LessImpact.orghttps://lessimpact.org/2026-11-02T23:37:57.025120-08:00How to Start Sustainable Living on a Budgethttps://lessimpact.org/how-to-start-sustainable-living-on-a-budget/2026-10-26T20:53:07.710188-07:002026-10-26T20:53:07.710188-07:00Ethan ParkThe cheapest way to live more sustainably is also the way that saves the most money. Stop wasting the food, heat and electricity you already pay for, and...How to Choose Zero Waste Kitchen Productshttps://lessimpact.org/how-to-choose-zero-waste-kitchen-products/2026-10-19T20:18:37.188477-07:002026-10-19T20:18:37.188477-07:00Amy RobertsBefore you buy any zero waste kitchen product, run it through five questions: what it's made of, whether it's built to be reused, what its labels can prove,...Setting Up a Zero Waste Kitchen Sinkhttps://lessimpact.org/setting-up-a-zero-waste-kitchen-sink/2026-10-12T19:18:51.393052-07:002026-10-12T19:18:51.393052-07:00Sarah MitchellRight now, whatever lands in your sink goes down the drain by default, and so do the scraps and grease that come off your plates. This page sets up the sink...How to Start a Zero-Waste Kitchenhttps://lessimpact.org/how-to-start-a-zero-waste-kitchen/2026-10-09T17:57:22.316219-07:002026-10-09T17:57:22.316219-07:00Sarah MitchellStart a zero-waste kitchen with a one-week trash audit, not a shopping trip. The audit tells you which kind of waste your kitchen produces most, so your...Can You Compost Paper Towelshttps://lessimpact.org/can-you-compost-paper-towels/2026-09-27T21:34:24.104306-07:002026-09-27T21:34:24.104306-07:00Ethan ParkYes, you can compost a used paper towel if the only thing on it is food or water. Keep it out if it wiped up grease or oil, touched a cleaning product, or...Are Bamboo Paper Towels Actually Eco-Friendlyhttps://lessimpact.org/are-bamboo-paper-towels-actually-eco-friendly/2026-09-27T21:26:49.653058-07:002026-09-27T21:26:49.653058-07:00Ethan ParkBamboo paper towels are eco-friendly only in a narrow sense. The disposable kind is better than towels made from virgin tree pulp but worse than 100%...What Paper Towels Really Cost You Per Yearhttps://lessimpact.org/what-paper-towels-really-cost-you-per-year/2026-09-27T21:17:50.536749-07:002026-09-27T21:17:50.536749-07:00Amy RobertsIf your household uses paper towels regularly, you are probably spending about $200 a year on them, and more than $400 if you go through two or more premium...How Often You Should Wash a Swedish Dishclothhttps://lessimpact.org/how-often-you-should-wash-a-swedish-dishcloth/2026-09-27T21:06:26.327553-07:002026-09-27T21:06:26.327553-07:00Amy RobertsRinse and wring your Swedish dishcloth after every use, hang it open to dry, and give it a full wash at least once a week. If you use it all day, or it has...How to Make No-Sew Unpaper Towels at Homehttps://lessimpact.org/how-to-make-no-sew-unpaper-towels-at-home/2026-09-27T20:58:49.650422-07:002026-09-27T20:58:49.650422-07:00Sarah MitchellWhen you finish, you will have a roll or a basket of cloth towels cut from fabric you already own, with no sewing and no snaps. The work is all cutting, so...The Best Paper Towel Alternatives That Actually Workhttps://lessimpact.org/the-best-paper-towel-alternatives-that-actually-work/2026-09-27T20:50:45.292162-07:002026-09-27T20:50:45.292162-07:00Amy RobertsFor most US kitchens, the paper towel alternatives that work are two inexpensive ones used together. Use Swedish dishcloths for wiping counters and spills....Using Electric Composter Output in Your Gardenhttps://lessimpact.org/using-electric-composter-output-in-your-garden/2026-09-27T20:39:24.102334-07:002026-11-02T22:42:19.334395-08:00Amy RobertsBy the end of this you will have your composter's output worked into a bed at a rate that feeds plants and doesn't burn them. The work takes about 20...Fixing a Smelly Electric Composterhttps://lessimpact.org/fixing-a-smelly-electric-composter/2026-09-27T20:31:40.473044-07:002026-09-27T20:31:40.473044-07:00Amy RobertsIn about 20 minutes of hands-on work plus one run cycle, you can get a smelly electric composter back to near odor-free. The one thing to know first: a...What You Can Put in an Electric Composterhttps://lessimpact.org/what-you-can-put-in-an-electric-composter/2026-09-27T20:25:13.421821-07:002026-09-27T20:25:13.421821-07:00Ethan ParkMost electric composters take far more than a backyard pile will, including cooked meat, cheese and small bones, but every one of them has a hard stop at...What an Electric Composter Costs to Runhttps://lessimpact.org/what-an-electric-composter-costs-to-run/2026-09-27T20:16:53.862334-07:002026-09-27T20:16:53.862334-07:00Ethan ParkRunning an electric composter once a day costs most US households roughly $3 to $6 a month in electricity. Three numbers set that cost: the kilowatt-hours...Is an Electric Composter Actually Worth Ithttps://lessimpact.org/is-an-electric-composter-actually-worth-it/2026-09-27T20:09:59.840809-07:002026-09-27T20:09:59.840809-07:00Amy RobertsFor most households, an electric composter is not worth the $400 to $1,000 that the mainstream models cost. It earns its price in one situation: you have no...The Average Household Wastes $762 a Year on Groceries Here's How to Get It Backhttps://lessimpact.org/the-average-household-wastes-762-a-year-on-groceries-heres-how-to-get-it-back/2026-09-17T06:10:07.907526-07:002026-09-17T06:10:07.907526-07:00Ethan ParkThe number to start from is $762 a year, per person. That is ReFED's 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report figure for the annual cost of food that gets produced and...The Best Secondhand Shopping Apps to Get You Through Second Hand Septemberhttps://lessimpact.org/the-best-secondhand-shopping-apps-to-get-you-through-second-hand-september/2026-09-13T22:59:56.490548-07:002026-09-13T22:59:56.490548-07:00Ethan ParkStart with Vinted. Of the five apps here, it was the only one charging sellers nothing at all in 2026: no listing fee, no commission, no processing cut. Its...Nature Scavenger Hunt for Zero Waste Kidshttps://lessimpact.org/nature-scavenger-hunt-for-zero-waste-kids/2026-01-19T12:35:41.579849-08:002026-01-19T12:35:41.579849-08:00Ethan ParkGetting kids excited about sustainability doesn't require expensive toys or complicated projects. A nature scavenger hunt transforms any outdoor space into...DIY Eco Crafts Kids Lovehttps://lessimpact.org/diy-eco-crafts-kids-love/2026-01-16T09:05:59.445509-08:002026-10-01T11:05:27.662777-07:00Sarah MitchellThese are seven eco crafts that use what is already in your recycling bin. They are for parents who want an afternoon project that cuts waste instead of...Waste to Wellness Zero Waste Fermentation Guidehttps://lessimpact.org/waste-to-wellness-zero-waste-fermentation-guide/2026-01-12T19:09:17.330624-08:002026-11-02T23:37:57.025120-08:00Ethan ParkPicture this: the wilted cabbage leaves you'd normally toss, the beet tops destined for the compost bin, the slightly soft carrots lingering in your crisper...DIY Home Energy Audit in 5 Stepshttps://lessimpact.org/diy-home-energy-audit-in-5-steps/2026-01-11T11:07:29.422752-08:002026-01-11T11:07:29.422752-08:00Sarah MitchellHave you ever opened your utility bill and wondered where all that energy actually went? You're not alone. Most homeowners have no idea that their homes are...Spring Eco Home Refreshhttps://lessimpact.org/spring-eco-home-refresh/2026-01-08T08:56:28.298449-08:002026-01-08T08:56:28.298449-08:00Ethan ParkThere's something deeply satisfying about throwing open the windows on the first warm day of spring and breathing fresh air into a stuffy home. Spring...Zero Waste Meal Prep That Actually Cuts Trashhttps://lessimpact.org/zero-waste-meal-prep-hacks/2026-01-07T08:40:22.818101-08:002026-10-01T11:06:23.335617-07:00Sarah MitchellZero waste meal prep means planning, shopping for and portioning a week of food ahead, so that less of it, and less of its packaging, ends up in the trash....Summer Social Sustainability Guidehttps://lessimpact.org/summer-social-sustainability-guide/2026-01-06T08:00:18.089139-08:002026-01-06T08:00:18.089139-08:00Sarah MitchellSummer brings longer days, warmer weather, and a natural inclination to spend time outdoors with neighbors and friends. It's also the season when our...How to Start Composting for Freehttps://lessimpact.org/how-to-start-composting-for-free/2026-01-05T00:51:03.138531-08:002026-01-05T00:51:03.138531-08:00Sarah MitchellComposting doesn't require fancy tumblers, expensive bins, or specialty tools. Everything you need to start transforming kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich...5 Zero-Waste School Lunch Ideashttps://lessimpact.org/zero-waste-school-lunch-ideas/2026-01-05T00:50:59.846347-08:002026-11-02T22:12:36.630745-08:00Sarah MitchellEvery school day, millions of lunch bags head out the door packed with plastic wrap, disposable bags, and single-use containers. By the end of the year,...Incandescent Bulb vs LED Energy Savings Comparedhttps://lessimpact.org/led-vs-incandescent-light-bulbs/2026-01-05T00:50:56.325132-08:002026-10-01T11:05:53.394078-07:00Sarah MitchellBuy the LED. An 800-lumen LED gives you the same light as a 60-watt incandescent on roughly a seventh of the power. At 2026 electricity prices it earns back...Beeswax Wraps for Beginnershttps://lessimpact.org/beeswax-wraps-for-beginners/2026-01-05T00:50:51.724770-08:002026-01-05T00:50:51.724770-08:00Sarah MitchellIf you've been eyeing those colorful, patterned fabric squares at your local eco-store and wondering whether they could really replace the plastic wrap in...Best Reusable Water Bottles in 2026https://lessimpact.org/best-reusable-water-bottles-2026/2026-01-05T00:50:47.310216-08:002026-11-02T21:45:21.765005-08:00Sarah MitchellAmericans purchase roughly 50 billion plastic water bottles annually, with only about 30% making it to recycling facilities. The rest ends up in landfills,...7 Low-Cost Winter Energy Saving Tipshttps://lessimpact.org/low-cost-winter-energy-saving-tips/2026-01-05T00:50:44.898661-08:002026-01-05T00:50:44.898661-08:00Sarah MitchellWinter doesn't have to mean dreading your energy bill. While heating typically accounts for the largest portion of home energy use during cold months,...