I Wore the Same Shirt for a Week — And Here's What Happened

If you’ve been following me for any period of time then you probably know I HATE laundry. I hardly ever wash my clothes because I A. hate it and B. like to think that I’m doing my part for saving the environment.

I love getting to justify my laziness with saving the planet. I ONLY wash clothes when they stink and by following a few simple rules, that hardly ever happens.

1. I can’t wear the same shirt back to back

2. I spray it with my homemade Febreze

3. It has to air out between washes

The reason I don’t normally wear the same shirt back to back is because giving the fibers space and time to breathe between wears keeps the washing down.

However, Icebreaker sent me one of their tees, and challenged me to throw my rules out the window. They challenged me to try and wear the same shirt for seven days straight to see if it could hold up without washing.

And, well, Icebreaker - challenge accepted.

This post was sponsored by Icebreaker. All thoughts and opinions are my own for more information please see my disclosure policy.

about the shirt:

I was sent the women’s cool-lite solace short sleeve scoop tee in sky blue. It was shipped to me in a small cardboard tube without any plastic packaging.

The shirt is made from merino-wool which is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and rockstar for temperature regulation. Wool has been my favorite natural fiber for a very long time.

Icebreaker has a very strict animal welfare policy that ensures a healthy, low stress quality of life for the sheep.

I know there have been some questions about the ethics of wool, but sheep have to be sheared or else they’re at risk for over heating, immobility and at risk for infections from urine, feces, and other materials that can become trapped in the wool.

Of course, this isn’t to say that all wool producers treat their sheep with respect so you still have to be careful which farm your wool is being sourced from, but I do not have a problem with wool if it comes from a small family farms who treat their sheep with care!

Icebreaker produces a transparency report every year that covers everything from social responsibility, worker safety, animal welfare, and environmental integrity. Read the Report

day one - friday:

To be honest, I went into this with a goal of really trying to test this shirt and not hold back on my daily activities.

I kicked day one off by being late to my brunch meeting (my favorite type of meeting) which meant Nala and I were careening at breakneck speed toward the rendezvous point.

I was wearing my lined trench coat which got really warm after traveling about two miles to the brunch spot. After brunch Nala and I had a breezy stroll back to the house where I proceeded to work from home.

Day One - PASS

day two - saturday:

Day two was filled with wine tasting. My dad came into town speaking of which did you see my guide to eco-friendly father’s day presents?

And, we hit up a few wineries. We went to Opus One and Gamble with a few family friends. Now, what I learned was while my shirt might be odor resistant… it is not clumsy resistant. Thankfully, I managed to skate by without pouring red wine all over myself. A challenge indeed.

After spending most of the day in Napa, I came home and went to bed.

Day Two - PASS

day three - sunday :

Ah, day three… almost half way through! I walked a lot in the morning. I walked around town, took Nala on a walk, walked to brunch and went down to East Bay Booksellers to sign a few copies of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste.

In the afternoon, I lounged in the hammock all day drawing and watching TV on my laptop. That evening I made a really nice dinner for both Justin and me and we opened one of the bottles of wine I picked up from wine tasting the day before.

While cooking, I wore an apron because remember - these tees might be the sturdiest tees in the world, but they're not clumsy proof!

Day Three - PASS

day four - monday:

Today was a lot of sitting in my office writing, answering emails, and then of course - taking Nala on a walk. I know that the rest of the week is going to be pretty busy so today was all about buckling down and getting ahead of my work for the coming week.

Day Four - PASS

day five - tuesday :

Oh boy did we me and my scoop tee go on an adventure today! First up I had an interview, I dropped Nala off at dog daycare, then a voice lesson, followed by a doctors appointment, and then after I picked Nala up from day care we went on a walk.

It’s was a day where I was bouncing all over the city running from place to place.

When Nala and I go on walks I like to listen to audio books, and I just finished my books and I really need to find a new one….

Day Five - PASS

day six - wednesday:

Here we are the final stretch, and I have to say that while the shirt doesn’t smell bad, it certainly does seem like it could go for a nice freshening up.

I didn’t do much today at all. I pretty much just stuck around the house doing the normal things, answering 5,000 emails, cooking, and picking up the house.

Nala was so tired from yesterday at day care that she didn’t even wake up until 2 pm! If she’s feeling up for it, we might go on a walk a little later around 6. Just need to find a good book…. promptly spends 3 hours on good reads instead of working

Day Six - TOEING THE LINE

day seven - thursday:

Today is the final day of the challenge and as I was seasoning my cast iron skillet after breakfast I splash oil all over myself - remember - not clumsy proof.

So, alas, I removed my shirt applied a bit of liquid soap, ran it under cold water and hung it to dry. I’m hoping that I got the stain out in time, and then I’ll throw it in the wash. All in all though 7 days, one shirt and I’m really impressed!

Day Seven - PASS

final takeaways:

My final takeaways from this challenge might be a little surprising… but the main one is that I really enjoyed the ease of knowing what I was going to wear in the morning.

Knowing that I was going to be wearing this baby blue tee eliminated the question of, “What am I going to wear today?”

Now, I probably wouldn’t wear the same shirt seven days in a row again, but it’s nice knowing that I could if I needed too. However, Icebreaker tees would be perfect for traveling when you’re crunched on space!

I’ve loved the baby blue tee so much, that I’m actually planning on buying this tee in blush pink.

Eco-Friendly Father's Day Gifts

This year I rounded up a few eco-friendly Mother’s Day Gifts, and thought it was only fair to do the same thing for dear old dad.

When it comes to shopping for my dad, I have it pretty easy because he loves to cook. He likes good food and wine both of which are consumable gifts - my favorite type of gifts to both give and receive.

Consumable gifts are great because you get to enjoy them, and then once they’re gone… they’re gone. They don’t stick around taking up space and creating clutter. Check out this post for a complete guide to consumable gifts.

TBH, the last thing my dad needs is more stuff. He pretty much has ALL of the stuff that he needs. I’m guessing you dad probably does too? After all most people are left with the conundrum, “What can I gift my dad that’s not a tie….?”

Well, not today! I’ve rounded up a list of things that I’m considering buying my dad for Father’s Day some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy!

1. ask him what he wants:

I think first and foremost, you should ask him if there’s anything that he actually wants or needs. Maybe he needs new socks or really wants a sous-vide cooker with a 4 pack of stasher bags. If that sounds oddly specific, that’s because it’s what my dad actually wants.

It blows my mind that people try to buy other people gifts without asking them what they want. So much waste could be saved by simply asking the other person. So, before you go on a buying spree - ASK.

2. fair-trade coffee:

My dad is a big coffee drinker, and buying coffee beans is always a safe bet. Similarly, for me, buying me a nice box of loose leaf tea is always appreciated and will definitely be consumed. When my boss went to London he brought my back a box of Earl Grey from Harrods and it was SO thoughtful! Way better than getting a t-shirt I probably wouldn’t wear.

I’ve rounded up a few different types of sustainable coffee that are organic and fair-trade.

• Equal Exchange

• Tiny Footprint

• Mayorga

3. a gift-card for a round of golf:

My dad is a pretty classic dad. He loves to spend his weekend on the golf course. We actually used to golf together when I was kid. Golf courses have long been seen as a blight in the eco-friendly community, but after being asked to attend the Waste Management Phoenix Open (a zero waste event for more than 16,000 people) I decided to look into how eco-friendly golf courses really are.

The answers might surprise you! See if there’s a sustainable golf course near you, and buy him a gift card for a game!

4. sailing lessons:

My dad loves to sail. As a kid my dad thought it would be fun to take my mom and I on a three day sailing excursion while he got his sailing license. All I remember is being sea sick which has put me off on traveling by boat for any extended period of time.

Even the ferry ride into SF can make me feel a little dizzy so while I may not be going on any sailing expeditions any time soon, I think sailing lessons would be a great gift!

5. a nice bottle of wine:

I live near Napa which is wine central in the US. Any time my dad comes to visit we typically go to a few wineries for tastings.

I always joke that wine tasting is one of the most eco-friendly activities in the bay area. Everything is local, made on site, and you taste out of real glasses! #ZEROWASTE. ;)

If you’re headed to the bay area you can check out my favorite places zero waste edition which includes a list of my favorite wineries.

6. tickets to a concert:

Now, my husband is only a father to our dog, but he’s a bit modern and I started thinking about what I would buy him for Father’s Day. And, if I were to pick out the perfect gift for Justin, I would definitely be tickets for a concert.

Justin loves music so if you’re trying to buy a gift for a music lover, concert tickets might be the way to go.

7. take him out to dinner:

I mean is there really anything better than going out to a nice dinner together? This is one of my favorite gifts to give people.

8. a homemade fresh loaf of bread:

Who doesn’t love fresh, homemade bread! It’s the perfect gift if you’re into baking.

9. undershirts, socks, hankies:

My husband can always use undershirts, socks, hankies or boxers. Most of these items make their way into his stocking during Christmas. I’ve rounded up a few places you can find sustainable basics for men, but will be writing a whole post on that soon as an accompaniment to the post I did for Women’s Sustainable Everyday Underwear.

• Icebreaker

• Pact

• Organic Basics - you can get $10 off with the code OBKATHRYN

• Boody

10. speakers:

I know that Justin would love to have a portable speaker to bring on picnics this summer and is pretty much always in need of headphones. House of Marley is one of the few brands that’s offering sustainable electronics. They use mindfully sourced materials including bamboo, FSC™ certified wood, recyclable aluminum, plastic and fabrics.

• wooden turntable

• bluetooth portable speaker

• headphones

11. organic cologne:

Justin really likes to wear cologne. It’s funny because he applies cologne daily before he leaves, but I’m lucky if I ever remember to apply perfume.

Last year I slipped a vial of DedCool into his stocking and he’s loved it so much! I always trust Credo when it comes to product recommendations because they do all of the homework for me to make sure that everything reaches a very high level of criteria when it comes to clean beauty. You can learn more from the Credo Creed.

12. sustainable spirits:

I feel like spirits are also a really popular gift to give guys so when you’re looking for spirits try and look for ones that are sustainable. Unfortunately, we don’t have many distilleries around where I live so I pretty much have to buy them in store.

ABSOLUT:

Absolut is an incredibly sustainable vodka, and they’re a zero waste company. Their main by-product is stillage which is what’s leftover from the wheat fermentation.

Their stillage is an excellent food source and is used to feed thousands of pigs and cows in the surrounding area which reduces the need to import soy-based feed. (Soy is one of the leading causes of deforestation in the rainforest)

Absolut has one have one of the most energy-efficient distilleries in the world which is completely carbon neutral! You can read more about their sustainability initiatives here.

PATRON:

Patron is an incredibly sustainable tequila. They’re proactively funding a study with a top agricultural research center in Mexico to ensure the sustainability of the Weber Blue Agave plant for the entire industry.

They create more than 5,500 tons of fertilizer compost a year from leftover agave fibers from the production process, and take used agave fibers from 10 neighboring distilleries free of charge.

Since 2015, Patron has reforested or donated approximately 16,000 trees to their local community of Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco. Read more about their sustainability initiatives.

GLENGOYNE:

Glengoyne is an incredibly sustainable whiskey. They filter their whiskey in a natural way that produces less waste, energy, and increases wildlife. They’re situated in the wetlands are rich of biodiversity.

The wetlands are home to around 14,500 plants of 20 varieties – attracting songbirds, dragonflies and lots of other wildlife. They’re an exclusive partner of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).

Wetlands are incredibly good at keeping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Wetlands cover less than five percent of the world’s surface, but they lock away about a third of its terrestrial carbon which is even more lot more efficient than, say, a forest. Learn more about their sustainability initiatives here.

I would love to know, what are you getting your dad for Father’s Day?

Four Tips for Starting a Zero Waste Lifestyle

Most beginner guides for going zero waste are full of simple swaps, but there’s so much more to zero waste living than replacing your household items.

Don’t get me wrong, I love swaps too like The Ultimate Guide to Zero Waste Swaps and 3 Easy Ways to Cut your Trash by 80%, but I think the tips below are the four most important tips I can give you for going zero waste.

They’re essentially the building block of zero waste, minimalism, and eco-friendly living. If you’re feeling a bit more advanced check out my post the Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide to Going Zero Waste which lays out the different areas you’ll cross through from beginner to advanced!

But, before we get to it... I'd like to inrtoduce you to this post's sponsor!

This post was sponsored by Arbor Teas. All thoughts and opinions are my own for more information please see my disclosure policy.

Y’all. You know I love Arbor Teas Arbor Teas and I’m going to hit all the high points with a bullet blitz! BULLET BLITZ.

• Only tea brand to offer loose leaf tea in backyard compostable packaging!
• They package in cellulose making the switch from canisters reduced the carbon footprint of their packages by 60% (AMAZING!)
• They package all of their teas in a solar powered building
• All of their shipments are offset carbon neutral
• They source their teas from organic, biodynamic, and regenerative farms.
• They have plastic free matcha. I repeat PLASTIC FREE MATCHA.
• They are just genuinely the nicest people on the face of the planet.
• And, their teas are just freaking amazing!

buy less:

The average American throws out 4.4lbs of trash a day, and that’s not even the half of it for everything that we throw away on average 70% is lost in the manufacturing. We only see 30% of the trash made!

THAT'S INSANE. 

Buying less is the number one thing you can do to produce less trash. 

Before buying anything make sure you really truly need it. I always ask myself a series of questions.

• Do you really need it?

• Is it really necessary?

• Can something else make do?

• Do you need to own it?

Zero waste is not just about the trash jar. It's also not solely about the landfill.

Trash is really just a physical representation of misallocated resources. I always say, very rarely do we have waste problems - we have creative thinking problems!

Have you heard of Earth Overshoot Day? It's a day on the calendar that marks when we’ve consumed all of the resources the earth can sustainably produce for the year, and it came at the beginning of August last year.

That’s BAD.

We're using 1.5 earth's worth of resources. It's completely unsustainable. So, the best thing we can do for the planet is to buy less. 

buy well:

However, there are still purchases we need to make. If you don't live completely off grid/are self-sustaining, you'll need to make some purchases.

So when you do purchase something, really think about its full life-cycle. Think about where it came from and where it's going after you're through with it. 

Here are a series of questions I like to ask myself when making a new purchase.

• Ask a friend.

• Can you find it second hand?

• Can you find it local?

• Who made it?

• Is it made to last/ can it be repaired?

• What happens when you’re done with it?

Always check the secondhand market first and if you're going to buy something new make sure you're taking everything into consideration.

And, whatever you do don't settle. 

If I've learned anything in two years of zero waste living, it's that settling for something your not 100% happy with inevitably means you will be unhappy with it. Then you'll look for something else which is a waste of money and time. 

So whatever you buy, just make sure that you love it. 

find contentment:

We live in a world full of constant advertisements that tell us we’re not enough. They tell us in order to be happy or be loved we have to have this product. That their product will solve all of our problems. That it will make us happy or loved - which of course… we logically know isn’t true.

But, advertisers are really good at manipulating our subconscious so one of the most rebellious and radical things you can do is to simply find contentment with what you already have. One of the best ways to do that is to practice gratitude!

Things don't define you. They don't give you worth. Instead of buying things to make you look better or cooler, try spending time bettering yourself. Take a class, learn a new skill, focus on self-improvement. 

So many studies have been done that people who opt for experiences instead of things are generally happier.

strike a balance: 

And, like you've heard on this blog a hundred times before, it's not about perfection it's about making better choices. 

Personal sustainability is super important check out the post I wrote about it - The Five Rules of Personal Sustainability. It's one of my favorite blog posts I've ever written. 

The thing is, we live in a perfect zero waste society instead we live in a world where things are designed to be thrown away. Check out this post if you’re interested to learn more about the Circular Economy vs. a Linear Economy.

Things aren’t going to go our way 100% of the time and that’s OK. All we can do is the best we can where we are.

What would be some of your tips for someone starting a zero waste life?