The Purge

Part of zero waste is to eliminate things that you have excess of. All the plastic nicknacks and things that are not useful and unsustainable. One morning I felt the need to go through a drawer in my kitchen that was packed with utensils. I found all sorts of treasures I never knew I had, but I tried to keep only the things I knew I would actually use, and pass along the things that I wouldn't. Do I need twenty corn cob holders? I probably only need six or so. Do I need three egg slicers? I only need one. Will I actually use a plastic rice spoon? I could use my regular spoon! After the one drawer was done, I went on to the next, and the next. I rearranged my crammed spaces as well to be more friendly. I went through the kids craft cabinet and got rid of a whole bag of useless junk they never touched. When I was done, I had four filled up bags of stuff I didn't need! I didn't know I didn't need them.

 I asked James to not look in the bags (he did anyway, and it was a funny sight..."Why are you getting rid of this?" "We never use it!" "Yes we do, on ___ occasion! And look at this, I was going to use this at some point in time!" "Just put them back in the bag, James!") Off to goodwill it all went, for someone else to enjoy and love. It feels good to have a little less. 

While I dropped off at goodwill, I searched through their glass section and picked up two glass containers that will help me with the food from the bulk bins. Thanks Goodwill!

Sleepy Pig Farm picked up their scraps bucket for their rescued piggies, and I felt SO PROUD to give them a yummy bucket filled with goodness for their eating pleasure! Less to stink up my own garbage, and less to put into the landfill to create unneeded greenhouse gasses. This setup couldn't be more easy for me! I still have some things on my list I'd like to do soon - like get the beeswax for my beeswax wrap alternative to plastic wrap, create reusable paper towels, those are next. 

But this week my mind has been occupied with the renaissance festival coming up this weekend! I've been in a mad dash to make my dress for the weekend, so Zero Waste went on the side burner. But because I did make a chemise out of a linen tablecloth yesterday, I decided to use the scraps of linen to make reusable tissues for the near future! I felt lucky to have my serger working properly, and I fed the squares through to make a quick and easy finish. I won't see these actually in use for a while, because we happen to have a lot of tissues still that we need to go through, but because the opportunity arose I decided to be prepared.

Shopping still catches me off guard, and I need to remember to be more prepared for it. Sometimes I am without a reusable bag in my purse and have to use a plastic one. Sometimes I don't have a jar on me to put something in. But I have been getting better at it slowly, and I suppose it is a habit that just needs to stick. 

Throughout this week I hope to go through some more parts of my house to remove the excess stuff we don't really need. When you have less, it feels nice to me. I don't feel so tied down, and I can move around more freely. I may never become such a minimalist as the amazing Bea Johnson, but I love her resourcefulness, and I would like to pattern my life somewhat after her. 

I have been told that meat and dairy are huge environment wastes as well, but changing my diet may be one of the last things I do on this journey. That, and cloth diapers. That transition will be hard...I hope Sofie gets potty trained by then!!

Laura