Don’t Be Trashy by Tara McKenna is an educational guide on how to effectively reduce our waste consumption. Tara McKenna is the founder of The Zero Waste Collective, which is a globally recognized brand that promotes living with less waste and more joy. Don’t Be Trashy offers a ton of information on how to ditch single-use plastics, fast fashion, invest in more sustainable options that won’t break the bank, and more. McKenna starts off the book by allowing us to define our own version of low-waste living. This can mean a number of things to different people, but ultimately she encourages us to do what fits within the context of our lifestyle, circumstances, and budget.

Don’t Be Trashy is a guide that we can refer to again and again once we begin to understand the basics of low-waste living. When it comes to lifestyle changes, it’s all about baby steps and not running the entire marathon. Once we’re finished with decluttering, we can move on to conscious consumption. After that we can move on to our kitchen, bathroom, closet, and so on. What I found encouraging is that although McKenna is the founder of The Zero Waste Collective, she states that it doesn’t mean she’s perfect or that she hasn’t made mistakes. We often focus too much on being “perfect” in our sustainable journey, but it all comes down to doing our best for the planet. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I got bored quickly I guess this isn't something for me.
I know some might find this useful but I just couldn't get past 20%.

I was greatly looking forward to reading Don't Be Trashy by Tara Mckenna as I follow The Zero Waste Collective on instagram and moonlight as a creative director for a blue tech company diagnosing our oceans of microplastics!

Mckenna is unapologetically herself. Beginning with an anecdote from when she drew her own conclusions about her personal sustainable journey, the author guides us through a framework of thinking in her approach for the mission she strives to carry the banner for. From individual impact to targeting corporations and legislation, she clearly outlines a clear avenue to empower her readers.

While waste and consumerism’s roles in climate change are multi-layered, her accessible language and clear explanations in a witty vibe are a welcome change of pace to some of the other books in this category. Through her no fuss, colloquial approach, it is evident that she encourages the reader to learn for themselves to make their own choices when it comes to approaching a zero waste lifestyle. In a refreshing manner of speaking, it is evident that she writes with a value in progress over perfection with a sunny disposition.

Setting out a month-by-month plan with exercises, definitions and thought-provoking questions for the reader, she invites us to look within ourselves. To cultivate a shift in mindset in a way that is accessible, doesn’t talk down on the individual and doesn’t insist on frivolous expensive start up costs. She really calls for the reader to distill the “whys” behind their purchases, encourages them to turn and learn about what they are consuming and even break down the barriers of societal norms that lead to over consumption. It’s a mindset!

Mckenna refreshingly guides in the agency of the individual’s own decision making while also siting the books and documentaries that she herself read/watched.

Her friendly writing is approachable and clearly defined and I hope will serve as an effective resource for newbies and seasoned sustainable shoppers alike!

I am thrilled to have read this book and certainly plan to share with my community. Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and NetGally for an ARC in the exchange of my honest review.