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Specialty recycling programs like TerraCycle and Ridwell pick up the slack when it comes to hard-to-recycle items not accepted by our municipal recycling programs. When we're trying to live zero waste, this sounds like a great solution. But are these programs actually sustainable, or are they greenwashing us and letting corporations off the hook?

Today, on our third anniversary, I'm looking at our little zero waste shop and I’m reminded of this journey - and how you have helped shape A Drop in the Ocean into what it is. So I thought I’d take some time to share five zero waste swaps we've added to the shop because you, our EcoWarriors, asked for them.

Today, I’m sharing with you 10 things I’m loving this Valentine’s Day 🥰

You already know at least 1% of our sales are donated to our ocean conservation partner, Vermilion Sea Institute. But have you ever wondered, “Why VSI? Who is Vermilion Sea Institute? Why did we choose them to be our ocean conservation partner??” I'm about to tell you all about it.

To kick off the new year, we're taking a step back to basics to answer some of the most common questions we received in our year-end survey. Because chances are if one EcoWarrior has the question, there’s likely several more in the community who are also wondering the same. We're tackling everything from how we named the shop to why our prices are the way they are.

And then I stopped dead in my tracks in the middle of the aisle. What was I doing?? Buying these gifts at Target doesn’t make sense. Here I am, always an advocate for shopping small and walking around a massive national big box store. WHAT was I doing?? So let's talk about why it's so great to support small businesses - and how we can find them in the first place.

In my eternal quest to be completely transparent with you, today’s blog post will take you behind the scenes of running a zero waste shop and how we make our product decisions. Plus, what the heck is PVA (polyvinyl alcohol or PVOH) and is it actually sustainable?

If we don’t talk about mental health, we keep the stigma alive. When we brush it under a rug and pretend it never happened, we aren’t helping anyone. So instead, I want to share with you - in complete vulnerability - what really happened in my world in the last 10 days as I battled my mental health as an entrepreneur.

Today, I want to tell you all about my favorite animal, the okapi. Because even though we're focused on waste and plastics around here most days, sometimes we could all use some cute animals and wildlife conservation in our lives. So what are okapi? And how can we protect them from home?

From the time I started A Drop in the Ocean, I wanted zero waste and sustainable living to be easy, affordable, and accessible. And one of the ways I wanted to make that happen was with a free local delivery service. But as current delivery system is becoming unsustainable, it's time for a delivery facelift.

These are big issues. These are complex issues. These are issues that involve governments, corporations, communities, individuals, scientists, and activists. And because of all of that and more, here's why I can't recommend the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy.

I want to take a little deep dive into the impacts of online shopping versus in-person, and how we are optimizing our systems to get you the essentials you need, as fast as possible, as safely as possible, and with the smallest carbon footprint possible. Because the answer to "which is more sustainable - online or in person?" may surprise you.

A Drop in the Ocean just celebrated our SECOND BIRTHDAY! 🥳🥳🥳 I can’t believe it’s been two years already since I pressed “Publish” on our little corner of the interwebs. So much has changed and evolved in the last two years. So today, I’m reflecting on the 12 things I’ve learned so far as a sustainable and zero waste business owner.

When I started babysitting, my mom taught me to always leave the home better than when I arrived. I was a guest. And we are all but guests on this planet, trusted with its life.

I went for a walk in nature today, friend. And I was reminded of some beautiful lessons we can all learn from nature.

This year has been hard. There is no denying that. But this week - this week of giving thanks - I want to use this space to practice gratitude together. Because I think we could all use some light about now.

I'm a conservationist, but I'm not giving up flying. So when I talk about traveling, especially air travel, I often mention carbon offsets. But what exactly are carbon offsets, and why do they matter?

I always say that we prioritize locally-owned businesses when we’re looking for products to feature in our shop, but I was curious what percentage of our products actually reflect those values? So...I did some math, and I'm pretty proud of the results.