Sustainable September 2015 - Day One : And so it begins!

Hello beautiful people, 

Seeing as last year’s Sustainable September was such a success I have decided to do it again. I chose to do this for a couple of reasons:

1. I like to be KIND (in general and) to the environment as much as possible! After all we have to live on this planet for the rest of our lives and then our children have to too. So I guess it is a KINDNESS for future generations too really! 
   
   
2. It keeps me accountable to post regularly through the month of September. It is basically a month of daily blogging. Seeing as my track record this year for blogging is not as good as i would like it to be, it helps me to focus on a month. Also if I hit a day where I can't make it to the Blogger website, I have to be prepared for that. So technically this is an exercise in me getting my stuff together and being organised.YAY organisation!!! 

So this year I am going to start with some inspiration.

September 1: Watch one of the following videos on how a girl, Lauren Singer, was able to go completely waste free. She is an environmental inspiration to me!

Here is the Short video Interview, for those short on time.  

Here is the longer TED talk, for those who like more detail. 

And for those who just love videos you can watch BOTH!!! :) Doesn't Zero Waste Girl sound like an awesome super hero? She could join Captain Planet and save the world! :)

Are you interested in having a trash/rubbish free home? The website Trash Is For Tossers is from Lauren Singer and she shares here about the steps to get to the point of being as rubbish free as possible. 

I have just bought the book called Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson. My plan is to read it as the month goes along. Hopefully we can all learn more about this idea of creating a waste free home together and help each other in achieving this. Even if it can never be completely 100% waste free, a point Bea Johnson has already made in the first chapter of her book, even the first steps make a huge difference. If you want to check it out the book here is a listing on Book Depository.

What is next for Sustainable September?

For the next few days I am going to give you a few things you can change fast and easy to help the environment. Then I will progress to other things that may take a little more effort.

I have also decided to include tiny kindness ideas for those who are wanting to share Sustainable September with other people. 

So a simple idea today is: pay it forward. If someone does something nice for you, pass it on to another. If someone buys you a coffee (preferably in a reusable cup), pass it on, and buy one for someone else. It is really as simple as it sounds. If someone buys you a book, like "Zero Waste Home" pass the kindness on - in face just give people books all of the time...okay... maybe that might not be the best kindness for everyone. Just ME!! hehehe. You all know how I feel about books! Love, love, love!

I hope this brings you a little bit of knowledge and a lot of inspiration. We need to be KIND to this planet of ours. It is the only one we have got! or as my sister says "There is no planet B"!

Much love to you all, 

Daena x

Those things I promised... FINALLY HERE!!!

Hello my beautiful people,

Wow... the last few months have been a whirlwind and are showing no signs of slowing down. The Kindness a day i have been doing for years now has become almost second nature. I have stopped recording the kindnesses everyday (mainly because I have not been journaling for a while now). I have NOT given up on my kind acts. Sometimes it can be as simple as inviting a neighbour in for a cuppa, leaving your boss a block of chocolate (for while you are away and he will need it - i did that today!), and or Sending a message on Facebook to someone having a hard time.

I apologise again for not sharing the following images with you sooner. It was a pain in my buttocks that the App on my phone didn't work for those blog posts (two that I had posted - one in April, one in May (whilst I was gallivanting around Europe). So here is my attempt to resend them. Or basically start from scratch... again! :S Oh well...

As many of you know in April I cut all my hair off and donated it to charity (Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campain) and then dyed it for another charity (Worlds Greatest Shave).  I have been PROMISING photos from it for a couple months ... okay... more than a couple now. So let the showing begin!

This was my hair to start with!

 I had a video to share... And of course I cant find it now on my computer. Eeepp! Sorry guys! I think it is on the Facebook Page if you want to have a look?! If not I will try edit this post later with the video in it (assuming I can find it this time).

My kneck was naked! NAKED I SAY!!!

My new 'do' from the side. SO SHORT!!!

JUST A LITTLE EXCITED!!!

 I went immediately and posted my hair off to the people at Pantene's Beautiful Lengths Campaign. [insert photo of me with my hair in a bag ready to post - yes this photo is MIA too].  I had a hilarious conversation with the guy at the post office. When I explained what I was posting, to whom and why he showed all his fellow staff and some of the customers too. He was such a sweet guy. I was pretty happy that I had brought awareness to these project, some people had never heard of the donating hair idea before.

THe little money box you get in the pack given to you from World Greatest Shave! :)

The Hair colour for Worlds Greatest Shave.

Even Better I reached WELL over my goal! :) Awesome huh? 

I was so pleased that I could support two FANTASTIC organisations who make such a difference to people with Cancer.

A few weeks after I sent my hair in to Pantene I got a beautiful letter in the mail thanking me for the donation of my luscious locks. I felt very appreciated and was also super glad I didn't send it to the wrong place. talk about an awkward misdirect if that happened. i can just imagine it now... "honey, there was a package in the mail... i think its human hair! OMG!!! WHYYYYY?" (maybe I just have an over active imagination! hehehe).

I have to admit that my hair is growing back pretty fast. I measured it before it was cut off and discovered it grew at about 1.5cm a month. Seeing as its been a few months since I posted I am back to having medium length hair. And i can finally tie it back wihtout having to pin it a hundred places.

So what else have I forgotten to share? Lets not beat around the bush, it was quite probably a lot!

I went to Wales, UK for a friends wedding and while I was in Europe I managed to also visit friends in Germany. Plus I went to France and England. So lovely, these places are.

Then I had my 30th Birthday party. Sheesh I'm starting to feel old! hehehe.

On the work front I did a crazy work week (on top of my usual work week) when the people I work for had a National Triennial Conference that was last held in Perth ... 20 years ago. I have never worked so hard in my whole life. And it took me about 3 weeks to recover.

I also went to the CWA (Country Women's Association) State Conference. I was a delegate. I had no idea what I was doing. I WAS, however, under the watchful eye of some of the long standing members of the branch, so I couldn't get up to too much mischief. Sadly. At the conference Mum was installed as the new CWA of WA State Community Co-ordinator, of which I am very proud of her. I have spent a bit of time helping mum with this role. Taking mum and her stuff to and from CWA House in the city and bringing things home again. Helping her pack shelves. Being her chauffeur. I have made a whole lot of "Thank you" cards for her to give to all those who have donated time, money and 'things' to CWA since she started the role in June. And if you think I make only a couple, I made a dozen to start with and she has already used almost all of them. So time to get back to making thank you cards for her to pass on, I think.

I have been rather unwell. Suffering from extremely painful Endometriosis and pelvic adhesions. I have recently spent a LOT of time in bed or in front of the heater with a heat pack on and under large doses of pain relieving medication.

The next exciting thing is that I am going to Sydney, NSW, for a conference ... TONIGHT!!! Squeeee! Excited! :) I will be gone for 10 whole days. So my life is a little rushed at the moment.

I have been putting together some things for Sustainable September too. So forgive me if they are very short. I am working on them before the conference starts.

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