Reflect. Re-Evaluate. Reconsider.

            

            After spending this lovely Sunday with my family outdoors, in the woods, making a bonfire and drinking snow-melt tea I find myself in a reflective state (although when am I not?!).  Reflecting on how this lust for sustainable living has become quite suddenly tangible. How did the couple who used to drive to Ikea on a Sunday afternoon for something to do develop into the two that chopped wood, made a bonfire, boiled down snow for tea and sipped on it for hours all so the Mr. could bury a metal file in the coals to achieve the appropriate heat & consistency so he could then turn it into a camping knife?! I even write that in disbelief. Not only did it get me thinking about the development of our lives but also about the well renown 3 R’s we all grew up learning about. Listen as they so naturally roll off your tongue: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

            So, the majority of us recycle, right? It would feel weird if we didn’t. It has become such a part of our lives that we would feel guilty throwing a plastic bottle into the garbage. And we are all familiar with the feeling that comes from throwing a recyclable item in the garbage and then digging through the mess once we realize the atrocious move that was mistakenly made. Recycling makes each of us feel good; like we’re doing our part; like we’re saving the world. And it’s true, it most certainly helps (although there is some question about how loyal recycling companies are). BUT, what about those other two R’s? How did R number three jump to the front of the line making one and two nearly obsolete?

            If you ask me, Recycling belongs third. We should only be in the place to recycle after we have tried to Reduce and Reuse. Reducing the quantity and quality of what comes into the house is the first move. Do we need that extra item in the house just because it comes in a pretty bottle, or because we’re feeling extra bloated, wrinkly, or the house is in disarray that day? Think of how many things you’ve purchased and hardly use? Just stuff, clutter, money spent, and dust collected. One way to reduce is to repurpose things (ie. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner, coconut oil for sunscreen, oatmeal as an anti-itch remedy, etc.) Once you start thinking this way it’s amazing how many things double up.

            Once things do come into the house, we need to shift our thinking once again. When we’re done with an item how could we reuse it? Today I made a necklace and earring combo for one of the neighbour’s kids from a combination of old necklaces that still had great beads. It’s always fun to make some money on your (or your kids) nice but unworn clothes (& toys) by selling them at consignment stores or donating to someone who may need them.  Old files can apparently turn to camping knifes, old furniture can look brand new with the proper care/funky adjustments and old toys (from way back when you were little) are the ones my kid loves the most!

            Recycling is the safest R of them all. It involves little change; just adding a little blue bin to our household and adjusting to garbage separation. Media, industry, markets and consumerism don’t want us to think of the first two. If we all started reducing and reusing, ‘their’ pocketbooks would become much lighter. When you have kids, it is so easy to consume ( look at parent & tot trade shows) because just like every other important moment of our lives ‘they’ have turned it into a market industry. 

            Similarly to recycling becoming habit, we can Re-evaluate (the prerequisite R if you will) our lives and work the other R's in until they too, become the norm....Well, I'm off to sew my old teddy's armpit up as he's the new fav around here!

Let’s support each other in this by sharing links, ideas and encouragement:

Consignment Stores I shop at/give to:

Once Upon a Child: http://www.onceuponachild.com/

Zoe’s Attic (thrift): https://www.facebook.com/zoesattic

ReFind: http://refindclothing.blogspot.ca/

Mom & Me: http://oldsab.towntracer.com/mini_me_consigment_store_olds_ab

Reduce:

Simple Life Celebrations: https://www.facebook.com/simplelifecelebrations

Buy some chickens! They help with composting and deliver an abundance of eggs!

Reuse:

1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/creative-reuse-project-wants-your-ideas.html

Upcycling Ideas: http://toponlineengineeringdegree.com/?page_id=116

                                http://www.dwell.com/articles/Danny-Seos-Upcycling.html

Pinterest: pinterest.com- great ideas on here!

Bio Vert

All mamas and friends of mamas need a good- no, great- stain remover. Ya ya, Tide to Go was all the rage when it first came out and it does work. But there is more plastic on the tube than the actual Tide product inside. In thinking along the same (streaky baby food) lines, fast-forward to a way more sustainable product. Bio-vert laundry detergent is THE absolute best thing I’ve tried. Although I had used it pre-baby every now and then, it was recommended to me when I bought our cloth diapers (residue-free, scent-free, softener-free, glycerin-free detergent). It is the best product I have tried out of a number of green, phosphate-free, biodegradable products. After months of using it, it is my very own mama who pointed out that it is also an excellent stain remover. Just dab the spot(s) with detergent prior to loading your washer with all other clothes. Rub it in and let it sit while you load the clothes. I find this long enough, although longer wouldn’t hurt (but who has that kind of time?!). Throw the spotted item(s) in with the rest of the wash and it comes off like magic! You can purchase this at most Health Food Stores, refill your bottle at some, and even some branches of Pharmaprix/Shoppers Drugmart are carrying it. For those who do like scent, Biovert also make a Morning Dew version. Little effort, big results, healthy for us, healthy for our planet- gotta love it. 

First things first...

Welcome! As I embark on the adventure of becoming a more sustainable person (and some of my friends & family are probably thinking more sustainable, seriously?) I'm having trouble sorting out how to make the transition. You see for the last 10 years or so I have gradually become more aware (and still am) of green options, ethical options, sustainable options, responsible options...  I have made good choices but not always at the expense of my convenience. Yes, it's true. Even though I talk a good talk and walk it a good portion of the time, I would not hesitate to grab a Tim Horton's Breakfast Sandwich (Tim Matin) or even McDonalds when on a road trip (even if it was just a day trip into the city...). So bearing this attitude in mind (I'm healthy and ethical when it's convenient, at my finger tips or on a weekly stop at the local farmer's market) I have a household that is pretty mumble jumbled. My 'green' glass cleaner (which is not very green if you read the ingredients) is in the same cloth basket as Dr. Bronner's peppermint, a vinegar mixture in a BPA biodegradable bottle and Lysol toilet cleaner that I randomly bought totally out of character at Walmart (on sale!). I cloth diaper most of the time, except at night and on long trips. I started off using only reusable breast pads and wipes but have gradually adapted to full time disposables (which sit next to the stagnant reusables on the change table shelf). I think this change was mostly because the bathroom in our new house is way further (down the hall!) from the change table than it was in our last home. Anything that goes down the drain in this house (with the exception of the aforementioned toilet cleaner!) is biodegradable. We're pretty good on food but if I need an ingredient and our local store doesn't have it in organic or from a local farmer I'll for sure buy it from Mexico, Brazil, China, the Congo....where ever. As long as it works. I have taken to leaving out ingredients or replacing them with others in the last few years which works very well, but every now and then I default to my "grab it and run" mind-set. Catch my drift?
I'm not sure weather to discard the unsustainable items I have, give them to the neighbour (which is encouraging poor practices) or use them and just buy new ingredients/products once they're threw. I'm thinking I'll go for the later....either way they'll be disposed of. Thoughts?