Sustainable September 2018 Day 25

I dont know if you would have had a chance to use yesterdays Sustainable September idea because it is something that will need some preplanning. When you organise a party or dinner there are so many great things you can do to reduce your budget AND reduce you environmental impact. Everything from not purchasing disposables, to using reusable straws in metal, glass, bamboo or alternatively single use paper straws (but these barely last ONE drink), or skip straws altogether.

This next idea builds on the yesterdays but it also doesnt need to be a party/gathering-only idea. This one you can bring into every day meals...

Day 25. Use Cloth napkins 

Another thing that can save money is buying/making/using cloth napkins instead of buying paper ones. Sure paper ones are mostly compostable, but some of them have a few other not so good things in them. And cloth napkins can be compostable at the end of their lives too. However, you can spend a little bit of cash up front and be able to wash and reuse them over and over again. So, they can make their money back.

You can even purchase ex-hotel/restaurant ones for a cheaper price but still be good quality, plus they are second hand.  Meaning that it will have saved you money, and saved the environment too!

"Not only are they [cloth napkins] more durable (one cloth napkin will make it through a lot more BBQ sauce than a paper one!) but ditching disposable napkins will also save plenty of money over the years. It’ll also reduce your trash output, which means less energy is used transporting and processing your waste. Using recyclable paper napkins is good for the planet, but it’s even better to not have anything to recycle in the first place. Plus, cloth napkins make dinner feel oh-so-fancy." (Greatist.com)

You could gift some cloth napkins to a friend or family member, or even use cloth napkins to wrap gifts in as a way to make someone else feel special. Kindness doesnt have to be hard work, it can be much simpler than that. Sharing what you are learning about with people can be a nice way to share and spread kindness.

I hope this finds you all well.
Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2018 Day 10

I found myself using Paper towel today because it was just easier. It qwas a knee jerk reaction to spilling coconut oil eberywhere. I was able to throw the paper towel in the compost. However, I was hoping to make one day papertowel free. iit just shows you how much we use it and how even with thebext intentions we still make mistakes.

The idea today is simple...

10. Use a metal or glass straw

Okay, I’ll admit it will take time to have this one actually save you some money. However, this product will last you a lifetime (except the glass one if you drop it) and you can reuse it over and over again. Comparatively, a single use plastic straw will be able to be used once and then never be used again, whilst lasting a lifetime.

So in the efforts to be as honest with you all as possible i want you to know its okay to make some mistakes. I bought my stainless steel straws online from eBay for about $4 for 8 straws with 4 brushes.

I ended up keeping two of these straws for me and my mum, giving 4 to my sister for her family as part of a Christmas gift and gave another two away as gifts also. I must admit it was great in some ways because it was super cheap, but here is where i made a few little mistakes. When I got the straws they were each individually wrapped in plastic and they were also shipped from china. Not my finest moment but at the time finance was the most pressing concern I had. So I went with cheap eco products over locally produced, which is a shame as not long after I bought these cheap straws someone in my suburb started selling the ones they had made themselves. Which would have been amazing to purchase.

If you look at how much a box of plastic straws cost (Approximately) you'd need to take 10 uses of a single use straw to make your money worth spending. hich is rediculous. Not to mention saying no to plastic straws will be saving lives in the long run as a lot on sea animals struggle to survive with plastic contamination in our oceans. Sadly, there are some disturbing videos on the internet of animals with straws in their noses. It hurts my heart to look at them, but it was enough to see that i wanted to buy a metal straw and start refusing single use plastic straws almost immediately.

I hope this finds you well.

love Daena x

Sustainable September 2017 - Day Seven

SEPTEMBER 7 (THURSDAY)

TINY CHANGES - STRAWS

A week peoples, we have made it a whole week!!! What an achievement! I'm so glad you are still here reading this (and if you are new here... WELCOME!!!!). Kindness to this planet is so important to all of us. Treating the world with greater respect and kindness means that we are able to also treat ourselves, our friends and family with greater respect. PLUS, we are being kind to so many people we do not know! Like those in far away places (like islands that are slowly sinking below rising sea levels) and those we may never meet (those in the future), who will be greatful for every little thing we do now to reduce the amount of waste we produce. Together we are making life a little kinder for our planet and all those who live here.

Yesterday was all about Hankies... one of mine came in handy today. I've got one in my pocket as I write this but thankfully its clean. A lot of people have come down sick in the house... so im doing my best to be environmentally friendly, whilst remaining well!!!

Thankfully i am well... and i hope to stay that way!

Sustainable September Day Seven - Buy & or use a glass, metal or bamboo straw instead of using plastic single use straws.

I own and regularly use a metal straw. I bought it (and more for my family) a few years ago... during Sustainable September. I still have it and still use it all the time. I keep it in a cutlery case in my handbag all the time (Except when i wash it after use of course).

I do rmeember to take my straw with me everywhere... however this kind of leads me to my next point.

REMEMBER, any time you purchase a drink – even if you think I shouldn’t have a straw- specify that you don’t want one.

This part is harder for me. I have been to two different restaurants this week that i forgot to specify that i didn't want a straw, and each time the little plastic stick of uselessness was present in my beverage.

One time recently I remembered to ask not to have a straw, then only realised just as they put the straw into the drink that they had forgotten i didnt want one. When i pointed out i didnt want it they just threw out the straw. I felt even worse... because that single use item... well it didnt even get used once!!! So I need to be vigilent and remember that whenever I go places that I need to specify that I do not need a straw and if possible catch them before they do it out of habit.

If anyone on here is reading this and owns a restaurant or bar, maybe you could consider offering staws only upon request. That would save a bunch of needless waste and im sure it would help the hip pocket too!

It seemed perfectly times that i came across a perfectly timed documentary about Straws too. The Western Australian Premiere of Straws the Film: A documentary about a sea of Change by producer Lisa Booker is a short documentary about plastic straw litter and how community activists are making a sea of change one straw at a time. For those in WA, check out the above link for information about the screening in Fremantle. Its upstairs (@ Yogalab) from one of my favourite restaurants in Freo, the Raw Kitchen. Its being help on Sunday 17th September 2017, (that's 10 days from tomorrow). There are a range of ticket options (some of which include sampling some food from the Raw Kitchen!) but tickets start at $15.

ACTIVITY: Amazingly if, like me, you REFUSE straws, and yet still end up with a bunch, that you didnt ask for, maybe you could turn them into Jewellery or art. Hopefully you can turn a single use item into something you can REUSE, after you have gotten your REUSABLE straw... after all straws cannot be RECYCLED.

If after watching this video you were a bit surprised i had posted it... i understand. Don't get me wrong, I know some of these ideas are really great for the environment. I mean why would you cut up little pieces of straws for the base of your potplants?! Honestly... WHY?!. But some of the other ideas could work if you are looking for a way to upcycle straws you already have or have accidentally received. Or maybe, you are into a craft soloution. Or maybe if you have kids some of these might be fun activities! I just ask that you think carefully about which ones you choose. Normally i wouldn't post something like that... But this one had the most exciting ideas with the least (yes i know that is unbelieveable really) environementally harmful ideas.

I guess the main thing here is to REFUSE plastic single use straws, or in the least, REDUCE the number of straws you use.  

If we can do that... it will make a world of difference.

Hope you all are well.
Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2016 - Day Nine

Hello wonderful people,

Today was all about using a reusable straw or saying no to using straws at all. 

 

This is a photo of me using my metal straw whilst hanging out at the National Museum of Australia. Notice I didn't get a plastic bottled drink either. Glass is much better for the environment. :) 

It can be quite difficult to say no or remember too. But that skill or habit could be a lifesaver for a sea animal or other forms of wildlife. Not to mention helping ourselves and our children in the future. 

Today is all about bags. 

Sustainable September Day Nine: buy/use a reusable shopping bag and say no to plastic bags. 

I must say this is one of the easiest for me to do every time I shop. I have these small roll up bags that go into my handbag. I pull one out whenever I need one and then re-roll and put it BACK into my bag as soon as I finish this. I probably have about 15-20 of these little roll up bags in total around my house. I probably only keep 4-6 in my bag at any one time. My sister has 4 in her hand bag. And mum has a couple too. 

This leaves a few extras so that some can be chucked in the wash (best part about having cloth bags) and some can be filled with bits and bobs on their way somewhere. It also means I can cycle out the ones that need repairs, but thankfully I only have to do the repairs occasionally. And it's usually the elastic that keeps it all rolled up nice and tidy that dies first. 

Kindness Idea: learn how to make plastic mats for the homeless. 

if you have a horde of plastic bags at home or you know where there are a lot, think about this as an idea... Using those single use bags to make something reusable and long lasting. This could be the idea for you. However, if you can't yet crochet, maybe you could learn. Or maybe you could do the cutting and "making of the plastic yarn" for someone else to use to make mats. 

Front Lines: there is a gorgeous TED talk by two young people in Bali who are wanting to ban the use of plastic bags in their country. What amazing champions of their country. 

I have visited Bali myself and it will make a huge difference to the place to be plastic free. :) I can't wait to go back and see the difference in a few years! :) 

I hope This finds you all well! 

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 2015 - Day Two

Hello lovely people,

So what did you think of the videos by Lauren Singer? Do you think you can make small changes and end up just being completely waste free? Well that is an idea... right?

One things we will talk about today is plastic. Plastic is one of the most harmful things to our environment. Plastic is a long lasting and durable product that is often only given a "single use" before being discarded. Wikipedia states that plastic makes up at least 10% of all discarded waste.

I saw this quote the other day and I realised with great weight, its truth.

The article by Environmental Health News called The Enviromental Toll of Plastics states in their article from 2009 that...
                                        "Evidence is mounting that the chemical building blocks that make plastics so versatile are the same components that might harm people and the environment. And its production and disposal contribute to an array of environmental problems, too. For example:
• Chemicals added to plastics are absorbed by human bodies. Some of these compounds have been found to alter hormones or have other potential human health effects.
• Plastic debris, laced with chemicals and often ingested by marine animals, can injure or poison wildlife.
• Floating plastic waste, which can survive for thousands of years in water, serves as mini transportation devices for invasive species, disrupting habitats.
• Plastic buried deep in landfills can leach harmful chemicals that spread into groundwater.
• Around 4 percent of world oil production is used as a feedstock to make plastics, and a similar amount is consumed as energy in the process."

Okay... plastic is not very good. Not good for us or the environment. Take note today where plastic is turning up in your life. Can you substitute it? Can you change anything so that you use less? In the next few days I will be looking at small simple things that mean you don't have to use plastic.

You might be thinking that it does not seem so simple.

Don't Panic! Grab your towel (Hitch-hikers unite! lol. Sorry. Couldn't help a literary reference!).

Today's Sustainable September idea is very simple. By making one change you can help marine animals and yourself avoid one type of plastic.

September 2: Buy/use a reusable metal or glass straw instead of plastic ones. 

Cardboard straws [also called Paper Straws] are also available and can be composted after use.

I don't know if any of you saw the video that showed up on Facebook recently of a poor turtle that had inhaled a plastic straw. The video was really distressing to watch so I wont share a link to it. It was most distressing for the turtle that was having the straw removed from its nose. Plastic in the ocean is a huge issue. It takes hundreds if not thousands of years for plastic to deteriorate. 

"The Marine Conservancy has predicted the decomposition rates of several plastic products. It is estimated that a foam plastic cup will take 50 years, a plastic beverage holder will take 400 years, disposable diaper will take 450 years, and fishing line will take 600 years to degrade." Wikipedia (2015).

"So why straws?" I hear you ask. Well we have to start somewhere.

"Would you believe that enough plastic straws are produced annually to fill over 46 thousand full sized buses! Each time you use a reusable glass[or stainless steel] straw it means one less plastic straw ends up in landfill or in our precious oceans." (Biome 2015)

Personally, I just bought a bunch of Stainless Steel straws. I have recently discovered E-bay (I know I am about 10 years behind everyone else with this one). I was able to buy 10 stainless steel straws (with two little cleaning brushes) for about $10 AUD! That is awesome to me!!! When I get home to Perth (from Sydney, where I am currently) I will let you know how they go! I am actually really excited about them!

If you want to avoid plastic and you have a big event coming up think no further than cardboard straws. They come in a range of brightly coloured cardboard lengths and are about $2 AUD for about 24 cardboard straws. They are only really one use things (hence I love the idea of the reusable straws more). However once these are used they can go in the compost bin rather than the trash/rubbish.

Can't figure out where to get them? There are lots of places online. Just google "Glass Straws" or "Stainless Steel Straws" and you can get heaps of options.

Cardboard straws are found in supermarkets, cheap stores (like Red Dot, Price Savers, King Kong, Reject Shop). Beware that they are often packed in a plastic single use bag for sale. Some places sell them in cardboard packaging, although not many. So look around

One small change can make a huge difference. Think about the turtle. We have to start somewhere so why not with straws.

KINDNESS IDEA: Buy a couple extra reusable straws when you buy them for yourself and give them to your nearest and dearest!  :) Or simply refuse a straw - it means you totally just saved a turtles nose!

I hope this finds you all well.
Love Daena