Kindness Advent Calendars

Hello lovely people,

I was so busy in November i had no time to post here! But NO MORE! ahahah! Perfectly in time for Christmas! :)

I know you may not be a Christmas celebrator but that doesn't mean that you cant still spread kindness like a maniac! :) *starts running around in lycra singing "I'm a maniac, maniac on the floor!"*

To be completely honest, this time of year can be stressful for everyone. And working together to make life a little easier for someone else, can actually feel like your own burden is reduced.

I love seeing the good things that happen around this time of year.

I also love that there is always the opportunity to start new traditions. And why not add kindness?


My sister Vandra posted on the 365days of Kindness Facebook page a couple of days ago (I must admit I am behind) a Kindness Advent Calendar. SO i will re-post it here.

If you want to print off a better copy you can go to the site here.

Now i know i am a day behind for the start of December but that doesn't mean you cant "catch up" or even create other ideas for things to add/replace a kindness idea on a calendar.

For me, who is working at getting myself healthier and fitter this year, this is a wonderful idea that doesn't involve eating lots of cheap and nasty chocolate for breakfast! *This may or may not have happened in recent years*

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanuka, Happy Feast Day,  Happy Mid-winters Festival, Happy life... and for those who really cant cope... Bah Humbug! ;)

Even though life can be telling you that this time of year is all about excess, please be kind to yourselves. Give your active imaginations of how this month should turn out and expectations of how a hoilday should go, a rest. Be kind. To yourself. To your family. To your loved ones. To strangers. To your enemies. To your neighbours. But no matter what... be Kind!

Much love to you ALL, no matter what you celebrate!
Love Daena

Whats new pussycat? Christmas is coming!

Hi everyone, 
Apart from singing Tom Jones loudly to myself ("What's new pussycat... whoa whoa whoaoh whoa"),
I just thought I would check in and see how you are all going?

Just a quick reminder if you are looking for kindness ideas there are a huge range to check out in my Pinterest page Kindness Ideas (follow the link).

Some ideas are so simple to brighten up someone else's day. Like this one from "The Larson Lingo" on their 26 acts of kindness blog post.

There are some awesome ideas in the lead up to Christmas too. I know.... none of us really want to think about Christmas yet, but it is now less than three months left until Christmas! Sorry to be the barer of bad news. But Christmas is the perfect time of year for kindness. If you are in the USA and celebrate Thanksgiving, that is also a wonderful time for Kindness.

Here is another idea of thanking the Mail Person in your area. Check out the blog of 35 kindness ideas from this awesome link came from: Tickles to Giggles

I have also seen some amazing people do Kindness events for their birthdays. So depending how old you are turning, depends on how many kindnesses you do! :) I love this idea.

Or you could pick a month and do an intentional kindness every day of the month.

This picture is from 30 Handmade Days and is 30 kindness ideas with added printable's to make the whole thing a whole lot simpler.

There are literally hundreds of ideas of how to live kindness everyday! I am but one such resource! :) I really love pinterest so that is also a huge asset to the kindness way of life. I am constantly adding things and making the file of Kindness Ideas bigger.

And dont forget...

Let me know what you are up to, because i love to hear from you! :)


I hope this finds you all well!
much love,
Daena xx

Sustainable September 2015 - it is over... no really!

Hey everyone,

Yes Sustainable September is officially over! :) I thought I would just send you a message to know that it will be weird for me too. Not blogging daily. Mind the pressure I put on myself was a little life consuming.

Even though Sustainable September is over, and i finished reading the Zero Waste Home book (seriously , check that baby out), there is something you can do in October that will continue the Sustainable September philosophy.

For the month of October there is a project called "Buy Nothing New Month".

"Buy Nothing New Month promotes conscientious consumption, highlighting where our stuff comes from (finite resources) where it goes (landfill) and the super alternatives (sharing, buying second hand, bartering, swapping etc.)... Buy Nothing New Month isn't about ‘buy nothing new never'. Simply pledge to beg, borrow, barter, buy second hand and swap for whatever you need, (with the exceptions of essentials of course, like food, drink, medications and hygiene products). It’s easy, it’s fun, you can get whatever you need out there, as long as you Buy Nothing New.Why not pledge with a mate this year and take the challenge to Buy Nothing New in October!" 

 

I love this idea! :) And it follows on from the Sustainable September Ideas perfectly! :) It is like a month of putting Sustainable September into action! :) 

 

Of course do not forget to be kind to yourselves and those around you! After all that is what this project and the blog is all about! :) 

 

Much love to you all, 

Daena x

Please follow us on twitter @Buy_Nothing_New. Website www.buynothingnew.com.auBuy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.
- See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.
- See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.
- See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.
- See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

  Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.
- See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

  Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.

Hop on board - See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

  Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

It's a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.

In 2011, Sydney Morning Herald ran a poll asking "is Buy Nothing New Month a good idea?" Over 10,000 voted. 82% said “yes”

It's a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines)

Buy Nothing New Month isn't Buy Nothing New Never. Nor is it about going without.

It's literally about taking one month off to really think, "Do I really need it?" If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?"

It's about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we're done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our 'stuff'.

It's easy. It's fun. It's moving from consumption-driven to community-driven.

It's good for us, our wallets and our planet.

Hop on board - See more at: http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/why/#sthash.XovjC9rN.dpuf

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Thirty

Its the final countdown... "dah dah dah duh di di di di de dah dah dah duh di di di di du da dooo" *Sings the final countdown song like a pro - including the instrumental!*

Well my lovelies, we have almost come to the end of Sustainable September for 2015.

 I hope you have found it really worth your while checking in regularly and seeing what small things you can adopt to change the way you think about our beautiful planet.

So today is My mums birthday.

This gorgeous lady has been supporting me to get my Sustainable September blogs written, inspiring me, letting me hash out ideas, giving me ideas when I had writers block, encouraging me to keep going, telling me to go gentler on myself when I was sick, being my champion and my companion. She is a wonderfully tough cookie who keeps me motivated when I really struggle, and lets me do the same for her when she needs it most.

So this idea is both a tribute and a thank you to the woman who has heard incessantly about the Zero Waste Home, who has been with me through sickness and health (it appears I passed my flu on to her too! Sorry mum) and to the woman who loves to be creative.

Sustainable September idea number 30! Also known as...

September 30: Upcycle something. 

Even though this one is not in English, it is pretty easy to see what the steps are to make this awesome Pencil Case/Bag. Check out link here. The image is about half way down the page.

I love this idea, because the glass often breaks in my house in picture frames. Check out the link here

I love this one so much. I know its a book that has effectively been destroyed, but sometimes the pages are ruined but the cover is fine! :) I love the idea of turning something i love (books) into something useful (a purse/handbag). Check out link here

For those who follow me on pinterest you will know that I have so many different folders for different types of up-cycling - a few of the folders just have a couple of up-cycling ideas in them... but there are a few folders none the less. . I have one just called Up-cycling, then there are Eco & Environmentally Friendly, Pallet Crafts, Glass Crafts, Bottle Cap crafts, Centrepieces, Cutlery craft, Gardening Ideas, Mosaics, Pets, Sewing, Tie crafts, Tyre ideas and even Wedding Ideas. That is not forgetting the HUGE Up-Cycling projects like Shipping Container Houses and Tiny Home Ideas.

You can tell I have saved the best Sustainable September Idea for last. I also add to these folders regularly. I love Pinterest a little TOO much! hehehe. But I love the creativity and ideas that end up on that site! :) So my passion for turning unusable stuff into usable is such a blessing. SO here are some more form the archives!

CD Mosaics are awesome and sort of holographic! So cool. Check out the link here

This is a simple and awesome way of using a couple old belts and a way to store all those magazines you may need in the future. Check out the link here

This one you can even buy pre-Up-Cycled for you. However if you have a whole heap of drawer units that the legs fell off... keep them, stack them and you have an awesome unit like this! Check out where to buy this here

So many fantastic ideas. The last note i might make about Bea Johnson and the Zero Waste Home is that she does mention that if you upcycle something it often looses its ability to be recycled. So check some of the recycling regulations are in your suburb or city.

KINDNESS IDEA: make something beautiful and give it to your friends/family/co-workers/acquaintances. 

Whether it be a bottle bag made from an old (clean) sock. Or a Pallet Chair (like my best friend did for me last Christmas), there are so many wonderful Up-cycling things you can create. However this idea also allows you to make anything beautiful, not just up-cycling things. It could be a quilt or a pot mitt, or even a spunked up pot to put a clump of bulbs from your own garden, or even a delicious and beautiful smelling pie, cookies or some delicious bready-thing (that I sometimes wish I could but I cant eat any more). It is your choice, creativity is key. And the aim is to bring a smile to that persons face.

It has been such a delight sharing Sustainable September with you all. And thank you for sticking in there with me.
Much Love,
Daena xx

Sustainable September 2015 -Day Twenty Nine

Hello my lovely friends, 

I appologise for this late blog post. I have been so busy that I just assumed I had already done it. & well... I only remembered at 11.35pm. Sadly these blogs often take longer that 25minutes to write. 

I'll keep it short & sweet. 

Today is an day for observing, seeing how much we have learned & how we can better prepare ourselves for the future... Like October! ;) not sustainable September! 

September 29: take a notebook with you throughout the day & write down all the "waste" you create throughout the day. 

At the end of the day look at your day & see what you could have done differently if you did embrace the Zero Waste life. 

Paying attention to what we do and finding solutions to our waste creation is a great way to look at the greater environmental challenges we face. If we can recognise what we are doing and create alternatives then we are well on our way to a Zero Waste Home. 

Kindness idea: write a little thank you note or a note of gratitude for someone who has done something for you. It could be a family member, friend, colleague or a waitress in your favourite cafe! Recognising their good work is really important. Giving praise when it is due is often overlooked, and yet when a person does something wrong they get complaints. However...

So honour the good work! It's one of the best, simplest and often cheapest kindness you can give. And it works wonders in the acquisition of smiles! :D 

I hope this finds you all well. 

Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Eight.

Hey guys and girls,

Has this month flown by? or what? We are almost at the end now. How have you been going so far?

Today I spent a chunk of the day helping my sister and niece cleaning up, sorting, rearranging and de-junking their house. I am absolutely exhausted but it was well worth it.

Todays Sustainable September idea follows on from yesterdays.

September 28: Create your own indoor scrap bucket. 

Photo via google images from 123rf.com

When you do this you can buy, make or recycle another container to re-purpose it.

This helps with getting your kitchen and garden scraps to your compost bin. We currently have an old yoghurt bucket (1kg bucket) that we use. We have a couple of these bins that we have so we can wash one out and fill another or fill with gardening bits too.

Mum has a bucket bought that she has ready for when she moves into a granny flat. It is a little metal bin (that's been painted teal) and has a simpler lid to open than the yoghurt buckets. She finds the yoghurt lids too hard to open sometimes, that the metal bucket will solve.

I like short and simple ideas like the one above. They make it easier for you to do, and simpler for me too! :)

The phot from the blog My Daily Compost. Check it out

KINDNESS IDEA: Barter or share your extra produce. 

My sister today traded some of her home made tomato sauce for some fresh produce from a local gardener & their small home-farm. This is awesome way to get what you need and give someone else something that they might not have.

I have to say the fresh produce was delicious. I cooked up some Kale and some rainbow chard with some garlic butter and it was divine. I cooked that together with some local backyard eggs (from a friend) and some delicious BACON!!!!! I know... bacon! again! It is the weekend though so as a Weekend Vegetarian it is allowed! ;)

I hope this finds you all well and excited about healing our environment.
Much love,
Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Seven

Welcome, Welcome,

How did your adventure go with OpShopping? Did you get a thrift shop buy that was so good you have to share? I would love to see or hear about it. :)

Half of my personal library is from the OpShops of Perth, WA. I so love books! :) And now my closet is also filled with clothes from them too.

A Salvo's Op-Shop on the way to the train on thursday. I was walking in the heat and stopped to buy a hat so I didn't get sunburnt.

All the books in the Salvos Store! So many to choose from! :)

The idea I present to you today, for tomorrow, is about the last part of the 5 Rs from the Zero Waste Home book.

September 27: Buy/Make a Compost Bin. 

The last section of the Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson, talks about how the last thing that needs to be dealt with in a Home that is reducing its waste is the rotting stuff. Things that can be composted. In her book she lists several different systems and ways that your organic matter can be composted! :) 

One of those is the compost bin. Like mine. I totally forgot to photograph it today, sorry!

I did love the idea of "Trench composting". The trench composting is where you dig a 12" deep hole (30cm deep) and put your compost in there and then cover it back over. This is excellent for camping, renting (where you are not allowed a compost bin) and other options.

I have a black compost "bin". I have a bucket for scraps in the house that I then empty into the bin outside to compost. I know there is worms in there too because I have found them in the compost I moved at the bottom.

It really depends on what type of compost bin you are looking for. I remember when I bought mine that there were so many to choose from. So think about what you need before you go and purchase anything. Some can take more types of organic matter than others.

"Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste currently make up 20 to 30 percent of what we throw away, and should be composted instead. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. All composting requires three basic ingredients:

• Browns - This includes materials such as dead leaves, branches, and twigs.
• Greens - This includes materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds.
• Water - Having the right amount of water, greens, and browns is important for compost development.

Your compost pile should have an equal amount of browns to greens. You should also alternate layers of organic materials of different-sized particles. The brown materials provide carbon for your compost, the green materials provide nitrogen, and the water provides moisture to help break down the organic matter." (EPA 2015)

I hope this helps explain the Composting better.

KINDNESS IDEA: Support Second Bite. 

Second Bite is a program that helps feed people in need with food that would otherwise end up in landfill. 

"SecondBite redistributes surplus fresh food to community food programs around Australia. Food is donated by farmers, wholesalers, markets, supermarkets, caterers and events. This high-quality surplus food is redistributed to community food programs that support people who are homeless, women and families in crisis, youth at risk, indigenous communities, asylum seekers and new arrivals." (2015)

It is an awesome program. If you can help, please do. They are awesome!

I hope this finds you all well, 
Love and hugs, 
Daena xx

Sustainable September 2015 - Twenty Six

Hey my lovelies,

What do you think about your new batteries? Are they working for you? Sometimes the charging can take a bit of time, however, now i keep two bags of reusable batteries. One bag is for batteries that have been charged, and the other is for the batteries that need to be charged. Its a pretty good system. It does mean that I need more than two lots of batteries though.

Tomorrow is another fun and easy Sustainable September idea.

September 26: Go Op-shopping. 

I have already talked about capsule wardrobes, and the ability to get good quality clothes second hand from Op-shops. This is one of the reasons to go to your local op-shop/thrift shop/charity shop.

Then there is the money side of it. You can often get second hand clothing from thriftshops SO MUCH CHEAPER than your average stores. Plus there is a huge range of items for sale.

Also you can look at the environmental impact. The best way to reduce waste is to buy products that already exist, ie. Second hand products. You can do this from eBay, op shops, thrift shops, second hand shops, or even the vintage section of Etsy. Clothing is an awesome way to support the enviornment, charities (Op-shops are called so because they are "opportunity shops" run by charities), and your own hip pocket. Plus they are just fun to explore! :)

You don't just have to buy clothes either. Books, of course, are my favourite thrift shop buy. But you can buy kitchen wares, furniture, jewellery, knicknacks, shoes, toys, and so much more! :)

KINDNESS IDEA: Support a local charity. One of the simplest kindnesses you can do is support a charity with your time or money or become a patron of a charity that resonates with you. I support Telethon, a charity that helps kids and their families when they are dealing with serieous health issues, and illnesses. I support Alzheimers Australia because that is the closest charity we have to a dementia based charity in Australia. Dad had a form of dementia and he and my mum were supported by the Alzheimers Association so I like to support them while I can. There are so many charitites that are awesome and need support. From animal support funds, sports based charities, kids charities, health charities, and SO SO much more!!!! Find what works for you!


I hope you have a great day. 
Love,
Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Five

Hello my lovely blog followers,

I hope this finds you all well. Did you have a chance to check out the price for the Rainwater tanks?

September 25: Buy and use Rechargeable batteries. 

Photo from Gecko & Fly

This is an awesome and great long term investment. We used to buy huge numbers of batteries for the different devices in our house. AAs from the best battery companies would cost about $5 AUD for two. We would be buying batteries every few weeks and it is amazing how fast the cost mounts. Rechargeable Batteries cost more initially but after buying the recharger and a few of each size of batteries, you do not need to buy more. You just keep reusing the same batteries over and over again. That means less batteries in land fill and more money in your pocket! It is all good! :)

There is also battery recycling too. So once you have used up your single use batteries (as you are replacing them with rechargeable batteries) you can give them to your local recyclers. The local schools often have recycling drives too. Mum and I give my niece and nephew the dead batteries to go to the school for their recycling projects. So its great for them and for us. Not that we have many batteries left any more but now friends pass them on for the kids school too.

I hope this finds you all well.

Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Four

Hey wonderful friends,

So did you have a chance to refuse a receipt? I did. And I was proud of myself for remembering to do it.

Well you would think by this point I would have run out of ideas. Well... yes and no. I have planned some ideas coming up for the weekend. Things that if you work during the week you might not be able to do. So I've saved them for the weekend. And now its just ideas for the midweek, thankfully there are not too many days left of Sustainable September. There are so many things that could be used... finding the right one is often a little trickier. Balancing simplicity and harder ideas to help people all along the journey of Sustainability.

One interesting thing though was that I was reading about the Global Development Goals today. Yes... that IS how exciting my work is! :) And I came across an interesting article that talked about the importance of creating little to no waste.

“Targets that will need a reversal in current trends to be met are reducing income inequality, lowering the number of people living in slums, protecting coral reefs, mitigating climate change and producing less waste, the ODI report said.” (Reuters 2015). 

If we actually want to reach our Global Development Goals and reduce poverty in the world, we need to produce less waste. Aiding the Global Development Goals is an obvious kindness we can all do. It is important support those less fortunate than ourselves. I am so glad that I have already started on this journey. Both kindness and reduced waste. I am glad I was introduced to Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson, and the first thing that led me to this idea the video by Lauren Singer.

So to the idea for today...

September 24: Install a Rainwater Tank. 

Photo from PJT Green Plumbing

Photo from Team Poly

This would normally be a weekend idea, however, even if you do the research tomorrow and install on the weekend, its better than nothing. There are so many options these days for water tanks. Rainwater is a great way to preserve water. In Australia water is so important to sustaining life in the harsh climate. Every year in Western Australia there are water restrictions during summer.

This is clearly a larger idea and is definitely the most expensive idea so far. It can be a problem for people who rent. Or people on low incomes. This may also be the hardest idea so far. it may also be one of the best ideas if you can make the initial investment. There are now underground rainwater tanks and a few other awesome ideas. Google can help you finding what is right for you.

KINDNESS IDEA: Help the birds (and bees) in your area by leaving out water in hot weather.
Birds love bird baths as it can provide needed water in the summer months, or warmer months. Bees need this too (although super shallow water bowls so they don't drown). Bees are really important to our food production so need to be supported, particularly as their number have been dwindling in recent years.

I hope this finds you all well.
Much love,
Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Three

Hello my lovelies,

So I had some help with my mending from my amazing mother. Not that I couldn't have done it myself but she was using the sewing machine for some of her patchwork quilts, so I sneaked my fraying tea towel in to mix ready to show you how simple mending can be! 

The frayed tea towel, that needs some fixing!

My awesome Mum doing the mending for me.

My mum is a champion, and does mending for people she knows.

Such a clever cookie!

And DONE!!!! YAY!!! All fixed! :) Hooray!!!

DONE!!! Bravo mum! Thank you again for helping me with this Sustainable September idea! :) 

Today's is another simple idea to adopt or in this case refuse. I know we have been working out way down the pyramid of the 5 Rs in Zero Waste Home, but I realised this one is going to be a good habit to adopt if you can. 

September 23: say no to paper Receipts! 

I don't know about you but my wallet is filled with useless receipts! Then when my purse/wallet gets so full I can't close it, I basically remove every scrap of paper and start again with my receipt collection! Then empty it again about a month later. 

I understand that some people have to keep certain receipts for tax purposes or to get some things refunded to them. My office has certain things that they will refund you money for when you pay up front, like your Working with Children's Check forms & card. 

The rest of the receipts are virtually useless & contribute to landfill one tiny piece at a time. 

If we reduce our own waste we reduce the amount of stuff ending up in landfill, which contributes to green house gasses building in our atmosphere, which cause human induced climate change. 

Recent article that I was reading today was about how Scientists in the US think that the governing body of garbage disposal has hugely underestimated the impact of garbage dumps and their creation of certain green house gases. So the less that ends up in garbage dumps the better! :)

KINDNESS IDEA: mend something for a friend/family member. I did this one earlier this quarter for my best friend before she went on her overdue honey moon. A pair of shorts she bought had the button fall off whilst she was trying them on at home before packing. So I fixed them for her so she didn't have to worry about finding the time to do so before her European honeymoon adventure! Sewing a button on is pretty simple! And it made a huge difference to Tanya! :) love that girl!

I hope you are fit, happy and healthy. And if not all of those things than at least one! :) 

Much love to you all,
Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty Two

Hey my dear friends,

Today is the International Day of Peace.

"Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.

The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All” which aims to highlight the importance of all segments of society to work together to strive for peace. The work of the United Nations would not be possible without the initial partnerships that were active in its creation and the thousands of partnerships each year between governments, civil society, the private sector, faith-based groups and other non-governmental organizations that are needed to support the Organization in achieving its future goals." (United Nations 2015)

I love that International Day of Peace is also a day focussed on Kindness to all. No matter what race, colour, creed, religion, sexual preference, or status in a country, a person deserves a safe place to live without the treat of death. I hope that no matter where you are, you are safe. You are free and you are living in peace.

Now back to Sustainable September and kindness to the environment. How did you go with the bulk buying/waste less purchases? Did you find a new place near you that will sell to you waste free?

I will be heading there again to the Wasteless Pantry because it is just so awesome! :) The staff there was just so lovely.

Today's sustainable September idea is about Reusing.

Page 19 from the book: Zero Waste Home

September 22: Mend something you already own.

Instead of replacing it, fixing it is more environmentally friendly. A large part of the problem with environmental issues in this beautiful world of ours is the obsession with replacing instead of repairing. 
We are a consumer society that buys instead of fixes. We buy one time use items instead of spending more for good quality. It seriously takes time to think about what we buy. I still have to think about what i buy and why!? I mean often I buy stuff no because I want it but because others have that item. Not because it is something I love or need, but because it is something I broke and cant be bothered to fix it. I have done this lots of times, all of which contribute to landfill and damage to the environment. So even though i have done this in the past I will endeavour to do something different. If we can reuse the same items again and again, even repair them, then we can protect the environment little by little.

KINDNESS IDEA: take time to smile at strangers today. Be at peace and be kind for the International Day of Peace. 

I hope this finds you all well.
Love Daena xx

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty One

Good Evening my dears (for those in Western Australia) and a time-specific-greeting to you too (wherever you may be),

How did you go at the Farmers Market? Buy anything delicious? Mmmm... foood! :)

Sadly, my nephew had his Soccer Grand Final today so I missed the farmers market! On the plus side, he and his team WON!!! Yay! Go kiddo! I am a super proud Aunty (and not just now either!)! I enjoyed the fact I was there to watch it.  So I guess that just means...next weekend I'm off to the farmers market. 

The Sustainable September idea for today is...

September 21: to find a local bulk supply store and buy what you need for your pantry! 

I recently discovered a bulk buying store called the Wasteless Pantry. Mum & I went there the other day & bought a few things.

The Wasteless Pantry can be found in Mundaring, WA, Australia.

So many things to choose from!!!!

The Spice cabinet part of the Wasteless Pantry!

Buying the Almond meal I need to make a delicious Almond and Orange cake! mmmm.

For our first trip we only bought a few things I knew we needed (whilst staying at my sisters house & for home later too).

The best part was we could bring our own jars and containers and they would just weigh them and then we filled them up and re weighed them. We paid the difference! So awesome! Prices were pretty good & we got exactly enough to fit in the containers we had! Pretty great of you ask me. :) no waste! No packages to return to our homes to them be chucked in the bin! They had a HUGE range too! They are fairly new in Perth, WA! One awesome feature was that they had a couple boxes of glass jars of all shapes and sizes that were clean and that could be used if you forgot to bring your own. They also had matching ones you could buy... but i love the rustic look, and I know now another place where I can take my excess jars to be used instead of ending up in recycling! :)

When I was in Sydney a few weeks ago I found another store just like it! It is called Scoop Wholefoods :)

Being my first experience at a store like this it was kind of like Daena Heaven or Nirvana! :) Paradise!

One of the cool things was they had paper bags for you to use and you could also buy little cotton bags too. I bought one for me to use again here in Perth.

These were the jars at Scoop that you could purchase. All of them looked so Pretty!

I got SO excited they had WHEAT FREE Licorice! I know Licorice isn't everyone's favourite sweet. But i love it. Technically now that i am grain free its still off the table of things I can eat, but its great to know other options now exist for others with weird food intolerances.

I wanted to taste all of the delicious grain free goodies. I however didn't have enough time to sample them all and probably not enough money at that point either! hahaha. So good!

So much deliciousness! I loved this store in Sydney! :) I love these stores generally too! We need more of them around! :) I love the whole waste free idea! 

I mean it all fits in to the Zero Waste Home idea too! It is one of Bea Johnsons biggest suggestions! :) I am almost finished reading the book now and I cant believe that I am still learning so much. I was so proud of myself when I went to the shops yesterday to meet my best friend for "coffee" (neither of us actually drink coffee), and I only bought two things. Both of them for other people. My sister needed some dishwasher tablets that are environmentally friendly, and I went to buy a birthday gift for a friend. Usually when I go shopping I have lots of things I buy. None of it is vital. Its just bits I think I might need, things I can usually do without! Using Bea Johnsons book has helped me plan a bit better too. And I like that! I am now a more conscious shopper.

Anyway, I need to head to bed now. The cooler weather has not helped me coughing! It must get better soon, i have stuff to do! Things to achieve! :)

I hope this finds you all well, 

Much love, 

Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Twenty

Hello my awesome blog followers,

So tomorrow is a Sunday (obviously) and the exciting thing is that this coincides with an event that happens every Sunday in my area, and other areas. Farmers Market Day! :) Guess what tomorrows Sustainable September idea is?! You guessed it!!

Photo take from Houston Farmers Market via Google.

September 20: Do your fresh food shopping at the farmers market. 

There are a lot of awesome reasons to go to the farmers market. One is if local farmers produce the food then they are able to provide you with local food, which means it has very little food miles. So lower carbon footprint that some supermarket foods that are shipped from Chile, China, Spain or Argentina (these are amazingly just some of the places Australia often gets food shipped from).

Not only that but Farmers Markets usually have seasonal fruit and vegetables. Eating seasonally means that you mostly wont be eating food from a random country that is not your own because there is no need to ship a food in because of a desire for year round access to it. You can also buy cheaply and in large quantities and preserve extras for the coming months. Which leads me to the Kindness idea....

Photo from Wikipedia - Food Preservation

KINDNESS IDEA: preserve some fruit or vegetables. This means you can then give them to a friend, family member, acquaintance or even a community group or stranger. You can also save some preserved goodies for months when they are not available in their actual season.

I hope this finds you well!
Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Nineteen

Hello again!

Thank you for coming back again! :)

What have you been up to today? Today I have still rested, and also decided to steam mop the house. I have decided the steam mop does NOT bring me joy! I have a pretty tiny house, but when you have to actually steam mop three rooms (the bathroom, laundry and kitchen) takes 3 hours to clean, its just easier to get the ordinary mop out. So my solution is that I will be getting rid of the steam mop (with my mums blessing of course). It is amazing that now I am looking around the house with a thought to de-junk and live a less impact-full lifestyle, I am noticing the stuff that sits in areas and collects dust.

Today when I was resting I was reading more of Zero Waste Home! I am almost half way through! :) One thing Bea Johnson talks about is living a minimal life so that you do not have to spend so much time cleaning (thankfully) and you have more time to do things you enjoy, like spending time with family and friends.

One thing that came up is a bit of a love of mine. A secret love of the Capsule Wardrobe.

Picture from Adventure Chick via Pinterest.

September 19: Create a Capsule wardrobe. 

For those who don't know what it is, it is about having a wardrobe where everything is classic style and can be mixed and matched so that you can layer and it all matches/contrasts. It often means having a very small collection of clothing that is good quality and long lasting. I used a capsule Wardrobe when I went to Europe in May. It meant I only needed to take Hand luggage, and it had 3 weeks worth of clothes. Amazingly there were still a few pieces of clothing that I didn't use, and a couple that had to be replaced on the way. I was so in love with the idea that I learnt a lot about myself and my purchasing habits along the way. I got lots of my ideas from Pinterest. If you want to see what I am talking about you can look at my Travel Wardrobe folder here.

I also used the App on my iPhone called Stylebook. It helped me figure out what would go with what for my travelling. I also use it now to make sure when I buy something it will go with the rest of my wardrobe. It sounds weird, but i found it fun. You can also see how much stuff you have. Like that massive pile of clothing that was in my lounge room yesterday, you can avoid, overbuying.

We are often compelled to buy more and more, and then we find that we have less and less to wear. When you have a compact wardrobe it is easy to choose what to wear because you wear what you have, and it all matches or contrasts so it all works together. You also are more likely to look after the clothes you have rather than finding them disposable. 80% of all cloth that is not usable goes to landfill. Reducing this percentage for ourselves is really important.

I admit I am not perfect. When I started creating a capsule wardrobe in May, I had a lot of clothing that didn't fit into this philosophy, and some of it doesn't work for me, or bring me joy, any more (hence why I got rid of 5 bags). I also learned that for this to work you need to buy quality clothing with durable fabrics. I had been buying cheap clothes that died pretty quickly, and now I buy better quality ones so that I know that they will last the distance. I have discovered that you don't need to spend a fortune to get a good quality capsule wardrobe when you check out the Thrift stores/Op Shops either! :) Buying second hand is a great option when you are looking for quality because items of clothing have been pre-tested for you. Don't you hate getting that t shirt home only to discover it gets covered in pills in a day? or the jeans that even after washing them 5 times, still leave your legs blue? I like charity stores/thrift-shops/op-shops for helping me to get the things I want or need for my wardrobe. Like recently I bought 3 beautiful scarves for $3AUD total ($1AUD each) at a St Vinnes store. YAY! i have had so many people ask me where I got my grey scarf from, because it also doubles as a wrap in cool weather! Plus recycling clothes is better for the environment! Having less helps your immediate environment, because you are using what you have. It definitely saves you money because you are less likely to buy clothes that do not fit in the capsule!

One of Bea Johnsons suggestions and reasons for having a small wardobe is in case of emergency. She is able to literally throw everything into a suitcase and nothing gets left behind. I think this is super important in an area like where my sister lives, that is prone to Bushfires. She lives in a beautifully lucious and green area filled with trees, bushes, greenery, native animals and birds It is beautiful. It is also dangerous. In the 8 years that they have lived in the house in the hills they have had to evacuate 3 times. The last time was the closest to their home. Thank the heavens their house has been safe every time! I see the benefit for a capsule wardrobe so that we can get our clothes out of the house in the case of an evacuation. It could also something that could help when you have to rush for national or international travel in a hurry. I have had friends and family in other countries who I wished (at various times) that i could just pop on a plane and be by their side. Having a capsule wardrobe means you could pack and be in the airport fast! I like that idea. I guess because it is based in kindness. Being for people you love in their time of need. Making that easier has to be worth it! :)

For clothes that aren't worth keeping and have huge stains and rips in them, consider turning them into house hold rags to use in the place of paper towels. 

KINDNESS IDEA: Buy socks for Homeless people. Often the one thing that is needed most for Homeless people is socks and it is often the thing that is not remembered that is needed. Warm/thick socks are usually good during winter months. And lighter ones during hotter months. But buy what you think you would wear. There is even a campaign in my city for this purpose exactly at the moment it is called Socks in the City. Check it out here.

I hope this finds you all well!
Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Eighteen

Hello again my lovelies,

I've been a bit better today. I spent the morning in bed resting. I felt a bit better this arvo so I did my Dejunking, from a couple days ago. So I took Marie Kondo's advice and grabbed all my clothes from around the house & dumped them in the lounge. I have to say it's quite confronting how many clothes I had. 

And this is the lounge after i'd finished!

See all those bags filled with clothes? Yes there are 6 of them. That's 6 bags less than I needed to have in my room, and in my closet! :D So happy. Some of my clothes will go to the Thrift Stores, others will be given to friends (we have a hand-me-up swap group for clothes) and my ball dresses will be going to a low socio-economic school that offers a "rental" service for it's students for ball dresses for their school ball/prom. 

I, still feeling ill, had some vegetarian soup for dinner too! :D which is a tribute to the idea I gave for today! Being a Weekday Vegetarian as inspired by Graham Hill.

It was delicious and exactly what I needed! :) mmmm soup! :)

So today's Sustainable September idea is something I've been doing a lot of this last week. 

September 18: Use a Handkerchief/Hankie. 

Instead of filling the rubbish bin or compost bin full of snotty tissues, use a reusable, washable, tough but gentle handkerchief! I have several hankies that I actually inherited from my dad (except the floral one - that was a gift). 

KINDNESS IDEA: buy some handkerchiefs to give to someone that needs one. that someone could be YOU!!! It could be a random person sneezing on the train, it could be a neighbour, a friend, a family member. I like to have one with me that I can give to someone, that I haven't used first. So generally I take at least two Handkerchiefs with me when I am out and about when sick. Just to clarify, I do like to make sure that I am not infectious before I go out whilst sick.  

You could also add a handkerchief to a "Get Well Hamper" with some soup (home made or packet soups depending on your skills in the kitchen and time constraints), a mug, some sore throat lozenges, Vics Vapour rub, a pair of warm socks, a good book and maybe a movie. All the things to survive a cold.

I hope you are all feeling well, 

Love Daena x