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    • Zero Waste For Beginners
      • Pros And Cons Of Safety Razors (2022)
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      • Best Menstrual Cup For Heavy Flow (List)
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      • The Most Sustainable Protein Bars: numove (Review)
      • 14 Sustainable Zero Waste Protein Powders (Plastic-Free & Vegan)
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      • 21 Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps & Essentials (And Where To Find Them!)
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      • Kipli Natural Latex Pillow (Review)
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      • 15 Zero Waste Vitamins & Plastic-Free Supplements (2022)
      • 6 Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Ziploc Bags
      • Toilet Paper Without Plastic Packaging: 19 Plastic-Free Options
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      • 9 Of The Healthiest Water Bottles In 2022
      • The 8 BEST Compost Bins For An Apartment
      • 10 Low Waste Products to Lower 70% of Your Waste
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      • 8 Waste Disposal Problems And 8 Fantastic Solutions
      • 6 Zero Waste Alternatives to Trash Bags
      • 6 Ways To Reduce The Use Of Plastic Bags
      • How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents (Or Roommates)?
      • 9 Disadvantages Of Zero Waste (+Solutions)
      • How Can We Encourage People To Produce Less Waste?
      • 6 Easy Ways To Freeze Bread Without Plastic
      • 16 Surprising Benefits Of Going Zero Waste
      • Why Is Palm Oil Bad For The Environment?
    • Zero Waste FAQ’s
      • Are Shampoo Bars Good For Your Hair?
      • Is Zero Waste REALLY Possible?
      • How Zero Waste Helps The Environment
      • Types Of Biodegradable Plastics
      • What Is Biodegradable Plastic Made Of?
      • Is Silicone Better Than Plastic?
      • Is Silicone Biodegradable Or Recyclable?
      • Can You Compost Pizza Boxes?
      • 4 Dangers Of Reusing Plastic Water Bottles
      • Why Should We Reduce The Use Of Plastic
      • Does Zero Waste Make a Difference?
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      • 17 Creative Things To Do With Old Clothes That Cannot be Donated
      • 24 Things To Do With Plastic Containers (Repurposing Ideas)
      • How To Recycle Paper – The ultimate guide
      • 11 Types Of Paper That Cannot Be Recycled
      • How To Recycle Metal: Step-by-step process
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      • How To Organize A Clothing Swap (Guide + Tips)
      • How To Store Vegetables & Fruits Without Plastic (2022)
      • Greenwashing 101: All You Need To Know (2021)
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      • 15 Actionable Steps To Save Money With Zero Waste ($5,337 A Year)
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      • Are There Ethical Arguments for Eating Meat?
      • How To Become Vegan Slowly: A step-by-step beginner’s guide
      • 8 Environmental Benefits Of Reducing Meat Consumption
      • How Are Pigs Killed: The Brutality Of Animal Agriculture
    • Minimalism
      • Project 333: Rules & Template
      • 68 Things To Get Rid Of (Minimalism)
      • How To Become A Minimalist In 30 Days
      • 55 Things I Stopped Buying To Save Money And Waste
      • How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes: 9 Steps
      • 41 Non-Materialistic Gifts For Any Budget
  • DIY
    • 3-Ingredient Homemade Deodorant Without Coconut Oil
    • Non-Greasy Lotion Bar Recipe (Vegan & Without Beeswax)
    • The BEST Non-Greasy Whipped Body Butter Recipe For Dry Skin
    • DIY Coffee Scrub (Without Coconut Oil)
    • 7 DIY Beauty Products You Can Make At Home
    • How To Make Air Freshener with Essential Oils And Baking Soda
    • Remineralizing Tooth Powder Recipe
    • How to Make Aloe Vera Mouthwash
    • How To Make Dry Shampoo At Home: 3 Ways
    • Best DIY Deodorant For Smelly Armpits (4 Recipes)
    • 3 DIY Zero Waste Toothpaste Recipes
    • 36 Creative Ideas To Use Glass Jars (with pictures)
  • Zero Waste Recipes
    • Healthy Protein Sweets
      • Healthy Vegan Twix Bars (High-Protein Recipe)
      • Chickpea Cookie Dough Protein Bars (No Bake)
      • Vegan Protein Bounty Bars
      • Orange Chocolate Pea Protein Bars (Recipe)
      • Homemade Protein Bars (Low Calorie, Vegan, No Bake)
      • Healthy Vegan Fudge (5 Ingredients, No-Bake, Low Calorie)
      • Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Protein Muffins
      • Vanilla Protein Powder Muffins (Vegan)
      • Hemp Protein Powder Energy Balls (Vegan)
    • Sweet Snacks
      • Chocolate Chip Cookies In A Jar With Printable Tags (Recipe)
      • Ridiculously Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
      • Cashew Pulp Cookies (Vegan, 4 Ingredients)
      • Old Fashioned Fig Bars Recipe (Vegan)
    • No Bake & Raw Sweets
      • No-Bake Double Chocolate Walnuts Bars
      • 4-Ingredient Date And Peanut Butter Energy Balls
      • Caramel Fudge Without Condensed Milk (Vegan)
      • Peanut Flour Energy Balls Recipe
    • Brownies & Cakes
      • Healthy Marbled Banana Bread (Vegan)
      • Flourless Healthy Pumpkin Brownies (Fudgy & Vegan)
      • Sweet Potato Protein Brownies (Vegan, Gf)
      • Healthy White Bean Blueberry Blondies (Vegan)
      • Fudgy Almond Butter Brownies (Vegan)
      • Vegan Pumpkin Protein Brownies
    • Cheesecake, Tart & Pies
      • Easy Chocolate Orange Tart (Vegan & No Bake)
      • Raw Lemon Cheesecake (Vegan, 9 Ingredients)
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      • Peanut Butter Pie From Scratch (Vegan, No Bake)
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How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents (Or Roommates)?

by Merilin Vrachovska
in Articles, Zero Waste Living Tips
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Going zero waste when you aren’t independent and still live with your parents can be a hustle.

If you wonder how to be zero waste when living with parents, remember that the most important thing is to focus on yourself and the things under your control. 

Switch to reusables, don’t buy new things, choose second-hand, eat more plant-based, don’t waste food, reuse items, walk and bike more, etc. 

While you can’t control and change others, you can always encourage your family or friends to be less wasteful. 

In this article, I will share how you can do that. 

I saw a big difference in my parents’ behavior by applying some of the tactics below, so I hope the ideas will help you, too. 

Without further delays, let’s begin.


How to go to zero waste when living with parents: 17 tactics and ideas 

Less effort:

1. Reuse  

Even if you can’t make your parents stop using single-use items, the best you can do is reuse everything you can.

  • Keep single-use utensils for picnics outside.
  • Reuse water bottles – you can do fun projects with them, like a DIY planter, piggy bank, bird feeder, etc. 
  • Reuse plastic bags for groceries
  • Use plastic or aluminum containers as pots for plants
  • Reuse glass bottles as reusable water bottles

For more suggestions, check my article with 24 things to do with plastic containers.

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

2. Don’t waste food 

Your personal food waste may be an easy one to address.

Try first to eat whatever there is, before you or your parents cook something new. 

And always try to use and eat first the fruits and vegetables that are close to getting rotten. 

Additionally, bring a reusable container if you are going out to a restaurant for a family dinner. 

If someone has leftovers, you can take them in your reusable container instead of wasting them or getting them home in a single-use plastic container. 

3. Say “No” to unnecessary presents 

Another thing is that you are in charge of. 

For Birthdays or other holidays, you can write down a list with a couple of ideas or things (or experience gifts) that you would like to get.

In that way, you will avoid getting wasteful or useless presents that you don’t need.

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

4. Sustainable gifts

On the same note, when you give a gift to someone from your family, consider some reusable or sustainable products, DIYs, or even experience gifts.

Just make sure that the person will use the gift and that it won’t be another item to collect dust. 

5. Talk about the benefits of zero waste

Often, if a person sees a financial benefit from an action, they are more open to try it. 

That’s why you can tell your parent that many zero waste habits can save money by: 

  • Stopping meaningless shopping
  • Investing in long-lasting AND reusable products
  • Not wasting food
  • DIY-ing a couple of things, etc.

Start a conversation with your parents and tell them that zero waste is often cheaper and can save money.

You can try to calculate how much you can save as a family for a year by ditching unsustainable or single-use items that they use daily.  

Share your calculations and findings with your parents. That might encourage them to change some of their habits.

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

6. Create activities together

Usually, most parents will be happy if you suggest to them to do something together.

For example, you can have a Sunday afternoon making various DIY cosmetics with your mum. Some ideas include:

  • DIY Air freshener
  • DIY Aloe vera mouthwash
  • DIY Dry shampoo
  • DIY Deodorant (4 options)

Or you can have time with your father and go somewhere on bikes, or teach him to cook or eat plant-based burgers he never tried, etc.

7. Prepare lunch for school

Instead of buying snacks might and things wrapped in plastic, you can bring your lunch to school.

In that way, if you get pocket money for school, you can save them and buy some reusables, or sustainable products, like:

  • Reusable water bottle
  • Reusable food container
  • Bamboo toothbrush (and use it with this easy DIY tooth powder)
  • Shampoo & conditioner bars
  • Menstrual cup (OrganiCup)
How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

9. Walk or bike when you can

Driving a car produces a lot of emissions, and you can easily reduce that. 

Instead of asking for a ride, consider biking or walking. 

If you have to travel somewhere, then consider getting a train, a bus, or carpooling. 

10. Watch documentaries 

You can watch with your parents some thought-provoking environmental documentaries.

Keep in mind that they may not change their views or opinions completely. 

However, your parents may become more open-minded and keen on reducing their waste and changing some of their habits. 

A few great documentaries that I can recommend are:

  • A Life On Our Planet 
  • Chasing Ice 
  • A plastic ocean 
  • What The Health 
  • The True Cost 
  • Dominion

For more ideas, check my list of 26 great environmental documentaries. 

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

11. Rent formal clothes

If I can go back in time, I WILL rent my prom dress and not buy it. 

It is not that I don’t like anymore, however: 

  • I don’t see any occasion on which I will wear it
  • I don’t think it will fit me anymore

It is widespread that people buy formal clothing, like prom dresses and suits.

But honesty, it is a massive waste of money. Take a look at some renting options, such as:

  • Rent The Runway – US-based. Allows you to rent unique pieces using its massive directory of brands and styles. 
  • Hurr Collective – UK-based. Offers a vast choice for clothing rental. 

More effort:

12. Set up a composting system 

Composting requires more effort, but it is a fantastic way to deal with food waste if you are open to trying it.

If you have a yard or even a tiny balcony, you can set up a composting system. 

There are a few different composting methods that you can choose from:

  • Composting with worms – Get a container, and add worms (red wigglers) to your compost bin. It is similar to what would result if you bury food scraps but in more controlled conditions. 
  • Bokashi composting – Here, the kitchen waste gets fermented, and it is another excellent composting solution. 
  • Compost tumbler – You need a bit more space for this one, but it is excellent since it can compost your household waste faster in less than two weeks.
  • Countertop composting – Get a bin and collect the food scraps. Once it’s complete, find a place to stash your scraps or look for drop-off locations.
  • Freezer composting – Collect your waste (in the freezer), then you should find a place to drop off your organic scraps.
  • Blender composting – Known as” cold composting,” the final material won’t be complete. However, it will be easier for the earth to absorb the raw materials. You will need a powerful blender. 
  • Farmer’s market – If you have a farmers market nearby, talk to someone from there. Often, farmers collect organic waste since they have their compost piles or even animals and will be happy to get your food scraps weekly. 

For more details on each composting method, check out my article. 

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

13. Get bins for recycling

My parents don’t recycle. 

So, to make them do it, I try to make it easy for them to recycle. 

You can do the same, by getting recycling bins and writing what you can throw in each. 

Always look up your local recycling guidelines to find that out since recycling rules vary from place to place. 

If the recycling in your city sucks (it does in mine), try to find a waste disposal place nearby. 

Call them and see what their monthly rates are on a recycling pickup. 

14. Find an organization & get involved 

See if there are environmental organizations that you can join. 

You can volunteer for clean-up activities, and learn more about conserving energy, saving water, recycling, etc.

If you can’t find anything locally, you can be the one to create some environmental initiatives or events. 

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

15. Offer help

Offer to take care of groceries and only buy in bulk with your containers. 

Or if this isn’t possible, go together with your parents and bring reusable shopping and produce bags with you to avoid getting plastic ones. 

You can also offer your help with the cleaning of your home. 

You can DIY one or two multi-purpose cleaning products and use them every time you help with cleaning. 

16. Cook for your family 

I’m not living with my parents, but I visit them for long periods, and it feels very frustrating to see how some of them are eating a lot of meat and animal products. 

That’s why, whenever I have the chance, I cook for my family. 

I buy all the groceries (plastic-free), and then I make something very delicious & vegan for them.

You can try to talk with your parents and suggest helping with the cooking. You can pick one day of the week in which you will be in charge of the food. 

Most parents will be happy to get some help, so they will let you do it. 

How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents

17. Lead by example

Sometimes it is pointless to try to change someone.

If you tell someone what to do, you will immediately notice other people’s reluctance to make even the slightest change. 

This is because usually, no one likes to be told what to do, or even worse – people don’t like to hear that they are doing something wrong. 

If you try that, it will often lead to arguing and useless confrontation. 

Instead of doing that, you can lead by example and focus on the things you can control.

While it can be tough to live with your parents, don’t break your head about it if they have very wasteful habits. 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is focus on your journey. 

Sum up

While trying to encourage your parents to waste less may seem almost impossible sometimes, I assure you that you can do A LOT more than you think.

Just try to be okay that you probably won’t convince your parents to be on board with all the changes you would like to make. 

And that’s okay. 

They may need more time to adjust to all the new things. With time, they might get used to all the changes and be more mindful of waste.

How to live low waste with your family? Do you have other tips on encouraging your parents to waste less?

Let me know in the comment section below!

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Merilin Vrachovska

Merilin Vrachovska

I'm Meri, and my goal is to share my experiences and knowledge on how anyone can live more sustainably. I share tips, guides, and different ways of becoming *almost* zero waste! You can find other topics, such as how to recycle different materials, how to make your own products, where to find fantastic zero waste goods, etc. For more information, check the About page!

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Hi there! My name is Meri and I'm behind Almost Zero Waste - a platform, where you can find how to live sustainably, where to find plastic-free goods, eco-friendly guides, and much more. To learn more, check my "About" page!

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      • 11 Ways To Reduce The Use Of Plastic (+Infographic)
      • How To Start A Zero Waste Life? Top 16 essentials
      • 5 Rs Of Zero Waste: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot
    • Zero Waste Products
      • 21 Best Eco-Friendly Shampoo And Conditioner Bars (Plastic-Free Alternatives)
      • The Most Sustainable Protein Bars: numove (Review)
      • 14 Sustainable Zero Waste Protein Powders (Plastic-Free & Vegan)
      • 21 Sustainable Snacks With Compostable Packaging
      • 21 Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps & Essentials (And Where To Find Them!)
      • Soyabella vs Almond Cow: Plant-Milk Machines For Nut Milk (Review)
      • Kipli Natural Latex Pillow (Review)
      • 32 Zero Waste Kitchen Products And Essentials
      • 15 Best Zero Waste Deodorant Brands That Work
      • 15 Zero Waste Vitamins & Plastic-Free Supplements (2022)
      • 6 Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Ziploc Bags
      • Toilet Paper Without Plastic Packaging: 19 Plastic-Free Options
      • 17 Best Zero Waste Books In 2022 (2 for FREE)
      • 9 Of The Healthiest Water Bottles In 2022
      • The 8 BEST Compost Bins For An Apartment
      • 10 Low Waste Products to Lower 70% of Your Waste
      • 142 Zero Waste Swaps And Essential Products
      • 46 Zero Waste Online Stores (The Ultimate List)
    • Zero Waste Tips
      • 8 Most Eco-Friendly Ways Of Transportation For Short & Long Distance
      • 28 Zero Waste Party Tips (Simple & Affordable)
      • 18 Awesome Apps To Reduce Food Waste, Save Money & The Planet
      • 11 Things I Still Buy In Plastic
      • 7 Easy Ways To Prevent Ocean Plastic Pollution
      • 8 Waste Disposal Problems And 8 Fantastic Solutions
      • 6 Zero Waste Alternatives to Trash Bags
      • 6 Ways To Reduce The Use Of Plastic Bags
      • How To Be Zero Waste When Living With Parents (Or Roommates)?
      • 9 Disadvantages Of Zero Waste (+Solutions)
      • How Can We Encourage People To Produce Less Waste?
      • 6 Easy Ways To Freeze Bread Without Plastic
      • 16 Surprising Benefits Of Going Zero Waste
      • Why Is Palm Oil Bad For The Environment?
    • Zero Waste FAQ’s
      • Are Shampoo Bars Good For Your Hair?
      • Is Zero Waste REALLY Possible?
      • How Zero Waste Helps The Environment
      • Types Of Biodegradable Plastics
      • What Is Biodegradable Plastic Made Of?
      • Is Silicone Better Than Plastic?
      • Is Silicone Biodegradable Or Recyclable?
      • Can You Compost Pizza Boxes?
      • 4 Dangers Of Reusing Plastic Water Bottles
      • Why Should We Reduce The Use Of Plastic
      • Does Zero Waste Make a Difference?
    • Recycling Tips
      • 17 Creative Things To Do With Old Clothes That Cannot be Donated
      • 24 Things To Do With Plastic Containers (Repurposing Ideas)
      • How To Recycle Paper – The ultimate guide
      • 11 Types Of Paper That Cannot Be Recycled
      • How To Recycle Metal: Step-by-step process
      • Where To Recycle Old Clothes: 20 Textile Recycling Drop Off Locations
      • Can You Recycle Receipts
      • Things That Cannot Be Recycled
    • Zero Waste Guides
      • 7 Zero Waste Shampoo Alternatives
      • 15 Ways To Be More Sustainable In Everyday Life
      • 23 Best Places To Sell Used Clothes For Cash
      • 41 Best Consumable Gifts For Every Budget
      • 58 Zero Waste Gifts That Help The Environment
      • How To Organize A Clothing Swap (Guide + Tips)
      • How To Store Vegetables & Fruits Without Plastic (2022)
      • Greenwashing 101: All You Need To Know (2021)
      • Zero Waste Shaving With Eco-Friendly Razors
      • 15 Actionable Steps To Save Money With Zero Waste ($5,337 A Year)
      • 10 Things That Pollute The Earth + Swaps
      • Apartment Composting: 7 Step-by-step guides
    • Ethical Fashion
      • 15+ Affordable Sustainable Swimwear Brands
      • 39 Best Online Thrift Stores
      • 26 Cheap Sustainable Clothing Brands
      • 18 Zero Waste Clothing Brands: Sustainable Fashion
      • What Are The Disadvantages Of Fast Fashion?
      • 29 Unethical Fast Fashion Clothing Brands To Avoid
    • Why Vegan
      • The Most Environmentally Friendly Foods For Eco-Friendly Diet
      • Are There Ethical Arguments for Eating Meat?
      • How To Become Vegan Slowly: A step-by-step beginner’s guide
      • 8 Environmental Benefits Of Reducing Meat Consumption
      • How Are Pigs Killed: The Brutality Of Animal Agriculture
    • Minimalism
      • Project 333: Rules & Template
      • 68 Things To Get Rid Of (Minimalism)
      • How To Become A Minimalist In 30 Days
      • 55 Things I Stopped Buying To Save Money And Waste
      • How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes: 9 Steps
      • 41 Non-Materialistic Gifts For Any Budget
  • DIY
    • 3-Ingredient Homemade Deodorant Without Coconut Oil
    • Non-Greasy Lotion Bar Recipe (Vegan & Without Beeswax)
    • The BEST Non-Greasy Whipped Body Butter Recipe For Dry Skin
    • DIY Coffee Scrub (Without Coconut Oil)
    • 7 DIY Beauty Products You Can Make At Home
    • How To Make Air Freshener with Essential Oils And Baking Soda
    • Remineralizing Tooth Powder Recipe
    • How to Make Aloe Vera Mouthwash
    • How To Make Dry Shampoo At Home: 3 Ways
    • Best DIY Deodorant For Smelly Armpits (4 Recipes)
    • 3 DIY Zero Waste Toothpaste Recipes
    • 36 Creative Ideas To Use Glass Jars (with pictures)
  • Zero Waste Recipes
    • Healthy Protein Sweets
      • Healthy Vegan Twix Bars (High-Protein Recipe)
      • Chickpea Cookie Dough Protein Bars (No Bake)
      • Vegan Protein Bounty Bars
      • Orange Chocolate Pea Protein Bars (Recipe)
      • Homemade Protein Bars (Low Calorie, Vegan, No Bake)
      • Healthy Vegan Fudge (5 Ingredients, No-Bake, Low Calorie)
      • Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Protein Muffins
      • Vanilla Protein Powder Muffins (Vegan)
      • Hemp Protein Powder Energy Balls (Vegan)
    • Sweet Snacks
      • Chocolate Chip Cookies In A Jar With Printable Tags (Recipe)
      • Ridiculously Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
      • Cashew Pulp Cookies (Vegan, 4 Ingredients)
      • Old Fashioned Fig Bars Recipe (Vegan)
    • No Bake & Raw Sweets
      • No-Bake Double Chocolate Walnuts Bars
      • 4-Ingredient Date And Peanut Butter Energy Balls
      • Caramel Fudge Without Condensed Milk (Vegan)
      • Peanut Flour Energy Balls Recipe
    • Brownies & Cakes
      • Healthy Marbled Banana Bread (Vegan)
      • Flourless Healthy Pumpkin Brownies (Fudgy & Vegan)
      • Sweet Potato Protein Brownies (Vegan, Gf)
      • Healthy White Bean Blueberry Blondies (Vegan)
      • Fudgy Almond Butter Brownies (Vegan)
      • Vegan Pumpkin Protein Brownies
    • Cheesecake, Tart & Pies
      • Easy Chocolate Orange Tart (Vegan & No Bake)
      • Raw Lemon Cheesecake (Vegan, 9 Ingredients)
      • Easy Vegan Birthday Cake Recipe (No Bake)
      • Peanut Butter Pie From Scratch (Vegan, No Bake)
    • Salty Snacks & Food
      • Vegan Potato Stew (Grandma’s Recipe)
      • Avocado Spread Recipe (Raw, Vegan)
    • What I Eat In A Day (Zero Waste Vegan Recipes)
    • Nut Milk Maker: 3 Easy Ways To Make Plant-Based Milk
  • Zero Waste Swaps
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