Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Small Time Sustainability

I've just returned from seeing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood on the big screen with some of my gals group. It's not ruining the story to say it's really nothing like any other Quentin Tarentino movie. Also, it was well over two hours-but worth every minute of seeing it if only for the ending.  We try not to do too many of the movie things because we really don't get a chance to talk before or afterward (no one is hungry after popcorn). It was a frugal five dollar Tuesday, but then of course I got popcorn and a drink!  For readers who watch the show Mindhunter, I found it interesting that the guy who plays Manson in this film also plays him in the new season of this show, coming in August.



While I don't talk about it here much (and probably should more than I do) I am an advocate for the planet in terms of my vote and a dozen other ways having to do with trying to persuade others. My primary journey these days, though,  is to challenge myself to be more sustainable on my own. Some are successes, some are fails and some are still to come.

I've mainly made the journey when it comes to single use plastics and paper. I started being intensive about this at the first of the year, and asked for some re-usable items over the holidays.  I now use re-usable shopping bags, I generally don't put my produce in the bags provided but use a separate shopping bag and wash. I have three re-usable mugs and I always ask at any drive through or Panera type restaurant I use (which is rare) if they can fill up my mug instead of giving me a paper cup. And I almost always remember to ask for no straw (I don't really use them, or I would carry a re-usable one in my purse). I use cloth napkins, cloth paper towels, washcloths instead of facial wipes-there's much more to be done,  but it's a habit and I'm on my way. 

My new challenge for the next six months is to try and be more sustainable when it comes to shopping an errand habits and most importantly, being more sustainable in terms of fashion and some household products. This includes buying less clothing that is better quality, developing a coordinated wardrobe only of things I like and will wear (that inventory  is on it's way) and most importantly, buying from the used market whenever possible. This includes my local thrift stores, local consignment stores, and yes, online thrift and consignment on occasion. I'm also going to work on re-using outdated not donatable clothing as much as possible be it for rags, up cycled art or whatever. It works well that I am starting this challenge as I work on my year around capsule wardrobe and do my inventory. Onward and forward.

Yesterday I chatted with my daughter. She's decided because of the effort and organization and possible weather that rather than hold her wedding in the backyard, she would rather have it else where. This has added a cost of about two thousand dollars, but I think it is a better solution. They have chosen a venue in a historic square in McKinney Texas where they can be outside, but go inside if the weather is bad. They have a DIY option for decor, which works well as we have been collecting ideas and items. At forty, they had chosen to pay for this wedding themselves, but with my daughter having been doing advanced schooling with no income for three years, they've agreed to accepting help. Since there is no rehearsal dinner or other traditional stuff, the other mother will pay for wedding food. I'll buy my daughter's dress and contribute money-and probably contribute more when she's not looking.

Meanwhile, I need to get on the stick with the dress hemming I guess!

25 comments:

  1. I think it's more important to challenge ourselves to be more sustainable on our own, rather than hector others to do it for us. We too gave up plastic water bottles, use reusable shopping bags. We keep the a/c in the high 70s, and we drive cars with relatively good gas mileage . . . but I know we can and should do more.

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    1. I do all the things you do, but because of pain and inability to do thing, I have backslid a bit. I do use washcloths instead of tp. After all, why should we flush the old growth trees from Canada down our drains? Those sound like good plans for the wedding.

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    2. Yes, Tom, we aim for high seventies or eighty for air. I do drive an SUV with no regrets, mainly because I require a seat at my hip level and I refuse to drive a mini van. Unfortunately in the winter I do go close to 72 and sometimes above.

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    3. Linda, I am not ready to take the next step when it comes to TP.

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    4. You could use wash cloths for liquid and tp for solids. My lady parts thank me as tp causes rashes and itching.

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  2. I think you have a great small sustainability project going! What items did you get to replace disposable ones? I'm looking for ideas for upping our game too. The wedding plan sounds lovely and less exhausting for everyone than the usual extravaganzas.

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    1. Well, I collected napkins for years and also made some (we actually like if they aent matching so everyone knows whose is whose. I'm making reusable paper towels from terry cloth. I purchased good quality cloth bags. I dont use produce bags in general (exception occasionally) but I plan on buying the ones on amazon with holes. Cloth snack bags. I saw a little bag that had ike five reusable straws of two kinds (but again, I dont use straws much-i had a broken jaw in my youth and ate everything through a straw for mothhs). I have three sizes of metal mugs with lids. I actually asked Mcds the other day in the drive through and they refused, so I used my glass water instead of tea. When it comes to faccia wipes I decided they werent good for my face so I keep a few in the bedroom for tedtime, but I bought a pile of face cloths, one color for bod and one for face.

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    2. And yes, the wedding will be about five grand but much easier and they would have had to rent tents and all of that anyway.

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  3. Dollar Tree has lingerie bags 3/$1 that are light enough to use for produce bags.

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  4. I have heard that movie is good but generally Tarantino movies are not for the faint of heart. Is it terribly graphic (sex and violence?)

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    1. It is not as violent as soe of the others, but it is a Tarantino movie (I love them all except I cannot stand the hateful eight).

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  5. I love all the things you're doing to help the invironment. Did you know they make small mess, reusable bags for your veggies so you don't have to use the ones in the grocery store or farmers market? Amazon has them. As much as I go to Starbucks, I need to follow your lead and bring my own cup. They even give a ten cent discount for those who do.

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    1. I will have to look for those, I am also looking for more snack type bags.

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  6. Your review of the movie, "not being at all like Quintins other movies" makes me want to see it. I liked the premise and the two leads but always dislike Quinten T's movies of violence so was going to pass. I may rethink that now. Thanks. You always give me good ideas to being using in my life. I love coming here. Thanks Barb!

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    1. I does have violence, dont get me wrong. Just not quite the normal amount, and it is a fairy tail, with all that implies. Howeve it is also well over two hours. But I personally loved it. I love almost all his movies except the hateful eight, like I said. I can watch Pulp fiction any day, any time, any where.

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  7. I need to be more conscious of the travel mug vs disposable cups at take-out venues. I've been filling personal water bottles for years. I just recently bought metal straws. I really appreciated the small brush that came with them. My son continues to scold me for washing resealable bags for re-using. I have a reusable shopping bin that holds my weekly groceries resulting in one trip into the house vs 2 or three with the plastic shopping bags. I often refuse bags at other stores. I'm in the habit of checking the source of produce preferring that which is grown locally vs from another province, country, continent. I've used cloth napkins at home for years reducing the need for paper napkins. Every effort helps.

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  8. yea, I was resealable bags, only not when fesh meat is involved. I manage my snacks with ziplocs and seriously...after having walnuts and a square of chocolate, why should it not be reused, Some takeouts say no, some say yes. I keep a couple good quality plastic bags in my car for clothes storse and the like.

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  9. Protecting our environment is wonderful. I have bought some very fine lace panels and plan on trying to make a few reusable produce bags. That is on the project list and hopefully tackled very soon.

    God bless.

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  10. I am also trying to be more mindful of the old granite planet. We have recently been asking for aluminum foil versus styrofoam boxes for to-go boxes and doggie bags. All restaurants have for and it seems to be a gentle way to let them now that we don't want styrofoam.

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  11. I am doing many of the things you are to not be wasteful. Where I live styrofoam takeout containers are replaced by law by sturdy cardboard and no straws are offered, two good improvements.

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    1. Especially the second. I try and say "no straw" when I order my drink, but occasionally I forget and the drink comes with straw in instead of on the side.

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  12. Three steel water cups have ridden in my car for the last few years. There is an old-fashioned thermos in the trunk (along with a good first aide kit). I only eat fish that is local (knowing that 80% or more of water pollution is from big ocean fishing or cruise liners). I stopped getting drinks from drive throughs long ago and have never liked using a restaurant straw.
    I bought reusable bags from IKEA many years ago. I use them all of the time. Gladly adding to my bags when some store decides to give them out.
    I am terrible when it comes to travel though. I drive to Maryland twice a week- filling my car with gas I keep the car tuned and tires at proper inflation--that helps a bit.
    Has it really changed that much? I remember when Al Gore said we would all be underwater by last year....The climate is changing- back to the Viking days. We need to move away from the oceans, giving them room to ebb and flow.

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Thanks for stopping by! I love to hear from others, and I also love to hear all points of view.. Just leave the profanity and insults at home, OK? Thanks!!