When people hear the term “zero waste” their responses range from disbelief to enthusiasm, confusion, overwhelm, or just blank stares. To clarify, I often say that it doesn’t really mean “ZERO trash or fail.” Rather, “going zero waste” is a lifestyle choice that creates an end goal to strive for: personal eco skills, knowledge, and… Read More 10 Ways “Going Zero Waste” Benefits YOU
Another sweet estate sale score: vintage buttons! And no, this isn’t a stock photo– I sorted these myself to use in making upcycled tree ornaments! Ever wondered WHY there’re so many jars & bags of buttons at estate sales and vintage shops? Especially when most of our factory-made clothing today rarely comes with an extra… Read More Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button?
Plastic-free deodorant: another green idea from olden days, reimagined in modern ways!! Antique deodorants were plastic-free but also had lots of ingredients we now know aren’t good for us– such as boric acid! Today’s mainstream deodorant is better but still has a long way to go, with artificial ingredients and plastic containers. It’s also important… Read More Plastic-free Deodorant
When I started VGR, my first post was about toothbrushes. I thought, let’s begin this project with the item most used at the start of everyone’s day. This research led me to discover how nylon came to replace many natural materials during and after WWII–including previously biodegradable dental floss! Nowadays, we know this mainstream nylon… Read More Biodegradable Dental Floss
Calling all type-A, checklist-loving eco-friends! I’ve created a FREE tool for readers to do your own synthetic fiber closet audit! You can download the free PDF version here and the free Word version here (You don’t need to give your email address but if you’d like to receive new posts from VGR, sign up to… Read More Synthetic Fiber Closet Audit
When we read about plastic in the ocean, we see upsetting images of animals harmed by plastic. Or Instagram posts reminding us to forgo straws and coffee cups. But there’s one thing that’s not mentioned as much as it should be: microfiber and textile pollution. Much of our clothing today is actually made of plastic… Read More Plastic-free Clothes & Textile Recycling
As I write this post, it’s 95 (feels like 105) degrees outside in New Orleans. Having retreated to the shelter of our solar-powered air conditioning to write about the history of DuPont nylon, I’m struggling to envision what it would be like to wear stockings every day of my life– let alone in the summertime!… Read More DuPont Nylon
Intro: The Problem with Plastic Toothbrushes Throughout history, we humans have tried all manner of materials to manage the funk that lives inside our mouths—from cloth wipes, salt, chalk, sticks, and crushed shells, to animal bones, boar’s hair, bird feathers, vinegar, and even nitric acid. Our earliest prototype, from 15th century China, was in fact… Read More Biodegradable Toothbrush
Welcome to Vintage Green Review! VGR suggests environmentally friendly ideas for everyday green living. My goal is to reduce our impact on the planet by making smarter choices about what we buy and how we reduce and reuse BEFORE we even need to recycle or throw something away. And have FUN doing it! I don’t… Read More Environmentally Friendly Readers Welcome!
