How We’re All Reducing Plastic Garbage (and a Winner!)
Lots of little AMAZING bits to share with you today. (Not to mention a big cheer for the weekend!)
First up : the winner of five handmade produce bags from Flourish Pets & Home is Aimee. She says, “I’ve been trying to figure out how to make reusable gift bags, but I’m not much of a seamstress!” These bags should be just the ticket.
Second: I loved some of the ways you’re all reducing the plastic garbage in your homes. (Forgive me if I didn’t give proper credit for an idea you may have included.)
- packing leftovers and lunches in glass containers and lunch pails – they can be microwaved, too – Jessica, Melissa, Angie, Renee, Corene, Karen, bashtree, Bev
- washing out zip top and plastic produce bags to reuse them a few times - Abbigale and Kerri
- reusing plastic bags as doggy bags – Jenni
- for the last year I’ve had my milk delivered to the door in glass bottles – Hazel
- choosing fabric diapers! – Renee
- buying one piece of produce = no bag, skipping plastic produce bags in general – Beth, Diana
- recently started using the bags I get my newspaper in at the grocery to get my produce – Kati
Sooo many good ideas! It’s certainly all about adapting to the opportunities we have in our communities.
Jane’s offering 10% off in her shop with the code SIMPLEHOME. Expires Feb. 25.
Next week, stay tuned for a peek into our cupboards at the tire house. I’ll show how we try to minimize our plastic use and keep organized. We’ll also have the third Giving Month challenge.. just a few days late. ;) I can’t wait!
I love all of your ideas on how we can use less and repurpose. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS INSPIRING US! I really hope none of you starts asking what we should all do with old tires. I’m not sure what all of you do, but uhhh…
So lets sign off for the weekend on the topic of paper, okay?! Otherwise I’ll start cracking tire jokes all weekend, and those get old really fast. How are you trying to reduce your paper garbage/recycling? A big one at our house is getting off of mailing lists.
Now it’s your turn…
February 18th, 2011 at 8:20 am
If I don’t talk about paper, will it really let the air out of your tires?
I don’t want to make your mood go flat.
Wow, those are pretty bad attempts at tire jokes, but I couldn’t resist.
I like to save my cardboard boxes, as you know, so that I can cut them into new box shapes and cover them with fabric to create pretty storage bins. Also, I’m trying to get all my bills delivered elctronically, I opted out of the yellow pages, and I keep contacting catalogs and junk mail providers to request to be removed.
February 18th, 2011 at 9:14 am
We’ve been recycling all sorts of paper for quite a while, but several months ago, we started using dishtowels for kitchen clean-ups rather than paper towels. Generally you can use them for a couple of days, so it doesn’t result in a bunch of extra towels in the laundry. Also, we started using toilet paper that comes without the cardboard roll in the middle…genius!
February 18th, 2011 at 9:46 am
I didn’t even know that you could get tp without the cardboard roll. That’s brilliant. Will search for it next trip to stock up!
February 18th, 2011 at 10:21 am
love these ideas, and find myself doing most of them. one new idea i’m excited about is re-using dog food bags. sounds funny, but the kind we buy is now packaged in the paper/plastic blend. you can wash, cut and sew them into tote/grocery bags, and they are super strong!
February 18th, 2011 at 10:33 am
I grew up in such an environmentally sensitive family that I didn’t even know that people used disposable paper towel for kitchen clean-ups until I read the above! I use open-weave dish cloths, as they dry very quickly. I only need one a week, as it gets rinsed and mostly dries out between uses, so it only needs a wash once a week. After a few years when they become super stained, torn etc, they are transferred to cleaning floor or car duty. If they ever do go smelly, I leave them out in the weather for a week – and the sun normally kills off whatever bacteria is causing the smell, and bleaches them too.
The only paper that I buy to dispose of (because that is such a weird economic formula!) is toilet paper. My parents have almost given it up – bless them – as they had a short hose with squirt attachment installed next to the toilet to rinse themselves clean without paper. They are not living in a muslim country, but it is the custom in many muslim countries, which is ever so practical when you think about it . Nothing like a midday rinse! I would probably install one except I live in rental accommodation – meanwhile I appease the paper-guilt by only ever buying recyled, non-bleach, non-perfumed versions.
It’s deliciously ludicrous when you think about it – many consumers actually choose to buy expensive, decorated, perfumed paper destined solely to the wiping of bottoms and flushing away! More power to the brilliant marketing of the toilet paper manufacturers…
February 18th, 2011 at 10:40 am
Oh – I am just eating your comments up. Well what I’m trying to say is – SO COOL! It’s so exciting to have a community that doesn’t think I’m completely crazy for being so eco- use-less- focused because you’re all doing the same.
A million thank yous.
Katie
February 18th, 2011 at 11:34 am
I just had to go and buy a set of those lovely produce bags!
February 18th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
We (well, me) SOOOO don’t think you are crazy for being eco-focussed.
From where I sit here in Geneva, it’s easy to see that global warming is apparently true. It’s massively sad to see spring flowers poking their heads on in mid-Feb! The ground should be frozen! – everything should be sleeping down under for at least another month! We had a winter-onset that was crazily cold and overly snowed, followed by a mid-winter spring during which the snow has practically disappeared from all except the highest alpine areas, and it can’t help but make us think about global warming.
And aside from that, once this starts growing in your mind, it’s practically impossible to stop the impulse to care more. Packaging, waste, garbage… they are driving me crazy. I love to read your thoughts, and those commenting on your thoughts. I am sure it can only bring good things, worrying and thinking together. Realising that homes are more beautiful with fewer things is a great journey to walk together…
February 18th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
I have been working on reducing the amount of paper our homeschool co-op uses. We are trying to computerize most of the paperwork. It makes things easier to deal with and lowers our costs as well.
February 18th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Katie, I found your blog last year and since then you inspired me to go eco-friendly around the house.
I started making my own laundry powder from soap, baking soda and borax.
I’m doing No New Clothes Project :-) I haven’t bought anything for so long!
In fact, I got rid of so many clothes and socks – I can find things a lot faster now.
I’m now trying not to use wrap, foil or ziplock bags. I use a plate to cover the leftovers instead of wrap – you know I love this method because then I can stack them in the fridge!
As far as paper goes, I stopped using paper towels and also compost as much as possible (shredded junk mails and newspaper etc). My biggest thing now is to tell my friends and family about this.
For so many occasions when we have parties or my children’s playdates, I chickened out and used plastic utensils, paper plates, cups and napkins.
It’s so easy to be like everyone else. It’s tough to be a leader and change the world.
I made a first step and used reusable plates and regular utensils (I got extra for many guests) last party but used paper napkins.
Next time I will sew up nice cloth napkin and ask everyone to use that.
So, no you are not crazy!
Thanks to you, I simplified my home and guess what, in the process I’m saving lots of money as well!
Katie, Thank you!!!
February 19th, 2011 at 12:42 am
Reusable baking liners instead of greaseproof paper; cloth napkins and dishcloths instead of paper towels; not using disposable plates at children’s parties; paperless billing where possible; cloth TP instead of paper; attempting to reduce junk mail; making envelopes out of old magazine pages; furoshiki, trying to encourage the children to use both sides of the paper rather than just doodling on one side and getting a fresh piece…
February 19th, 2011 at 9:02 am
Ooh, I’m so excited about the produce bags! Thanks for the giveaway and for introducing us to Flourish Pets & Home. I’m now following her Etsy feed.
In regards to paper garbage, I agree with your idea to get off of mailing lists. It seems that each holiday season, I end up on a bunch more lists. It’s time to purge my name from the catalog lists, etc, again!
February 20th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Recently a friend asked me where I purchased my paper products….I had to think about that one because the answer is….the only paper product I use is Toilet Paper and I purchase Seventh Generation recycled TP on-line so that it is delivered to me with NO PLASTIC (another pet peeve of mine!)
I use reusable plates, cups and utensils for all of my parties in school. We also use both sides of our paper in school, then it gets recycled.
I use cloth dishtowels, cleaning rags and cloth napkins.
I canceled all of my paper magazine subscriptions, I call companies when they send me catalogs to get off their mailing lists and when I order from them, I ask then NOT to send me catalogs…they are very good at respecting my wishes.
I contacted the DMA to keep my name and address off mailing lists. I have almost all of my bills delivered to me electronically. I also pay my bills on-line!
Any paper we do receive that needs to be recycled we recycle, we also shred and compost any paperwork containing personal information.
February 21st, 2011 at 7:31 am
Love all the comments!
One trick I learned from my mom is to use newspaper to clean mirrors and windows – spray on a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water, and wipe clean with newspaper. It saves paper towels (which I’ve never needed to buy), and once the paper has dried, it can go in the recycling bin, since no “cleaning” chemicals were added to it.
I try to make electronic to-do lists as much as possible – though it’s not quite as satisfying to cross things off the list by clicking that it is by striking it out with a pen! :)
All of my class notes and materials for school are provided to us electronically. I try to avoid printing them out (unless absolutely necessary, which does happen from time to time), and have learned to study off my computer, rather than with real papers in front of me.