Waste Not, Want Not

The Mill Valley resident, her husband, Scott, and their sons Max and Léo generate just one quart of trash a year. Johnson, who details her family’s efforts to live more sustainably in the popular blog www.zerowastehome.blogspot.com and recently released book of the same name lives by the five R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot — in that order. “Don’t take what you don’t need, even if it’s free,” she told Chronicle contributor Anh-Minh Le.

The photo shows the actual jar of garbage that Bea Johnson and her family generated in 2012, which makes me feel totally inefficient and wasteful — until I read the part about how she makes her own toothpaste. I’m all for bringing my own bags to the grocery store, but I’ll continue to live the life of luxury and buy my toiletries at the drug store. Bea Johnson, I salute you (while brushing my teeth with Crest Complete with Scope™).

Support The Billfold

The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Help us continue to do our work by making a monthly pledge on Patreon or a one-time-only contribution through PayPal.