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In the early 90s, I was in a rough place in my mind, trying to figure out who I was and where I was going. And to be honest, my future didn't look great. I was a skateboarder from a small town and I felt like an outcast in my community and even in my family. But when I heard the band 311 for the first time, their lyrical positivity changed something in me. Over time, their music, their live shows, and their community helped changed my outlook and led me down a path that I never thought I'd go. A nd later, being lucky enough to work for them helped inspire me to create my own work for positive change. If it wasn't for these 30+ years of experiences, I surely wouldn't have the outlook that I have, nor would I be doing what I do. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the official 311 archivists: the 311 Odyssey Podcast . It was certainly a fun time sharing my history with the band, stories and visuals that I don't typically share, and how my life has come full circle with the band. I think 311 fans will love it and others will appreciate the journey. Enjoy.

Today, I'd like to announce one of our new partners: The Capable Carpenter. The Capable Carpenter (AKA Chris Strathy) has over 20 years of building experience. He's worked in in marine construction, design, renovation, remodeling, modular, and outdoor living. But in recent years, Chris fell in love with the tiny house movement, which is how we first me. He and I were both showcasing our houses at a tiny house festival in North Carolina. Chris' projects range from complete home renovations to van build outs. And like Deek and I, Chris has a passion for reuse and salvage. He actually has plans to combine that passion with his building expertise to develop a tiny house community. As he says it, he wants to "help everyone go tiny in a huge way." Chris actually helped build shelves in the cab of The REUSE! Box Truck and he's featured in The Box Truck Film. So, it was time to make this relationship official! 🚚 🤝 🔨 Chris' "Pro Tips" section in The Box Truck Film The Capable Carpenter logo will be featured on the movie screen side of the box truck and will be seen by the thousands of people that tour the truck this year. Hopefully Chris will be at some of the events too! Head over to thecapablecarpenter.com to learn more about the great work Chris is doing. 🤝🤝🤝 If you or your organization is interested in partnering with the Escape The Waste team, we've got some spots left. Email me here.

Yes, our country and our world are in distress. There are a lot of problems that we face on a daily basis. But with these problems, come solutions and I'm someone who focuses on the solutions. And one small solution is simply sharing the good out there. While it won't fix major problems, it will help with that grey cloud above. We've become so wrapped up in sharing the bad, that we forget about the good. And there is so much good out there worth sharing; in small towns, in big cities... everywhere. If you don't agree, I have a challenge for you. Pop whatever bubble you live in, travel to some new places, visit some coffee shops or restaurants or bars. Talk to employees or other customers and ask what's good in their community. And if you can't physically travel, do a little internet traveling and search for good news in other communities. Seriously, there IS good everywhere. I spend time in a lot of different communities and see some good every day. And the more we talk about and share those things, the more that good will spread. Just like bad news and negativity, good news and positivity are contagious. That's how it works. Have you ever had someone look directly at you and smile and then not smiled back? It's pretty hard. Good News Worth Sharing: During the month of December, I was offering a free reuse shirt to everyone who stopped by the STAY VOCAL booth at events. This photo is of an especially rewarding experience. After picking out a couple of shirts, these two women told me that they work for a homeless shelter in Providence and that there's always a shortage of Men's shirts. That felt great. These days, I tend to avoid listening to or watching the news. It seems that all sides and all forms of media thrive more and more on the sensationalism and negativity. And for someone like me who tries to stay positive, it can be tough. And I know that I can't just avoid bad news, especially when it comes to waste and the planet. But I have to continue sharing good news and trying to make and share my own good news. This tactic has worked for me and I think that's something that we could all benefit from. No, sharing good news is not going to make the bad news go away. And I'm not trying to be clueless to the world around me. But the more we dwell on the negatives of the past, the more we dwell on the problems of our present, the less time we focus on creating positive solutions for our future. We are all born with a voice and how we use it is our choice. And the more of us who use it for positive change, the more we can make that positive change happen. Cheers. 🤝🤝🤝 What good news for our planet have you heard? ⬇️ Comment Below ⬇️ Here's a website devoted to good news regarding our planet . Suggested Listening: "Mountain Top" by 311

Me enjoying the LA streets captured by my friend Brian Samuelson As someone who used to live in Los Angeles and has spent a decent amount of time there over the years, what's happening with these fires is truly saddening me. I'm having a tough time focusing on other things. I have so many thoughts. And so many words. But I want to keep this brief. I don't know who is still on the fence about climate change, but please step back and just LOOK. It's real. Do you want it to be in your neighborhood next? But we can and NEED to start making changes this second. The less stuff we make, the less pollution we make Less pollution = Less climate change And no matter how much you try to deny it, your existence is a "We" not a "Me." We're connected citizens of a shared planet. We need to work together to preserve this great planet to live on and ensure a future for generations to come. Lastly, if you or anyone you know is considering a fundraiser, PLEASE do not make T-Shirts. It's such a common idea. I get it. But it takes 700+ gallons of water to make just 1 cotton T-Shirt . And the last thing we need in our future is more T-Shirts. We as a planet, and especially residents of Los Angeles, could surely use the water instead. Sending all of my friends in the Los Angeles area all of the positive vibes that I can. 🤝 ~~~+++~~~ 🤝 Hiking up a trail behind the Hollywood Sign From the screening of the REUSE! Documentary in the Eagle Rock district. Stopping by the Van Nuys house I lived in from 2001-2002 Me with with one of my favorite parts of LA: my friend Chris Candy

So, if you're reading this, you're probably like me and fed up with waste. You're tired of disposables, you're annoyed that recycling hasn't worked , and you want to take action. But maybe you don't know where to start? It definitely can be overwhelming. We all need education, information, and guidance in some way. And we can't do it alone. Fortunately, there are endless ways to get involved and there are solutions that can work for everyone. So, I'd like to take a look at a few of the ways that we can learn about problems, learn about solutions, and learn about ways to easily take action on a local, national, and global scale. Green America Magazine, another great resource. Like with everything I do, I want to show how we can still have fun and get the things that we need (and want), while keeping the planet in mind. There are countless reuse solutions for our daily needs and wants to help people escape the waste of resources, opportunities, time, and money. This final step is such an important one too, as one of the most important votes that we cast is the way we spend our money. So when it comes to issues with our shared planet, many of us don't really know all that we need to know. I remember the first time that I learned it takes 713 gallons of water to make just 1 cotton T-Shirt. Thankfully, National Geographic made this video . But where do we get the information? Social Media is just too distracting and not always believable these days, but traditional journalism will always have a place. Here in Southern New England, we're fortunate to have a dedicated environmental and social justice news organization with ecoRI News . As their mission states, they create a more informed public through their reporting and provide individuals with the information they need to be better stewards of their environment. EcoRI journalists are out in the community seeking things out and recognize the importance of local news. And like our media here, they're not soley focused on the "doom and gloom." They address the problems of course, but they also share solutions and ways for people to take action. Maybe not surprisingly, but one of my favorite EcoRI articles is about an artist who creates giant sculptures from scrap wood and other discarded materials. And now I'm reminded that I still need to go see these in person! In addition to their news, EcoRI also hosts local events to get their community involved and provide solutions to the problems they talk about. In September, they have their annual Zero-Waste Birthday bash. Back in 2017, we actualy released a STAY VOCAL / EcoRI collaboration shirt at the event. In December, EcoRI holds their annual Regifting event, which is a favorite of mine. A few years back, I got one of my most memorable repurposed gifts for someone there. The antique ironing board that I regifted to a family member as a coffee table. To sign up for the EcoRi News newsletter, click here . So, not everyone is in New England of course. Coincidentally, I'm actually not there right now. Well, around 15 years ago, while most likely sitting at a coffee shop in Chico, California, I first watched the short film, The Story of Stuff . It addressed the problems about our consumption-crazed culture, but in a fun way with cartoons that anybody could understand. I loved it. I probably shared it too many times. This was at a time when I had only recently switched STAY VOCAL to a reuse clothing brand and it helped hammer the nails in further on me not producing new items. And it was more writing on the wall as to what my true calling was and that I needed to focus on reuse. Since that time, Story of Stuff has released a library of animated shorts and documentaries that chart a path to a more just and sustainable future. And in many cases, reuse is a direct message. They have focused on things like bottled water, electronics, and recycling. All of their videos continue the same manner of a fun, not all "doom and gloom" look at problems. The Story of Stuff videos are certainly not just for information. Their goal is to inspire and encourage civic engagement. They are big on campaigns, like fighting plastic and their "Bring Back Refill" campaign. M ost recently, they did an investigative report on Coke and found that they actually have a somewhat secret reuse campaign going on in one U.S City. It begs to ask, "Why isn't this happening everywhere?" I got to visit the Story of Stuff Offices in Berkeley when I was in California for some of my film screenings a while back. Alright, so we know about the problems and we know that reuse is a solution. But we all need and want things in life. Enter one of the oldest online resale sites that is still massively helpful today: eBay . I've been using eBay since 1998. I still remember first looking at the website in the Northeastern University computer lab. And if you're reading this, I would venture to guess that you know of eBay too and have probably purchased something on there at one point. But what is surprising to me is how many people didn't realize how easy it is to find used versions of almost anything and everything you would need or want. And that almost always equals a good amount of money saved. After a meeting at eBay to discuss the limited edition STAY VOCAL shirt only available on their old eco website, World of Good by eBay. Whenever you're searching for anything on eBay, you can easily choose a filtered search and under "Condition," choose "Used" or "Open Box." Over the years, I've bought everything from my favorite pairs of skateboard sneakers to specific jeans to pre-owned laptops and phones that come with warranties. I don't have the exact data, but the money I've saved is surely in the thousands.  And there have only been a few occasions where I couldn't find what I needed. Whenever you need or want anything, just can just check for a used option first. Not only will you save money and resources, you're mostly likely supporting one of the thousands and thousands of independent sellers or small businesses on eBay. All kinds of wins. So, if you've ever asked yourself, what can I do as one person? As I stated in my recent video about my reusable cup streak , YOU can do A LOT with reuse solutions. It might not be immediate, but it definitely makes an impact. Step 1. Educate yourself about the problems. Step 2. Educate yourself about the solutions. Step 3. Implement the solutions into your life wherever and whenever you can. And if a whole bunch of us are doing this, imagine the possibilities... What reuse organizations are your favorite? ⬇️ Comment Below ⬇️ For more information, head over to our Resources Page.

Every year, I take a day to reflect on the previous year, look at what worked, what didn't work, and plan for the new year. And as I look over the past 10 years or so of doing this in scrap paper form, I have to laugh. But I also get frustrated at myself when I see a common theme appearing all over the place. "Stop scrolling." "Less Screens." "Just post and go." Last year, I deleted all of my Twitter accounts. I also drastically slowed down my use of Facebook. And this year, it's time to take it further. When it comes to my work with reuse, I help people escape the waste of resources and money. In this case, I need to help myself escape wasted time. Especially in recent years, social media has just simply become a waste of my time. Like many, I get caught scrolling when I need to be looking up. And the rewards are just not worth it. I first started using social media back in the MySpace days and was an early user on Facebook. It was a great tool for my brand STAY VOCAL for a while. But as time has gone on, I've become increasingly disenchanted by the majority of social media platforms. A lot of it has just become a cesspool of negativity and not the surroundings that I want to be in. Our voices get lost and our attention spans do too. And most of us surely don't "need" it as much as we think we do. With so much of my work now around in-person and virtual events, I definitely don't need social media as much. Nor do I want it. And that feels good. I'm also excited to have officially launched my consulting services , where I'll be scheduling more in-person and virtual meetings. I just saw someone briefly at a coffee shop that I haven't seen in at least a year. And I had a way more positive interaction and learned more about her life in those few minutes than I did with all the social media combined. Likes and posts will never replace hugs and conversation. I know we're all busy, but we can all MAKE the time. From my Facebook Page on September 4, 2018 For the past couple of weeks, I've only posted a bare minimum and not gone on the apps for "entertainment." And I have to say, the experiment feels really good. I honestly feel like my memory and recall have even been affected. I'm not seeing as many images, videos and words flashing in front of me. My brain doesn't have to intake all of that. And at the same time, I've spent more time catching up with friends, family and colleagues in real life. A highlight of 2024 was meeting Nirvaan at Song of the Robin in New York. He's a 13-year old animal activist and budding professional chef and doesn't even have a phone. I'm not going to make an immediate exit from my social media accounts, but I'm certainly going to keep it to a bare minimum. Instead of just posting to get some content up there, I'm going to post when relevant. I don't want social media to be the content. But I'll use social media to link to the content (for the time being). When I look back on my 20 years or so of social media, it hasn't all been bad. I've been able to connect with thousands of people around the world; many of whom I've met and become real life friends with. But I feel like I have lost so much more. We only have so much time on this planet. Do we want to spend it getting sucked into gossip, trivia, fun facts, untruths, and what famous people are doing? I don't. I want to use my time here to focus on my friends, my family, my community and on taking action and making an impact. As I have said many times in the past, the more digitally connected we've become to every one and every thing, the less connected we become to the people we are closest to and the people who mean the most to us. All of this said, if you're looking to stay connected with me, the Escape The Waste website is where I'll be posting the most. You can also sign up for my newsletter here or just email me . I'll also be using Linked In more regularly, as that space just feels different and not wasteful (for now). And if we know each other in real life, I hope to see you soon. Happy New Year. Cheers. 🤝 Do you ever think about how the more digitally connected we become, the less truly connected we become? I was just having a conversation with my friend at the coffee shop about this. We learn so much about people's day to day, but we lose so much of who people really are. For over 10 years, I have found great value in social media; mainly for my work. But when it comes to friendships, nothing will ever beat out a real life interaction. And when we have no other means to connect, there will never be a greater use for our phone than to talk to someone we care about. From my Facebook page on February 26, 2019 ⬇️ Comment Below ⬇️

Have you ever asked yourself what you can do as one person to help cut down on waste and pollution and to help with climate change? Watch this: To learn more about our events, movies, and other ways for YOU to get involved and take action, peruse our website . I also now offer consulting services for small businesses, organizations and individuals. Special thanks to Deek for the custom art. https://www.instagram.com/deekdiedricksenart ⬇️ Comment Below ⬇️

Paving a Plastic-Free Green Road on Cape Cod When a friend of mine told me that someone nearby on Cape Cod had a mobile refillery inside an old mini-school bus, I knew that we had to meet. And since first meeting Jess Georges in 2019, we've not only become good friends, but collaborators as well. When it comes to reuse, Jess is someone who truly gets it. She and I have teamed up on multiple shirts, patches and a lot more. Because as you'll see, Jess sees her role as an educator too. 1. So, you run a shop called Green Road Refill. For those who have not had the pleasure of visiting your shop, tell us about it. Green Road Refill’s brick and mortar shop is nestled into the heart of Brewster on Cape Cod. Our little shop is dedicated to reducing our communities plastic footprint, while also supporting mostly woman owned small businesses. In addition to refilling over 40 plant based products, we offer locally made and fair trade gifts and refillable soy candles too! Our shop brings positivity and opportunity to take action in reducing waste. Jess and her original mobile refillery, Bettie Bus 2. What was your inspiration for starting the shop? I launched Green road Refill in the Spring of 2018 out of an old school bus that I found on Craigslist. The idea came to me in a dream. I have always had some anxiety over the state of our planet and in the dream, I had created a place where customers and I could take action to improve things. Bettie Bus was painted bright Green and inside was inspired by the Lorax with a Truffula Tree mural above the dash and my favorite quote from the book, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing’s going to get better. It's not.” We had to retire Bettie during Covid and built Sally Sud Shed on top of an old boat trailer we had in our driveway. In 2021, we opened the shop, but Sally and I still travel around June-December to festivals and farmers markets around the Cape spreading that Lorax Message. Sally Sud Shed in action 3. Which benefits of reuse do you think your customers enjoy the most? It’s all about the bottles baby! Our customers bring in all sorts. We love to see dish soap coming out of a sriracha bottle. Whether it’s a mason jar or your old shampoo tube, as long it can hold liquid, it works for us! Refillers “tack a cap” (colorful, un-recyclable caps like the ones you find on milk jugs) onto a cork board for each bottle reused and then when that’s full I get up on a ladder and tack them into our drop ceiling. It’s getting pretty groovy up there! 4. So, while I'm certainly a solutions guy, we do have to address the problems. Where do you see the most waste in your daily life? I hate grocery shopping. That's where I see the most waste. I have the benefit of going to a couple of farmers markets a week, but even there, organic vegetables can be packaged in plastic. I sell reusable produce bags and I’m always trying to push those. I am excited that we have our first refillable food market right down the road from us in Dennis where I get a lot of my food.  I have even partnered with the owner Meghann of the Glass Jar Market and we have a little Green Road Refill section in her beautiful store. A look at Green Road Refill. Note the caps on the ceiling! 5. In your personal experience, how do you think recycling has worked and NOT worked as a solution to waste? Oh man, recycling is so hard. I have done a lot of research and I am still confused and feel lied to. My customers are always asking me questions about it and unfortunately I don’t have many answers. I know that we have all been “wish-cycling “ for decades and that it has never been the solution to waste. The reduce, reuse, recycle slogan really needs to be changed - my first T- Shirt with STAY VOCAL was all about that. The only recycle that I feel is true would be the up-cycle of recycle. Above our shop door is the phrase, "Progress over Perfection." We try to have hope. I bring what plastic my family can’t reuse to the dump, throw it down the chute labeled, "# 1-7" and hope for the best. 6. How do you think the U.S. could step up the solutions to our waste problem? Have you seen or heard of anything anywhere else? I am inspired by local municipal bans and restrictions. It’s not easy convincing our neighbors that they should give up single use bottled water and plastic take out containers, but it’s a start. National organizations like Beyond Plastics have supported national legislation as well. The Break free from Plastic Pollution Acts proposed to congress almost every year haven’t to be even brought to the floor for discussion. At this time the responsibility has really been put on the consumer and not on the corporations - where it should be. Me, Nancy Downes from Oceana and Jess. This was at an event that Jess hosted at her shop to support Massachusetts legislation to reduce the state's plastic footprint. 7. Do you have any notable stories about saving money on something because you bought it used instead of new? I have kids; 10 and 19 years old It’s been hard being a low waste parent. Our culture doesn’t naturally nurture with less and I have been the Debbie Downer of our family. Whether it’s no balloons at parties or trying to keep them from consuming trends like fidget toys or everything else that is marketed to them. I will say that I have stuck in there, setting the example, making them ask, "What will happen to this when I'm done with it?" My proudest victory which saves us all a whole lot of money is thrifting. We have a bunch of great places on the cape and we do it as a family: back to school, changing of seasons, etc. It’s fun to give them a budget and see what they can do with it. 8. Have you ever taken anything out of the recycling bin or trash to reuse somehow or maybe found something on the side of the road? All of the time! When I lived in New York and Philadelphia, we would make garbage night into a night out. I have always lived with artists and man did we find some cool stuff. I would say my vintage aluminum Christmas Tree was a favorite! To this day I am reaching into trash to pick things out, like bottles I can use at the shop or something that I can do something crafty with. (I do some upcycled art preschool programming). I have no shame reaching in. 9. And lastly, what’s the best thing that you ever got used and why? Got a photo? Well, while I am sitting here in the shop and I’m looking around, almost everything is reused. I'd have to say these antique shutters that you gave me and my husband and I built into shelves for our Green Road Refill goodies are pretty great! I saved these 200+ year old shutters from the landfill. Jess and her husband, Justin, turned into them into a great display unit. To learn more about Jess's work and visit her shop on Cape Cod, you can follow the Green Road here. To make custom reuse T-Shirts like Jess is wearing in her profile photo, you can learn more about STAY VOCAL collaboratorions here.

When I first visited Song of the Robin Bed & Breakfast and Animal Sanctuary (formerly Red Robin Song), I instantly fell in love with it. It's a vegan bed and breakfast just over the New York border from Massachusetts. And with 85 acres of trails and ponds, plus dozens of rescued animals, it's hard not to relax and have a great time. The owner, Lisa Robinson, and I became fast friends and over the years, I've been back many times to visit, host numerous film screenings and the first annual Reuse Retreat. My parking spot for The REUSE! Box Truck at Song of the Robin. Not such a bad view, eh? On numerous occasions, Lisa and I would meet and talk about ideas to bring more reuse solutions to the guest house and sanctuary, as she wanted it to be as eco-friendly as possible. This past summer, I finally had the opportunity to bring The REUSE! Box Truck for a longterm stay and offer Lisa some official consulting services. I came up with a plan to help Lisa get the guest house back up and fully running, as it had been affected by the pandemic and people love donating STUFF to non profits. After a successful summer of cleaning and purging with a huge yard sale and donations, the guest house did fully re-open. But now with the guest house fully open, Lisa had another problem. Sometimes, weekend volunteers were sleeping in the guest rooms that she could be renting out. So, it was time to figure out a place for them to sleep. Me and Betty White Around the same time, there was an unfortunate passing of Betty White, the beloved white rabbit who was always a favorite of guests at Song of the Robin. Since she liked humans better than other rabbits, Betty had lived alone in a larger shed that conveniently had electricity and air conditioning. So, Lisa and I got an idea and then I brought in my resident unique tiny space builder, Derek "Deek" Diedricksen. You can watch the short video of what we did here: After we completed the transformation (and added a cushion to the couch), I slept in "Betty's Bungalow" for a couple of nights to see if there were any upgrades needed. For example, drinking coffee was of course one of my first tasks in there and I realized that I needed to make some coasters from some of our scrap cutoffs. This project was a perfect example of how reuse helps save resources, money and time, while benefitting people, planet, and wallet. (👤) Benefits the People - a unique space for people to sleep and for Lisa to celebrate Betty (🌎) Benfits the Planet - saved resources by using almost entirely pre-owned/used materials (💰) Benefits the Wallet - saved Lisa well into the 4 figures with used materials and opened up another guest room to rent. In addition, it was a great way to turn the sad situation of losing Betty into a positive by celebrating her with this structure and unique art piece by Deek . I kept this pelican painting from the yard sale with the intention of Deek doing something awesome. I'd say that he nailed it. If you're interested in staying at Song of the Robin Bed and Breakfast, visiting the animal sanctuary and seeing Betty's Bungalow in person, head over here for details. If you're interested in teaming up with Deek on a project or for some consulting services from me, reach out here. Watching the yaks graze outside the window of Betty's Bungalow. Not such a bad view, right?

Capturing an Atypical Look at Getaways Without a Typical Impact I first met Chris and Pam Daniele at Tiny House Summercamp  in 2019, where Chris and I connected over some Massachusetts concerts past. Like so many people I've met at the annual event, I connected with them afterwards online. But their posts and photographs hit different. They're able to almost let you step inside the amazing cabins and unique rental properties that they capture. And their coloring is just hard to put into words. Unlike others that I've connected with in the past, I see the couple at camp each year, as they live close by. And this past year, we got into a conversation about the eco-friendliness of their work. After hearing just a couple of stories, I knew Chris and Pam would a perfect fit for an interview. So, here we are. 1. In a time when apps let everyone step up their photography game, your photos stand out well above the rest and have such a unique vibe. What was your initial inspiration to get into photography and how did you come to choose your focus? Chris - When I was a kid I had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 35mm camera, and I’d bring it everywhere. I was always snapping pictures in the woods, photos of my pets, and would take pictures of my room when rearranging the posters on my walls. My mother always shot as a hobby, and when the Canon Rebel G 35mm came out in 1996 she picked one up. Having a real camera like that at my disposal, I began taking it to concerts, family functions, to school, pretty much everywhere I could find a subject to shoot. In high school I was lucky enough to have the option to take a photography class for half the day everyday, and that’s where I really was able to dive deep into professional techniques, developing my own film and enlarging my own prints. Jump ahead almost 2 decades and in 2015 shortly after we started dating, Pam and I booked a trip to an off-grid cabin in Upstate New York, and I brought my camera along to capture our adventures. Once we got back home and started editing the photos, we decided to share them with the cabin owner and eventually we were hired to come back to capture more photos of the cabin. This seemed like a great untapped opportunity! Pam - I was a novice with limited access to cameras when I met Chris.  That being said, even with only an iPhone I was able to capture and create some beautiful photos. Particularly I was drawn to macro photography, the finest details I could focus on with my phone. When Chris and I started dating he encouraged me to make use of his camera with one of our earliest joint thrift finds, a Sigma 70-300 mm Lens we scored for $12. My earliest photos are stunning macro images of exotic flowers I shot using that lens. I eventually came to purchase my own new/used Canon 6D, shout out to B&H Photo for their decent selection of used camera gear. My focus these days is on interior design, architecture and landscape but I still play with macro from time to time. 2. As people who are eco-conscious, how do you factor that in when you travel and stay in so many other people's places? On the surface, the Short Term Rental industry didn’t seem like it would be a huge waste generator; at least not to us when we were first getting started. But not too long into it, we realized how much waste was being produced: trash bags only used for two nights are barely full, sponges meant to last a while being tossed after each guest leaves, food waste not being composted, dreaded Keurig coffee pods that have the audacity to be wasteful and not taste good; the list is substantial. We began traveling with our own sponge and reusable Keurig pod. We bring home compost if we can, as well as the trash bag to finish using it at home. Our number one rule however is that we never drink the bottled water provided. The majority of the places we are staying have guaranteed safe drinking water, so there is no need for plastic bottles. 3. Of all of the cabins and getaways that you've stayed in, do you have any notable stories of repurposed structures, ones made with reclaimed materials, etc? Many of our clients are incredibly eco-conscious and creative people which as you know is a great combo! We’ve seen storage containers turned into ultra warm spaces with modern design, a turn of the century ice house reimagined as a family retreat but one major pop out is Ben Sargent of Bent Apple Farms in South Londonderry, Vermont. He has a cabin built out of an old horse run-in, an old equipment shed that is now an amazingly cozy space, and the barn which is built with mostly repurposed materials, including an ancient toilet. He also is a big thrifter, 95% of the cabins are furnished with antiques. 4. So, while I'm certainly a solutions guy, we do have to address the problems. Where do you see the most waste in your daily life? Food packaging is without a doubt the big one. Without access to farmers markets and being in a bit of a food desert, we are shifting our focus to figuring out how to reduce it. One huge step we took was investing in an Almond Cow in 2022. It is a nut milk making machine that is a one stop shop for easy at home use, it has been a game changer. I wish I could estimate how many containers we haven’t needed to recycle because we own this one thing! The next step we will be taking is switching to buying in bulk for a large amount of our staples. Here's a link to a bunch of pre-owned or open-box Almond Cows. 5. In your personal experience, how do you think recycling has worked and NOT worked as a solution to waste? Pam - I am woefully uneducated in this regard and can only offer anecdotal takes. I think that recycling is a bit of a scapegoat for the overconsumption of plastic products. Prior to my journey into reducing my own output, I would believe that a plastic bottle of polar everyday is ok. Other staples included single use plastic take out containers, plastic cups for parties, plastic shopping bags, just so much plastic was coming into my life. And because of the magical blue box that I carried down to another magical blue box that took them all away I remained blissfuly ignorant of my wasteful contributions. When the choice was made to be more conscious, I’m not even sure what the catalyst to that was, I just started to feel incredibly icky about it. This can easily get into an even deeper discussion about American individualism and capitalism but I think at the end of the day, the choice to recycle is also a choice of how you consume, but that was not the question. Chris - I think what has worked is being more conscious about the amount of single-use plastic we choose to purchase (or take - as Pam mentioned plastic shopping bags at stores). It’s funny to see how many employees are so shocked when you’d rather just carry out two or three items you’ve just purchased than taking that plastic bag they want to give you SO BADLY. The problem is that the “recycle me!” stamp on all of these products is an easy cop-out to finding better, more sustainable ways to package items, passing off the responsibility to the consumer. 6. How do you think the U.S. could step up the solutions to our waste problem? Have you seen or heard of anything anywhere else? Pam - I can’t pretend to have much knowledge of our countries relationship to recycling. However, over the past few years I’ve seen headlines about “plastic eating enzymes” with a potential to reduce landfill waste in a matter of days being developed in universities. A quick google search shows story after story of young people inventing new ways to clean the planet. This sounds incredible, so why doesn’t the government throw some money at that? Obviously, I am not a scientist or sitting in an office politically with any ability or knowledge of how funding works, but I just think if it’s even 5% possible it’s worth it at this point. I’m also well aware that one government is not a solution to world wide problem. Chris - I’ve heard about many countries who have invested in ways to repurpose almost all of their recycled plastic into roadways. Obviously this takes a huge shift in big corporation’s greed to address the problems and invest in solutions, so unfortunately I don’t see the US heading in this direction any time soon. 7. It's funny. I always tell people that reusing is nothing new. It’s been going on long before we were here. Do you have any memories of your parents or grandparents reusing in unique ways? Pam - My family was pretty thrifty, we shopped secondhand for about half of everything we owned. I don’t know though if it was out of necessity or out of the thrill of the chase, but it was naturally integrated into our lives. The useful skills for repurposing and fixing weren’t passed onto me for some reason though which I find mainly irritating. It’s the memories of my grandmother mending clothes to last longer or my grandfathers general handyman abilities that make me want to be better in that regard. Chris - One of the biggest ways I can remember my parents opting for used vs new, was all of the sports equipment my brother and I would need throughout the years. Playing hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer, and racing BMX, my parents always bought second-hand gear. They knew we would be growing out of that stuff pretty quickly, and it was just the smarter thing to do. We were always big thrifters and loved hitting up the weekend tag sales and flea markets. Growing up, I think it was just a more affordable way to get the remote control cars, wrestling figures, and video games that my brother and I wanted so bad. I can recall things like furniture, even if purchased new, would be used for decades until they were in shambles. My parents and grandparents would do whatever they could to make an item last before having to replace it. 8. Do you have any notable stories about saving money on something because you bought it used instead of new? Pam - I don’t lust after too many things of the material variety but I saw a pair of Bean Boots with no laces and a buckle and fell head over heels (pun intended). The boots new are $279 and I shiver to think about spending that much, so I said I would search second hand. Not even five minutes into my search on Thredup, do I find a lightly worn pair, my size, $75. Boom. Sold! I’ll have those for a long time and the fact I brought them used just makes them better. Chris - Where do I start?! I am a thrifter at heart, and absolutely love the search for that unicorn piece of music gear that someone is selling at a tag sale and they just want to get rid of it. If I had to choose one score, it would be back in about 2010 while out on a day’s adventure of tag sales, I stumbled across 3 items at once and immediately knew what they were. 2 vintage Electro Harmonix guitar effect pedals and a vintage Ludwig snare drum. I walked away paying only $15 total for the three, knowing their worth being about $1,500. I still have two of the three and use them often! 9. Have you ever taken anything out of the recycling bin or trash to reuse somehow or maybe found something on the side of the road? Pam - When I was working in kitchens (breeding grounds for wastefulness), I used to take things out of the trash all the time: unopened cans of fruit, condiments, salsa, you name it. They would throw these things away for the dumbest reasons. Dented can? Toss. Not expired, but getting close? Toss. Not enough room on the shelf? Toss the oldest one. It was sickening and I was poor so it came home with me. I also worked for a wedding banquet facility and when they were redecorating they threw away everything and I picked up some great frames and other decor. Chris - As a kid, trash day was my favorite, because I’d ride my bike around the neighborhood and see if anyone was tossing out something cool! If I saw an old shelf or broken old radio, I’d grab them to tinker with and repurpose somehow. Last year Pam and I took a drive around the day after a neighborhood tag sale, and the amount of useful free items on the curb that we found was insane! Just last month, while bringing our trash down to the local transfer station, I noticed a dumpster full of scrap lumber. I asked about it and they said it was their “burn pile” and I could pick through if I wanted. I ended up filling our SUV with so much perfectly usable lumber that would’ve cost us over $500! We are always in need of lumber for many projects around our property, so I will be keeping an eye out for another “burn pile” to appear! 10. And lastly, what’s the best thing that you ever got used and why? Got a photo? Pam - When I sit here on my used couch in my thrifted sweater, looking at my walls of vintage art, I genuinely think that all these things that have had multiple lives before living here and are now getting used for even longer are the best things I have ever got used. Most recently however, tragedy had struck our home. A stunning Victorian hanging lamp that came with our home fell from the sky and shattered into 1,000,000 pieces, as did my heart. I scoured the internet for a replacement and managed to find one, for $450, totally insane. After six months I was getting ready to make the investment just to have this beautiful part of our home back. Well the universe certainly works in mysterious ways because not even ten minutes after we were chatting about our defeat while perusing at Brimfield did not one but two of these lamps materialize in front of us. And for $50 we were able to replace the globe and all was right on our world again. Chris - Like Pam mentioned, we live in a home furnished and decorated with almost all second-hand items. There is so much more character in vintage tables, chairs, rugs, antique art and repurposed wooden crates as side tables. It’s hard to choose a favorite, as we are finding new (used!) items almost weekly when we are traveling. One item that I’d have to say I’m super stoked to have found recently is a vintage Technics turntable that we scored for $1 at a tag sale! To learn more about Chris and Pam's work and see some amazing photographs of places to stay, head over to The Cabinpedia. To order STAY VOCAL T-Shirts like Chris and Pam are wearing in their profile photo, head over to the STAY VOCAL sho p .

I want you to take a moment right now and clear your head of outside thoughts. Take a deep breath. Now ask yourself, "Do I care more about making more money than I do about other people's survival? Would I still be happy if I made a little less money, but everyone had health care? What if everyone had a place to live and everyone could eat? And what if the planet could survive for future generations? Could I give up some of my excess for that?" If the answer is yes to all of these, reach out to me. Let's work together. Let's set up a sustainability event at your business or school. Let's talk on your podcast or radio show. Let's talk about bringing more reuse into your business or life. Let's talk about how WE can work together to make positive change for our planet and our people. We can't be selfish. We can't do it alone. We're connected citizens of a shared planet. The more we communicate, the more we work together, the more change we can ACTUALLY create. Together, let's escape the waste of a great planet to live on and a beautiful future for generations to come. Like Alison Cove from USEFULL said in a post the other day, " climate change is NOT a political issue." It's an issue of survival; for you, for the planet, and for every single person that you know, including YOU. So, are you in? Suggested Listening: "I'm Surprised You're Surprised" by Company Retreat We're never gonna wake up If we don't start sleeping We're never gonna calm down If we don't stop screaming We'll just keep reopening wounds, And they'll all keep bleeding, And we'll all keep wondering why dark history's always repeating. I'm surprised  your surprised I'm impressed  your impressed I can't believe  you believe  that you're actually  doing your best Cause I see what you see And I've been where  you've been Read all the same stories. So I know how they end. I know how they end. Have we all forgotten  the days When our walls' inscriptions Were still  written in movements And truths  were consistent? Are we all just talking  to talk? Is anyone  still listening? Are we really  the change we want to see? I'm not convinced Or just acting  belligerent. I'm surprised  your surprised I'm impressed  your impressed I can't believe  you believe  that you're actually  doing your best Cause I see what you see And I've been where  you've been Read all the same stories. So I know how they end. I know how they end. We all wind up dead. You're gonna  wind up dead. Everything that you gain you lose. Don't let it include  your head. Everything that you gain you lose. Don't let it include  your head.

This isn't a blog post. This is a serious question that we should all ask ourselves. If you answered yes, please take a look around our website for ways to action. If you answered no, please ask yourself again.