Kate Bratskeir

Kate Bratskeir is a writer and editor based in Manhattan, New York. She is the author of "A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping," which you can order here. 

Mic •

How to eat less meat without going fully vegetarian

Consuming less meat is a good goal. It can ward off the risk for several life-threatening illnesses. It can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It could even help ensure a better water supply for millions of people. But whether bacon causes you to go weak in the knees or the idea of tofu makes you tremble, you can eat less meat without going completely vegetarian. It will still make an impact. “People think of meat consumption as an all-or-nothing premise — either you're a vegan or you're an omniv
Mic •

Saving the planet isn’t as simple as going vegan

Veganism has a reputation for being sin-free, the martyr of all diets for saving animals, the human body and Earth itself. While there’s plenty of evidence that avoiding animal products can benefit both a person’s health and the environment, it’s not necessarily the right eating plan for everyone. Plus, if all Americans were interested in going vegan — many signs point to this not being the case — it’s possible the country wouldn’t be able to sustain such a lifestyle.
My Dumb Blog •

Re: Nature Valley Bars

I am so pissed about Nature Valley Bars — and not for the usual reasons, which are along the lines of: there is granola stuck in my bra, there is granola jammed inside my keyboard, etc. Nature Valley, owned by General Mills, recently launched a “recyclable” wrapper for its crumbly ass bars. The wrapper is made of a polyethylene film, a type of plastic, which, according to General Mills spokesperson, “can be sold with other flexible plastics to be used to create synthetic lumber/decking equipmen
Mic •

A guide to recycling your holiday gift packages and Amazon boxes

There’s no question that Amazon and other online retailers will be offering major Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. In 2017, Cyber Monday sales broke records, with $6.59 billion spent in the single day, CNBC reported. Amazon accounted for an estimated 42% of all those sales, according to market research firm Slice Intelligence. With the added benefit of being able to shop in your pajamas, not having to wait in line or risk the chance of being trampled in a store, the sales might feel irresistible to consumers.

Why Do We Still Pick Up Dog Poop With Plastic Bags?

My dog Gussie is enviably regular. She makes around four poops a day. This means that, in an average week, I use and discard 28 plastic bags to pick up and toss her poop. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pet owners pick up their animal waste instead of leaving it on the ground, for sanitary reasons. The agency recommends using a bag to avoid getting pathogens from the waste on your hands. It doesn’t specify that you use plastic for this. But most people do.
HuffPost •

Viral TrashTag Challenge Inspires Mass Garbage Cleanup Efforts

Since early March, people from around the world have been picking up trash from beaches, roads, parks and everywhere in between, sharing before-and-after photos of their cleanup successes across social media. It all started when an Arizona man, Byron Román, shared on his Facebook page a photo set featuring Algerian ecologist and activist Drici Tani Younes. Román’s post urged teens to take part in the TrashTag Challenge.
Business Insider •

9 cheap solutions for people who want to waste less and wean themselves off single-use items

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective. S'well bottles are beloved for their sleek design, their ability to keep drinks hot or cold, and their condensation-free exterior. S'well We are in the midst of a mega trash crisis. In 2016, more than 480 billion plastic bottles were s
Mic •

Milo Cress, the kid who started the straw ban movement, doesn’t think banning straws is the answer

For years, Cress was advocating for what he’s dubbed the “offer-first” policy. “The offer-first policy is where a server comes up to your table, takes your order for a drink and asks whether you’d like a straw with your drink,” he told Mic in an interview. “And just by doing that, a restaurant can actually cut down on their straw use by 50-80%, which is really exciting because you’re not only putting the power of making a choice into the hands of the customer, but you’re also making an environmentally responsible step along the way.”