{"id":25866,"date":"2026-04-07T14:26:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T21:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/?p=25866"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:33:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T22:33:07","slug":"living-sustainably-thats-the-goal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/2026\/04\/07\/living-sustainably-thats-the-goal\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Sustainably, That’s the Goal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I recently stopped at a fast-food place (not my usual, but it worked in the moment) and was handed a straw for my beverage. I handed it back and said, \u201cCan you take this back?\u201d I try to refuse creating waste whenever possible while still trying to function\u2014it\u2019s a balance. I don\u2019t think people want to create \u201cmore\u201d garbage, but it happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the thing, though: in \u00a0Washington State, businesses are prohibited to hand out plastic utensils, straws, condiment packages, and cup lids for cold beverages<\/a>. There are some exceptions, like drive-throughs, which allow lids for drinks. All of these items are still available\u2014but only by request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This small act makes an impact, and it gives you a voice to accept one less piece of future garbage. Using that same link, you can also report locations that are not complying with this rule so they can be notified. I also don\u2019t think most businesses are trying to break the rule\u2014more likely, staff may not be aware or properly trained. Imagine the cost savings from reducing \u201cconsumables.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, when I got home, I still had a plastic cup in my hand. It wasn\u2019t recyclable, so it ended up in the trash. We can talk more about recyclables another time\u2014it can be very confusing, and we can shed some light on that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At home, I\u2019ve also noticed\u2014especially now while I\u2019m working on composting\u2014how many items don\u2019t fit neatly into \u201crecycling\u201d or \u201ctrash.\u201d Napkins, toilet paper rolls, cardboard food packaging, even paper-stem cotton swabs\u2026 We might want to consider a new bin for \u201ccompostables\u201d that aren\u2019t traditionally food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A large portion of our waste stream is organic material. In fact, if food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind the United States and China. The good news? Yard waste bins are now available throughout the county, making it easier to divert organic materials. You can also learn about composting on our WSU Kitsap Extension Composting and Food Waste Reduction<\/a> resource pages. More on that coming soon, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way to reduce your impact is by cutting back on toxic chemicals. Cleaners are often the easiest to replace with simple household ingredients that can do the same job. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension<\/a> has a great list of recipes for different cleaners and explains how these combinations work their magic. If you want to learn more about commercial cleaners and toxicity risks, the Environmental Working Group<\/a> (EWG) offers a searchable database so you can know what you are cleaning with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want a healthier lawn without chemicals? There are simple ways to build soil and let your lawn thrive naturally. The Department of Ecology offers a Natural Lawn Care<\/a> publication with seasonal tips and tricks. If you go green, you won\u2019t go back! The City of\u00a0Bremerton also has put together a great page with video tutorials<\/a>. They\u2019ve done an excellent job helping connect the dots so you can see the bigger picture\u2014how yard care is planet care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, there\u2019s a project in the works: a compost demonstration site at one of our local parks, accessible to the public to explore different options and how they work. We will also be hosting free public backyard composting workshops so you can get your hands dirty before making a mess of your yard trying to figure it out. Compost is so much more than I ever thought\u2014it\u2019s my world now, and I\u2019m so excited to share that with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, explore Earth Day events happening around Kitsap this month. Be a part of it and share how you care!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAuthor: Paisley Gallagher
Sustainable Living and Development Coordinator
WSU Kitsap Extension Office
paisley.gallagher@wsu.edu\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I handed a straw back at a drive-thru\u2014and it made me realize something bigger.
\nMost of us aren\u2019t trying to create waste\u2026 but it still happens, often without us noticing. And when you start paying attention, you see just how many everyday items don\u2019t have a clear place to go.
\nThat\u2019s where things get interesting. Because once you start asking those questions, you begin to uncover simple, practical ways to live differently\u2014without overhauling your entire life.
\nIf you\u2019ve ever felt unsure about what actually makes a difference, this will help you find your footing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":270,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_external_link":"","_expiration_date":""},"categories":[49,1],"tags":[53,56,60,57,61,62],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25866"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/270"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25866"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25871,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25866\/revisions\/25871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/kitsap\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}