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Latest from the Blog
- Is Borosilicate Glass Safe? What Makes It Different
Borosilicate and soda-lime glass aren’t the same material — checked against maker pages, Consumer Reports, the FDA, and the Glass Packaging Institute. - Non-Toxic Bakeware: What’s in the Coating and Metal
Bakeware makers checked part by part for coating chemistry, metal, glaze, and oven rating, plus what to retire first. - Biodegradable Poop Bags: What the Certification Requires
What BPI, OK compost HOME, and ASTM D5511 mean on a poop bag label, and why most landfill-bound bags never break down the way the package implies. - Stainless Steel Ice Cube Trays: Lever, Twist, or Lid
Steel grade is the easy part. Whether a tray releases by lever or twist, ships with a lid, or names where it was made is what most listings leave out. - Organic Cat Food: What the USDA Seal Requires
Two cat foods carry the actual USDA Organic seal; a third prints “Organic” in its name at a tier USDA rules bar from the seal. What the label tiers, the AAFCO statement, and the packaging really mean. - Organic Mattress Topper: Latex, Wool, and What It Can Fix
A mattress topper changes the surface, not the support underneath. What GOLS, GOTS, and Greenguard Gold each cover on a latex or wool topper, verified on each maker’s own product page in August 2026. - Stainless Steel Cat Bowls and the Whisker Fatigue Claim
Only three stainless steel cat bowls name an actual steel grade on the maker’s own page — and the whisker fatigue claim selling most of them rests on one study that found no effect. - Best Reusable Food Storage: Glass, Steel, Silicone (2026)
Which reusable food storage lasts: verified specs for Pyrex, Anchor Hocking, Glasslock, Stasher, Bee’s Wrap, and stainless steel picks. - Online Thrift Stores: Which One to Use (2026)
Which online thrift store fits what you’re buying — ThredUp, Vinted, eBay, and more, compared on fees, returns, and authentication in 2026. - Wool Dryer Balls vs. Dryer Sheets: Cost, Waste, and Static
Cost-per-load math, static physics, and end-of-life waste for wool dryer balls versus dryer sheets, checked against maker pages in August 2026. - Non-Toxic Microwave Covers: Glass, Silicone, or a Plate
Microwave covers compared on material, venting, and dishwasher care — starting with the plate or lid you may already own for free. - Biodegradable Sponges: The Material Behind the Claim
What “biodegradable” covers on a sponge label — usually the body, rarely the scrub side — and which picks compost at home.
About The Zero Waste List
We are sustainability-minded individuals trying to make sustainability and zero waste a more approachable and achievable goal. Our mission is to help others reduce their impact on the environment through the use of more sustainable, plastic-free products, easy-to-execute lifestyle changes, and the support of organizations that support a greener world. Along the way we highlight the zero waste companies actually walking the talk, so you can vote with your wallet.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”
Anne Marie Bonneau
Even if you don’t know where to start, make that leap to do something — however small — to reduce your waste, energy usage, or carbon footprint. Starting with something small creates a snowball effect that can pay dividends for your life and the planet.
Support the Cause
Want to go further? Check out some of our favorite charities working to reduce carbon emissions and make the world a cleaner place.