Meet the Editor

Hey, Everyone!

I’m Kathryn, and I’m the new editor at Pela. You might know me from goingzerowaste.com. If you’re familiar with my blog, you know my motto has always been, “It’s not about perfection; it’s about making better choices.”

Here at Pela our motto is #BelieveInBetter. I find our mottos to be both rooted in positivity and constantly trying to achieve a better way of doing things.

No one is a perfect environmentalist. We’re all just looking to make the best choice in our current situation. Some of us can make a lot of changes and some of us can’t, and that’s OK!

We’re all constantly learning and trying to do the best we can.

The content you’ll find on this site is going to be different than the content you find on Going Zero Waste. I’ll be talking about broader eco-friendly tips beyond the scope of zero waste.

I’m really excited to delve into topics that are focused on smaller steps in the right direction, and to be speaking about other environmental issues. This blog will be a resource for anyone looking to dip their toe into eco-friendly living as well as longer think pieces and information about your favorite compostable phone case company.

Going Zero Waste is still running full steam ahead, so don’t worry you’ll be able to find me over there too. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Going Zero Waste, here’s a little bit about how I fell into sustainability.

My dad was in the Air Force and we moved around a bit when I was growing up. I spent the most time between Texas and Arkansas, and you will hear me use them interchangeably when talking about where I grew up.

I majored in Musical Theatre and Mass Communications. During college, I had a health scare that left me wondering about a lot of the products we interact with on a day to day basis. Many of the products we use contain endocrine disruptors which interfere with our hormones. They’re in our cleaning products, beauty products, and even plastic.

I started trying to find simple ways to detach myself from endocrine disruptors all while doing it on an actors salary. (I was only making $250 a week at my first gig out of school.) I got into DIY simply out of financial necessity.

I started making my own cleaners, beauty products, and cooking from scratch. After my first gig ended, I moved to California. The litter problem in California is awful, and I would see streets inches from the water littered with plastic.

I learned that plastic isn’t just bad for our health, it’s also bad for the environment too. It really reaffirmed my decision to cut plastic out of my life.

Because of my background, growing up in the South and my lack of disposable income, I decided to start a blog about my zero waste journey.  Many towns back home in Arkansas still don’t have access to curbside recycling. I wanted my blog to be a place for everyone to feel included. No matter where you are in your journey, any step in the right direction is still a step in the right direction.

I’m so excited to be taking this message even further by being part of the Pela team because I #BelieveInBetter.