| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| bramble |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 09:54:37 AM
The big can crushing ear splitting truck just roared past after picking up my 2 very full cans of recycleables. Part of me feels good that I unlike so many people I know (my husband's family...)still recycle. But here's where the trouble begins...2 adults, 1 teenager and 1 baby created 2 cans of trash that needs to be... recycled! Soooooo... here's the challenge:
You already know how much you recycle on average weekly or monthly.
I challenge everyone to reduce their use of materials that need to be recycled through collection points. If you reuse a glass jar as a vase that has reduced what you throw out! Buy cereal in a bag or bulk foods store and bring your own container instead of a box that needs flattening and recycling! See where I am going? I think this will be a challenge to not only look at WHAT we buy, but also is it responsibly packaged and as minimally as possible. What do you think girls? Anyone up for it? I'm starting today!
with a happy heart |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| salt.marsh.selkie |
Posted - Oct 31 2006 : 1:30:30 PM
Hi ladies,
Wow, a bunch of great ideas for reusing here! Bramble, I'm with you on trying not to bring so much into the house in the first place! We have limited curb pick up for some recycling, but, I'm not really all that confident that the town really gets it back into the recycle stream. And since even recycling materials takes energy (mostly petroleum-based energy or coal-burning energy) it is still adding to the overall problem. I'm really big on bringing shopping bags to the store. I do reuse plastic shopping bags for our trash, but, worry that by putting trash in plastic I'm just helping to preserve it
longer in the landfill. Not the goal! They now make "plastic" trash bags out of corn starch which sounds like a better idea. So, when I can I skip the bag entirely or bring my own, when I get plastic bags I now take them back to the market to their recycling program. And paper bags, I use for crafts projects and the rest line new raised garden beds, or go in the compost as brown matter.
Pill bottles are a pet peeve of mine as well. I'm trying to encourage my pharmacy to start a recycling program. Some will. Theoretically pill bottles are recyclable, if you can't find a use for them. But, our recycling won't take those numbers. (It depends what number plastic it is)
I'm determined to get my household (just two for now) down to one small bag of trash a week, and 1 recycling bin every two weeks. We are getting there!
I picked up a copy of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" (Paperback)
by Rozanne Lanczak Williams at a book swap and it is full of great ideas on how to do all of that!
Thanks for the topic, Bramble! |
| Beemoosie |
Posted - Oct 31 2006 : 11:56:56 AM
The old medicine bottles make a good little emergency pack...a band-aid, small patch of gause and a packaged medical wipe will fit right in. Put them in purses, backpacks, glovebox, ect. We used to do the same thing with film canisters.
Bonnie
...she is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
Prov 31:10 |
| ArmyWifey |
Posted - Oct 30 2006 : 10:18:38 AM
Well after living in Germany where EVERYTHING is recycled (we had 5 seperate trash cans) it's been a challange being back in the states. Personally I don't have a problem though putting it out on the curb if I know it's going to be recycled........I know way to many people who've had to go in and throw out Grandma's 500 plastic margarine tubs that "might" get used for something else! ;)
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
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| BarefootGoatGirl |
Posted - Oct 30 2006 : 08:19:20 AM
Great topic! No matter what I do there is usualy more trash, recycables, and compost material than I feel is responsable! Knowing that others struggle with this is a relief.
A few of the things I do are...1) Take my own canvas bags to the grocery store. Besides being earth friendly, they hold more, do not tear, keep food cooler on the trip home, and are easier for the children to handle. They also double as beach bags, library totes, lunch boxes (the lined ones), and over night bags. I use them all the time! 2) Buy in glass and then reuse. Since my husband is the devil on tupperware (can we say MOULD?) I pack his lunch in glass jars which are more likely to come clean and is still less of a problem if I do decide to just toss it...I could be tossing the tupperware and the old glass both. I also use them to hold paper clips, rubber bands, and flowers. They make great farmgirl drinking glasses and are free storage containers for my goat milk. 3) Thrift! Ok, so it is consuming, but you are consuming recycled goods that would otherwise hit the trash. I buy "recycled" clothing, cookwear, furnature, fabric, yarn, and just about anything else a girl could need. Usualy, if I am patient I can find just what I needed in excellent condition and at a better quality than I could otherwise afford. 4) Recycle clothing. Not just had down, re-cut clothing with life in it to make something new. The bodice of a dress tends to show wear long before the skirt, after discarding the bodice to the rag bag the remainder of the dress can be made into a skirt of the same size, a dress for a child, a vest, or pieced together with a coordinating fabric for another dress of the same size. It's fun and responable. 5) Use the back of junk mail for taking notes or sketching out ideas. Shread "used up" paper and make new paper for gifts.
Trina
'
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. Proverbs 27:23 |
| Hideaway Farmgirl |
Posted - Oct 30 2006 : 07:26:10 AM
I am not sure if this fits in this forum, but one recycling thing I do is to get paper and plastic bags at the different grocery stores (I prefer bringing groceries home in the combination paper inside plastic) bur some stores use only paper with handles, and sometimes I just get the plastic bags and go.
...ANYWAY, my recycling tip is to keep the paper inside the plastic bag, fold it and store whereever you keep your trash bag supplies, and use one of those for your trash bag. Fold over the edge of the paperbag to keep the edge clean and tidy, the bag will stand up on its own and you can fill it up, with trash, pull the edge up and tie off with the plastic handles. Voila; trash can go out daily to your big trash cans and (a) you can recycle grocery bags and
(b) eliminate buying new plastic garbage bags!
Jo
"There are no strangers here, only friends you've yet to meet." |
| daffodil dreamer |
Posted - Oct 29 2006 : 7:22:40 PM
Bramble, love this thread as I am currently trying very hard to do the same - the supermarket puts my head in a spin, just thinking of all that packaging that will be thrown away. And that is just one supermarket - multiply that by I suppose tens of thousands more and the problem is huge. So I look at the packaging of everything. My butcher is very good - I take my Tupperware containers and he puts the meat straight in them; I try to buy in bulk and in paper rather than plastic (ie. flour, rolled oats, etc) - where I live there is only the supermarket, no health food or co-op where I could fill my owm containers; my kids take no packaging in their school lunches - all their biscuits, bread roll, etc. go in Tupperware containers (I know they are still plastic that has to be manufactured, but at least only manufactured once and used many times); glass jars have so many uses, if I get any, the labels are soaked off and they go in the box in the garage. At the moment, I fill our small rubbish bin in about 2-3 weeks and the bigger recycling one in 2 weeks.
Sarah, I have that motto on our fridge so we can all remember.
With the pill bottles, lots of uses for them but once you have all you need of them, maybe ask at the local kindergarten or primary school - they are always making stuff from packaging. My daughter's school class is having a recyling competition coming up - who can design and make the most interesting toy using only recycled packaging. Should be interesting to see what they come up with.
Signing off now or I'll go forever - can you tell packaging is one of the bees in my bonnet?!
Best wishes,
Jayne |
| Bluewrenn |
Posted - Oct 29 2006 : 10:55:07 AM
How about using those pill bottles for seeds?
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
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| grace gerber |
Posted - Oct 29 2006 : 10:47:23 AM
I am excited about this post. I feel like I am the only one still harping on recycle, reduce and reuse. I do not have medicine bottle but I guess you can exchange a film can for the same - we use it for storing seasonings and herbs when camping, iodine for the cord in animal births, storing small parts and craft items and I have even used them to start plants in. As for purchasing products - I try to avoid overpackaged products. Most of those are unhealthy to us not to mention the planet. I also avoid resturants that over package. All that fast food is again bad for us and the planet. I remember starting the first ecology club in highschool (1974)and I still am trying to get people to stop for a moment and think! Thanks for starting the conversation.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep |
| kitchensqueen |
Posted - Oct 29 2006 : 08:48:58 AM
I like to use empty pill bottles to make miniature time capsules to give as gifts (a great personalized stocking stuffer). Just soak the label off in hot soapy water. Then you can design your own label (printed on label stickers) to stick on the bottle. Use your imagination when filling it-- small photos, movie tickets, fortunes from fortune cookies, wine corks or bottle caps from a special meal; the possibilities are endless. A good way to figure out the "theme" for the bottle is either to tailor it to the recipient's interests or to capture a specific moment or event.
http://apartmentfarm.wordpress.com |
| bramble |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 7:51:33 PM
Diane - We have the same schedule and the same pickup: plastics, cans,paper, cardboard. I am very good about recycling everything that is accepted. I think my point is to reduce consumption of packaging that needs to be recycled. Sort of a vicious cycle I would like to break or atleast slow down! As for the plastic wrap, don't use it and the foil I use sparingly. The less I send to the recycling center, the less energy used to recycle it ( or atleast I hope so!)
Connie- can't help with the pill bottles. You are right about not using them around the kids though, who knows what wacky ideas they might come away with!
Julie and Jenny- love those uses, never thought about it for the matches! Think I will make a few for picture framing hooks, curtain hardware,etc
Janice- Sounds like your on the right track already!
Sarah- My Mom always used to say that to me and I hated it as a kid, but now it's how we live! The other one is "Do you Need it or just want it?" Recycle, reuse, reduce girls!
with a happy heart |
| MustangSuzie |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 12:18:32 PM
This is a great topic. I've gotten away from buying plastic wrap, foil or baggies and just use store bought jars or canning jars for storing things. I wish manufacturers would pack things in mason jars that you could can with like they used to long ago.
This reminds me of a lil saying I saw somewhere-----
Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without.
Sarah |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 11:39:19 AM
We have bi-weekly pickup here and they take all paper, glass, metal, plastic of all sorts...EXCEPT, bits of saran-type plastic wrap which I curse. I hate sending it to the landfill. Any ideas on how to recycle it??
Di |
| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 11:09:23 AM
I use old medicine bottles to store nails and screws and stuff in.
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowtreecreek.com |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 10:35:40 AM
I love this idea Bramble! I will try even harder!
Connie..if they seal tightly enough they may make good containers for small amounts of lotion, shampoo and like that to use on trips. I keep matches that I have waterproofed by dipping in a small amount of wax in a used film cannister (pill bottle would work just as well) in my emergency kit in my car, house and 72 hour kits. What about for saving seeds? I think the brownish color would be good for keeping light out and you could label the outside well. I agree with not using them for kid's art projects.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| connio |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 10:31:47 AM
Hey Farm Girls!!!
I have a question about medicine/pill bottles. Does anyone have any idea what to do with these? (I may have sent this out before but still don't have a good answer) Can the plastic be recyled?
My many geriatric pets and I all take daily meds, supplements, and vitamins so we generate lots of plastic bottles. I don't sew or craft so I am at a loss in regard to using them for storage.I simply don't have many things to store or much storage space. I work as a Youth Librarian but don't want to use pill bottles for art projects because I don't want to send the message out that pill bottles are toys.
Connie
Texas Farm Girl |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 10:15:49 AM
Good idea, bramble. I'm pretty good about glass jars - anything large enough to cover a rose slip-mayo, pickle jar, etc. has always just gone to the basement until needed. And those Arizona tea bottles! People laugh at me because I carefully 'saw' off the covering under the cap so as not to tear the pretty outer covering - then save them as vases! LOL But there's always room for improvement. Thanks for giving me a wake up call and bringing this idea front and center in my brain.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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