This afternoon chat is a reader request, but also something I had percolating in the back of my head for a while — after one of you noted that you are using BEESWAX instead of plastic wrap; that is FASCINATING to me and I have questions — and given that we’re Earth Day-adjacent (it’s Sunday), this seems like an excellent time to discuss stuff we’re trying to do to create less waste/be more environmentally friendly.

I’ll go first, and I can’t wait to hear other people’s hints and tips. As you know, I am trying not to buy any clothing or shoes this year, unless they’re a replacement for something. So far, I replaced a pair of wedges, and a silk shirt after mine LITERALLY DISINTEGRATED ON MY BODY AT AN EVENT. (One of you was there and told me I could replace it and I was like, “no, no, I shan’t!!” Well, I did. I bought this Everlane one because they’re allegedly all responsible and whatnot.) However, I must admit that I kinda fell off the wagon this weekend. I bought three new shirts for summer at Madewell. In my defense, I realized that I got rid of a lot of summer tops after I moved this last year and purged a bunch of stuff. “I’LL BUY NEW ONES!!” was my thought when I moved, because I moved before I decided not to buy anything for a year. Did I STRICTLY need them? I did not. Were they just WANTON CONSUMERISM!?! No. Did I feel a little guilty buying them? Yes. Did I also feel a little bit of SPARKLING JOY to buy them? Yes. So, you know. Work in progress.

I’m also switching over to paper straws, and I need help with that: What do I do when I go through the drive-through and get a Diet Coke? I guess I just keep a bunch of straws in the car, right? Okay, thanks for talking me through that. I also rarely, rarely, rarely use plastic water bottles — but I’m not a hero, here. I work from home. I have a SodaStream (which does come with A plastic bottle, now that I think about it). I do not need to be using little plastic bottles of water.

I’m also, obviously, recycling (thanks to the fact that my city recycles stuff), and I truly wish I could compost — the tomatoes and roses I’m growing would love it! — but I think it would smell too horrible in an apartment. And that’s it. That’s not a lot? It’s not nothing, though.

Your turn!