By Erin Resch, 15+ years in food and water conservation | Updated October 2026

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link (Bokashi Living). I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products I personally use or have thoroughly researched. Read my affiliate disclosure.

Most of us want to eat cleaner and cut down on waste, but completely overhauling how you grocery shop and cook is exhausting. That’s why my family breaks sustainability down into actionable, bite-sized habits. Meet the 10 R’s of sustainable eating: from rethinking what we buy to composting what’s left over, here is how we use them day-to-day without losing our sanity.

Sustainable Eating: Why does food matter so much for the climate?

When we talk about lowering our carbon footprint, most advice immediately jumps to driving less or switching lightbulbs. But what about what’s on our plates? We rarely talk about how deeply our food choices and kitchen waste impact the planet. Coming from fifteen years in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) food industry and as the Conservation Manager at California Water Service I have seen behind the scenes on what really can move the needle.

According to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, agriculture, forestry, and other land use produced about 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Transport produced about 15%. The food on our plates and the waste in our kitchens have a real impact, and we rarely talk about it.

I’m a wife, a mom, and an eco-warrior. If you’re a parent, you know there’s almost nothing a mother won’t do to protect her kids. That care shouldn’t stop at our front doors. It has to include Mother Earth, too, because she feeds our families. So I keep asking myself one question: what am I doing today to secure a healthy planet for my kids tomorrow?

If you want to shift your habits without a total overhaul, start here with the 10 R’s of sustainable eating.

1. Rethink: Do you actually need it?

Before you buy anything, pause and ask if you really need it. That goes for impulse buys at Target and big online hauls alike. Having spent over a decade in CPG and you see firsthand just how much stuff gets pushed on us. Before you bring another impulse buy home pause and ask if you really need it. That means you mamma, you may rely too frequently on Target or online hauls. I noticed during the COVID pandemic is when some of this started to get out of control but some of us are still ordering similarly to how we were shopping during the pandemic. Just take a moment to pause and ask yourself if you really need it. This is what really helped me. Also, my children know when we go shopping it’s a no on impulse buys for them, I have them write a grocery list with me and if something isn’t on the list, we aren’t buying it. This might not work for everyone but you have to start somewhere so I would start with making a scavenger hunt for them so they stay on task and don’t ask for anything not on the list.

Every product we bring home takes water, energy, and raw materials to make. Water is a precious resource, and millions of people face water and sanitation crises every year. As populations grow and the climate shifts, it won’t last forever unless we conserve it.

2. Refuse: Say no to single-use plastics

Say no to plastic containers, cutlery, straws, and flimsy bags. Most conventional plastics take hundreds of years to break down in a landfill. Let’s be honest, single-use plastics sneak into our kitchens so easily. Getting into the habit of saying a polite ‘no thanks’ to plastic cutlery and flimsy bags is a total game-changer.

Be careful with “compostable” cutlery, too. Many of these items still end up in standard landfills, because local composting facilities often can’t process them. When you order takeout, ask for no plastic utensils.

Also try refusing to eat out for every meal. Cooking at home lets you control the packaging, waste, and resources.

3. Rebalance: Eat more plants

I grew up in the Midwest as a classic “meat and potatoes” kind of gal. I still enjoy meat occasionally, but our family follows an 80/20 rule. About 80% of our plates are whole, plant-based foods: lentils, beans, quinoa, grains, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats. The other 20% might include meat, dairy, or extra avocados.

You don’t have to go cold turkey. Start by swapping meat out of your dinners, then move on to lunches. Need ideas? Try my high-protein tofu scramble or my best vegan chili.

Lentils are a protein powerhouse. One cup of cooked lentils has about 9 grams of protein, according to USDA data, plus plenty of fiber. Diets rich in plants are also associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

4. Reduce: Watch portions and overall consumption

U.S. packaging and restaurant portions are often much larger than what we need. At home, simple visual guides keep portions in check and waste down:

• Protein: a deck of cards is about a 3-ounce serving.
• Greens: a cup looks like two cupped hands.
• Fruit or veggies: a cup fits inside your fist.

5. Reuse: Build a leftover system

If there’s one habit that saves both my sanity and our grocery budget, it’s building a real leftover system. Stop buying more than you can realistically finish, and make friends with your freezer. I label items in the freezer with what it is and the date frozen so we know how old items are and can go through them based on those dates.

One of our favorite hacks is freezing odds and ends, like diced onions, bread ends, or pre-cut veggies. Toss them into a homemade soup later in the week.

6. Rot: How do I start composting at home?

Save your food scraps and start a compost pile. A healthy pile needs three things:

• Browns: dead leaves, small twigs, cardboard scraps, or shredded paper.
• Greens: vegetable peelings, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells.
• Water: enough to keep the pile moist, which helps everything break down.

As a rule of thumb, aim for about one-third greens and two-thirds browns. Layer them, turn the pile once a week to add air, and let nature do the work. Bonus tip: leftover coffee grounds give potted plants like basil a nitrogen boost.

Short on space? Bokashi Living is a simple indoor option that ferments food scraps, including meat and dairy, in your kitchen. There are also many automated composting tools. For more ideas, see my small space living guide.

7. Reseed: Grow a little of your own food

Try a mini garden or sprouting herbs at home. It saves money, cuts plastic produce packaging, and connects your family to where food comes from.

Did you know you can sprout seeds straight from a ripe bell pepper you bought for dinner? Microgreens and sprouts also grow easily on your counter in a simple glass jar.

8. Refill: Keep reusable bottles handy

Keep reusable water bottles within reach, and leave a few extras around. Then you never grab single-use plastic when you’re rushing out the door.

Convenience is usually the culprit behind plastic waste, so make the sustainable choice the easy one. If you have kids, teach them early why we avoid single-use bottles and why water conservation matters.

9. Repurpose: Give leftovers a second life

Turn yesterday’s lentils into a brand-new curry. Find creative uses for worn-out kitchen tools. Look at ingredients and items with a resourceful mindset. The internet is full of ideas for turning whatever is left in your fridge into a great meal.

10. Recycle: Do it right

Check your local municipality’s guidelines, and always rinse containers before they go in the bin. One dirty jar can contaminate a whole batch of recyclables.

Whenever you can, skip the plastic bag liner and put items in your recycling bin loose.

Thank you for reading and joining me on the road to a healthier, more sustainable life. You rock! If this resonated, share it with a friend or fellow parent. Together we really can make an impact.

Pair your sustainable eating with a zero-waste kitchen

Bokashi is the composting piece of a zero waste kitchen puzzle. Complete the picture with the Brondell water filter, it’s perfect in small spaces or check out one of my favorite pans to cook with using Xtrema. Don’t forget to find out which mobile apps are the best for your phone to reduce your carbon footprint.

FAQ’s: 10 R’s of sustainable eating

Sources: 10 R’s of sustainable eating

• IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, Working Group III, Summary for Policymakers (2022): https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/chapter/summary-for-policymakers/
• USDA FoodData Central, lentils, cooked: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2644283/nutrients
• Project Drawdown, Food, Agriculture, and Land Use Solutions: https://drawdown.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/DrawdownPrimer_FoodAgLandUse_Dec2020_01c.pdf
• Treehugger, Shocking Facts About Water Scarcity: https://www.treehugger.com/clean-water/its-world-water-day-5-shocking-facts-about-water-scarcity-will-make-you-cry-river.html
• Vox Top 100 solutions for Climate Change: https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/5/10/15589038/top-100-solutions-climate-change-ranked

Table of Contents: Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase through them. I only recommend products I genuinely use and love.

I hope this zero-waste Burning Man packing list is helpful for our burn. When I started reading Burning Man’s official Leave No Trace guidance, I realized it’s basically the most extreme version of the zero-waste packing list we’ve been building for my own family’s van trips for years. Burning Man’s rule is pretty clear: there is no garbage service in Black Rock City. Nothing. Whatever you bring in, you personally carry back out, including your greywater. The organizers publish an actual list of items they ask people not to bring at all, because they shed MOOP (Matter Out of Place) too easily: glitter, feathers, sequins, artificial turf, styrofoam coolers, hay, straw, loose gravel. Every one of those items becomes near-impossible to fully recover once it hits sand.

Reading that list, I realized most of it maps directly onto swaps I already recommend for entirely different reasons, not because they’re trendy, but because they hold up under real use. When I think about packing for a week in the desert, every single item needs I bring needs to have a purpose, it really helps you do an “edit” on what belongings are needed in your life and what’s not. A comprehensive zero-waste packing list goes beyond the basics; it transforms how you manage your resources when municipal infrastructure completely vanishes.

Here is a structured master checklist and deeper dive into rounding out this zero-waste burning packing list with absolute intention:

The Non-Negotiable Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List

• Reusable Water Containment: Rigid, 5-gallon blue aquatainers or insulated stainless steel dispensers. Ditch single-use plastic bottles entirely, they are banned from retail sale on the playa anyway and create instant MOOP hazards.
• Closed-Loop Kitchen & Dining Gear: Hard-anodized aluminum or stainless steel plates, heavy-duty sporks, and insulated mugs. Leave paper plates, plastic cutlery, and disposable cups at home.
• Cloth & Silicone Alternatives: Beeswax wraps, cloth napkins, and reusable silicone food storage bags instead of single-use plastic baggies or plastic wrap that shred in the wind. I love the beeswax wraps and cloth napkins from Mieco.
• Structural Anchors & Rebar: 12-to-18-inch lengths of thick rebar driven deep into the ground, topped with brightly colored tennis balls, plastic caps, or glow markers to prevent ankle injuries.
• Commercial-Grade Shade Cloth: Knitted, breathable black or silver shade cloth rather than cheap plastic blue tarps that shred into unrecoverable ribbons during windstorms.
• Respiratory & Dust Protection: Reusable half-mask respirators with P100 particulate filters for whiteout storms, alongside airtight ammo cans or silicone bins for sensitive electronics.
• Biodegradable Personal Care: Bulk, plant-based, true biodegradable liquid soaps in reusable pump bottles, paired with a bundle of soft cotton washcloths instead of disposable wet wipes.
• Heavy-duty solar gear: Buy once & you might spend more upfront but good, reliable products like Jackery are much more worth it in the long run. When you power your trip, when you can purchase a good solar panel that you can keep for years, this is the way to go.

Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List: Hydration, Greywater, and Sanitation Systems

In Black Rock City, water is life, but managing what happens after you use it is where most people fail.

• The Five-Gallon Jug Standard: Transitioning away from individual bottles protects the desert from accidental plastic litter and simplifies your camp footprint. A few heavy-duty containers take up less trunk space than dozens of cases of single-use bottles.
• Evaporative Greywater Pits vs. Sealed Containment: Because greywater (water from washing dishes, teeth, or sponge baths) cannot legally hit the open playa surface, you need a closed-loop system. Use a simple PVC and bucket setup with a strainer to catch food particles, and store your greywater in sealed jerry cans for proper disposal off-playa.
• Eco-Friendly Hygiene Refills: Bringing bulk containers prevents half-empty travel bottles from littering your packing bins or ending up in camp trash cans.

Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List: Advanced Camp Infrastructure & Shelter Integrity

High winds will test everything you bring to Burning Man. Cheap plastic gear fails within forty-eight hours, turning into dangerous flying debris.

• Rebar and Rebar Caps: Flimsy tent stakes pull straight out of the hardpan earth in a high-speed desert storm. Thick rebar anchors your infrastructure securely while bright caps make hazard zones visible at night.
• Heavy-Duty Tarping: Traditional blue tarps degrade rapidly under UV exposure and high winds. Knitted shade cloth allows airflow, significantly reducing the risk of your shade structure catching air and taking flight.
• Dust Mitigation Gear: Fine alkaline dust gets into everything. Keeping cameras, chargers, and phones sealed in airtight containers preserves your gear for future trips instead of forcing you to throw away ruined electronics.

Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List: The Kitchen & Meal Prep Protocol

Cooking for yourself or a small camp in a resource-scarce environment requires strict inventory control to eliminate food waste before it happens.

• Pre-Chopped and Dehydrated Staples: Prep your meals at home. Chop vegetables, pre-portion proteins, and vacuum-seal or freeze them in reusable silicone bags. This drastically cuts down on kitchen prep waste (like onion skins, packaging, and vegetable scraps) that you would otherwise have to manage and pack out.
• Zero-Waste Cleanup: Pack a dedicated camp kit featuring hard-anodized aluminum or stainless steel plates, sporks, and insulated mugs that can handle high heat and wipe clean easily with a damp microfiber cloth, saving precious water.
• Composting: There are Composting camps and recycling camps you can bring your compost and cans to but if you want to do your own composting I recommend the Bokashi composting. This composting has no smell, is an amazing small space living resource so that you can responsibly process your food scraps. It’s an anaerobic fermentation method that fits seamlessly into a mobile, small-space setup. Unlike traditional composting that relies on oxygen and worms, Bokashi uses inoculated bran (loaded with effective microorganisms) to pickle and ferment food scraps, including citrus, meat, and dairy that would ruin a traditional bin. Managing food waste in a place with zero municipal trash infrastructure or municipal composting is one of the ultimate tests of radical self-reliance. On the playa, traditional aerobic composting is nearly impossible, it takes up too much space, attracts pests in the desert heat, and requires moisture levels that don’t survive a dry lakebed.

Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List: Gear & Apparel Checklist

• Natural-Fiber Clothing: Lightweight, breathable linen, organic cotton, or hemp garments that protect against the sun without shedding microplastics or synthetic fibers into the desert wind.
• Heavy-Duty Safety Pins & Industrial Clips: A large assortment of heavy-duty safety pins, bulldog clips, and tarp clamps to secure loose fabric, costume elements, and camp banners against high-velocity gusts.
• Dust-Resistant Footwear: Broken-in leather boots or high-top sneakers paired with breathable gaiters to seal out alkaline dust from your ankles and socks.
• Shed-Proof Costuming: Intentionally curated outfits free of glitter, loose feathers, faux-fur shreds, sequins, or paper confetti that instantly violates Leave No Trace principles.
• Nighttime Illumination & EL Wire: Reusable LED string lights, headlamps, and electroluminescent (EL) wire powered by rechargeable battery packs to keep yourself visible to mutant vehicles during whiteout night conditions.

Core Principles Worth Bringing Home

• Reusable over disposable: In a desert environment where every container you bring has to survive a week of dust, heat, and pressure changes, disposable plastic isn’t just wasteful, it’s a liability, and it’s more likely to crack and become the exact kind of MOOP the site is trying to prevent.
• Cloth over single-use: Beeswax wraps, cloth napkins, and reusable produce-style bags aren’t just kitchen swaps. They’re genuinely better suited to a week in the desert than their plastic equivalents because they don’t shred, they don’t blow away as easily, and they pack down small. I love the beeswax wraps and cloth napkins from Mieco.
• Secured over loose: A huge amount of MOOP at Burning Man isn’t intentional litter, it’s stuff that simply blew away because it wasn’t secured. Feathers, glitter, loose fabric. The organizers’ guidance literally says: don’t bring anything you can’t keep tied down. That’s a genuinely useful mental model for packing anywhere outdoors, not just the playa.
• Natural materials, intentionally: Look-good synthetic costume pieces, sequins, fake fur, and glitter are consistently flagged as the worst offenders for shedding microscopic debris that’s nearly impossible to fully clean up. It’s the same logic behind why I steer people away from synthetic fabrics that shed microplastics in the wash at home.

When your packing list is filtered through a true zero-waste lens, you stop viewing gear as disposable utility and start seeing it as permanent infrastructure. Every item you choose either protects the desert ecosystem or adds to its burden, there is no middle ground. A good way to look at this is not only in burning man leave no trace but how can you leave no trace in your own life? How do you want to pack for this Burning Man trip?

Ready to live more eco-frienldy & more mindful of your footprint? Visit my Shop Page to see my vetted eco-favorites.

• Looking for a way to compost in small spaces? Check out my Bokashi Composting For Small Spaces article to help you get started.
• Check out my tips for Zero Waste Living For Small Spaces to reduce your carbon footprint and lighten your load.
• Check out my High Protein Tofu Scramle recipe for simple meals you can make on the playa or everyday.

I would love to hear from you. What’s the first thing you will pack for Burning Man? Let’s practice Burning Man Leave No Trace together!

FAQ: Zero-Waste Burning Man Packing List

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase through them. I only recommend products I genuinely use and love.

Can you start Bokashi composting for small spaces? ABSOLUTELY! Bokashi changed so much for me. It’s a low-budget, in-home composting method that handles meat, dairy, and cooked food, and it works in a van, apartment, or tiny home.

If you’ve ever felt guilty about throwing away food scraps, especially living in an apartment, van, or small space where traditional composting isn’t possible, Bokashi is about to become your best friend. Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces gives you an option when you are doing eco- friendly traveling in your van, living in your tiny home, or in your apartment.

What is Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces?

Bokashi is a Japanese fermentation method that breaks down ALL food waste, including meat, dairy, cooked food, and bones, in as little as 2 weeks. Unlike traditional composting that relies on aerobic decomposition (and attracts pests), Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces is perfect because it uses anaerobic fermentation with effective microorganisms to break down waste in a sealed container.

Why this matters: Traditional composting can’t handle meat or dairy. Vermicomposting (worm bins) is finicky and smelly if done wrong. Bokashi handles everything, works indoors, and produces zero odor when the lid is sealed. But will Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces really work for my family? I’ll be honest: if you’ve never composted before, there is a small learning curve, but it’s not what you think. It isn’t about managing a giant pile of dirt; it’s just a new habit, like recycling or taking out the trash. Once you see how much ‘trash’ you’re suddenly diverting from the landfill and experience how insanely healthy your plants look thanks to the nutrient-rich Bokashi tea, it stops feeling like a chore. You’ll stop seeing food scraps as waste and start seeing them as the fuel for your garden and the planet.

Why I Chose Bokashi for Van Life

When I started van travel with my family, the biggest waste challenge wasn’t packaging (we’d already solved that), it was food scraps so Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces was the perfect solution. We cook daily, and even with careful meal planning, peels, stems, bones, and scraps add up fast.

I needed a system that:

Works in a tiny space (our van kitchen is 4 feet wide)

Handles ALL food waste, not just produce scraps

Doesn’t smell (we sleep 3 feet from the kitchen)Produces something useful, not just “less trash”

Bokashi checked every box. The Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces has a compact system that fits under our van sink, and I’m not exaggerating, there is zero smell when the lid is sealed. The fermented result goes directly into soil to create incredibly nutrient-rich compost.

How Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces Works: Step By Step

Step 1: Set Up Your Bin

The Bokashi system comes with everything you need: an airtight bin with a spigot at the bottom and a bag of Bokashi bran (the microorganism-infused grain that drives fermentation).

Step 2: Layer Food Waste + Bran

Add food scraps in 2-3 inch layers, sprinkling a tablespoon of Bokashi bran between each layer. Press down firmly to remove air pockets. Seal the lid tight.

Step 3: Drain the Bokashi Tea

Every 2-3 days, drain the liquid from the spigot. This “Bokashi tea” is an incredibly potent fertilizer. Dilute it 100:1 with water and feed your plants. Your houseplants will explode with growth.

Step 4: Ferment for 2 Weeks

Once the bin is full, seal it and let it ferment for 2 weeks. The food won’t look decomposed (it’ll look pickled), but the fermentation has pre-digested everything.

Step 5: Bury or Mix with Soil

Dig a trench in your garden, dump the fermented waste, and cover with soil. Within 2-4 weeks, it fully decomposes into rich, dark humus. No smell, no pests, just soil gold.

The Bokashi + CaliSuperSoil System: Garden Gold

Here’s where it gets exciting. If you’re growing anything (herbs on a windowsill, a balcony garden, or a full backyard plot) combining Bokashi output with CaliSuperSoil creates the most nutrient-dense growing medium I’ve ever used.

CaliSuper Soil is a living soil teeming with beneficial microorganisms. When you add Bokashi pre-compost to it, you’re essentially supercharging already incredible soil.

The result:
Plants grow 30-50% faster in my testing

Zero need for synthetic fertilizers are ever needed

Soil that improves every season instead of depleting

Complete closed-loop system: food waste → compost → soil → food

Sometimes I grow herbs in containers in our van using this combination, and the basil, cilantro, and cherry tomatoes we harvest are objectively the best-tasting produce I’ve ever had. There’s real science behind this because living soil produces plants with higher nutrient density and more complex flavor compounds.

Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces vs. Other Composting Methods

The Numbers: Impact of Composting Your Food Waste

According to the USDA about 30-40% of all food produced in the US ends up in landfill, where it generates methane.

Did you know? The EPA estimates that a family of four
spends roughly $56 a week on food they never eat. Over
a year, that’s nearly $3,000, which is enough for a family vacation
or a significant home upgrade.

By composting with Bokashi composting for small spaces:

You divert 100% of food waste from landfill

You eliminate methane emissions from food decomposition

You create free, premium fertilizer (Bokashi tea + compost)

You reduce your need to buy soil amendments and fertilizers

The Bokashi starter system pays for itself in free fertilizer within the first 3 months.

Tips From 18 Months of Bokashi Composting for Small Spaces & Van Life

Cut waste small: smaller pieces ferment faster

Don’t skimp on bran: more is better than less

Drain tea religiously: excess liquid slows fermentation

Keep a second bin: while one ferments, fill the other

Stock up on Bokashi bran: buy in bulk to save money via Bokashi Discounts using the code HELLO10.

Pair It With a Zero Waste Kitchen

Bokashi is the composting piece of a zero waste kitchen puzzle. Complete the picture with the Brondell water filter, it’s perfect in small spaces or check out many of their other water filters and don’t forget to find out which mobile apps are the best for your phone to reduce your carbon footprint.

Products Mentioned in This Article

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Sources:

1: EPA: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/feed-it-onward

2. USDA: https://www.usda.gov/about-food/food-safety/food-loss-and-waste/why-should-we-care-about-food-waste

FAQ: Bokashi Composting