Category: Reducing

Classroom Valentines

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Like many, I have fond childhood memories of Valentine’s Day and the exchange of those commercial, store-bought, cartoon cards everybody dropped into decorated paper bags.  But as the years have passed, many of these valentines have more and more cheap, plastic add-ons.  (I think the most ironic stack of valentine cards I ever saw were ones from the movie, Wall-E.)  And the more I think about it, I feel like these store-bought valentines kind of miss the whole point.  This article nails it, and estimates school kids in US exchange as many as 750 million.  (This is not, by the way, including cards exchanged by teens and adults.)  Understandably, schools don’t want kids to feel left out, so will require that everybody gets a valentine card for everybody.  I like the thought behind that and I like the exchange of cards…but, like so many of our holiday traditions, much of the meaning has been sucked out and left an empty shell of obligatory tradition.

Also, with the unpredictable numbers of valentine cards “needed” by any one family vs. the numbers sold in packs, people often end up with more than they’re going to use.  (Here are some “print as needed” valentine options, because despite my rant, I am a sucker for punny valentine cards…)  Perhaps families/friends could also come together and share odds and ends cards to at least eliminate extra waste.

As someone whose love language is words, I do have a weakness for cards and hand-written notes.  The thing is though, most of the classroom valentines passed out in schools are purchased by parents and quickly scribbled with a signature.  And after the kids go through their stash and pick out the cheap candy, the cards often end up directly in the recycling (or trash).  I don’t know what the solution is, but here are some thoughts:

nature-based valentines ideas

–Or, perhaps, as the linked article above suggests, Valentine’s Day card exchanges should just bypass the Under 12 group.

Traditions are great, and many of us get very caught up in memories of how our own childhoods looked.   But, times are changing, and it’s okay to shift to new traditions.  Not just okay, it’s necessary.  I think it’s wonderful to have a holiday that centers around LOVE, and despite this post, I actually really do love the idea of exchanging cards.  But maybe by exchanging of 750 million cards in schools, the meaning has gotten a bit lost…

Oh, Christmas Tree…

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I take issue with what is probably THE most treasured holiday custom of the year.  And I feel awful about that.  Because a beautifully decorated Christmas tree does hold magic.  BUT….

I just can’t make peace with it.  There are numerous articles out there discussing the pros and cons of real vs. artificial trees and which is better, but my choice continues to be -Neither.

In short, artificial trees are made with plastics, sometimes lead.  They are usually imported from China, which is a huge environmental footprint if you live elsewhere.  They emit toxins while being manufactured and in your home.  Even if you do reuse them for many years, their eventual landing space (and, yes, even those artificial leaves shed each year) is a landfill…  Nope.  Can’t do it.

Real trees, grown locally and –this is the really important part–recycled when they’re done, are supposedly the better of the two choices.  But, first off, as a tree lover, I just cannot make peace with cutting down a tree.  Ever.  Even if it’s grown for the purpose of killing.  I can’t do it, the same way vegetarians can’t eat meat.  Often times, wildlife do start making homes in these “temporary” trees, so that sucks.  And pesticides are often used in the process…  So, another ‘No’ from me.

And I totally get that there are bigger, other things with environmental impact.  I’m far from perfect, and I know I have many of these things in my life.  But, like I said, for some reason the Christmas tree is a sticking point for me.  So, this leaves me with “alternative” trees.  I’ve pinned a bunch of ideas for these on my Pinterest page.  But there are waaaay more than these ones out there.  These are just some of my favs.  I also really love the idea of potted, tabletop trees that can be planted after the holidays.  Living in rentals doesn’t usually allow for this though.

Several years ago, after years of decorating our wall with fabric or ribbon trees, I asked my husband to make a tree from an old pallet.  I painted it with some eco-friendly milk paint, which isn’t as bright and vibrant, but gives a bit of a rustic look that I like.  Anyway, we hang our lights (that’s a whole other post) and ornaments here.  At least once a year I wonder if we should just give in and get a “real” tree.  I research it and think about it all over again, and I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Yes, I miss the trees I grew up with during Christmas time, but there’s also something said for new traditions and for the creativity and togetherness involved in making our own kind of tree.  Besides, if I could give my kids a truly big gift for Christmas, it would be the chance at a more sustainable world for their future.  So, cheeseball as it sounds, there it is.  This is the tree that gives me “hope and strength throughout the year.”

Clothes-Reducing and Reusing

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CLOTHING LIST A-Z (see end of post)

I have a ways to go in the eco-conscious clothing cycle, but I thought I’d offer some basic thoughts here:

WHY REDUCE?
–Crops like cotton can be hugely wasteful.  Between the water waste and pesticides, simple items like t-shirts are a big source of environmental damage and waste.
–The production, transportation, and maintenance (washing/storage tubs/etc) of clothes contributes to their environmental impact.
–In one year, up to 18 million tons of textiles end up in landfills!

Step 1-REDUCE
–Before buying clothes, ask yourself if you really need them.  Are you wearing and appreciating what you already have?  Do you already have enough of this certain type of clothing?

–Choose wisely.  Choose clothes that are well-made, quality clothes, preferably ones that are made from conscious companies and sustainable materials.  These clothes may cost more initially, but will last longer and are better for our planet.

–Buy clothes that you’ll be able to enjoy for many years and make it a point to take pride in your clothing lasting.  I’m always surprised by how many people choose to comment in a negative way about their own outfits or others’ if they’ve had them too long.  This needs to start shifting, and I think people who are “influencers” can help this along.

–Speaking of which, buy clothing in classic styles that won’t be out of style anytime soon.

–Say “no” to free clothes that you won’t enjoy.  People have a tendency to get caught up in the moment of an event and the idea of “free,” but then usually quickly forget about these clothes.  It’s difficult for thrift stores to find customers for many of these event shirts.  Hopefully, as more people decline these free items that are causing environmental damage, events will start shifting away from these.

–Buy gently-used to keep the cycle going and to reduce the need for new clothing items.  There are SOOOoo many options for buying great gently-used clothing, whether it’s local thrift shops or online.  These are often great deals and unique finds!  (Just be sure your online purchases are staying eco-conscious too, between packaging, transportation, and the notes sellers sometimes like to include.)

Step 2- REUSE
When your time is done with an article of clothing, whether because you’re downsizing or the size doesn’t fit you or it’s worn out, you have a lot of options…

–IF the clothing item is still usable–and remember everyone has different standards on this–consider passing it along for someone else to enjoy.  This would be offering clothes to friends or family, putting it out at a sale, selling online, offering on Freecycle, having a clothing swap, or donating to a cause or thrift shop.

–IF the clothing item is a sentimental item for you, consider upcycling/repurposing it so you can continue enjoying it, instead of stuffing it in a box.  There are GREAT ideas online, and I’ve been collecting some on my Pinterest page.  Some that come to mind at the moment are–turning the item(s) into a pillow, a blanket, wall art, a stuffed animal, a shopping bag, a new/different item of clothing, etc.

–IF the clothing item has a flaw, but may still have life left in it, consider if it can be repaired.  Can you fix the zipper?  Can you naturally dye the stained clothing into a new color?  Can you turn the item into a new/different clothing item?  Can you sew it to fit a different member of the family?  Can you soak it in vinegar if it has developed a smell?  Can you add a new piece of elastic or a new button? etc.

–IF the clothing is no longer in wearable condition and can’t be repaired (excessive staining or tears), consider some of the upcycling/repurposing options mentioned above or others.  My favorite projects for usable pieces are making– fabric gift bags of all sizes, headbands and scrunchies, bean bags, doll clothes, bunting, decorations, and sewing projects with the kids.

–IF the clothing is no longer in wearable condition, etc. also consider salvaging pieces like buttons, zippers, laces, etc.  If you sew, these are great to have around!  If you don’t, you should learn!  ha.  Or offer them up to friends or on Freecycle or put them out in a bundle at a yard sale.  I also love saving and using back pockets from shorts and pants.  They’re already made and great for making seat back storage for cars or fun activities in kid busy books.

–IF the clothing is no longer in wearable condition, etc. and especially if you’ve been crafting/sewing with fabric, save your scraps!  Even if you don’t have scraps, you can make them by cutting your unwearable fabric into small pieces.  (A great project while watching a movie)  Save and use these as stuffing for new projects!

Step 3-RECYCLE
Once all the steps above have been explored…
–There are lots of places to recycle textiles.  Many towns offer large bins which say that they donate or recycle clothing.  My understanding is they use what’s usable and then reuse the rest as textile scraps.  You can search to see if your area has these bins.  I was happily surprised to find these in small towns where I’ve lived, although I have yet to find one in our current area.  I can’t bear to throw away so much fabric, so I’m making everything into my own scraps after I’ve done all I can with them, and I’ll use it as stuffing for animals, pillows, etc.

 

I shudder to think how many textiles are thrown into the trash each year.  I can’t even bear to look at a statistic for this post.  But hopefully, we as a collective are starting to make more conscious choices from the start by reducing, then reusing, and then, when we have to, recycling.  We can and will make a difference!

CLOTHING LIST A-Z

(These posts in progress.  Mostly just links to Pinterest pages about these items.)

Baby and Kid Clothes
Jeans
Shoes and Other Footwear
Socks
T-shirts/Jersey Fabrics
Undergarments

 

Composting Confessions

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I’m kind of embarrassed to write this, because I really make a lot of efforts to remain eco-conscious in my life.  I know there are tons of ways to be “eco-friendly,” and, like anything, it is an ongoing journey.  It is definitely one that shouldn’t be part of the comparison game (even if that’s only happening in our own heads).  But, I’m just going to say it…I’ve never composted.

Well, not really.  I’ve tried.  I really have.  At least two different times I had a set-up that never quite worked out.  For some reason, in the past, I’ve always found the whole thing very mysterious and intimidating.  Silly, I know.  Another reason (not excuse, mind you, but a reason) is that in my 23 years since moving out of my childhood family’s home, I have moved 20 times.  That is an insane average!

But, it’s been nagging at me for years.  Reducing food waste is a huge way to help our sweet, precious, beautiful Earth.  And while I have worked on reducing food waste on the front side of things by cooking at home, buying only what we’ll use, freezing items to preserve them for future use, etc., I haven’t done much (until now) for the afterlife of unused food items.  I think there’s a mistaken belief that because it’s food it will just decompose in the trash.  But when food scraps are thrown into a plastic trash bag and grouped in a landfill, they aren’t given the conditions necessary for this very miraculous way of natural recycling back into the earth.  They take up a huge amount of landfill space and release methane, a very potent greenhouse gas, when they do break down.

So, I finally did it.  There is SO much information on composting, which is both helpful and, well, not.  It was hard to know what to choose.  And, as an over-thinker, I was weighing the plastic use of any composting container with its eventual long-term benefits.  I know there are natural compost piles and reused wood pallet containers, but since we have no backyard at the moment, and we’re living in a rental, these seemed unlikely for our situation.

Here is the idea (and a similar one) we ended up using.  I love that it uses rotating bins, since that has always been one of my biggest questions/concerns, especially with such often moves–How does the compost get a chance to break down if I’m constantly adding more scraps?  In this method, once the top bin is 3/4 full, it’s rotated to the middle where it can sit and do its magic.  And the middle bin comes up to the top for new scraps.  Eventually, the (now) middle bin gets dumped into the bottom for further composting magic, and then it goes (empty) back to the top position.  Etc.  It sounds ideal.

We’re about one week in, and I’m not kidding, I feel like a weight has been lifted.  I’ve carried this goal around for so long that it feels wonderful to be actually doing it.  I know the novelty will eventually wear off, but right now, adding to our kitchen composter (currently a large plastic container that was headed for recycling) and then dumping it in our compost bin is a serious point of pride and excitement around here.  [Update:  Now using this kitchen composter from the wonderful ZeroWasteCartel!]

I hope to post with some positive updates as this unfolds.  And hopefully, hopefully, I can help encourage some other reluctant composters out there.

 

(We just used a plastic lid we had saved (from a bin that didn’t make it) and then used a bungee cord to secure it on top.  We have it sitting in a small (somewhat) sheltered part under our porch where it has already survived some very windy days.)

Paper Fortune Cookies

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I LOVE, love getting fortunes from fortune cookies!  And even though I’ve grown to dislike the restaurant ones, and I’m not always in the mood to make the homemade ones, I still crave the random messages of wisdom or hope or complete randomness to reflect on.

Enter….Paper and Fabric Fortune Cookies! I love this idea, especially because it’s a GREAT opportunity to reuse old magazines, catalogs, wrapping paper, damaged books, etc. as well as fabric scraps.  Wouldn’t it be fun to have a jar of these around either at a celebration or perhaps year-round for your family or guests to reach in for some fortune cookie wisdom every now and then?

The first time I made these, I sort of made it up as I went, and it was a bit of a struggle.  In the video above, I’ve shown a few different tips and ideas, which I hope can help.

I think a bag or box or container of these would be such a fun, simple (possibly upcycled?) gift.  If your gift recipient is going through a tough time, you could hand select quotes or messages to offer them hope or a chuckle.  If it’s a special anniversary party, you could collect messages about love or marriage.  If you’ve collected cute, little sayings your kid has said over the years, you could put those on the messages at a birthday party.  You could stick a fortune in with your child’s lunch or tuck one into a birthday card.  The creative possibilities are endless.

If you’re not up for a crafty project, but still like the idea of fortunes, why not just put out a jar of fortunes with no cookies?   Here are some fortune cookie quotations (and here and here) I put together for my shop, if you’re interested!