Zero Waste at the Grocery Store [#CTWW]

Zero Waste challenges are one area where I can improve. These challenges are always difficult for me. I am not sure why. I few years ago, I made a huge switch to green and eco-friendly products, including reusable grocery bags, reusable menstrual products, cloth diapers, etc. I still feel like a lot of packaging gets thrown away, recycled, and in some rare instances, reused. My focus on this round of the Zero Waste challenge will be the grocery store.

This week's challenge:

This week, look for one more way to reduce the amount of waste you generate. Need some inspiration? Check out the Zero Waste Week Facebook Page and scroll through the posts for tips and ideas. Perhaps buy "naked" produce (items without any kind of packaging), carry a reusable bag at the market, or find creative uses for leftover food. If you have a baby in the house, try cloth diapers (nappies) and reusable wipes rather than the disposable varieties. Consider reusable menstrual products instead of single-use items. Find creative ways to upcycle "trash" or donate used items to charity. The idea, this week, is to find one more way to reduce waste.

There are two Whole Foods Markets in our city. We shop at the second one every couple of months if we are around that area, usually after Sunday morning church.

One of my favorite aisles at the grocery store is the bulk bin aisle. The Whole Foods Market that I frequent most often has a big bulk section. Shopping in the bulk bin section allows me to purchase exactly how much product I need or want. Let's say I need 1 cup of a specific type of bean or I want to fill up my quinoa container. Though the bulk bin allows reusing of your personal container (have the cashier weigh your container before you fill it), most people, including me, use the plastic bags and containers that are provided. Usually, the plastic bags and containers are reused another time, but I ultimately throw them away or recycle.

I have not been able to bring myself to lug my glass containers to the store when they empty. I cannot even remember to take the recycling that Rumpke does not accept to Whole Foods. How do I reduce my reliance on plastic bags and containers??? The second Whole Foods Market in our city has solved this problem, or at least made it better! No more plastic bags and containers for the dried bulk bin goods. These have been replaced with brown paper bags! Take a pencil, write down the name and the number of the product. The brown paper bags can be reused, recycled or composted. My plan is to reuse for lunches and then compost. While recycling does require energy, composting is a more eco-friendly option that requires no energy.

I hope my preferred Whole Foods Market switches to brown paper bags. I will speak with an employee next time to see if they have considered this option. In the meantime, I will be reusing the small brown paper bags in the bulk bin aisle.

>> How do you reduce waste during your grocery shopping trips??
  

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5 Ways to Extend Life of Clothing [#CTWW]

I just completed round 8 of closet clean out. The decluttering started about 2 years ago when my husband and I found out that we were expecting a baby. Once we realized that our closets were stuffed full, we knew that we needed to get rid of stuff we no longer used. Clothes were the biggest culprit. Transitioning from a college wardrobe to a professional wardrobe resulted a large number of pieces of clothes that were no longer worn, but still took up room in the closets and dressers. As we were cleaning out the items that we were no longer going to wear, we created a mend pile. The mend pile is comprised of pieces of clothing that need to be mended: a button needs reattachment, a hole needs to be sewn up or a stain needs to be removed. In an effort to reduce future mend piles, I share with you tips on how to extend the life of clothing.

This week's challenge:

This week take a look at your clothing and fix anything which needs repair. This might include darning a sock, sewing up a rip, or replacing a lost button. Perhaps a shoe's sole needs to be glued or a shoe lace needs to be replaced. The idea, this week, is to repair an item of clothing to extend its life.

OR ...

If this is something which you regularly do, please offer tips and ideas for extending the life of clothing. This can include mending, laundering, or even buying for longevity.

While there are easy and simple ways to mend clothing, taking a preventative approach to keeping clothing in good shape is the best way to go. Below are five tips on how to extend the life of clothing.

Purchase Quality Clothing

Focus on purchasing clothing that is made from 100%, or mostly, natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool, etc. Some synthetic items can last a long time also. Quality clothing could be an investment, but is also going to last longer than cheaper clothing that might only be worn for one season. I have a lot of high quality items purchased on sale or on clearance that have lasted me for 5-10 years. Shopping at consignment and thrift stores can reduce the cost of high quality clothing. 

Use Appropriate Washing Techniques

Follow the recommended washing instructions on the clothes' tags. Most natural and synthetic items can be machine washed, but some do require a gentle cycle, hand washing or even dry cleaning. From my experience, most dry cleaning items can be hand washed at home. Dry cleaning often can also cause clothes to break down due to the harsh chemicals that used in the dry cleaning process. Also, remember that washing too often can cause clothes to become worn and faded. Hanging an item that was worn for only a few hours to air out can save you one washing cycle.

Line Dry Clothes

Line drying clothing reduces the amount of stress on the item of clothing. The lint in the dryer is actually small fibers of clothing that have come off during the agitation against other items that are also in the dryer. Line drying will make them a bit stiff. If you prefer the softness of clothes dried in the dryer, you can throw the line dried clothes in the dryer for 10-20 minutes to fluff them up. 

Make Repairs Sooner

Treating stains the same day and repairing holes as soon as they are discovered will help to prevent stains from permanently setting in and holes from getting bigger. The longer a stain stays on clothing, the harder it will be to remove it. Wearing a sweater with a small hole in it will inevitably cause it to become bigger. When you remove clothing, or when you gather laundry, do a check for stains, holes and rips. Put those items aside and take care of them as soon as possible.

Rotate Clothing

Rotating clothing in your closet not only will keep you excited about your wardrobe, but it will also help to extend the life of clothing. Wearing the same 3 items over and over again will cause the fabric to stretch out and wear down over time. For example, natural fibers need time to return to their original length after being stretching out from being worn. Once a month, rotate 3-5 pieces of clothing with the ones in the back of the closet.

These five ways to extend the life of clothing will help keep you mend pile to a minimum and help to keep your costs of replacing worn clothing or paying high prices for the dryer cleaners to remove stains.

>> How do you extend the life of your clothing??
  

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Proper Alkaline Battery Disposal [#CTWW]

Somehow, Small Footprints' Change the World Wednesday challenges always come at just the right time. Either I recently accomplish a small green milestone or I am currently struggling with a change. Last week, I decided to update the car emergency kits. I came upon some batteries and decided to do a battery inventory. The battery drawer had some loose batteries. After my husband said that those batteries are mostly dead, I was about to throw them into the trash. Until a little voice inside my head reminded me that I once read about not throwing batteries into the trashcan. Indeed, a quick search revealed that alkaline batteries (the ones I have on hand) are indeed toxic. Alkaline batteries should NOT be thrown into the trash. Alkaline batteries should be disposed of properly, at a location that accepts them.

This week's challenge:

If you are not using rechargeable batteries, please make plans to buy them when you next need batteries. As you replace single-use versions, be sure to recycle them rather than toss them into the trash bin.

OR ...

If you have already made the switch to rechargeable batteries, please find one single-use item in your home and replace it with a reusable version.

As mentioned in Reduce Footprints challenge post, 3 billion single use batteries are sold each year! Most of these batteries end up being thrown out with trash. Batteries degrade over time and leak toxic chemicals into the landfill. These toxic chemicals end up in the water and in the soil. 

After realizing this fact, I looked up recycling facilities for alkaline batteries. We live in a big city, so I hoped for several companies accepting alkaline batteries. Results: one company. Best Buy does have a recycling program, but they do not take alkaline batteries. I emailed the company for a quote for 2 pounds of batteries. Since I had such a small amount, they proposed that if I like their Facebook page and/or write a review, I can drop them off for free. Now, I am wondering if I should save up batteries and do a big disposal once per year. I do not mind paying for the alkaline batteries to be disposed of properly. 

Our battery usage is fairly small. I do not purchase battery operated toys for my son. Any battery-operated toys that are gifted are either exchange, used until batteries run out or are used without batteries. The majority of battery usage is for television remotes, flashlights (seldom used) and for emergency purposes. I do not watch television during the day. Our total television usage is less than 10 hours per week and is mostly watched by my husband when he is home. The remote batteries last for a long time. Either way, we are using batteries and we can be greener about it, especially since they need to be disposed of properly.

After my research and reflection on battery usage in our house, I told myself that I must look into rechargeable batteries. While we do have a few of them already, we are not using them. Last year, I purchased 2 AA USB rechargeable batteries to add to the emergency kit. Though rechargeable batteries are an investment, they have come down in price over the years and they will save me money in the long run. Next shopping trip, purchase rechargeable batteries!

>> Do you use any rechargeable batteries are home?? How??
  

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Keeping the Trash in the Trashcan [#CTWW]

This week's challenge:

This week, pick up litter and dispose of it properly. As you go through your day, pay attention to the area and clean as you go. You might see trash as you walk between your car and your office. Perhaps you'll see plastic bags, etc. in the parking lot of a market. If you enjoy nature walks, browse the side of the trail. Get your kids involved and take litter walks or organize a neighborhood cleanup of a local park. The idea, this week, is to rid the area of litter!

An overfilled recycling box is open to the elements, like wind, that can blow paper and small containers out and down the street. Therefore, I would assume that moving from recycling boxes to recycling bins with lids with reduce the amount of trash that litters the yards on our street. Nope! On every run and every walk, I spot at least one piece of trash in several of the neighboring yards. I assume (hopefully correctly this time) that the trash escapes in between the worker picking up the recycling bin and the contents being emptied into the garbage truck. I also suspect that trash, usually empty cans, gets thrown out of cars that drive down the street. We live in a nice, mature neighborhood, so trash in the yards is not something I expect to see. Therefore, I have formulated a simple plan.

With the warmer weather, I will be getting outside more with the baby. We will bring a bag with us and collect any trash and litter we see in our neighbors' yards. We will then appropriately dispose of it by recycling, trashing, or composting (I have found a whole orange in our front yard before!). Change the World Wednesday challenges us to be the small change that collectively results in bigger changes. The baby and I will the small change to clean up our street. As he becomes older and starts to communicate more, I will ask him to help me find stray trash in our neighbors' yards. This will be a great way to make a positive impact and educate about taking care of the environment and the Earth.

>> How do you keep the trash in the trashcan??
  

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Reduce Food Waste With Portion Control [#CTWW]

This week's challenge:

This week, monitor food portion sizes and cook accordingly. Even if you are cooking once for more than one meal, pay attention to portions and resist cooking more than necessary, which often leads to waste. Need help determining portion size? This site will give you a general discussion on the topic with some clever ideas on how to determine a proper portion. The Calorie Counter is a search tool. Type in the food you want to make and it'll bring up calories associated with various servings sizes ... the first listing is typically considered a proper serving. The idea, here, is not to restrict calories or in any way "diet." Instead, we are educating ourselves on portion sizes and then cooking just enough so that we eliminate food waste.

I would love to be a mom who does not waste food. I'm not! Some days I beat myself up over it and some days, I tell myself that I am doing the best that I can. I am doing so much more than the average person. I should be content. Well, I am content for a few days and then I start to feel guilty. Just yesterday, I threw away 75% of a head of green leaf lettuce. I did not use it up before half of the head of lettuce turned black (into the compost it goes). I bought the green leaf lettuce to have a few leaves with a dish. I did not need a whole head of lettuce, so it gradually ended up in the back of the fridge.

With the spirit of Change the World Wednesday, the goal is to monitor food portion sizes and not waste food by making too much. Have you ever found that leftover container in the back of the fridge? The food molded and you were disappointed because you were looking forward to eating those delicious leftovers? I have! I would like to focus on meal planning and learning how to tell portion sizes as the strategies for eliminating food waste.

Meal planning is a great tool for determining exactly what you need to purchase at the grocery. Before I go to the grocery, I try to have an idea of what I will cook in the coming days. That way, I can buy just enough for the meal and for leftovers. My family enjoys having leftovers for lunch in the day or two after the dinner is cooked. Doing the majority of grocery shopping (I love it!) and cooking (I love it also!) has taught me how much my family usually eats. Anything that is leftover from a meal is packaged in appropriate sized containers. Bigger containers for my husband. Smaller containers for myself. Anything left in the fridge 2-3 days later is put in the freezer. Using 2 cups glass containers is an easy way to control portion sizes for leftovers. Plus, they are small enough to fit into the freezer.

Learning portion sizes can be quick and easy. From my experience, it usually takes less than one week to get a hang of portion sizes. Use the links above to determine appropriate portions for each of the foods you are serving. When dishing out a meal for your family, take out the measuring cups and spoons. After a few times, you will know how much rice is in one serving. I always knew that we tend to eat more rice and pasta than we should, so I looked it up. According to the USDA, one serving of rice equals 1/2 cup of cooked rice and one serving of pasta equals 1/2 cup of cooked pasta. That is pretty small, but if you think about eating 1/2 cup of rice with veggies and/or meat on top, it is actually pretty filling.

Don't worry! You do not have to calculate every calorie and measure everything you eat. Spend a few days getting to know what the portion sizes are for the foods that you eat and cook. If you are eating the right types of foods (real, whole foods), you will not overeat because these foods are filling. After you determine the correct portion sizes, appropriately plan meals and leftovers. When all else fails, you can freeze most foods.

>> How do you reduce food waste??
  

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How To Green Your Husband [#CTWW]

This week's challenge:

This week invite someone to join you in a green activity. Need some ideas? Invite a friend to go for a walk ... and perhaps pick up litter as you go. Ask a family member to help you plan and cook a meatless meal. Swap clothes, tools, books, etc., with a neighbor. Start a "green club" with your friends and meet occasionally to share green tips and ideas. Host an Eco-friendly cleaning party at a friend's home. Do laundry together ... or join forces to rake up leaves. Be creative and have fun. The idea, here, is to share an experience so that a green activity which you care about will become important to someone else as well.

The more I thought about this week's challenge, the more stumped I became. I was looking for a grandiose activity with a friend or family member. I wanted to make a big impact this time. And then I realized, that Change the World Wednesday Challenges are not about making a big impact. Yes, we would all love it if we made a big impact each time, but I feel this group of greenies is more about small changes by many people, which add up to big changes over time. I took a step back and asked my husband for his thoughts as we drove to Whole Foods. 

Let me provide a little bit of a background. From some of my previous posts, you might know that my husband hasn't quite jumped on the eco-friendly bandwagon. Sometimes, he actively opposes my green efforts. He takes two sheets of paper towels, he throws something that can be composted in the trash, and he claims that he supports the plastic industry (when I want wooden toys for our baby). Most of the time, I think he does this because he feels like I am shoving eco-friendliness down his throat and mandating that things be done a certain way. Yes, I am a control freak! (LOL) Side note for myself: compromise more and he will also. Aside from these minor examples, my husband does a lot to reduce our impact on the environment. He cleans with all natural cleaners, asks which recycle bin something goes into, and even built me a garden cage a few years ago. 

Now, back to driving to Whole Foods. My husband thought about our weekend and listed a number of items that we did together. While I usually garden and take care of flower beds by myself, he helped me this weekend. While he was raking leaves, I came out with the baby and asked if he could help do a few quick things. He trimmed the peonies and placed in the compost bin, he helped pick a few carrots from the garden, and recommended some improvement to the garden for the next year. 

I reflected on these activities and realized that my husband has come a long way from gathering leaves into plastic (or paper) bags and setting out for trash pick up. We either compost the leaves, throw them over the back fence (lots of trees), or rake them to the end of the yard for leaf pick up. My lesson learned is that I need to ask him for help with garden stuff more often. Together, we can make a positive impact. 

I wonder if I could get him to give up some of the yard to expand my gardening....maybe I'll tackle this one next year!
  

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Random Acts of Green Kindness [#CTWW]

This week's challenge:

This week, perform a random act of green. Similar to a random act of kindness, the idea is to help the planet by looking for Eco-friendly opportunities which may present themselves as you go through your day. This could be picking up trash while you walk or helping an elderly neighbor bring their recycling bin to the curb for pickup. Maybe you turn off a light which was left on, offer to carpool to save gas, or share local produce with a friend. Perhaps buy a reusable bag or bottle for someone or invite a neighbor to share a vegan meal. The possibilities are endless! 

"Leave the world a better (greener) place than you found it" is my mantra. 

As I was taking a walk with the baby this week, I realized that my random act of green kindness is picking up trash in other people's yard. I do not know if drunk people drive down the street at night and throw empty cans on the road or if the trash people are careless, but I always find an empty soda or beer can in our yard or our neighbor's yards. Or, the latest advertising, in the form of paper coupons in a plastic cup in a plastic bag, from Domino's Pizza. Or, paper advertisement with small pebbles in a plastic sandwich bag. Is this the new way to advertise? Throw it into people's yards? So, I usually carry a plastic bag with me (necessity when you have a baby) and use it to collect any trash I see on our walks. 

On a similar note, during the last visit to my parents' house, I went for a run while they watched the baby. As I was completing the run, I saw a young boy, around 12 years old, walking in the grassy median with a trash bag. I watched him for a little bit to figure out what he was doing. To my surprise, he was collecting trash! Wow! What an inspiration! 

>> What random acts of green kindness can you do??
  

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Can You Recycle Receipts?

After many internal debates about whether receipts can be recycled and/or composted, I finally did some

research as more and more stores (even natural and organic stores) are starting to use thermal receipts. Plain paper receipts can be recycled and/or composted, but thermal receipts require a different process.

Question: Can you recycle/compost thermal receipts?

Answer: You should NEITHER recycle NOR compost thermal paper receipts. 

Thermal receipts may contain BPA or other potentially harmful chemicals. Therefore, you do not want to compost the receipts and transfer the chemicals to your garden and the fruits and vegetables that you grow. The receipts should be sealed well to prevent from blowing away to reduce the release of BPA into the environment (according to the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Rapid Research (PPRC)). Recycling receipts releases BPA into the water and into the finished recycled product, which further exposes people and the environment to BPA and other potentially harmful chemicals.

And...remember to wash your hands after handling receipts!

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