Showing posts with label Hankie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hankie. Show all posts

Saturday, September 8, 2018

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 

Friday, September 7, 2018

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

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

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

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

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

Monday, September 22, 2014

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