Sustainable September Day 8 2018

How do you make a hanky dance?

You put a little Boogie in it.

Yes it is a classic joke/terrible joke depending on how you look at it. Yet it does get us talking about Sustainable September in a whole new way.

For those reading this for a social update, I have just completed my first full week of work as an archaeologist. 

I am so blessed with this amazing opportunity. I got to work with some amazing and knowledgeable people this week and I have already learned so much from them. It is pretty darn awesome!

For those reading this for the sustainability...  then check out the idea for...

Day 8. Buy in Bulk  

Whilst I bought in bullk a lot in Australia, I havn't had as much of an opportunity to do so here in the UK.  However, I must say I am going to dedicate this one to my old house mate Beth, becuase this one is straight out of my housemates guide to saving money.



I kind of wish you could see this in comparison to the microwave it was sitting. But it’s much bigger than the microwave. So hopefully that gives you some perspective! 

Beth got this HUGE plastic wrapped bag of 16 rolls of paper towel for £5 when 2 rolls normally cost £1. Not only did she find that the cost was better but I noticed that we had reduced the amount of plastic by simple buying ONE large pack instead of 8 separate packs of 2 or 16 individually wrapped rolls of paper towel.

Why did we need so much kitchen roll you might ask?
One of the main reason we used so much was because the greedy cats (and yes that is all this turned out to be - the vet agrees) would inhale their food and then vomit it back up, all over the house. It was not pretty. 

The cats themselves are adorable (& now I’m living in Reading I do miss them a lot). 

Beth would also buy Kitty litter in Bulk too which also gave her a several £ saving.

Buying in Bulk doesn’t just apply to paper towel, but can apply to food staples (in many people’s houses) like rice. I used to buy a 5Kg bag of rice for $10-$15 every two months because we used so much. The larger 5kg bags came in Fabric but price per kilo, the amount was so much cheaper. Buying 1kg of Rice at a time would cost between $3.50-$5.

I tend to purchase things like Bi-carb Soda, vinegar (if i can get white/spirit vinegar in a glass jar), pickles, olives, pickled onions, arrowroot flour and dried fruit in as large a container as I can get so that I dont have to use as much plastic. Yes, I still buy plastic products, but a lot less than I used to. And if there is a choice i buy in alternative eco friendly packaging. If not... well I buy in bulk where possible. Often I just don’t buy those products or put it off for as long as possible. 

I like to think of the quote that says, "When you know better, you do better." And thats all i can ask of myself and you all. I hope I am giving you some useful tools to help you get more excited and creative with your Sustainable Septembers and sustainable lives. 

I hope this finds you all well.

Love Daena 

Sustainable September Day 7

I was back out in the field yesterday for the second day in a row and I got to excavate my own little trench. Which for me was kind of awesome!!

It was pretty early again this morning so I needed my reusable keep cup and the cup cosy my mum made me! Doing Sustainable September the UK way! Hot beverages to wake up. 

Daena the Digger... Archaeologist extraordinaire! lol. Im so happy to be finally living the dream! 

I hope you are enjoying the shorter and more stream lined sustainable September posts. I was so tired last night that I was asleep before 9.45pm but i couldnt even hold a solid coverstion with G, my boyfriend.

Day 7. Use a handkerchief 

When I first started doing Sustainable September I showed photos of some of the hankies that I had inherited from my father’s stash.

Would you believe I still have most of these? They are still doing their job and doing it well.

I have probably saved myself a fortune in tissues. But I have no idea how much. so why not do a little math

In Australia the tissues I used to buy cost me around $2.80AUD per box of 200 tissues. I would personally have gone through about 5 boxes a year, maybe 6 -7 if I got a head-cold. 6 x $2.80AUD  = $16.80 per year, which for the last 4 years makes a saving of $67.2AUD, as I have not had to purchase tissues for ages.

Not bad really when the handkerchiefs didn’t actually cost me anything in the first place. They weirdly make me feel connected to home when I use them too. Like my dad’s with me in a way too. He would have loved Sustainable September! 

Back to today’s idea... You can always make some or buy some handkerchiefs. 

You could always treat someone to a lovely hanky, as it is a pretty nice Kindness to offer. Reusable and often really pretty.

I hope this finds you all well.
love Daena

Sustainable September 2017 - Day Six

SEPTEMBER 6 (WEDNESDAY)

TINY CHANGES - HANDKERCHEIFS

Good day my dears.
How are you going with todays Eco-Kindnesses?
Simple ideas are the key to the Tiny changes that make the world of difference. 

I first heard this joke as "How do you make a Hankie dance?" Back when I first saw the movie Bicentenial man with Robin Williams. Such a powerful movie. But it turns out not too many people know about Handkercheifs (Hankies) any more. THey are a little old fashioned in some areas. 

What does this joke have to do with Sustainable September you might ask? WEll a snot load actually (excuse the pun).  

Sustainable September Day Six - Handkercheifs.

Buy or make your own handkercheifs (Hankies) and have some on hand when you need to blow your nose.

"Hankies are greener than tissues (pardon the pun), that is if they actually get taken out of the sock drawer. To really minimise your nose-blowing impact purchase organic cotton hankies or, if you can find them, buy hemp, which has a 50 per cent lower eco-footprint.

Even better, buy vintage hankies or make them from scrap fabric. To reduce the laundering impact, wash hankies in cold water and line dry. If you really can't bring yourself to give up tissues at least try to find ones made from chlorine-free, post-consumer recycled paper and compost them after use." (Green Lifestyle Magazine)

On a regular day Handkercheifs are smaller to pack in a bag than a small packet of tissues.

During a cold having 8-10 of these on hand makes all the world of difference. When i am not suffering from a cold or flu, I often have a couple in my handbag and car so that if I need a napkin I can use a reusable handkerchief instead. This reduces waste by reducing the disposable things in our lives.

This idea is of Handkercheifs is all about REDUCE... tissues can't be recycled so there is no RECYCLE option. At least with Handkercheifs (Hankies) you can REUSE... an option not available with Tissues.  

This is one of my favourite hankies because it used to be my dads. So really this one is one that keeps on giving. I just pulled this one out of my handbag to show you how handy they are. 

I was my handkercheifs in laundry bags but they are fine to go in with all the other clothes in a cold water wash. If you dry them in the sun you are also making sure that any bacteria that may have survived the wash doesnt survive the drying. 

Anyways, I hope this finds you all well. WIthout any headcolds hopefully.
See you all tomorrow. 

Love Daena

Sustainable September 2016 - Day Eight

Hello Sustainable September-ers. 

How is it going? Simple ideas seem to be the go. Didn't you just love the "Forest Man" video? So good. 

I talked about replacing tissues for Handkerchiefs today. When I packed my bag to come to Canberra, Australia, I packed as many handkerchiefs as I did underpants. Having been sick I wanted to be prepared for anything. And so far I am please I did. We used a couple as napkins after I managed to spill a whole bunch of stuff everywhere on a picnic. I've used them to blow my nose after reading too many beautiful stories about kindness (my favourite reason to cry). I have even used them to wipe the sweat off my fave after going for a run! Yay. Go me. 

I thought I would show you one of my favourite handkerchiefs. 

 

It used to belong to my dad. His initials are embroidered on it. Every time I use it I think of my dad. He was an amazing and environmentally minded man, so it seems so appropriate that I share it with you all this month. 

I also love how handkerchiefs are making a come back. Has anyone seen the movie "The Intern" with Robert DeNiro and Anne Hathaway? Well amazingly handkerchiefs play a pretty cool role in that movie. Bringing them back into fashion. 

So today is another K.I.S.S. Principal. Remember it's Keep It Simple Sweetheart. We don't have any stupid people here!

Sustainable September Day Eight: use a metal or glass straw instead of a plastic one. 

A few days ago we watched clips from the Zero Waste front liners. One of them pointed out the stupidity of straws. Something that you use once and then goes in the bin because it's useless after one use which may only be seconds. Then these pieces of plastic end up in the bellies and noses of someone of our most precious wildlife. Hopefully you all remember the video from last year of the turtle with the straw stuck in its nasal passage. It was seriously heartbreaking and more than a little gross. 

For Christmas last year I bought my family 10 metal straws between six of us. I usually keep 2 on me, in my handbag. One for me and one for whoever I am with. Usually mum and I. It works well. But often we really don't need to use straws at all.  

I know there exceptions for using straws. Some people have to for face or teeth surgery. I couldn't have done without a straw when I had my wisdom teeth out. Then there are the elderly (like my dad used) because all their food is liquid. And it helps regulate how much they consume in one hit, stopping them from choking. Dads nursing home has special cups with built in straws so he didn't need to use throw away ones. 

When you think about it, most places you would use straws are related to soft drink or cocktails. 

If you think about the straws from fast food venues, they use those stupid plastic caps for the straw to go through too. That is more plastic going to landfill and it even has the potential to end up in the ocean and stomachs of wildlife. Mind you, even if you swap out the straw for a metal or glass one, then you are still making a huge difference. Make sure you tell them no straw when you order your drink/meal. 

If you think about cocktails or soft drinks from restaurants, you need to talk to the bartender before they make the drink because if they have already been added to the drink they won't use it again, they will just throw it without it ever having been used. Which is a stupid tragedy all of itself. 

Asking for no straw is something that takes a bit of time to get used to but once you do, it's just like any other habit, it happens naturally. 

Kindness idea: purchase a glass or metal straw for a friend. 

I decided this was a good kindness for me after last year. I ended up saving them to give as Christmas gifts. My niece and nephew love using the metal straws I bought them. They particularly love to drink their smoothies or milkshakes through them. Best thing about the metal ones is that they won't break if dropped, which is the best option for kids. 

The glass straws are very pretty and you can SEE how clean they are. Usually all reusable straws come with a cleaning brush so it's easy to clean. It's also cool to see the water/juice/cocktails/milkshake/soft drink go through the glass straws. 

Front lines: all I can say is... This kid is awesome! I just love how kids are the ones fighting for the small changes that will make big differences in the long run. 

This interview is even better with more statistics.

Well done Milo! Now we just need to get something like this off the ground here in Australia! 

I hope this finds you all well. 

Love Daena X

Sustainable September 2016 - Day Seven

Hello wonderful people. 

So today is all about riding the bus or walking for Sustainable September. I was offered the use of the car today but decided to take the bus instead. Getting from one place to another on the bus has been a huge help because it means I actually get to look out the window and see what we are going past instead of focusing on the road and other drivers. 

I love the bus company "Action" in Canberra because they have these awesome slogans like "c
Conserve our fossil fuels. Be in... Action". Clever slogan.

It was awesome to ride the bus into the city because I got to see more. 

 lus it's a lot less stressful, seeing as I would be driving in a new city, on roads with some serious quirks, without any one telling me if I was doing the right thing. I mean the GPS would tell me where to go but they can't tell you you are in the wrong lane until it's too late. Hahaha. 

Another plus is that I have been able to write my blog post from my phone whilst riding or waiting for the bus. Yay! 

Today's idea is another simple one. I like the K.I.S.S principal "Keep It Simple Sweetheart". Yes I know it is often "stupid" instead of "sweetheart" but I like the kindness version better. I wonder why?! 

Sustainable September Day Seven: use a handkerchief instead of tissues. 

There was a point recently when I was really sick. And I mean. Really sick. Almost all of the rest of the family caught it too. There are 6 of us living in one house and if one of us gets a cough, cold or flu then the rest of us often get it too. This flu was no exception. I am still experiencing some after affects which sucks. 

Me, four weeks ago. 

Me, four weeks ago plus 5 minutes. After a coughing fit. I still had my sense of humour. 

The two photos were during the height of my flu. At least my awkward sense of humour remained. I took these photos so my friends would know I was still alive. 

Thankfully I am on holiday so I have had time to rest, heal and recuperate! 

What all this has to do with today's Sustainable September environmental kindness idea is that we went through about 20 boxes of tissues in two weeks. That is a lot of paper being used and destroyed. Now most of these tissues were either thrown in the fire (burn bugs, burn!) or thrown in the compost. However we could have used our handkerchiefs more. 

I personally have about 15 Hankys that I use fairly regularly. For cleaning my glasses, for blowing my nose, for when I got for a run (& get sweat in my eyes) and wiping my eyes when I am crying. Not to mention they also are excellent when you need a napkin! Mayonnaise on your face... Get out your hanky! Chocolate on your face... Wipe your face with the hanky, then lick the hanky! I'm kidding! Or am I?! Hahah. 

Kindness idea: make a "Flu survival kit" for a friend, family member or coworker. 

I have done this a few times. I like to include some lemon & ginger tea, a pack of sore throat soothing drops, a pack of hankies or box of Tissues, some home made soup, some paracetamol, a nice DVD (not something like 'contagion' Unless your friend has a sense of humour and is into scary movies) and maybe even a mug for hot tea and or soup! Maybe even some Vicks vapour rub and/or some lip balm. 

You could do whatever you want really. Just do something to make them know you are thinking of them. You could drop it to their home (if they aren't at work or at family events or any other activities). Or you could do a RAK drop, knock/ring and run.

Front lines: Forest Man. 

I struggled to think of anything along the lines of colds and flu. But instead I thought about paper and what it is made out of... trees. There are a lot of people doing amazing things when it comes to the planting and preservation of trees. But My favourite is the story of a guy in India who for the last several decades has been planting trees. They call him "Forrest Man". 

https://youtu.be/HkZDSqyE1do

He shows us what one person can achieve when they are committed and persistent. This is a fantastic story. One person really can change the world!

I hope this finds you all well. If not, I hope it finds you using a hanky instead of a tissue box! 😉

Sending love from Canberra. 

❤️ 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

Sustainable September Day Twenty Four Kindness

Good day my fine fellows,

How are we today? are you well? No colds? No flues? I hope not! But if you do, then the kindness for today was meant just for you! The eco-kindness idea for today was to use a Handkerchief rather than paper tissues.

I found this awesome site called DIY Natural with a whole post about the best reasons to use Hankies over Tissues... if you want, you can Read More here.

Lets continue on the paper theme!

I know that we all have certain paper work that we need for tax purposes. But after 7 years, they are usually able to be retired, at which point they need to be shredded. Which leads me to the Sustainable September kindness idea for tomorrow...

Wednesday – 24 September – If you need to shred old paperwork, put it in the garden in your compost. Alternatively you can take your shreddings to a pet store or a friend who needs shredding's for pet rodents, chickens or other animals. Or donate them to a pet shelter. 

I hope this finds you all well... and healthy! ;) but if not... you know what to do! ;) lol

Much love to you all, 

Daena x

Sustainable September Day Twenty Three Kindness Idea

Hello beautiful people! :)

How are you? It's meat free Monday again (as it is every Monday or whatever day in your country). And so far so good for me this time! Breakfast was Muslie. 

I was working today in Fremantle... Which is an unusual expedition for me! But I has fun! I found this little shop called The Raw Kitchen 

And I had some delicious food (raw, organic, & vegan... Impressive I know!)

Needless to say, it went down well! :)

This is my round two at meat-free Mondays! 

Not only did I get back on the horse for meat free Mondays but I also went op shopping again! 2 pairs of jeans for $1 each! You can't beat that anywhere else!!!! 

However, Today the kindness idea was to buy in Bulk. Did you find any bulk specials? I got a good special at Woolworths this week with 4 Litre Rice Bran Oil for only $15. That was a saving of $8! :) And it's a bulk buy. I love that I can decant and refill my old glass oil bottles from the big tin one! This reduces the amount of waste that goes into landfill.

Tomorrows kindness idea: 

Tuesday – 23 September – Use a Hankie or Handkerchief rather than tissues. 

Recently I had a bad head-cold...Something I haven't had in ages! I took this as an opportunity to experiment. I couldn't believe how many tissues I used one day, to how many hankies (that I could wash) that I used the day after. It was quite scary. I had a bad head-cold, something I hadn't experienced for some time. I used HEAPS of tissues that would only go into the bin (or even the compost bin) but I could be saving trees if I used a reusable tissues. Save the tissues for the visitors. 

Photo from Google Images Link here

NOTE: beware of hygienic handling and laundering of Hankies, to prevent further spread of germs.

I really hope those in the Southern Hemisphere have survived the winter season well, with only minimal illnesses. 

And for those in the Northern Hemisphere I hope the upcoming winter season sees you remain healthy. :)

Much love to you all. 

Luv Daena