Baby Steps

Hello and Welcome! This is the platform where I will keep you updated on the steps I am taking to living more environmentally conscious, on the experiments I am trying and they ways I am attempting to live a more meaningful life.

Week 11 – 3/19/18

  • I few weeks ago I found a bunch of hankies at a consignment store and decided to experiment with using them instead of kleenexes. Yes, they have been previously used. But they are washed silly. It’s not that gross.
  • Also, I am actually a couple of weeks into experimenting with not having internet at home! So far it is going great. I’ve been reading more books and staring at a screen far less. Here is the link to the article that has inspired me!

 

Weeks 7-10 –

  • Life happened! I’ve still been doing great. I’ve been remembering my bags at the grocery store. I am producing probably a forth of the trash I was, and I am composting like a queen! Feeling contented about my home, but ready to start blogging more now that I’m further into my school semester and settled.

Week 6 –

  • Recieved my metal straws in the mail.
  • Spent 8 hours decluttering my daughter’s room!!! She got rid of about 3/4 of her stuff including toys and furniture to either be donated, sold or given to relatives. Her room is much simpler and more beautiful now.
  • Started putting my kitchen scraps in a bucket to compost next to my trash.
  • Talked to a girl that works at the University farm to learn where compost drop off locations are.
  • Bought a bunch of old hankies at a local consignment store. Love them! And since they are older they are Super soft!

Week 5 – 

  • Met a local person in the know about recycling and found out where I can take glass! Because my city doesn’t recycle it.
  • Decided to start putting together my zero waste travel kit. The first thing I have boughten are metal straws.
  • Learned that at certain resturants as soon as they place napkins and straws on your table they will need to be thrown away if unused. Not cool.

Week 4 – 

  • Learning curve this week! I used a lot of unrecycleable packaged products out of my cupboard that I already had. So my trash was much more full.
  • Brought my own container to a local food truck for fish and chips! Got some Very strange looks, LOL. They couldn’t comprehend why on earth I would bring my own container.
  • I had talked to my apartment manager about a week ago to see if we could get a recycling bin. At the time it didn’t seem possible, BUT this week she said she looked into it and we may get a few bins! So, I went down to the office this week to sign a petition for the bins. I never hurts to ask!

Week 3 –

  • At my local co-op I refilled my soy sauce for the first time, and got flour and salt in jars.
  • Spilled my cream for making zero waste butter. Then actually made zero waste butter by buying cream in a returnable glass bottle and then made butter myself instead of buying it in a package!
  • Put a carboard box by my front door and put a few recyclables in it like – plastic berry containers and a chicken broth box. Easy.
  • From just putting in a tiny bit of effort this week at the grocery store, like getting unpackaged produce, and putting a few things in my recycle box, I seriously halved my trash production – evidence in my trash can! Not only that, but the majority of my trash is compostable, making me realize I need to figure out where to find a compost bin.
  • Took plates to Subway. Yes, I seriously did.

Week 2 –

  • Called the city to learn about my local recycling; got their direct phone number for any recycling questions.
  • Bought shoes at Goodwill instead of new shoes. They rock!
  • Went on a mini-vacation with my family… learned a lot about trash while traveling. Successfully refused straws, and returned some unused packaged plastic silverware at McDonalds, and returned a double cup on my hot tea at Starbucks… BUT besides that created a TON of trash. Something I’ll try: having a travel kit in my car with a food storage container, fork, knife, spoon, washcloths & travel mug. Learned a lot, and that’s ok!

Week 1 –