Sustainable September 2018 Day 23

Welcome back. I cant believe that we have had three weeks of Sustainable September already! Where has the time gone?

This weekend has been pretty wild weather in the UK with a massive storm going over and causing flooding and issues all over. So if you are somewhere here, be careful and stay safe.

Todays idea is a bit of a DIY project. Sustainable September idea for...

Day 23. Make your own bin liners.

I was so impressed to see my sister and the ladies from my CWA of WA (Country Woman’s Association of Western Australia) branch make bin liners out of newspaper recently. They did this because there has been a backlash in Australia about how people will cope without plastic bin liners, when they don’t have free plastic bags from the supermarkets, to use for this purpose.

Here is the thing, if you compost your wet things, like veggie & fruit scraps, and only put dry things in your rubbish bins, then you don’t NEED plastic bin liners. Paper ones should work out fine.

Plus there is a now a saving. If you are now going to have to BUY bin liners you will be saving money by making them from your local Community Newspaper (once you have finished reading it) or even by raiding your neighbours recycling bin for their weekend West. In the UK there are free newspapers everywhere, so it isn’t hard to find a replacement for this either.

You can use this great clip from Boomerang Bags for one possible way to make these bin liners:

There are a lot of other simple or much more complicated ideas for bin liners but i like how this video shows you a fast version of what you will be making and then a "how to" section. So, if you miss the first time through don't worry... it is explained in detail in the second half of the video.

A cute kindness idea is, you could make some of these and gift them to a friend, family member or aquaintence.

I hope this finds you all well.
Love Daena

Sustainable September 2018 Day 21

For those following along at home, you would have noticed that this Sustainable September Idea didn't go up when I usually have them ready to go up! I took some time to take care of myself today that meant limiting my screen time. So that’s what I did so two posts will be done today instead!

I can’t believe my third week of work is coming to an end. How fast has the time gone?

This next idea is one i do ALL the time.

Day 20. Take your own bags

This is simple enough. This may not save you a heap of money, but here in the UK at big stores like Tesco they charge you 5p for a reusable plastic bag. My old housemate would reuse and reuse the bags, that she had to buy, for everything, which was awesome.

I, however, have my very own reusable bags that I’ve had for the last few years. I only bought 4 with me to the UK. 3 “green” bags from Woolworths and one I made myself. I find these reusable bags infinitely stronger than any form of single use plastic bag. I carry these almost everywhere I go. I transfer them between my work bag, and day bag so I have them with me when I really need them. The only time recently where I havent had any was when I went out for a night on the town and wasnt going to be purchasing anything that was going to be leaving the restaurant or bar. 

I also have two “onya” reusable produce bags, which are awesome, I carry these with me everywhere too.

I have one I made myself last year, which I made from scrap netting I got from an op-shop/thrift shop. The are super easy to  make if you have the time, machine and fabric!

For the maths, if you bought one bag a week, every week for a year, at Tesco for 5p, you’d save yourself £2.60… which isn’t much, but it adds up fast.

I hope you find this helpful!
Love Daena

Sustainable September 2017 - Day Sixteen

SEPTEMBER 17 (SUNDAY)

FOOD & STORAGE - REUSABLE PRODUCE BAGS

Hi everyone,
Sustainable September is all about 'Making life a little kinder for our planet and all those who live here'. So i am looking at fun and hopefully useful ways to make your life more environmentally friendly but also kinder.

I have only just started this next one this year. Because i always forgot to pack them... but i do it all the time now. And it is one more way i am illiminating plastic coming into the house.

Sustainable September Day Sixteen : Use reusable Produce bags.

You can get them from a range of places. They are often made out of sheer curtaining or calico/100% cotton fabrics. They come in a range of sizes. The few that I have bought have come from Onya Bags.

You can check them out or even buy some on their website whose link is above.

However I tend now to make them myself. Which leads me to the days suggested activity.

ACTIVITY: Make your own reusable produce bags.

I use old bits of netting and old curtaining to make my own produce bags. I tend to make them fairly small because I dont like to buy too much of the nice things I want like dried fruits or even dark chocolate coated sultanas for a family member. You dont want to buy too many of them when they can be quite expensive, and they are are not the greatest for health in large quantities.

However you can make the bigger ones too. I just havent needed to yet because i already have the ones from Onya! So when they wear out i will be making my own.

At the moment we are having internet problems so downloading and uploading blog content is a little trickier. I am hoping to get them sorted out by tomorrow.

I Hope this finds you well,
Enjoy this short and sweet sustainable September blog post!
Love Daena xx

Gift bag for a week

Another awesome gift was opened today. For those who haven't been following my daily unwrapping event, i had better explain what's been happening. Almost a week ago I was given a small gift bag with 7 presents in it. Each one had a day of the week labeled on them with a corresponding bible verse. 

It was given to me by some of the ladies at my mums church who knew I've been having a rough time lately. Which was such a lovely surprise. I was blessed with such a sweet kindness. It did the trick too. It's made me feel loved and supported. The church ladies have been checking in with mum seeing how I'm doing too. 

I got to open wrapper number 6 today. 

 

It was a spray bottle of moisturiser. I've never seen anything like it before. I am gathering a theme with the people who made the bag for me though. A lot of the toiletries have come from nutrimetics. I must admit I'm not usually a huge fan of their products. However, I feel so blessed to have received these lovely gifts. 

 

I want the kindness to continue from my little bag. I hope that I can pass this gift on to someone in the homeless community. I hope that someone who is struggling can enjoy this as a treat because they deserve to feel special too. I will give it to one of the shelters because they know who needs some extra TLC or a pick me up better than I do. 

I really love this kind of generosity. I feel so blessed and happy that someone thought I deserved this little bag of goodies. Kindness speaks louder than works. 

Tomorrow I will photograph the whole collection of quotes so you can use the bible verses (or quotes) for your own 7 day bag of kindness. 

I hope this finds you well. 

Love Daena x

Seven Day gift bag: a kindness.

Yesterday I talked about the gift bag I received from my mums church group. It was such a lovely kindness because it gives a recipient something to look forward to daily.   

I opened the second gift today on Day 2. And it was just lovely to receiver two little fancy lip balms. 

   

Even though I won't be using these I will pass on the kindness by donating these to a homeless shelter. 

I just wanted to share this because I thought it was a lovely idea. You could swap out bible verses for inspirational quotes or words of support and encouragement. It wouldn't even matter what you have someone like this because it makes people feel special to receive it. :) I love that I can pass on the kindness too. 

What brilliant kindness ideas have you seen or heard that you have wanted to do? 

Love Daena 

Sustainable September 2015 - Day Three

Good Day my Darling Kindness-ers, 

Yesterday we heard about how bad plastic is for the environment. So my dastardly plan is actually to switch a lot of usual single use plastic items (or plastic things in general) with another item, during Sustainable September. The switch with be preferably renewable, definitely reusable, hopefully decomposable.

September 3: Buy and use reusable bags or paper bags. 

 

I have used this Sustainable September Idea before. In fact it was last year on Day 8 (check it out here). There are some awesome videos on the Day 8 link too.

I think using reusable bags is still important. It is one of the most important Sustainable September acts to do. If you have the big old bags that are square and have a chunk of plastic in the bottom AND that don't roll up, all you need is to put your remembering hat on! Get remembering to put them in your car (or on your bike) then remember to get them out of the car (or off your bike) and into the shop.

I always have a collection of roll-up bags that I always have in my handbag. That way if anyone needs a bag for anything they can use mine. I can take all my bits home without having to take another plastic bag to my house. 

KINDNESS IDEA: lend or give a friend of family member a reusable shopping bag. I have given some of my stockpile of reusable bags to people who have had their plastic ones split on them. It makes a huge difference knowing your bag is not going to split at the drop of a hat. 

Kindness idea 2: If you are in the car park of a supermarket, return trolleys to their bays or the store makes a huge difference. I have done this for strangers on occasions. Its a nice idea if you are already returning your own trolley after your weekly shop. 

Okay. Todays Sustainable September is short and sweet. Remember to take your bags if you have them, buy some if you dont already have them... then USE the reUSEable bag!!! :) 

Hope this finds you all well, 

Much love, 

Daena x

Sustainable September Day Nine Kindness

Hello my beautiful friends,

How did you go today? Did you use your canvas bags? 

I went shopping today and used a lot of the reusable shopping bags I had with me. But I still ran out of my canvas ones and had to use a few plastic ones. But I've reduced the number of plastic bags used! :)  And that is the plan. I guess I will need to start making some more of my own bags now! :)

So tomorrows Sustainable September Kindness idea is....

Tuesday – 9 September – Buy organic and/or Fair Trade products – which is being kind to both the human race and the environment. One of my favourite products is Nerada Organic Chai Tea which is Fair Trade, and amazingly it is cheaper than the competitor who is neither organic nor Fair Trade! Go figure!

These were the prices today at the supermarket 8th September 2014

 Organic food is helping the environment and human and animal health. Here are a few examples from other people and pages.

 "There are some very good studies that show that on balance organic food has higher levels of nutrition," says Andre Leu, chair of the Organic Federation of Australia. "The data we have from Australia and around the world tends to be consistent. The number one reason people buy organic is for health reasons and concern about the use of pesticides."  Whilst "People believe that organic foods have higher levels of nutrition and leave less of an environmental footprint. It's better for the environment and organic food tastes better." American food philosopher and journalist Michael Pollan,[wrote in his] most recent book". (Read more from Body and Soul here)

"Organic foods promote healthier and more sustainable use of natural resources. Modern farming methods, including excessive use of chemicals, have led to a decline in soil fertility, and an increase in salinity and blue-green algae in waterways over many years. Organic farmers try to minimise damage to the environment by using physical weed control, and animal and green manure."Read more from Better Health Channel here)

Organic practices in food production keep our water clean. "Pesticides and chemicals don't belong in drinking water, lakes or oceans, but right now most of the water on earth is at risk. Surface water run off from non-organic farms and other non-organic food operations can deposit pesticides into lakes, rivers, and reservoirs." (Read more from About Money here)

Animals also benefit from Organic farming. "Animals are raised without antibiotics, hormones, or other drugs.  Even some types of seafood are better to eat than others; you can avoid fisheries that are being overfished or harvested using environmentally harmful methods." (Read more from Greening Princeton here)

Hope this makes sense, and this finds you all well!

Much Love,
Daena x

Sustainable September Day Eight - Kindness

Hello again my wonderful followers,

 

And happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! This is the first one with out my dad so it's been a little surreal but we are celebrating fathers in general here... And celebrating what a good job my brother-in-law is doing with his kids! I've also sent messages to those father figures of mine! 

Yesterdays Sustainable September was to buy seasonal produce? 

What did you buy? Was it delicious? I hope so! :) 

I wasn't well enough to go to the market this morning but one of my neighbours did and awesome job and bought me home some strawberries!!! I have her some of my home grown mint in return! :)  

Any way, tomorrows Kindness is...

 

Monday – 8 September -Reusable Shopping Bags – I have been using these for so long now, I forget they aren't used by everyone. I bought several reusable shopping bags that are the size of standard shopping bags from our local supermarket. The best part is that they roll up so small that I can fit 6 of them in my handbag without even noticing. They are awesome.  

You can also make &/or buy small re-usuable bags for your fresh produce, from old or very fine/sheer curtaining (so its see through). Its also a way to reuse your sheer curtaining if they are nearing the end of their lives as curtains. For a few links for patterns to make your own reusable bags here is a link to "Instructables" or here is a video on how to make one... (the pattern isn't included, but should be pretty simple to create one from the instructions provided.

 

And here is something to make you laugh... Tim Minchin, a fellow Western Australian has a hilarious way to talk about using your reusable bags. WARNING: there is a one word that is quite rude. Just be warned if the kids are around! ;) Enjoy though. 

Much love to you all, 

Luv Daena