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.

Is Burning Man Sustainability focused? In 2010 I had never been to Burning Man so really had no idea until I was letting my friend Rachel crash on my couch for six months after having first moved to California. Her sister was so grateful for my generosity that she offered me a ticket to Burning Man. Burning Man, what is that? I had no idea what it even was so I dug in deep on researching this event to find out more. I read the survival guide, scoured the internet, and started talking to people about this crazy but exhilarating festival.

Burning Man has 10 principles but at its core, Burning Man runs on ten foundational principles ranging from radical inclusion and decommodification to civic responsibility, participation, and Leave No Trace. While they were written for a temporary desert city, they read almost like a blueprint for intentional living: a demand that you show up, pay attention, and take full responsibility for the space you occupy and the waste you leave behind. At that point in my life, I had never packed out my own greywater in a jug, never had to focus on my Moop (matter out of place), but I’ve spent much of my career elbow-deep in how households handle food, water, and waste, and when I researching wether or not I would participate I fell into a genuine rabbit hole reading about Burning Man’s MOOP and it rearranged how I think about my own kitchen trash can. I made the decision to go in 2010 and this was the year I met my husband, Kevin. We met on the playa at Burning Man on a ladybug art car. I had originally planned to just go for four days because I didn’t know how I was going to handle the heat and being in the desert for so long but I realized so much about myself through my experiences at Burning Man, and had met my match that I called my parents from a phone booth in the middle of the desert to tell them that I was having an unbelievable experience and planning on staying until the end of the festival. That experience changed me forever. We tried to go back for the following years after but life just got too busy and timing wasn’t right. It was on our ten year wedding anniversary that we decided to go back & we have now been going back annually ever since. It’s a great place to disconnect and reconnect with yourself again, be non-reliant on technology, and go inside to find your strengths and pillars.

For anyone who hasn’t heard the term: MOOP stands for Matter Out of Place. It’s Burning Man’s word for anything left behind on the playa after the event, for example a bottle cap, a zip tie, a sequin, a screw. Every year, a restoration crew of around 150 people lines up shoulder to shoulder and walks the entire 3,800-acre site, square foot by square foot, logging everything they find. The result is a color-coded map: green where the ground came back clean, yellow where it took extra time, red where crews had to stop and dig.

What stopped me cold wasn’t the scale of it. It was the specific culprit. For three years running, the single worst MOOP offender hasn’t been glitter or plastic cups or cigarette butts, it’s been lag bolts. Small metal screws, used to build shade structures and art installations, left behind in the desert by the thousands. Not because anyone meant to litter. Because a small, boring, unglamorous piece of hardware is easy to lose track of when you’re focused on the big, beautiful thing you built around it.

That’s the part that stuck with me. I’ve spent years swapping cleaning products, water bottles, mattresses, the big, visible decisions. But the actual waste in most of our homes isn’t always the big decision. It’s the small, boring thing we stopped tracking. The produce bag that gets used once and tossed because we forgot the reusable ones were in the car. The takeout container we meant to wash and reuse but didn’t. Our own version of the lag bolt.

Burning Man’s Leave No Trace principle is built on a phrase I think about constantly now: pack it in, pack it out. Not “recycle what’s convenient.” Not “compost when you remember.” Everything you bring, you’re responsible for removing, no exceptions, no garbage service to blame it on. It’s the same principle behind the zero-waste kitchen setup I’ve written about before, just scaled up to 80,000 people and a literal desert. When there’s no one coming to take your trash away, you actually look at what you’re generating. Most of us never do that at home, because someone always comes to take it away.

The other thing that surprised me: Burning Man now runs a genuine sustainability infrastructure most people don’t associate with the event, a Green Theme Camp Community with working groups for power, waste, water, shelter, transportation, and food, plus a playa-wide compost program and a green-camp rating system called BLAST. It’s not perfect, the event has real, acknowledged problems with carbon emissions from generators and the burns themselves, and they’ve said so publicly as part of a 2030 roadmap to go carbon negative. But the honesty of publishing your own worst MOOP offender by name, three years running, is the kind of accountability I wish more brands (including plenty in the “eco” space) were willing to show.

I keep a small dish by my kitchen sink now, not for anything dramatic, just the small stuff that used to slip past me. A twist tie. A stray bread clip. A rubber band. My own tiny MOOP Map. It’s not going to save the planet by itself. But it’s changed how I notice what leaves my house without my permission.

Beyond individual accountability, Burning Man has quietly evolved a sophisticated backend for environmental management known as the Green Theme Camp Community. Powered by networks like the Burner Leadership Achieving Sustainable Camps (BLAST), this infrastructure tackles the massive logistical footprint of a temporary city through organized working groups dedicated to power, waste, water, shelter, transportation, and food.

Instead of leaving sustainability entirely up to individual whim, Green Theme Camps commit to specific operational standards, such as switching from diesel generators to solar micro-grids, implementing strict greywater evaporation systems, and organizing camp-wide composting protocols. The BLAST rating system acts as a peer-reviewed benchmark, evaluating camps on how successfully they reduce, reuse, and recycle their resources on the playa.

It’s a fascinating parallel to corporate sustainability and supply chain logistics. While the event still faces valid criticisms over its overall carbon footprint, particularly regarding transport and large-scale art burns, which management has directly addressed in their 2030 carbon-negative roadmap, the existence of a self-policing ecological infrastructure proves that even the most chaotic, anarchic spaces can organize around rigorous environmental stewardship when the community decides it matters.

If you’re building your own zero-waste habits at home, I’ve written a full walkthrough of the kitchen and bathroom swaps that actually reduced our household trash to less than one bag a week, you can find that in my Zero Waste Living Guide for Small Spaces. And if composting feels intimidating, the Bokashi method is the exact “no backyard required” system that made it click for me. 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.

That is exactly why camp-level composting can include Bokashi composting, 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.

In a van, an apartment, or a remote desert camp, a sealed Bokashi bucket takes up minimal floor space, produces zero odor, and breaks down food scraps into a pre-compost state that can be easily packed out in a sealed container without leaking or attracting pests. It’s the exact kind of closed-loop system that proves sustainable habits don’t require a sprawling backyard or a green city infrastructure to work, just the right tool for the environment.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, looking at Burning Man through an environmental lens is a paradox. It is a massive temporary city built in a fragile desert, carrying a real, acknowledged carbon footprint from the very transport and art that bring it to life. But it is also a living laboratory for radical self-reliance, where tens of thousands of people practice a level of intense, community-led waste tracking, solar adoption, and closed-loop composting that most modern cities only dream of.

Perfection isn’t the reality here. You will always find people who fall short, leave gear behind, or miss the mark. But when you step into the arena instead of standing on the sidelines complaining about the state of the world, you realize something vital: culture isn’t handed down to us, it’s built by the choices we make when no one is watching.

Whether it’s managing a tiny dish of stray household MOOP by your sink, rethinking your food waste with a simple Bokashi bucket, or joining forces to build a more sustainable future, true impact starts small. We don’t need a sprawling green infrastructure or a perfect blueprint to begin; we just need the willingness to pack out what we bring, care for our spaces, and show up for the planet together.

FAQ: Burning Man Sustainability

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.

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’ve been practicing zero-waste (sometimes from our van) with my family for over a year. Here’s everything I’ve learned about what actually works in this zero-waste living guide for small spaces and what’s just greenwashing.

Living zero-waste sounds extreme until you realize it’s actually about simplifying your life. This zero-waste living guide for small spaces will help you no matter what size home you have. After 18 months of owning a van and traveling with my family for vacations locally, I’ve tested hundreds of products and strategies. Here’s what genuinely reduces waste, and saves you money.

Zero-Waste Living Guide For Small Spaces: What that Actually Means

Zero-waste doesn’t mean producing literally zero trash. It’s about being intentional about what enters your life and where it goes when you’re done with it. The goal in this zero-waste living guide for small spaces and is help you understand how to send as little as possible to landfill by following the 5 R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot.

When I started this journey, I was overwhelmed by Instagram-perfect zero-waste kitchens. The truth? My van kitchen looks nothing like that, but we produce less than one small bag of trash per week for our entire family & it’s something I’m very proud of.

The Kitchen: Where 60% of Household Waste Begins

The kitchen is really where most of our waste is created. Between food packaging, single-use wraps, and food scraps, most families generate the bulk of their trash here. Traveling or living in a van means our fresh water tank holds 35 gallons and our gray water tank is even smaller. Trust me, you learn real quick how to wash a skillet with a splash of water and a cloth instead of running the tap for five minutes. Whether you’re wasting water or generating trash, you learn that every resource is precious.

Swap #1: Ditch Plastic Wrap Forever

Beeswax wraps or silicone lids replace thousands of feet of plastic wrap per year. One-time purchase, years of use. I love the beeswax wraps and reusable unpaper towels from Mieco. These are a MUST!

Swap #2: Reusable Bags/ To-Go Containers

I LOVE these Stasher Bags from EarthHero, we use them all the time in our family! I’ve spent years navigating food storage, and the constant cycle of single-use plastic was one of the first things I overhauled. For school lunches, I switched to these bags because they survive the ‘bottom of the backpack’ test. They’re leak-resistant, don’t harbor food odors, and honestly, they just last and they are maleable so can fit in most purses or lunchboxes. As a parent, I’m picky about what touches my kids’ food. I choose Stasher because their platinum food-grade silicone is guaranteed free from BPA, BPS, lead, latex, and phthalates. It’s peace of mind that those chemicals aren’t leaching into their lunch. For things like applesauce I love these Haakaa silicone pouches sold with EarthHero. These are made with high-grade silicone and because it’s inert, it does not leach microplastics or endocrine disruptors (like BPA or BPS) into food, even when heated or frozen. Reusable food pouches require thorough rinsing and drying, especially around the corners and spouts, so a small bottle brush or a dishwasher top-rack placement is helpful when you clean these products.

Swap #3: Reusable Produce Bags

Those thin plastic bags at the grocery store? Completely unnecessary. Mesh produce bags from EarthHero cost about $12 for a set and last years. If you get into a good habit of keeping these produce bags and your reusable grocery bags in your dashboard in your car you will never forget them when you go to the grocery store.

The Bathroom: Your Second Biggest Waste Culprit

Americans use 140 rolls of toilet paper per person per year, almost all made from virgin trees shipped in plastic.

Swap #4: Switch to Plant Paper

Plant Paper makes bamboo toilet paper that’s tree-free, plastic-free, and ships in compostable packaging. It’s softer than most recycled options and their manufacturing is actually carbon-negative. This is the single swap I recommend most because everyone uses TP and the impact is massive at scale.

Swap #5: Bar Everything

Shampoo bars, conditioner bars, body wash bars. They last 2-3x longer than liquid equivalents, require zero plastic packaging, and take up almost no space (crucial for van life). I LOVE the ones that EarthHero offers. But I have found that sometimes using the soap bars for my hair doesn’t work for me and it might not be for everyone and if you are really into your hair routine, sometimes soap bars just might not cut it. If that’s the case and you haven’t found the right shampoo bar you could always try EO Products shampoo, I LOVE this company, they divert over 90% of their discarded waste from landfills, they are a zero-waste manufacturer, and they recycle traditionally non-recyclable items. You need to think about how much waste you are typically creating and if the switching to soap bars is too overwhelming start here for shampoo while you transition to some more zero-waste items throughout your home. When your bathroom counter is four inches wide, you don’t have room for a dozen plastic bottles anyway. Swapping to a safety razor and shampoo bars wasn’t even a question for me, it was a necessity so my sink didn’t overflow every time we hit a bumpy dirt road.

On-the-Go Zero-Waste

Traveling or living in a van means I’m always “on the go,” so I’ve perfected the zero-waste travel kit.

Swap #6: A Reusable Water Bottle

Not all travel to-go water bottles are created equal. Earth Hero has a sturdy Hydroflask I love. It doesn’t leak (I’ve tested this in a moving van on mountain roads, and with kids who, as we all know, can be pretty destructible), and the quality means you’ll never need another water bottle. Compare that to cheap alternatives that crack, leak, just can’t hold up after a year. The big thing with reusable water bottles is that you need to make sure you have extras, I keep one in my car and one in my large purse for when I need them.

Swap #7: Bamboo Utensil Kit

EarthHero makes a gorgeous bamboo cutlery set that comes in a roll-up case. We use ours 3-4 times a week, it has completely replaced single-use utensils. All items I have found from EarthHero are made very well and last for years. Going to a birthday party with your kids? I purchased 6 of these sets so that I always have them available when we are at a birthday party or going out of the house for food.

Composting: Close the Loop

Swap #8: Composting

About 30-40% of food in the US is wasted, and when it hits landfill it produces methane, a greenhouse gas 80x more potent than CO2. I know what you’re thinking, ewwww how do I do that? There’s many ways of doing composting but at the end of the day it’s really just another way to sort the products you will be disposing of. Composting is when you put all the leftover food scraps or yard clippings into your compost. This process of recycling organic materials into a material that can be used to enrich soil and plants. Bokashi offers a way to compost in small spaces like a van or an apartment. However, it takes more manual work than some of them out there right now like the Lomi or Reencle. Composting is the thing most zero-waste guides miss: even after you reduce packaging waste, food scraps are still a massive problem.

The solution? Composting. And if you don’t have a backyard, or live in an apartment or van, Bokashi composting is the answer. I’ll cover this in depth in my dedicated Bokashi guide, but it’s the single most impactful thing you can do for your food waste. If you really want to follow this live zero-waste living guide for small spaces, this is the LARGEST impact you can make.

The Real Cost of Zero-Waste Living

Here’s what surprised me: going zero-waste actually saves money. Yes, some upfront swaps cost more (bamboo utensils vs. plastic forks), but the math overwhelmingly favors reusables within 1-3 months:

Thrive Market membership: Saves ~$480/year on organic groceries

Plant Paper subscription: Comparable to premium TP, zero plastic waste

Reusable utensils: One $25 set replaces ~$50/year in disposables

Reusable cup or waterbottle: One $30 cup or bottle replaces ~$500/year in coffee shop cups or plastic water bottles

Total first-year savings: approximately $900+ depending on your typical purchases

Start with 2-3 swaps and stay consistent

The biggest lesson I hope you come away with for this zero-waste living guide for small spaces is to not overhaul everything at once. Pick 2-3 swaps from this list, master them, and then add more. The most sustainable lifestyle is one you can actually maintain. Drop a comment below and let me know which swap you’re tackling first!

If you need any recommendations for ways to simplify your life check out my app article. I know that composting for the first time can seem overwhelming if you’ve never done it before so check out my article on Bokashi Composting. Looking for some swaps for your home? check out my Shop. Overall, this zero-waste living guide for small spaces is here to help you take baby steps so you don’t get burnt out. When you can break things up into simple steps it makes the entire process more attainable. I hope this zero-waste living guide for small spaces was helpful for you, let me know in the comments below!

FAQ: Zero-Waste Living Guide For Small Spaces

Table of Contents

Why are Eco-Friendly Apps so important?

Many people want to embrace green habits, but daily routines often feel overwhelming. Fortunately, modern technology makes this much easier. Using the right eco-friendly apps can completely transform how you handle food, shopping, and everyday choices. Furthermore, simplifying your digital tools will immediately simplify your life. Instead of feeling stressed, you can automate your routine with a few screen taps. Moreover, relying on top-tier eco-friendly apps requires practical utility rather than complex sacrifices. Let us explore six powerful eco-friendly apps that genuinely changed my daily routine. Ultimately, streamlining your phone starts right in the palm of your hand.

1. Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is a favorite of mine. It connects you with local bakeries and restaurants that have leftover food at the end of the day. Instead of throwing away they offer “surprise bags” for a fraction of the cost. We tried this for the first time for my son’s birthday party and planet benefited from the reduced waste, and my budget? Thrilled.

The best part? It’s not just about saving money. It actually feels good knowing you’re not letting food go to waste after someone worked hard to make it. I’ve also found new local spots I never knew existed, and it’s become a fun “surprise bag Saturday” tradition for us.

Pro tip: Set notifications for your favorite spots. The good bags go quickly, especially on weekends! This is a top ranked item on my eco-friendly apps, keep this app on your home screen, you will thank me later!

2. Happy Cow

Happy Cow is amazing because you have an app that will find all the best restaurants near you that have vegan options. I like this so much better than google maps because sometimes on google maps even if a place has a few vegan dishes but they might not be something you like they will show up if vegan is in a few reviews. Usually, in my opinion, if there’s a restaurant that has a good variety of vegan options you will see it show up on Happy Cow. I recommend this to anyone who is looking to incorporate more vegan food into their lifestyle. This is a top item on the eco-friendly apps list to simplify your life. Ultimately, discovering food-focused eco-friendly apps makes plant-based living seamless.

3. Good On You

I used to waste so much time researching “Is Jack & Jill brand sustainable?” while shopping. Good On You is also one of my favorite eco-friendly apps. It enables you to see how fashion brands are rated regarding environmental impact, animal welfare, and labor practices.  

Their rating system is pretty cool too. They have categories like (We Avoid, Not Good Enough, It’s A Start, Good, Great), making it easy to make quick decisions while shopping. This leading eco-friendly apps item is so great because I’ve found amazing sustainable brands I’ve never even heard of. It’s helped me stop shopping for brands that claim to be eco-friendly but are actually not.

4. Commons

This app has recently blown me away. It is called Commons. I have been deep-diving into their interface over the last few weeks. As an eco advocate, I am incredibly impressed. They handle carbon transparency and sustainable spending so well. Clearly, this is the missing link for your bank statement.

You probably want to turn everyday purchases into a force for good. Consequently, I highly recommend downloading it. You should check it out alongside other eco-friendly apps. You will be amazed by its features. Furthermore, it seamlessly connects to your bank accounts. It easily monitors your overall progress in real time.

5. Think Dirty

This app was such a wake up call, it allows you to scan the barcode of household items, beauty items, or personal items you are thinking about purchasing or that you are currently using. Then it will rate the level of safety of the ingredients. I scanned my “natural” shampoo that I had been paying $18 a bottle for and it gave it a 7/10 “dirty” rating due to the sketchy fragrance ingredients.

I went through my whole bathroom cabinet in an afternoon. Some of these items I had been using for years. Think Dirty also provides cleaner alternatives to the items you are currently using. Not only is it easier to switch to these new products, but it also gives you peace of mind. This doesn’t just top the list for eco-friendly apps but also non-toxic beauty as well.

6. Ecosia

Web searches happen every single day. Fortunately, digital eco-friendly apps extend even to your browser. I can’t even put into words how happy I am to have this app and browser. There’s nothing quite like waking up every day. You realize that just by looking up how to do something, you can actually make a difference in the world.

It almost seems unreal to use a search engine that plants trees. Honestly, I had my doubts at first. However, after using Ecosia as my default search engine for a year, I’ve managed to help plant over 200 trees. I just did what I usually do. That includes Googling how to get red wine out of carpet late at night, or looking up easy weeknight healthy plant-based dinners thousands of times.

Here’s the deal: Ecosia earns money from ads, similar to how Google does. Instead of keeping most of the cash, they put 80% of their earnings into planting trees where they’re needed the most. Furthermore, they put out monthly financial reports that clearly show where the money is spent. I really like that transparency. I’m just fed up with companies being vague about their so-called “eco-friendly” promises.

The search results come from Bing. Honestly, it works well enough for what I need, but it IS different from Google, so keep that in mind. The only time I had to go back to Google was when I needed to do some very specific research for work. However, for everyday searches, it works just fine. There will probably be a few things that you still need to research with Google. Just let that be your supplemental tool. Knowing that you are doing good with every search is a simple thing. Ultimately, it brings a bit more happiness by helping protect the earth.

What I like the most is the small tree counter in the corner of my browser. Each time you search, it adds one more tree to your personal count. It’s strangely motivating. My children and I have started this silly little game to see who can plant the most trees every month. I’m clearly winning at this because they are still pretty young, so their typing takes more time.

I seem to search “how to organize kitchen cabinets” every couple of weeks. I never actually get around to organizing them, but my searches have added up anyway. Additionally, the mobile app has a cool feature that lets you see exactly where trees are being planted. There’s a map with projects in Madagascar, Indonesia, Brazil, and many other spots. My kids really enjoy zooming in to check out the actual planting sites.

It’s changed from “Mom’s on her phone again” to a fun lesson about reforestation. Honestly, changing your default search engine only takes around 30 seconds. That’s all there is to it. If you’re anything like me and spend a lot of time searching stuff (no judgment), those trees really add up quickly. Ultimately, this is a great one to have near the top of your eco-friendly apps list.

The Bottom Line: Figure Out What Really Works for YOU. The thing about eco-friendly apps and sustainability is that not every app works for every person. I’ve probably tried about twenty other apps, but none of them really stuck with me. Some felt way too preachy, others asked for too much effort, and honestly, a few just ended up making me feel worse about myself.These six worked because they made my life simpler, not more complicated. They helped me save some money.They brought me closer to my community.And yeah, they helped the planet too, but honestly, that just felt like a bonus compared to the real benefits I got from using them. Don’t let the pressure of being a ‘perfect’ environmentalist get to you. Just start with one app. Give it a shot for a month.If it stays, toss another one on. Making small changes and sticking with them over time really leads to real results.If you delete an app after a week because it’s annoying, that’s pretty normal. Sometimes apps just don’t fit your routine or they get on your nerves, so getting rid of them makes sense. It’s better to keep your phone clutter-free with stuff you actually use.That works well. The aim isn’t to be perfect, but to figure out what fits best with your own life

One More Essential App…

Olio is one of my favorite eco-friendly apps that’s for food sharing. I compare it to borrowing a cup of sugar, but with food. You can share food, and your neighbors can take it for free. It’s more popular in the UK than in the US right now & this would be on my list of top apps if we can get it more popular in the U.S. So PS SPREAD THE WORD!

You can share things like extra veggies or food you aren’t planning on using before it expires. You can score some amazing foodie finds like homemade sourdough starter, a pack of organic chicken someone purchased but wasn’t able to use, and even fancy tea from someone who was moving.

It’s like the complete opposite of our normal isolated waste-so-much lifestyle. It’s such a a great concept and you actually meet the people living in the houses around you that you might not normally speak to. 

Resources:

• Reference this eco-friendly apps Mango Marketing Eco Essentials article to find more tips on other eco-friendly apps that might be ideal for your family!
• To make sure your small actions are actually hitting the mark, I recommend using Earth911’s article to verify where your hard-to-recycle items should actually go or their guide on Eco-Friendly Apps Essentials. Or check out my article on the 6 Best eco-frienldy apps that simplify life
• Subscribe to save $ money with eco-friendly apps, live more sustainably at EcoErin.com
• Into hair care & beauty? Check out my Herbal Remedies blog for beauty secrets.

FAQ: Eco-Friendly Apps

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