it is most admirable when artists find a way to incorporate recycling into their art. not only does this prove the inherent beauty of what some consider “trash,” but it can further inspire other artists to create similar work.

within the last decade, buyers have become more aware of the consequences of the fashion industry. growing consciousness about the effect of clothes dye, worker exploitation and material waste have made consumers and designers rethink their fashion choices. daniel also became more conscious of this and wanted to contribute and be part of the solution.

“i wanted to put forth, through fashion, a warning message of the environmental issues we live with” he said.

through the creation of garments, daniel conflates different trends that are resurfacing, such as “slow fashion” and “no waste.” slow fashion entails understanding the process in which the clothes are being made. as daniel is the designer, seamster and creator of his work, he is responsible for all aspects and knows exactly where it all comes from. the no waste movement strives to repurpose materials that would otherwise be destined to become landfill. daniel’s work combines both.

daniel has used a number of materials, ranging from cassette tapes to computer keyboards and glass lenses.

“each material presents its own difficulties, even preparing the material and thinking about the item’s construction is a challenge,” he said.

the process behind recycling these materials is complex. it involves collecting, cleaning and a creative aspect in which the artist must envision the presentation of the material.

“using cd discs was maybe the most challenging material, because of its rigidity,” he said. “i had to cut them up and make small holes in them in which i tied some metal string and brought the little pieces together. also the keyboards, preparing the keyboards and calculating the amount of keys i needed to add, and then remove so that the dress would not be shapeless.”

the technicalities involved in this type of work are not perceived at first glance. once the artist has an idea, creating a concept and making it a tangible item can be an elaborate procedure.

in terms of inspiration, the ubiquity of litter and residue is something that often reaches artists and observers.

“i was walking at night and the shine of a vhs film tape on the floor caught my attention,” he said. “this inspired me, and i thought that maybe i could make something luxurious out of that shine.”

after all, the idea of luxury in fashion derives from a combination of materials, creation, and inspiration.

daniel’s outlook of creating something sumptuous from nothing is an approach that many self-made artists have. it takes true artistic talent to create beauty from what others deem as waste. daniel’s creations demonstrate how creativity can shape the way we view materials, enhancing their circularity and usability. through fashion, daniel detects the intrinsic beauty of “junk” and molds it into a garment that appeals to all audiences.

who says though that individuals can’t make a positive change right in their own communities? three women share their journeys to living a more sustainable lifestyle. read on to hear their stories, from their inspiration to how they incorporated these alternative changes into their lives. 

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arlington, virginia, resident fidan karimova, 33, is on a personal journey to live a plastic-free and zero-waste lifestyle. she will be the first to admit that it can be intimidating and says, “you can’t be perfect all the time, but making little changes, at least, slowly gets you to where you need to go.” 

karimova was inspired by a book she read in 2017 called “zero waste home: the ultimate guide to simplifying your life by reducing your waste,” written by bea johnson. since then, karimova has incorporated these switches into her life and says it “saves money and saves a lot of plastic going into the trash and filling up our landfills.” 

many of these changes center around products used in her daily life. in her bag, she always has a reusable cup, bamboo utensils, and a cloth napkin because although paper towels are easier to recycle than plastic, “it adds up” she says. 

she uses a refillable deodorant which allows her to keep the plastic encasing and reuse it, instead of purchasing a brand new product over and over. her floss comes in a glass container with the string itself shipped in compostable packaging. additionally, her lotion and shower products come in reusable containers. even her phone case is compostable! 

at home, karimova uses dishwasher drops that come in a paper box and wool dryer balls to replace disposable dryer sheets. in terms of wardrobe, karimova is in the process of shifting to a closet of only 50 clothing items. this feat has been difficult in a world where fast fashion brands mass-produce cheap quality and low priced items. 

these are small switches in the sense that anyone can choose to spend their money on them, but they require effort and research to get there. by being conscious of where she spends her money and avoiding single-use items, karimova says, “i’m ensuring that our environment stays cleaner longer.” 

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kristy halvorsen, 42, had lived in florida her whole life. while working as a firefighter-paramedic in 2015, she had a dream of traveling the world. not wanting to wait until retirement for her adventure, she created a five-year plan to downsize her home and move into an airstream full-time.

then, one year into the plan, “i just suddenly realized we don’t have to plan everything and life kinda has our backs and we can be more in the moment,” halvorsen said. her vision ended up only taking two years before she was out on the road. 

her portable home attaches to her truck and lets halvorsen to stay at national parks, campgrounds, and friends’ driveways. this lifestyle allows her to lower her water and electricity use and her total cost of living. halvorsen also had solar panels installed on her trailer to give her power when off-grid. she’s since realized, “i don’t need more than the sun gives me…it almost forces you to be more cognizant and more conservative.” her trailer holds just 60 gallons of water — but that lasts her, one person, about three weeks. 

“i’m a drop in the bucket. i’m sure there’s many more people living like me out there. the more there are, the less impact we have, the smaller the footprint,” she said. 

“one of the biggest things i’ve seen in the journey is we need so much less than we think,” she said. through her time on the road and her new habits, halvorsen has noticed just how much stuff we buy — whether from the grocery store, shopping, or even buying souvenirs on vacation. she said she wishes she could cut her already tiny closet in half, but admits it’s hard to get over the very human worry that we might “need it someday.” 

halvorsen acknowledges that this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but encourages even those who aren’t living on the road to aim for a more gentle footprint. now in her third year living full-time in the airstream, she has become so close to nature and says, “(i) don’t want to waste things; hurts my soul.” 

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karen mcmanus, 62, and rich mcmanus, 68, haven’t lived on land for the past five years. quite literally, their home is on the water, in a sailboat with 300 square feet of living space. they moved to their energy-efficient boat, named free spirit 2, to travel during their early retirement. this new living situation quickly taught them to reevaluate the way they used their space, what they owned, and how they used electricity and gasoline. 

free spirit 2 provides the mcmanus’ an environmentally friendly way to travel and is a more affordable way to live in pricey washington, d.c. the sailboat has solar panels which provide most of the power they use, with the option to run a generator for air conditioning. karen mcmanus says, “it’s not like an apartment where you can just flip a light switch.” on cloudy days she says they are especially cautious of their usage. 

with limited living and storage space on their boat, prior to moving the couple got rid of an entire closet of clothes and donated extra kitchen supplies. they’ve since even switched to e-books over physical copies. (they quickly become damp and moldy on a boat.) but their life on the water also has been cheaper in a few ways for them. the daily cost of living, including boat slip fees, are relatively cheap. but maintaining a boat and doing repairs can add up fast. 

mcmanus said living on a boat leads you to become more aware of your environment, since there’s no escaping the weather changes. she stays very attuned to how the weather and seasons change — and how they impact the tide. mcmanus said she and her husband enjoy living at a marina, and have met people from many different walks of life. 

she says she also has become more mindful of how much waste ends up in our waterways. “how much trash i have picked up out of the ocean, made me very aware of our society’s use of plastic. also, no longer a fan of helium balloons,” which she said she’s found miles offshore floating in the ocean. 

**

in almost every facet of life, people can make product or lifestyle switches that are better for the planet. from changing the place you call home to not eating animal products, buying reusable products, shopping for sustainable clothes, actively protesting, picking up trash, and more. the more people that make these smaller-scale changes, the bigger the positive trend that can result. as halvorsen said, it’s all “a drop in the bucket” toward a livable future. 

in washington, d.c., a bag tax originated as part of an initiative to clean up the anacostia river. according to a 2008 study by the department of energy and environment, disposable plastic bags were one of the most prevalent forms of trash pollution in the river. as a result, the district created the anacostia river clean up and protection act of 2009. this law was the first of its kind in the nation, according to the doee. it requires any district business selling food or alcohol to charge five cents per paper or plastic bag, with a goal of shifting consumer behavior away from disposable bags. as of 2017, plastic bag usage had dropped 50% to 70% since the law took effect in 2009. 

across the country, bag taxes similar to d.c.’s were beginning to take effect early this year. however, with the onset of covid-19, all progress was halted due to fears that reusable bags would spread the virus. 

in new york, for example, a plastic bag ban was set to take effect on march 1, 2020. after initially delaying the ban 30 days due to a lawsuit, the delay was extended further due to the pandemic. the ban is now scheduled to take effect on oct. 19, 2020, according to the new york department of environmental conservation. 

additionally, u.s. senator tom udall and u.s. representative alan lowenthal formed the break free from plastic pollution act just a few weeks before the virus became a concern in the u.s. the congressmen are still urging legislative action, according to a statement. 

states and retailers across the country have temporarily suspended the disposable bag bans and taxes to ease fears of contamination by reusable bags. now, i’m concerned about how big an effect the pandemic will have on the previous environmental progress — could it be detrimental? 

according to a report from august, the demand for plastics is expected to increase by 40 percent because of safety concerns. the same study reported that the virus lasts longer on plastic than other surfaces — according to the national institute of health, two to three days — which begs the question: were the ban reversals a premature move, especially after society had finally adapted to using reusable bags? 

a july study also compared the increases of different types of plastics since the pandemic. 

has the plastic industry exploited pandemic fears to further their business? or were ban reversals the right call to make to ensure safety?

i believe reusable bags should be allowed in stores, despite the pandemic. at trader joe’s, for example, the bag tax was recently reinstated temporarily suspending it. they are also allowing customers to bring their own reusable bags if they bag their items themselves. following that precedent, while sanitizing check out counters after the presence of reusable bags, should maintain a level of safety that still follows the initiatives set before the pandemic, both in d.c. and nationwide. the pandemic shouldn’t derail the environmental progress made in the last decade — we don’t have to choose between our own safety and the safety of the anacostia.

since i was a teenager, getting my period has meant heading to cvs to replenish a stock of products from name brands like tampax or playtex and then, just as quickly, tossing them in the trash. 

i am not alone. according to data from the harvard business school, on average, users discard 11,000 tampons throughout their lifetime, which all adds up to 331 pounds of waste. 

traditional period care products are like trifle cakes of plastic. it is in product wrappers, applicators, receptacles for disposal, and even embedded in the product itself in some cases. menstrual pads specifically can be made up of 90% plastic. period care products cannot be recycled so the majority of this waste ends up in landfills. 

in the conversation surrounding sustainability, single-use plastics are normally at the forefront. reusable grocery bags and paper straws are championed as small steps you can take to reduce your impact. but, the impact of period products is talked about far less. 

the stigma surrounding periods for generations has contributed to both the impacts of menstrual waste and the fact that they are only recently coming to light. as an example, experts point to the extra plastic wrappers that tampons have, designed specifically to open without making any noise and keep your period a secret from (heaven forbid!) your stall-neighbor in a public restroom. 

luckily, we are beginning to shed the stigma around menstruation and shine a light on period care sustainability. new companies have stepped up to give eco-conscious menstruators some options. here are five brands that take five unique approaches to make periods greener…

1. natracare 

natracare gets the very first spot on this list because it created the world’s first-ever organic cotton tampon. 

statistics from their website explain how one pack of pads is equivalent in plastic content to four grocery bags. their mission since founding in 1989 has been to prevent this kind of waste by providing pads and tampons that are made from sustainably sourced materials. all of their products became completely compostable and plastic-free in 1995. 

2. dame 

dame, a u.k. based company whose motto is “bleed red, think green,” created the first-ever reusable tampon applicator. their product is ideal for the user who is attached to tampons and the comfort of a smooth applicator, but not to plastic waste. dame’s reusable applicator can be loaded with a tampon, used, and then rinsed off and stored until you need it again. 

a 2020 impact report published on their website claims their products have already saved 2.5 million plastic applicators from being thrown in the trash. as a bonus, the company boasts a carbon-negative certification. for every one metric ton of carbon dame emits, two more metric tons are offset. 

3. aisle

if you purchase pads regularly, a reusable cloth option may be the best bet to become more sustainable. aisle (formerly known as luna pads) is a company that sells a variety of period products including cloth pads. according to their website, thanks to the reusable aisle products purchased so far, more than 639,000 pounds of carbon which would have been used to produce disposable period products, have been avoided. aisle calculated this number using greenstory, a company focused on analyzing sustainability.

4. organicup

yet another approach to the green period problem, is replacing tampons and pads altogether with a menstrual cup. according to organicup’s website, their menstrual cup model lasts for up to two years. on average organicup calculated that this is equivalent to the use and disposal of 528 pads or tampons.

5. thinx

a final option, that eliminates the need for pads and any type of insertion, is period underwear. thinx is one company that has developed underpants designed to absorb period blood. their underwear options range from light absorbency to a super absorbency option that can hold up to 36 ml of blood, the equivalent of four regular tampons.

1. prioritize post-consumer paper.

whether your teacher has a no-laptop rule or you just prefer the feeling of a pen in your hand, make your notes smarter by looking for post-consumer paper products. made from recycled materials, post-consumer paper is used in notebooks such as the cleverly named decomposition books. post-consumer paper can also be recycled into loose-leaf ruled and printer paper.

2. buy more bamboo.

many products traditionally made from plastic now have bamboo alternatives. unlike plastic, bamboo is natural and biodegradable. bamboo alternatives are available for everything from rulers to staplers to pencil sharpeners. you can also say farewell to plastic forks and knives in your lunchbox with a set of reusable bamboo utensils. 

3. check out chipboard.

chipboard, which is made from recycled paper scraps that are layered and glued together, is another great alternative to plastic. the material is used to make binders, tab dividers, and portfolios.

4. pass on plastic pencils.

it’s no surprise that that 24-pack of plastic mechanical pencils is going to create unnecessary waste. next time you need to stock up, challenge yourself to keep track of a couple of metal pencils rather than losing two dozen plastic ones. of course, you could always keep it old school with classic wooden pencils; you might even want to check out highlighter pencils in exchange for traditional plastic highlighters. 

5. less is best.

the most effective way to reduce waste is to simply buy and use less. that means making smart purchases, or no purchases at all if you have other supplies on hand. if it is necessary to make new purchases, look for things that can be reused again and again, without the need to repurchase a lot of replacements and refills. for example, look for refillable pens or zero-waste staplers. as always, remember to check out your local thrift store to see if any of the items you need are available second-hand!