What does Bea Johnson, the author behind Zero Waste Home, think?

Bea Johnson, the author behind the blog Zero waste Home, was so kind to answer my question.

Bea Johnson is the author of Zero Waste Home, which is a great guide to make your home Zero waste! She covers all kinds of topics, like Household, Groceries, Bathroom and Hygiene etc.

What is the difference between Zero waste shopping in the U.S. and Europe?

Package free alternatives are not the norm in Europe or the US. But both countries have great potential. In the US, baking soda and hair conditioner can be purchased loose (two items that I have not been able to find on my European visits). But Europe also has advantages over the US. Here are a few examples. The farmer’s markets are a great source of unpackaged and cut-to-order products (in the US, the farmer’s market sells animal products shrink-wrapped in plastic). Bulk wine is much more common than it is here. Butter and cream can be purchased by weight at the cheese counter. Eggs are often sold loose in the store. The countryside is full of artisanal products such as olive oil, goat based products, honey, etc. and their artisans happily fill your container to save one of theirs.

It is up to each one to exploit what his/her region has to offer. That’s what my family does in California but also everywhere we travel. Reducing packaging waste depends as much on availability and local rules as it does on consumer’s commitment and ones ability to find bulk alternatives.

Waste-free living is as much a different way of thinking as it is a different way of „seeing“. Overtime, I have acquired a selective vision. I no longer see products that are packaged but only those that are unpackaged. I do not focus on the package world; I focus on the unpackaged one. Once you have that vision, you see and find bulk everywhere!

To get started, check out my app, Bulk: it points to nearby locations and allows you to share the ones that you discover with the Zero Waste community. And I am excited to report that my book, Zero Waste Home, is inspiring readers to open Zero Waste stores everywhere!