If you want to prevent jock itch and toe jam use the hair dryer, it really helps.

going without a hair dryer might be fine for some people, but those of us in professional environments really do have to keep ourselves looking nice.
we also rely heavily on the microwave for certain things, like heating up our reusable non-electric heating pad.
if eliminating the TV, might i also suggest kicking the computer habit since computers use a ton of energy...and aren't usually energy star compliant.

Yah, I can't go without a hairdryer. I mean, I guess if I cut my hair super short I could, but the only way to get my hair to not look greasy is to blow dry it.

I tried the drying overnight thing before but I have an oily scalp so half the time I wake up with dirty looking hair if I go that route.

I also tend not to use the heat setting if I can help it though, so it isn't pulling crazy wattage.

i'm with you on the plastic food bags, microwave, coffee maker, and garbage disposal, but not so much on the others.

what do you suggest instead of trash bags? and i'm with the others on the hairdryer, only because living in chicago requires that your hair is dry before you start your commute during the winter months.

Looking at the list, I see many things we already live without. I stopped buying plastic wrap years ago. When we really need it we use foil, because at least it can be reused and recycled. Plastic bags I admit we use, but I've gone through maybe two boxes of ziplock freezer bags in the past 2.5 years. Mostly they are for freezing sauces and meats. Dishwasher we don't have, and my hair dryer I rarely use. I would add clothes dryer and sponges to the list - we don't have one, and though I do borrow my grandmother's for things like towels and sheets, everything else we hang on a dryer rack. And I would give up using a dryer completely if my landlord allowed us to hang laundry on the porch. Instead of sponges I bought dishcloths. They have a scrubby side to them, so they work well, and it is nice being able to wash them. No stinky sponges, and for the few dollars investment (I got 4 for $2 at a discount store), it is so worth it.

I would definitely count trash bags as the hardest thing to do without on that list.

No way would I give up my hair dryer or dishwasher.

I do use a french press instead of a coffee pot.

in my opinion, replacing a microwave with a convection oven defeats the purpose.

maybe going without BOTH is more what you're looking for to make your point of getting rid of items that aren't needed.

we use cling wrap instead of sandwich bags in most cases, its a good way to use just what you need and not a whole plastic bag. I could never, ever, ever live without a dishwasher though. 4 people in my house eating 3 meals a day...and we dont have a microwave, so all leftovers get heated up in a pan and eaten on a real plate. I'd be washing dishes all day long!

I definitely agree with everything on the list except dishwashers, which are oftentimes more energy efficient than washing by hand!

Honestly, I'm really sick of people saying that they don't have a television and then they act all superior for it. We have a television, but we don't have cable. We have an xbox360 and instant netflix. Sure, we could get rid of the tv, but what's the point in watching a great movie on a tiny laptop screen? Of course all these people who say they don't have a tv are alright with it, they have a computer with the internet on which they can watch anything they really wanted to on television to begin with.
Anywho, we've given up on paper towels, plastic wrap, and bags already. But our house came with a disposal, a dishwasher and a microwave. So we use them.

Without a hair dryer, my hair (fine and thin) looks lifeless. Sure I could put vanity aside, but I am consoling myself with the fact that I don't even own most of the items listed above and therefore the universe will allow me my hairdryer and blowout.

To the people asking about trash bags: We don't buy trash bags--we just small cans lined with grocery bags and take the trash out as soon as the grocery bag is full.

i hate my hair dryer but if i don't use it during the cold cold winter, my hair turns to icicles and breaks on the way to the bus stop. . .

Unless you're incredibly efficient, a dishwasher will use less electricity, water, and soap then doing the dishes by hand. Besides, the dishwasher doesn't just clean, it sanitizes everything to 75°C (167°F). Your tap water is only 48.9°C (120°F).

Without trash bags and a garbage disposal, how is the home cook supposed to get rid of stuff like the extra fat they trim off their chicken? Meat products are never supposed to be composted.

Plastic wrap & plastic food bags: I almost never use plastic wrap. I have always been a fan of tupperware and pyrex.

Trash bags: I don't use them often, normally I'll fill the free bags from the store, but we aren't terribly wasteful, so we tend to have a surplus.

Paper towels: I haven't used paper towels in a long time. I also have some scrubbing cleaning cloths that I put on my swiffer, and it cleans better than the disposable ones.

Hair dryer: I have super long hair, so I can't get rid of it entirely (especially in the super cold winters). I try to shower at night and let my hair dry overnight, but those days I tend to wear my hair up. So, I use the dryer when I have to actually work at it. Probably once every one or two weeks.

Microwave: We have a small energy star one. It's 0.7 cubic feet so you can't put large dishes in it, but it serves our occasional re-heating needs.

Coffee maker: I can't help it. I love coffee, especially when it's made by the timer setting when I wake up. But everyone has to have their guilty pleasures!

Dishwasher: My husband and I love to cook, and neither of us mind the cleaning. It gives us a chance to catch up and talk. We also clean as we cook, which makes everything quicker. We had a roommate who was a professional chef, so for a while the dishwasher was for extra storage.

Television: Ours is energy star rated, and we rarely watch it. We mostly use it for games and movies.

Garbage disposal: I like that it keeps my pipes from clogging, but I generally don't use it.

We don´t have garbage disposals in Europe, so I can´t see why they should be so indispensable. Meat goes into the trash.

Hair dryers damage the hair, just Google that. And the heat aggravates the scalp: it dries out dry scalps even more and makes oily scalps freak out and produce more oil.

I don't have any of the things on that list and I don't think it makes me a superior person. What's vital to me isn't what's vital to the next person is all. (I do have a hair iron but otherwise, I don't have any substitute items.)

Honestly, I'd like a dish washer, but I probably don't own enough dishes to warrant running it.

To add to the list of things we don't use

1. Gift wrap and gift bags (I can't believe how many people have loads of this junk in their house, and how many people think that loading up newspaper with tape and stickers to reuse it once is good - doesn't that make it nonrecycleable)? Anyway - we use pretty small towels, scarves and ceramic mugs for "wrapping".

2. Watering cans - we save our glass cranberry juice jars and label them "for cat bowl" or "for indoor plants". We also save the water from the cat bowls to water the (non-vegetable) garden.

3. Lawn bags - we just use our lidless garbage bins for leaves.

Eight months ago, we moved into an apt. with no microwave and a small kitchen, so I didn't want to buy one. It would just take up priceless space. I haven't missed it at all.

I'm sorry but I think you are one of those people that never catch a cold. Of all things in your list I use only plastic food bags, paper towels, and although I never really take good care of how my hair looks, hair dryer. And if I were to keep only one item from the list, it'd still be the dryer. Otherwise I'd end up in the hospital in a couple of weeks, tops.

Haven't owned a hair dryer in years. My hair's naturally curly and I'm one of those annoying people whose hair washes and dries to perfection without much intervention on my part.

That said, I hate these kinds of shaming, judgey lists. Particularly when ditching said items means I gotta deal with smug folks coming to my place to use items they got rid of.

Some of this is really bad advice. If you want to use the stove instead of your microwave for popcorn and boiling water, that's fine, but you're probably using more energy to do so.

Dishwashers use less water than washing by hand, and unlike washing by hand, they actually sanitize your dishes.

Microwaves use less energy than your range. During a kitchen renovation, we had to use our micro-convention oven for 8 months. We had no stove and no cooktop. I can say I would much rather live without the oven and cooktop rather than the microwave/convention oven. You can do almost everything in there and it uses a lot less electricity. It isn't ideal, but it's the better option for the environment.

I don't perceive this list as judgemental. It's just telling us that we truly can do without some things with which we've become quite dependent.

I no longer own a microwave. Mine went kaput a while ago and I loved having the extra counter space, plus it seemed to not be very practical (and perhaps not healthy). I do miss having microwavable popcorn, but I've been able to adapt pretty well.

I rarely blowdry because my hair is naturally curly. I learned a long time ago that was not a wise thing if I wanted to keep the curls healthy & bouncy.

I also use the grocery bags in place of garbage bags. I don't like the smell or looks of a garbage can and under the sink is very small, so I just use an office trash can.

I've recently learned a small way to use less plastic with produce from the store: for the foods with tough enough skins, I stopped using those plastic bags to place them in.

Thanks for the list. You do sound perfect.
However there is no such thing. You still use plastic shopping bags from the store as trash bags, but at least you're not buying "Trash Bags".
That makes sense. And I'm sure that most people re-use those plastic bags for picking up dog poop or bathroom trash, storing stuff, etc..

Also, when it is a question of "natural resources", dishwashers are proven to be more efficient than hand washing, esp in big loads.
As for the microwave, I use a stove top or toaster oven, but it is not because of "energy efficiency", but the food tastes and feels better than being irradiated in a microwave.

I don't have a TV per se, but I watch so many shows on the internet. So is that like TV or worse?
It maybe worse. because the TV, you just turn it off, and you're done. But now, who turns their laptop off, and the laptop goes to the bedroom and everywhere and we get to do emails/ chats/ skype/ searches/ watch TV/ movies/ listen to music- all on this machine.
And therefore I am probably exposed to this "screen" much longer than a TV

It's like a lot of the people who are getting solar now, think that they can use more electricity.

I find these suggestions to be of good intention, but they are rather unreasonable. As much as I like to conserve and eliminate waste, some technologies are just far more efficient than old tech. The microwave versus countertop convection oven is a good example; Why bother with a CC oven if you have a full-size range? Microwave ovens are designed for speed and efficiency.

your suggestions for plastic bags/wrap was just plain nonsense, too. Having a supply of reusable containers in lieu of the bags/wrap makes sense. "Cotton reusables?" What on earth are you talking about? People use wrap to PRESERVE food. I don't see how cotton could preserve anything except dry grain.

Hair dryer is a necessity sorry.

I think microwaves are more energy efficient than a toaster oven, which are usually very energy consuming, and the stoves use gas.
So, I wouldn't call it an eco-friendly advice, although I prefer the oven because the food just tastes better.
Regarding dishwashers they can actually save water, so also not such an eco-friendly advice.
If you're not using dishwasher, try washing the dishes in loads.
Plastic wrap- I use too much of it, I know.
Paper towels, so redundant, give it up and use towels and napkins.
TV, don't have one but I use the computer a lot. I use a notebook cooler.
Coffee maker- makineta coffee is the best!
Plastic food bags- I reuse supermarket bags.
Hair dryer- I think it's just unhealthy for the hair, it destroys it, plus I have curly hair and it makes it frizzy.
I'd also like to add a dryer to this list- unless you do loads of laundry everyday, it's better to hang your laundry to dry, especially if you live in a warm area.

I don't know what people are talking about. I don't see any judgement in the writing of this post. It simply asks us to participate in considering what items could be kicked out of our lives. I thought it was a fun exercise.

I wonder if using "biodegradeable" plastic trash bags may be better than accepting flimsy plastic bags from the supermarket, which hold far, far less than a trash bag. You're only using it twice, technically.

Better: I knew a woman who composted and recycled almost everything and her trash bag stayed nearly empty for weeks.

What fun, reading everyone's take on the list, which I didn't see as judgmental, but in keeping with the purpose of Re-nest. The important thing is to do what you can and make incremental change as circumstances permit. Like others, there are a number of items that I've already managed to do without (plastic food bags, plastic wrap, plastic trash bags, paper towels, dishwasher, and garbage disposal) and items that we greatly limit (television). There are also items that we are unlikely to part with: hair dryer (I've tried, but was unhappy with the result), coffee maker, and microwave. At least we tend to hold onto our appliances and use them until they die. Nearly all our appliances are 10 years old or older.

I'm wondering if anyone else uses reusable "personal wipes" to replace some of your toilet paper use? (Sorry if this grosses anyone out; it's just that I don't recall seeing any discussion of this on this site.)

I live without the entire list except the hair dryer.

we live w/o the microwave, the plastic wrap, the dishwasher and the garbage disposal. zipper bags are a summer-only luxury, and the hairdryer is winter-only. next up : we buy a tea kettle so we may get a chemex.

I could do all of these except for the trash bags. Maui banned all plastic bags from stores so there are no "reuse" options to dispose of trash. Sure, I could just throw my rubbish in my kitchen can and then toss that into my outside rubbish but that's just asking for a big stinky mouse & roach attracting mess.

I already do without a coffee maker and a dishwasher, barely use my hair dryer. I have done without a tv and a microwave in the past. I don't have a huge oven, instead I use a micro/convection combo. I also don't have a clothes dryer. Parents don't have a garbage disposal.

I don't think this article was judgmental in the least. Just another article from Re-Nest about being eco-friendly and offering suggestions!

Okay, now let's see... We don't use plastic bags, plastic wrap, paper towels, hair dryer, microwave, coffee maker, or garbage disposal.

We compost and recycle what we can, but there's still trash, albeit less. So trash bags are a must (and I can't just reuse grocery bags - I try to use my reusable bags for that). As far as the dishwasher, I think the feedback has been pretty neck-and-neck between dishwasher/handwashing. We just make sure to do full loads. The other thing we do use is our TV! We've done the whole without-a-TV thing before, but we've fallen off the wagon. Oh well.

our reason for not having a microwave oven or a dishwasher is not for saving electricity but rather so we don't create more future thrash. We are simply REDUCING our consummation of goods

I would love to stop using paper towels, but I use them primarily for draining the excess fat from browned meat. Does anybody know of a way to do that with something reusable? I wash my clothes in cold water, so I don't think the grease would wash out of fabric.

@STH: You could drain the fat using a sieve or colander (stainless steel or enamel would probably be a good idea).

• Plastic wrap: Bought a food service roll about 6 years ago & we're still using it. I send my son to school with re-usable containers because I know he'll remember to bring them back; other kids, not so much & it's more wasteful to replace containers almost daily.

• Trash bags: Sorry, keeping those.

• Paper towels: Re-usables need to be re-washed every time the dog drools or piddles, wasting water & electricity. No savings here. Probably more environmentally sound to ditch the dog, but we've grown pretty attached and she'd be hard pressed to find someone who can scratch her behind like we can.

• Hair dryer: Hahaha. Next...

• Microwave: I inherited an almost-new microwave and we use it to re-heat leftovers, thereby neutralizing negative impact.

• Coffee maker: Heat water for french press or press button for one cup of water heated for coffee... Oh, heck- skip the dilemma and go to the coffee shop. Wait... that's not the answer, either.

• Dishwasher: see "Hair dryer" above.

• Television: Best way to watch netflix with the whole family.

@shikairi1: It's not like you'd run a load of laundry just for reusable towels. No extra water, soap, or electricity needed.

Oh dear...as westerners we are so tediously wasteful, useless and vain (me included). Time we returned to the simple life.

Hmm...

• Plastic wrap: Never use the stuff - reusable containers only!
• Plastic food bags: Same as above - reusable containers.
• Trash bags: I fail to see how this is at all possible, at least for myself. I live in an apartment building which doesn't allow for composting (the rest of the city's residents get to use "green bins" for compost collection). If all of my garbage was solid and self-contained, maybe, but our trash is filled with rotting food products. Ew.
• Paper towels: Cotton towels are better!
• Hair dryer: I used to agree before I wound up with a temperamental hairdo. 8/10 times, though, I'll let my hair air-dry.

• Microwave: I could go without, but it's just faster and more convenient.
• Coffee maker: I've never owned one.
• Dishwasher: I've never owned one.
• Television: Have one, but don't have cable ;) Only use it for movies and video games.
• Garbage disposal: I've never owned one.

God forbid we buy things and put money into the economy.

My BF doesn't have a microwave and he is very smug about it, as are a lot of people. Nevermind that it turns into a 30 minute ordeal just to heat up pizza.

My house came with a garbage disposal but I never had one growing up and find them somewhat disgusting. Plus things are always slipping down there and jamming it (icing decorating tips are most often the culprit).

My hair is super-dry and curly so it does better with air drying. I usually wash it on the weekends so it has some time to dry before I head out.

I'm totally with you on the paper towels, plastic wrap, and plastic bags. I actually find the resuable versions of these things a lot more convenient-- the towels don't rip and disintegrate, the bags are easier to carry, and anything is less annoying that struggling with a roll of tricky plastic wrap. I do still use paper towels to clean up dog accidents!

I used to not have a dishwasher, TV, or microwave when I was living alone, and I didn't miss those appliances at all. But once you decide to live with someone you typically end up having those things. All part of being an adult, I suppose.

Forgot to mention the French press-- the day after I got mine we put the coffee maker in storage becuase the coffee the French press made was FAR superior.

One thing I have, but never use and could easily do without, is the dryer-- everything gets hung on a drying rack instead.

Plastic wrap: We use gladware and pyrex with lids and use a dishtowel to cover our cakes and cookies.

Plastic bags: I wash and re-use a package of Ziplock bags for myself for snacks and sandwiches.Other containers are too bulky and heavy in my backpack. I re-use the grocery store check out plastic bags to buy and weigh my fruit and vegetables, I also use the grocery bags for small garbage can in living, hallway, bedroom and bathroom waste containers. I also use them to wrap things before putting them in my backpack on rainy days and to dispose of used cat litter. I could not live without them.

Trash bags: Could not live without these.

Paper Towels: We use these to clean the bathroom especially the toilet. One of my roommates had a staph infection and doesn't wash his hands after using the toilet so we use so very strong chemicals and bleach in the bathroom.

Hair Dryer: Gave up on this years ago and finally embraced my curly hair. Keep it on hand for guest.

Microwave: We use several times a day, it works so quickly and inexpensively to heat food. I also use it to microwave our wet dish sponges to kill germs.

Coffee Maker: After replacing three coffee makers in three years I bought a stove top kettle and French coffee press. No electric parts to break.

Dishwasher: I have a roommate who doesn't wash his hands after using the toilet and had a staph infection. Gross I know. So I stick all our dishes in the dishwasher even if they have been hand washed.

Television: We found ours in the basement the colors off and use it only for exercise videos. We watch tv programs on our computers now.

Garbage disposal: Have never had one and would not want one a waste of money in my opinion.

Things I would add to the list to do without:

Fabric softener: This coats your fabrics with a film that prevents water from being absorbed thus making your clothes dirtier and dirtier over time because they cannot absorb the water and cleaning product to get clean.

Room fragrance re-fresheners:
Toxic, endocrine disruptor, cancer causing agents. Works not by re-freshing the air but by coating your nose with chemicals so you don't smell. Try backing soda.

Electric can openers: Use the manual type.

Electric carving knives: Get your knives sharpened instead.

Vacuum cleaners: Buy a shop type of vacuum cleaner they run hundreds of dollars less and offer all the same features including HEPA bags.

Alarm clocks: Use your cell phone alarm.

CD Radio Cassette records: Use your MP3 player and external speakers.

Flat Irons and Curling Iron: Embrace your natural hair texture and get a good haircut.

If I don't blow dry my hair, it'll be wet from the time I wash it in the morning, till the time I go to bed at night. And it's not even long; it's just that thick and curly.

Microwaves have bad side effects:

They alter hormones, hemoglobin and enzymes.

I’m sure there’s more online...

Replace paper, books, tv, stereo, alarm clock, etc with a handheld computer.

Try a small under-counter fridge.

Try a portable stovetop and one-pot recipes.

Use a pot as a mixing bowl and a spoon or mug to measure.

Use a fork to whisk and a mug as a ladle.

Use a cutting board as a lapdesk or ironing board.

Rather than a dish rack, dry dishes on a towel.

Recycle a jar to store utensils, cosmetics or food.

Rather than use a hanger, iron your outfit and wear it.

Microwave: We prefer not having a microwave. We make popcorn and boil water for coffee and tea stovetop, and reheat leftovers with a highly efficient convection toaster oven.

Oh, please. I wouldn't need a microwave either if I had a convection toaster oven. Who writes these articles???

PS: If I had a convection toaster oven I could get rid of my toaster, too.

PPS: And I could stop using my landlord's poorly insulated and prone-to-breakdowns oven as well. Brilliant!

Reading this list makes me smile.
I am Romanian and my husband is Polish. We both grew up without most of these. The exceptions are the hair drier and TV.

Plastic wrap: we have and use it sometimes, mostly to wrap sandwiches when we go for a trip. To cover baked cookies, bread I use a cotton cloth.
Thus we don't use plastic food bags, nor paper towels.
I have a stack of cotton cloths that I wash along with other towels. Everything is white, everything gets bleached.

Trash bags - I don't buy but we use the grocery plastic bags. My parents buy trash bags because shops in Romania don't offer free plastic bags. You have to actually pay for them.

Hair dryer - no, I don't own one. I have fine and oily hair. Drying it will damage it. Instead, I style my hair with rollers. It takes about 3 h for the hair to dry like that. I wash it in the evening, put the rollers and wait until I go to bed. If I run out of time, I have a style brush or an iron. For the same reasons, I try to avoid them.

We don't have a microwave and we don't miss it. We rent: the stove and oven are electric. Thus, we bought a kettle to boil the water for tea, coffee, even for cooking. Also, we have a steamer and we use it every weekend. These are more efficient and seem to keep the electricity bill lower.
About pop corn: we try to stay away from it. It can damage the teeth. We do enjoy it at the cinema sometimes.

Coffee maker - no. We have the french press. Great for tea also.

Dishwasher - we have it for the last 2 years. For us it is about the time it saves us. However, we don't use it daily, but every 2 or 3 days. So in between washes, we need to wash by hand some items. It got better when we got more cups and plates.

Garbage disposal, just like the dryer - are things we don't see in Europe. And we are fine with that.
We dry our clothes on a drying rack. It takes about 2 days in cold, humid weather, so doing laundry takes a bit of planning. But that happens anyway, since we try to do full loads.
My parents have a system of rods mounted on the balcony ceiling. Clothes get to hang on one side of the balcony, so they don't obscure the windows. But when bed sheets are hanged or more laundry is washed, that's it, windows are blocked for a few hours. My mother usually does this in the evening, so they are dried by next morning.

Other things we do fine without: a balcony.
If you live in a hot climate like we do (we live in Cyprus), you can go without carpets and vacuum cleaner. That is if you don't have kids.

@tenantproof: agree with the fabric softener. I use white vinegar instead. The clothes don't smell like anything. Which means we can wear our perfumes.

considered a <curing oven to dry out products at low temperatures. But i found out how much metal they use!