thirsty with a drawn out meow.

Trying to own a pet and not produce trash from them is quite difficult. I know this much, to take on a pet is a great amount of responsibility and it is not a simple responsibility to ignore. I am not a veterinarian and I do not know what nutrients he needs and the sufficient amount of each nutrient and vitamin, therefore I do not attempt to make cat food on my own. He has very few toys, only wants his catnip pillow, which I will stuff with fresh catnip and compost the old catnip.

I started this journey almost five years ago, so I’ve compiled a nice amount of Advantage Flea Medication applicators for cats as well as charcoal filters. He stopped using the water fountain about three years ago, so he hasn’t produced anymore trash from that. He probably won’t last through the end of this year, but it’s amazing to see how much owning a pet can add to your trash collection. Once you lay it all out and calculate the amount of trash that’s produced, it’s an eye opening realization of what you’re contributing to the landfill.