Tag: RRR

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.)

Start Where You Are

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Like any journey in life, the environmental/eco-conscious one is definitely one that must be approached with a Start-Where-You-Are mentality.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the eco-conscious world.  At least, for me it is.  I try to stop and remember all the cliche sayings —  One step at a time.  Little by little one travels far.  Small actions over time can make a big difference…  Start where you are.

The thing is, we’ve all come from very different backgrounds and households.  Some of us may have been introduced to clean and conscious living at a young age and some of us are just stepping on board.  But in this information age we live in, the amount environmental causes out there is staggering.  Once you start to become conscious of where your products come from and what their afterlife is, and it’s difficult to go back.  Suddenly you’re thinking about your food’s packaging and where your shoes will go once they’re worn out and how many steps it takes to get your magazines to you and the enormous amount of toothpaste tubes we, as humans, use.  This is not to say being eco-conscious means a life of giving these things up, just making smarter and more conscious choices.

But change can be tough.  Even when we want to change, our human nature gets defensive and resistant to the idea.  And since there’s SO much out there that needs to be changed, it sometimes seems easier to just keep the status quo and forget the whole thing.

But our actions DO matter.  And the little things will add up.  It might be tricky to know where to start, and it’s hard to take other people’s advice on this since nobody lives the same way or is starting from the same place.  But, I think if you can pause and close your eyes and think of something that’s been irking you, even the slightest bit.  Maybe you’ve started thinking about all those plastic water bottles you go through every month or the amount of packaging involved in getting fast food take-out.  Maybe you’re bugged by little, cheap, broken toys you end up throwing away or the amount of gas you end up using in your commute.  Whatever it might be, from extravagant vacations to small, plastic floss containers, we all have at least a little idea of an area we might be able to shift our actions for the better.

The comparison game is an easy one to get lost in and not one that belongs if we’re going to join together for this cause.  I would say that in my usual circles, I’m probably the most eco-conscious one.  But last year, when I started going to a local group’s meetings about reducing waste in the community, I suddenly found myself playing the comparison game.  And not in a I’m-doing-so-much-more kind of way, but in a I’m-not-doing-nearly-enough-as-these-people way.  Not that anyone in this very kind and inclusive group was putting out this vibe, it was just my own mind playing tricks with me.  While I could have been celebrating being around a group who was standing up for the change I want to see and learning from their wisdom, I was using it to put unneeded, extra pressure on myself instead.

Like anything in life, I think it’s important to pause and celebrate our own progress.  It might not be the same as our friends’ or even where our self-critical mind thinks we “should” be, but it’s key to look back and recognize our accomplishments.  To be proud of the efforts we’ve taken and the hurdles we’ve overcome.

…Which is not to say that our journey stops there.  If we are really going to help our planet, we all need to come together and continue making eco-conscious choices in our lives.  But, it’s ok to not know everything all at once.  To not dive in and be picture-perfect, zero-waste role models right from Day One.  Our actions can and will make a difference, even the small ones, from wherever we’re starting.

Gift Tags

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I love this very simple reuse idea!  Before you go to recycle food boxes, tissue boxes, toy boxes, or greeting cards, upcycle them into gift tags!

(Here’s the other video I made about Gift Tags.)

Making your own gift tags is…
-easy
-fun
-free!
-a great way to upcycle
-a great way to cut down on the packaging waste of store-bought gift tags

The idea is super simple…

-Use old greeting cards, cereal/cracker/packaging boxes, old calendars, wrapping paper–really anything with a blank back.  Use your imagination!

-Use a gift tag punch or large circle punch to cut out some tags.  No punchers?  No problem.  Borrow one, ask on Freecycle, or just trace and cut your own shapes!

-Punch a small hole at the top of your gift tag using a regular hole punch or sharp pencil.  Or just skip this and tape/glue the tag to string or gift.

-Add a small thread or thin string.

-You’re done!

Tips:

-A thick paper or thin card stock is usually best, but not necessary.

-Make a bunch at once and save for future gifts.

-Give as part of a eco-friendly gift wrap set to your eco-conscious friends.

-Reuse tags within your household.

-If they qualify, recycle scraps when punching tags and recycle tags when their time is done.

-Experiment with chalkboard paint on the blank side, so you can reuse the tag using a chalkboard pencil to write.  Or simply save the tags within your immediate family for use on future gifts.

 

Even though a small one or two inch piece of paperboard might not seem like a huge environmental difference, I love that this project is one of those gentle reminders that we can find ways to give our “trash” new life.  It also cuts down on the need to buy store-bought gift tags, which, while not super expensive, still has an environmental cost in its production and packaging.

Your actions can and WILL make a difference!

Pinterest page for ReduceReuseReimagine