Ask Zieros!

Ask Zieros! is a zero waste & sustainable advice column. It’s created by me, Marty Smyczek. I’m a sustainable life advocate & practitioner, and have been for the last 17+ years. Which is a LOT of failures, and successes in the realm of sustainability. The goal for this column is to put my experiences to good use and answer / help with any and all zero waste & sustainable inquires in any aspect of life that you all may have! Ask Zieros! To ask a question, simply reach out to me in any way that is comfortable for you. Be that here or on another platform that this column is posted. As well as my sustainable shops site in Pittsburgh here: www.zieros.life. All questions will be posted anonymously. I’ll try and answer at least 1 per week, but hopefully more. Any other questions regarding anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Q: Are Rubber Bands Compostable?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: Your typical rubber band (gum band where I’m from!) is not compostable. It’s most likely made of, in some portion, synthetic rubber. The most natural form of rubber band is 100% latex. Do not assume as much unless it says so on the label of the package which the rubber band came in.

Given the threshold for an item to meet being certified “compostable”, a pure rubber band will never meet that criteria; it just takes too long to break down naturally. A pure latex rubber band is in fact, biodegradable. You could throw it in your home compost, but it will just sit there. It would need a commercial composting system, or a very long time to break down.

But it will, eventually, if it is pure latex rubber, break down naturally.

Pure rubber bands are also recyclable! But I ask you: Can you tell me where a rubber recycling plant is, that will also accept your used rubber bands?

Stinger for you to leave you with: 100% pure latex is all natural, and entirely biodegradable. Even so, natural rubber is plagued with environmental issues in the production (deforestation) and disposal (landfill), and the energy, emissions, and waste involved in these processes.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Got a question or problem that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line here, or via https://www.zieros.life/, and see if we can help!

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Q: Typical advice columns can provide advice on relationships. How would sustainability relate to a relationship?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: Man… I’m in no way qualified to provide any sort of relationship advice! Sustainable or otherwise. So much failure…way more than what I would have liked. And it’s all my own fault. Thus, anything I say here is coming from a perspective of hands on experience of total failure. And as a result, what to keep an eye out for, and to avoid, in order to be more sustainable than I have been in a relationship of any measure. 

Take this all with the tiniest grain of salt.

This question is a great one actually, as “sustainability” has to do with absolutely everything, not just the environment. People don’t realize that. The word simply means to have the least, to no negative results for the longest of time frames. Indefinitely if possible. 

Let’s go through a few of my catastrophic failures so that you may have a better chance at developing sustainable relationships. 

Work on yourself before even trying to sustainably connect with others. If you don’t, it will show up in your relationships. And then they have to deal with you failing yourself, and them. Which is just a really shitty thing to push onto another human.

So, show up for yourself first. Then you can show up for others. 

Poor communication. If you cannot communicate with someone …the good, the bad, and the ugly… in a safe, open, and honest way, then your relationship is likely unsustainable and doomed. It’s simple to say, but good communication is sometimes really hard to find, and to develop in yourself. But there are many, many avenues to explore at getting better. So it’s out there if you want to improve. You just gotta admit, like I do, that you suck first! 

Respect. You gotta have respect for all parties in a relationship if you want it to be sustainable and last. If you don’t respect the people in your relationship, that will reveal itself in all sorts of wretched ways. If that happens to you, or you notice it in yourself, try and communicate your feelings, and see if it can be worked through. But, depressingly from my own defeats, I found the best thing for myself and to avoid further destruction to others, was leaving the relationship entirely if respect was lost.

Respect is very hard to get back once lost. 

I’m sure this can be a long list of things, but these three topics, I feel, are core to a sustainable relationship of any kind. At least that’s how I view it from my perspective. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Got a question or problem that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and see if we can help!

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Give Me Resources!

Q: For people who are not local to the shop or have easy access to all the knowledge housed in your brain, what are some suggested resources to be better informed on sustainable products, practices, and reducing waste? Websites, books that can possibly be found at local libraries or second hand stores, etc.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: I’d like to say that I have a bounty of key books, websites, articles, and other resources that contain lot’s of basic, important, and general info to help one out in their sustainable adventure. Shockingly, I only have one that I can honestly say is a go-to resource! And it’s very specific. 

It’s called the “Issue with Tissue”, and it’s a yearly report done by the National Resource Defense Council. The report grades almost all options for Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, and Napkins that are currently on the market. They use a pretty in-depth point system to grade the worst as an “F”, and the best as an “A+”. 

While they review these three items, I only recommend you using it for the Toilet Paper, as there are far more sustainable options for both napkins, and paper towels. Like a Swedish Dish cloth, and washable linen or hemp napkins. 

Beyond that, all of my sustainable knowledge, however useful it may be, has been accumulated in tiny increments from every source I could get my hands on over time. It was collected, questioned, challenged, kept, experimented with, discarded, reviewed, revised, and so on and so on. 

What I can say is that there are tons of websites, books, articles, papers, and much more… with all of the information that you may be seeking for anything you may want. But it’s all broken apart, and the key info isn’t typically all in the same space. 

I recommend you take a specific topic that you want more info on. A product, service, process, anything. Look up that topic in as many places you can. Compare, contrast, see what is similar across the spectrum, see what is different. Then start removing things from your search as they are duplicated or not providing detailed info, so you are left with a few, if not a single resource for the thing you sought that is a concentration of everything you found. 

There are many “zero waste” and “sustainable” sites, books, people, resources, trying to grab your attention with information, and sometimes in your face marketing. Look for sites that have lots of deep dive details on specific items and areas. You might have to dive really deep to get to the bottom of what it is that you are searching for, but it’s better than being fooled by some company trying to make a sale. 

I know, I know…you sought an easy answer. But the easy answers are few and far between here. Yes, there are sites and books with general or specific information that could help you out. But I just don’t have any recommendations in that aspect beyond the one I have already passed on.

With that said, “How” i think about things and view the world, part of the core of what I built myself upon, has a lot to do with the books that I have read. They aren’t books about what you seek, they are more about expanding your mind to see the world from a different perspective. 

You can find a handful of these books, which I call “Good Reads”, on my shops website: https://www.zieros.life/more. These books are across the spectrum, and in my view, open the door to topics and situations that help you see the world from outside your box, or echo chamber. Hopefully helping you build a solid mental foundation where you can discover, and then make all the sustainable choices that you want for your life!

I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more! If I find something, or if anyone reading this does have a fantastic resource, please send it to me and I will put it in a follow up to this question!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Got a question or problem that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and see if we can help!

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Q: You have a question that you answered titled "Three (3) Simple Suggestions". I think people want to know where to start with actual products they buy. Can you provide three beginner products to start a zero waste journey? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: That's a difficult thing to generalize and answer as everyone's situation is different. Being single, as opposed to being a family of 5, or a couple of 2, having health issues, having teenagers vs having babies in your home, having no money vs having extensive funds, being older or younger, your mobility… the variations are unlimited.

Given that, a product that might be a simple beginner starting point for some, might not at all be for others.

I've answered this question in the past as you seek for me to. But it never worked past the conversation I was having, with the person I was having it with.

So after stepping back from myself and thinking about what I was doing and the situation i was engaged in, I took a look at my own adventure. And I realized that it was never a single product that began my journey.

What did happen, is my philosophy, identity, curiosity, and just my whole thought process changed and expanded, bit by tiny bit, over time. This as a result of all sorts of life situations, information, and lots of failing.

The changes in products and what I did with my life, was a reflection of what I changed about myself, who I thought I was, who I wanted to be, my environment, and my curiosity…to name a few key points.

Again, It wasn't a product that I started with. It was a tiny thought somewhere that started everything. Which I could definitely not pinpoint if I tried. Just vague ripplings through time.

While some people may say that they have the perfect "beginner product" suggestion … it's really not true. It's all mental, and it's all situational. If you want to change, then any product could be your "beginner" product. And your beginner product might not be your neighbors beginner product.

So… as this is not what you wanted to hear, I hope that my answer clarifies why I do not suggest specific products.

However! If you have a question on a specific product, do let me know and I can surely help you with that!

Got a question or problem that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and see if we can help!

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Three (3) Simple Suggestions: Follow Up

Q: You have a question that you answered titled "Three (3) Simple Suggestions". I think people want to know where to start with actual products they buy. Can you provide three beginner products to start a zero waste journey? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: That's a difficult thing to generalize and answer as everyone's situation is different. Being single, as opposed to being a family of 5, or a couple of 2, having health issues, having teenagers vs having babies in your home, having no money vs having extensive funds, being older or younger, your mobility… the variations are unlimited.

Given that, a product that might be a simple beginner starting point for some, might not at all be for others.

I've answered this question in the past as you seek for me to. But it never worked past the conversation I was having, with the person I was having it with.

So after stepping back from myself and thinking about what I was doing and the situation i was engaged in, I took a look at my own adventure. And I realized that it was never a single product that began my journey.

What did happen, is my philosophy, identity, curiosity, and just my whole thought process changed and expanded, bit by tiny bit, over time. This as a result of all sorts of life situations, information, and lots of failing.

The changes in products and what I did with my life, was a reflection of what I changed about myself, who I thought I was, who I wanted to be, my environment, and my curiosity…to name a few key points.

Again, It wasn't a product that I started with. It was a tiny thought somewhere that started everything. Which I could definitely not pinpoint if I tried. Just vague ripplings through time.

While some people may say that they have the perfect "beginner product" suggestion … it's really not true. It's all mental, and it's all situational. If you want to change, then any product could be your "beginner" product. And your beginner product might not be your neighbors beginner product.

So… as this is not what you wanted to hear, I hope that my answer clarifies why I do not suggest specific products.

However! If you have a question on a specific product, do let me know and I can surely help you with that!

Got a question or problem that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and see if we can help!

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Rock Salt Does Not Rock!

Q: What do you recommend as a replacement for rock salt to melt snow and ice?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: Well, I certainly do not recommend a blowtorch or a flame thrower! Contrary to what might sound cool, the fire coming out of these tools is incredibly ineffective at melting snow or ice.

The shovel destroys such things in practice in regards to sustainability in this scenario.

With that in mind, before any sort of deicer is used, shoveling is your best weapon and most sustainable option when battling ice and snow. If you are able to keep the spaces you'd like to be clear…clear of all snow, then ice has less of a chance to form.

A sustainable option given all things involved, might be heated sidewalks and driveways. But, this is obviously an option for the few as it's very expensive.

If ice is still a concern after shoveling and you want to throw down some deicer, understand that anything you throw down will cause damage and have some sort of negative effect on animals, plant life, storm drains, waterways, the surface you put it on, your vehicle…pretty much everything it touches.

It's all bad. So let's see what we can do. (Keep in mind that research was not done on the manufacturing of all these items as that could change the sustainability outcome. I just ran out of time do to that at the moment!)

Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) would be my first recommendation. By all current measures, it is the most sustainable alternative to Rock Salt. However, it's hella expensive.

Magnesium chloride is my second suggestion as it might be the least toxic and safer option for living things. It's still harsh, so it's no miracle remedy.

Calcium chloride when compared head on with rock salt is better, but it still harms living things. And while you need less of it, it does cost more than rock salt.

I'd suggest never to use fertilizer (or nitrogen based items like alfalfa) as a deicer. This is a widely suggested alternative, and it does work. However, this chemical will run off and pollute local water systems. Thus not being sustainable.

Some additional food for thought:

Only use deicer in the spaces where you need it. Like where people walk or drive. Any extra spread is a waste and causing unnecessary damage.

Be sure to follow the directions for your deicer to the letter. Using more is not sustainable. It's just more costly, more inefficient, and opens the door for more unnecessary harm.

When laying the deicer down, stay as far away from any plant or wildlife as possible to minimize harm.

Sweep up extra deicer and … get this… reuse it! Ya! Did you ever think to sweep all that extra stuff up to reuse it again? Now you will! Hopefully…

And a stinger to leave you on: There are no proven "Safe" deicers to use around our human companion animals. There are just less harmful options. Whatever you use, use the least amount possible, and don't let it sit once the ice and snow have melted away. Sweep it up, and reuse it!

Got a question or problem that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and see if we can help!

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Friction-less Fun!

Q: Do you have any suggestions for sustainable lube? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: I’m taking a hunch that this question is about lubrication for sex, foreplay, and other fun associated activities, and not lube for mechanical means!

The first thing out of my mouth would be to avoid anything synthetic. Such as items with Parabens, Glycerin / glycerol, Diethanolamine (DEA) and related items, Polyethylene Glycols (PEG), silicones, and other petroleum based lubricants such as vaseline.

Look for Organic certified, plant based, and lubricants with the fewest ingredients.

And if you are trying to get pregnant, have any concerns about the products or their ingredients and their potential effects on your body, definitely speak to a medical professional before using any new item.

Now, In a pinch, spit / saliva would be my first suggestion if you needed something but had nothing, as that is something you almost always have on hand and it is free from all shipping, plastic packaging, manufacturing, and monetary cost! However, this is in limited supply. Good for short form programs, but not sustainable if you are in a icosathlon. For these situations you’ll want to use an actual, serious lubricant. Plus, saliva doesn’t have the necessary non-friction properties that are in lubricants, it dries really fast, can cause UTIs, and can transfer STIs.

Vegetable oils of all kinds are suitable for all sorts of playtime. And pure Organic Coconut Oil is debatably the best oil substance for your makeshift slip ‘n slide. However, use caution as Coconut Oil (like other oils) is not compatible with Latex, Condoms, or Silicone. Oils also can stain and be difficult to get it out of your cloths, sheets, bedding, floor, curtains, tablecloths, upholstery, backseats…basically any cloth material.

In the instances when you do not want oil on everything, as it can be a serious pain in the ass to clean up, seek out a water based version. Some H20 lubricants can dry out quicker than oil lubricants, and could become sticky. My suggestion to this is to apply more! Flip the idea of “Ugh, we gotta add more lube” to “….more lube…” and have some fun with it!

Once you find a lubrication you feel is the most sustainable for you, be sure to do a dive into the company’s transparency, sourcing, information about ingredients, ethics, customer service, shipping, packaging, and so on.

Lastly, I’d also suggest opting for containers that you will re-use. As just buying more plastic to add to the trash heap is not a good move. Additionally, buy the biggest container of it. Or a lot of it at once if you are shipping it. This will cut down on the negatives of travel and distribution. Got a question that you want a zero waste & sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and say hello!

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Three (3) Simple Suggestions.

Q: Pretend I’m brand new to the zero waste movement and want to get started. What are the top 3 easy things you can recommend? Like, beginner level? What would come across as a simple way for me to begin my journey?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: Everything is situational, so it’s hard to give a blanket suggestion that anyone can do to start making more sustainable choices and changes in ones life. From my experiences (mostly failing) this is what I’d suggest, at this moment in time, for 3 simple places for beginners to start.

First, I’d suggest that before you start making any changes and choices, you make the decision to be a more sustainable person who aims to live a more low waste and sustainable life. This means changing your thought process, your identity, or belief structure to mirror what you want to become. 

Example: go from “I’m a person wants to live a low waste life” ..to… “I’m a person who lives a more zero waste and sustainable life”. 

You are telling yourself who you are and want you want to be. And in your daily life you can ask yourself something to the effect of: “Would a zero waste/sustainable person do this? …purchase that?” Thus, you’re creating a mindset that everything else is built upon. Once you have the mind set in a direction where you want to go, and who you want to be, then the decisions will feel more inline to your identity. 

If you don’t change who you are, your beliefs, your systems of thought (etc), then any amount of suggestions that I tell you will never stick if you don’t believe you are that person who is making those decisions and changes. 

The second thing I would suggest is take everything one tiny incremental step at a time. Don’t concern yourself with any sort of ultimate goal. Don’t over do it to the point of burnout. Don’t take more than you can eat. Focus on the one tiny step in front of you. 

It might seem like your tiny step will not make any difference to your situation (or the worlds), but I kid you not; all of those tiny minuscule steps will add up to big changes. 

The third thing I will suggest is to research. Research. RESEARCH! But again, in tiny increments so you do not get burned out or overwhelmed and quit. 

I say research as my third suggestion as that is how you will find what you need. You want more sustainable (insert anything here)? Look it up. Look it up some more. And then repeat the process and compare what you found previously. Look at as many different places, sites, blogs, articles, stores, reviews, science, etc. Look at all aspects of the item or service in question: origin, ingredients, cost, how it was made, who made it, travel distance to you, are they not being transparent, do they have good customer service, how are their items packaged, etc. 

It’s a lot to do. But it is all worth it to avoid making bad choices. I do this for everything in my personal life, and for everything that happens at my shop (Zieros) in Dormont (Pittsburgh, PA). 

But I’ve been doing this for over 17 years now, so it’s common place for me. It’s part of my daily habits. If you are just starting out, take is slow, small, tiny steps, and do not over do it. Break your research down into small increments if you need to. Do it at certain points in the day that fits best with your schedule. And eventually it will become a habit where you “want” to do it, and/or its automatic. 

So! There you go. Those are three things I’d suggest when you are first starting out so that when you do want to make a change, you have a solid core to start with. 

Remember: 1 small tiny step, 1 item or practice at a time.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Got a question or problem that you seek a sustainable answer to? Drop us a line and we will see if we can help!

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BURN DINO'S, BURN!

Q: I'm gonna eat all the plastic and oil I can get! And I hope to burn up all the dinosaurs with my truck! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: You can eat many oils! They can be a delicious part of a smattering of meals! So go right ahead with that. Just be wary not to consume high amounts for health reasons. And do your research as there are oils you should definitely not eat as they will surely kill you.

As per plastic, contrary to beliefs, bad information, and the unending amounts of micro and nano pieces throughout our food supply… humans cannot eat plastic. It's a toxic substance that can cause lot's of damage and kill us. Plastic eating should be avoided at all costs.

As per the burning of "Dinosaurs" in your truck, I'm assuming you are referring to gasoline and/or motor oil. However, this is a myth and is not true. The details of the myth you can read in multiple places online. Just do a search for something like: "does gasoline and crude oil come from dinosaurs?"

What is true, and what you are burning in your truck is: decaying marine organisms, bacteria, and plankton, combined and layered over millions and billions of years with anything else that has settled on the sea bed floor.

From when these organisms were alive, till today, heat and pressure caused this concoction of things to slowly…over millions and millions and millions of years…turn into what we call crude oil or natural gas.

And so, that is what is in your vehicle. No Dinos at all. Time to change that window decal!

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FREE stuff is NOT free.

Q: Hello! My job takes me to many events and places across the country. At these events, almost every vendor has something free to give away. Something as small as a sticker or pen, and things as large as a bag or some sort of door prize.

I've taken these free things at almost every chance i've gotten because, well, they are free. And free things are awesome!

Recently I've been thinking about all this free stuff that I've accumulated over the years. I've given some of it away, some of it sits in a drawer, some of it has been thrown away, and a very small percentage of it I've actually used. And even fewer things where worth using.

Most of this "free" stuff has been, debatably, useless and has ended up as trash. As I step back and look at this and go through my life one tiny step at a time, I'm not so sure taking these free things is worth it given what I did and did not do with them.

What are your thoughts on FREE stuff? What free things do you take given your sustainable life goals?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: Ugh! FREE Stuff! I hate it! It's all junk!

Knee jerk reaction out of the way, let's dive deeper...

I've been in your situation in a previous life: FREE stuff?! I'll take it!

But, as I've moved along through different versions of myself, I've had similar thoughts as you; All this free stuff just accumulates, and almost all of it is junk. Why do I need all of this?

Plus, I didn't need more things with some random companies name on it that I do not care about. I didn't want to promote them...whoever that are. Especially some random drug company. (So many crappy pens!)

As these thoughts progressed, and as I moved one tiny step-by-step into a more sustainable mindset, I decided that if I couldn't use something, I would not take it. Especially if it is free.

Given that mindset, I almost always refuse anything and everything that is free, not just at events as you've mentioned. But free gifts when buying something, free samples of items I didn't ask for, free plasticware, business cards, any sort of company flyer or pamphlet, free stuff of any kind.

If I can't use it, it's just going to become junk, or worse, trash. Thus, I refuse it in the first place.

Every now and again there is something that is being given away for free that I know I will use. But it's rare as most things that are free are either cheaply made to be junk promotional items, or are seriously used to the point of much needed repair.

I will also take things for free when I know I can move them along to some place else. Such as to a person, a donation center, a reuse center, if it is broken and I know it can be fixed, or some amalgamation in-between.

Free stuff isn't FREE at all. It has a cost. And I'm mot speaking financially. Every single "Free" item had to be made somewhere, with resources that could have been put to better use somewhere else, or not even used at all. Then transported to where it is to be given away for free. Not to mention what happens to it when it does get given away.

In the end "Free" stuff just isn't worth it to take if you absolutely do not have a use for it. Be respectful, decline the item, thank them for offering, and be on your way.

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Non-Food Organic? What?!

Q: I've seen things state they are certified organic, but are not food. Is this real or am I being lied to? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A: Taking into consideration that I do not know the item(s) you are referencing, the simple answer is: if there is a provable organic certification on an item that is not food, then you are not being lied to!

Non-food and non-grown items can be certified through their process. An example would be Baking Soda / Sodium Bicarbonate. This is a mineral. This can be certified by making the process —extraction and production— adhere to the organic standards.

But, if you just see the "word" organic on something without the certified logo, then you should be highly skeptical. Definitely look into the item and contact the company to prove this claim. The process (or ingredients) they are using might follow organic standards or be certified organic, but the item they have made is not certified.

I suggest you look into it no matter what. Because certifications do expire, and companies do promote false claims to trick consumers into buying their goods and services.

Again, you are not being lied to when you see such a logo on a non-food, non-grown item. This can most certainly happen.

Here is a link to the USDA's Organic Integrity Database: https://organic.ams.usda.gov/integrity. You will be able to find any- and everything that is or has been certified as organic.

A stinger for you to leave on: An item can be certified Organic, but the packaging isn't part of the certification process. That is why you see certified items that are wrapped in plastic. Which (almost always) defeats the purpose of having an item certified as the packaging will do the harm to the environment that the certification aims to reduce and remove.