Last week, we talked about the wasteful practice of planned and perceived obsolescence. In that post, I implored you all to share your solutions for ways that we, as caring and conscious people, can help combat or at least lessen the impact of cheaply designed goods, made to be discarded.
What I didn’t expect was the outpouring of ideas (77 idea-packed comments); but what happens so often around here happened again. You guys came together, brainstormed, and eventually wrote THIS POST.
The interesting thing to me is that all of these ideas aren’t just a part of combating planned obsolescence, they read like the beginnings of a blueprint towards a considerate, minimalist lifestyle. If you’re still a newbie to this kind of thinking, I truly believe that reading through all of these ideas from the incredible people who left them will give you a good start to buying less junk, being more impervious to manipulative advertising, and forging a community, even if it starts only with your own household.
At the end of these ideas here, I’m going to ask one more thing of you, so be sure to make it all the way down to the end.
Now, without further ado, I give you …
Simply Thoughtful Steps to Change Your Life and the World
(First, my apologies if I didn’t include your idea. Sifting through, editing, and organizing 77 comments wasn’t a cakewalk, my friends. If your comment is on here, THANK YOU for contributing. If your comment isn’t on here, THANK YOU for contributing, too! I chose the “categories” based on the popularity of ideas spread throughout everything you all wrote!)
Ditch the TV
The easiest thing for me has been to stop watching TV … I wasn’t as hungry in the evenings, presumably because I wasn’t seeing those food ads. Also, because I was engaging in stimulating activity – sewing and paper crafts and home improvement projects, etc. Some were physically engaging and some were mentally engaging.
Over time, I realized I had jumped off the consumer bandwagon. I had no idea what was “it” to own and I no longer cared. – Karen SDCA
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Get in the kitchen! Experiment with recipes. Jazz up your cookie recipe (or make tortillas!). Make lotion. Make laundry detergent. Bring your hubby/kids/dogs in on the experimentation. Anything is better than the mind numbing brain washing of the TV. – Jennifer Sweat
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I agree with the “less TV’ theme going on here. I also don’t have cable (we use Netflix) and I also find the lack of television commercials to be refreshing. – Tiffany A
Employ Sneaky Counter-Tips or Do It By Hand!
When a pair of my nylons gets a run, I cut the leg off. (The pantyhose leg, not the one on my body.) Then I save them until another pair gets a run. Then I cut the leg off of other pair and I wear both pairs of one legged hose at the same time (making sure each of my legs gets covered of course). Sure it is a little odd to be doubling up on the panty part, but hey, we can all use a little extra tummy support…it is like getting spanx without paying the high price. Take that, Leggs! – Lori
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If you dry your razor after you use it, it will last close to a year. This really works I do this now. Its the corrosion of water not the dullness of the blade that causes razors to ruin so quickly. – JT
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I make toasted sandwiches on a pan [instead of owning a toaster or hot plate]. It takes the same amount of time, it’s not any more or less convenient. – charmaine
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I just made cookies as a thank you to a neighbor last night. I creamed the sugar and butter by hand (instead of using a mixer), using the flat part of a wooden spoon against the bowl. Did you know when you do that the sugar cuts air bubbles into the butter and makes your baked goods fluffier? Plus I got a little workout, plus it was soothing, plus I did it late at night without the noise of a mixer… And don’t get me started on the magic of watching egg whites transform as you whip them by hand! – Gabrielle Mejia
Practice Your Handwriting!
Love my 4 year old black and white laser jet. When I want to print photos – maybe 2x a year- I let Snapfish do it for pennies. I have also discovered that you can (gasp) HANDWRITE a lot of the things you might want to print. All you need is a pencil! – Sarah Mueller
Research and Then Reach Out to Companies
I have started calling the companies that make this stuff and nicely complain. I have had positive results with my discussions. I always try and find the VP or someone high up in the food chain to talk to…it’s relatively easy, most of the time you can find these contact numbers in their “contact us” part to their website. I think if more of us take the time to call, our message of “no more crap” will start to be heard. – Beth
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We’ve been doing this too, and had really good results…except with the printer company! – Chowstalker
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Such an important topic and this inspires me to seek out and support reputable companies that make products for the right reasons and have good return policies. For example, I love that the glass straw companies have a lifetime warranty! – Eco-Vegan Gal
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Being mindful of where you spend your money always helps. If you support companies with good practices, it makes sense for others to jump on the band wagon. Honestly, we shape the world with every dollar we spend, we need to watch were our money goes. – Nuni
Forget the Fashion Forever
Clothing? How about purchasing handmade items that are actually made to fit you, made in America with love and quality stitching? Or learn to repair the clothing you already have. We also need to abandon this idea of staying in “current fashion”. My opinion of “current fashion” – look like everyone else! I have no desire to be a drone. I’d rather have unique items that look fabulous on me and show my style. – Cheryl Roberge Hartzman
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People get so wrapped up in what’s “cool” and “now” that they let other more important things fall by the wayside. And we have people in our lives who are like “OMG I couldn’t live without cable, I would just die! What would I do every evening?” (These are the same people who scoff at homemade tortillas, or homemade laundry soap.) – Jennifer Sweat
First Declare, “I Shall Fix It”
I know there are local computer fixer dudes in most places you can go to get that done for much cheaper than buying a new computer if you feel like you need those kind of upgrades. – Joanne Wheeler
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When it breaks (because it will!), fix it. Try really hard. If you break it more, that’s ok, its a learning experience for next time. Go to www.ifixit.com – or search for it on about.com – bluemosquitoes
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My personal policy is to use things until they don’t work anymore, then fix them until they can’t be fixed any more. – Stephanie
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I’ve seen quite a few shoe repair shops. I haven’t used them personally, but I have a wonderful bra shop in my town that alters bras so they actually fit right for a very reasonable price. These places exist, and we all need to support them with our business! – Gabrielle Mejia
Just When You Think You Want Something, Wait a Week
Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. Just when you think you really need it, don’t buy it – wait a week or so. Still need it? Try to make it instead, its so much more fulfilling. Or find it used. Borrow one from your friend. Or atleast try to find one locally made, with less packaging.
We have a rule in our family….if there’s something we try to avoid buying, but eventually determine we really do, for real, need it, we wait just a week or two more. Unbelievably, almost always, in that period of time someone will approach us with a hand-me-down of that exact item. I kid you not. So we always try to pass it forward later, to keep the grooviness flowing.
– bluemosquitoes
Love Your Second-Hand Treasures
Furniture is easy – go to garage sales, second hand stores, thrift shops. You find much better quality there (read; actual wood) for much better prices. – Rachel Lewis
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I bought a second hand safety razor from an antique store for about AU$15 and then bought a pack of 100 blades on Ebay for AU$15. I’ve worked out that these babies will last me about a decade!!! Not only is it so much cheaper and sustainable but the safety razor gives a much better shave. – charmaine
Seek Out Sustainable, Long-Lasting Goods
I happened to read an article on CoExist yesterday about a potential solution: the $55 pen. – Kristin Jones
(Betty’s Note: I actually read a blurb in Natural Health a couple of days ago about the 7-Year Pen, which is only $7.50. Looks like pen waste is going down!)
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My mother has a cabinet full of tupperware that has lasted forever and is still doing its job. It hasn’t bubbled, stained, dried or cracked. Can’t buy that kind anymore. In fact, most of us now purchase the even cheaper, crappier Gladware and its equivalent. Did you know that Pyrex makes a line of glass containers in varying sizes with plastic lids. Much longer lasting. – Cheryl Roberge Hartzman
What Are YOU Going to Do Next?
Change happens in small amounts, but every small amount counts.
So here’s something you can do right now (and it’s IMPORTANT to decide this right now!):
- Choose something from this list that you don’t already practice in your life.
- Decide that you’re going to start practicing it.
- TELL US here in the comments what you’re going to change (declaring it helps you change it, and sharing it with other like-minded people reinforces it even more!)
- CHANGE IT.
- Once you’ve done something new, different, and made a positive change, tell at least one person in your life that you did this. This is how ideas spread. Your success will be inspiration for the people around you, who will then inspire people around them.
Don’t think for a SECOND this isn’t how we change the world. Because it is!
Now.
What are you going to change?
(And if you have any other ideas, leave ’em here! Learning is a continual process and we can all benefit from your ideas!)
Activated Charcoal for Bug Bites and Other Itchy Situations
I am ditching cable this week as I started a new job and my son started college and it is too easy to just come home and veg in front of the tv after a long day. Without the instant entertainment it will be easy for me to go back to sewing, crafting and reading and my son to focus on his home work.
I also buy most clothing at the thrift store or resale shop. You don’t have to give up feeling fashionable either – there are many blogs that have tutorials to DIY an existing garment by embellishing it or converting it into something else here is a link to one I contribute to: http://jembellish.blogspot.com/p/clothes-upcycling-projects.html
One of the things I used to do was to put whatever I thought I “needed” and “wanted” into my cart….i would leave it in the cart while I continued to shop and while in my cart it was “mine” and I owned it. By the time I was done shopping I put it back because while I “owned” it I found out how little I really wanted it or needed it. I no longer do this because I don’t really want many things and have reduced my belongings by donating or giving to friends who expressed an interest. Was diagnosed with incurable cancer a year ago and it really brings perspective to our lives and what is really important and “stuff” sure isn’t it!!!!
I like the “wait a week before buying something” idea… This month I’ve also given myself a “buy local” challenge which plays into that somewhat–because I need to find time to stop by a local store for something like a cat brush instead of just ordering one from Amazon. Having to physically go to a store gives me time to think about whether I need it enough to justify the time/bother.
Though I spend most of my food dollars locally (thanks mostly to the organic co-op being 6 blocks from my house), I haven’t done as well with household/clothing items, though admittedly a lot of those come from thrift stores. But when I do buy something new, I’m trying to make more of an effort to go to an independently owned store instead of a chain.
I just discovered this blog this evening and I love it!
I am going to seek out sustainable, long lasting goods. I love a bargain and this often means that I tend to go for cheapest rather than best quality. I am going to change my ways and look for the best quality I can afford.
After telling my Mum that I had taken 3 bin bags of clothes to the charity shop after a recent wardrobe clear out, she told me about the way they bought clothes when she was growing up. Each person would have 3 outfits for everyday use, ‘one to wash, one to wear and one for spare’. They would buy good quality clothes that would last a long time and only replace them when they were outgrown or beyond repair. When they could no longer be repaired my Grandad would get out his latch hook and make a rug out of them. It made me quite ashamed of my wastefullness.
One more quick thing, something I’m really proud of! When we moved into our apartment building a few years ago, we were REALLY struggling moneywise. When we ran out of trash bags, we couldn’t buy more. I always get the paper grocery bags from the store, so that’s what I threw in the trash can. Now, almost half my neighbors on my floor use paper grocery bags for their trash! Be the difference you wish to see!
What I’M going to do; NO MORE IKEA!!!! The tantalizingly cheap stuff they sell is low- quality and almost never good for the environment to begin with, plus the fact that most people view their stuff as “disposable” anyway, so it just clutters the landfills. The good thing abut its disposability? You can usually find it used for cheap or even free! Still going to go for more quality items, though, if I can help it.
I am going to “Love your second-hand treasures”. I have started to do this, so it’s not completely new, but I will do it more often. I have found such great items –
http://thegreeningofwestford.blogspot.com/2012/07/thrift-store-treasures.html
My daughter is playing soccer this fall and will need cleats, shin guards and a ball. Let’s see if I can find them used!
Love! We’ve pretty much given up TV in lieu of downloaded gems … like The Walking Dead … or Fringe 🙂 So much better to watch 4 episodes in a row when you feel like it, anyway!
Thank you!
Oh you used my comments….that makes me feel special. But I have to confess – bluemosquitoes isn’t my real name. I think we can be on first name basis now – I’m Jill. I’ll post under that name from now on.
Aside from of course switching over to as many “crunchy” household products as possible, I have also resolved to try to buy the best quality organic/local/free range/natural etc food possible despite the additional cost (unless it is outrageously more expensive, in which case I try for the best alternative). I am voting with my dollars and even though it is somewhat more expensive, it probably won’t hurt us to eat less! In the meantime I am also making a larger effort to reduce waste of food and thereby dollars. Also I am trying to get to the farmer’s market every week.
Yes! We buy local, organic, free range meat (or anything actually…dairy, produce, etc) when possible. Fortunately, where we live now has an excellent local meat market, and a great produce and farmers markets. Here, the prices at the meat market aren’t really that much different than a big box grocery store, but even if they are higher, I would rather have a smaller piece of high quality, flavorful meat than some bigger, flavorless, full-of-additives meat.
I also try to reduce our food waste. For my family, that means making smaller quantities (like if a recipe says it has 8 servings, I half it), because neither Hubs or myself like leftovers after a day or so. And I freeze EVERYTHING. Lol. If we end up with enough left over for say, a single or double serving lunch, then I freeze it for later. Or if I have any fruits/veggies that are getting past their prime, I freeze them. And its easier to throw a handful of veggies in a smoothie if they’re already prepped and frozen. 🙂
Buying organic can be really expensive – especially meat, which is frustrating given that meat is really one of those things that you want to be organic.
This spring, we managed to get in touch with a local farmer who raises non-certified but otherwise organic meat cows. We hooked up with another couple who wanted to ‘share’ a cow with us – the farmer reccomended a local butcher who parcelled out the different cuts and priced it out. It ended up being a comparable price per pound to higher quality non-organic grocery store meat. AND it tastes fantastic. AND its all there in the freezer waiting to be slapped on the bbq, no trip to the grocery store needed!
This is a great way to get healthy local meat, support local people, and stock up. Totally reccomend it.
My friend told me this adage which is brilliant and which I am trying to stick to:
Use it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do
Or do without.
Wow! I love your annual list idea. Brilliant! I will get right on that and keep it in my card case.
Being conscious of the products you use and discard can be over-whelming (i want to shop at a co-signment store but i don’t want to bike 3 extra miles, for example). i feel, it’s very important to be aware of the positive change you are making and watch as others follow in your footsteps.
Wow, I’m surprised at how much of this stuff I already do in my life! I started this huge change back in February (no cable, using free resources, not buying things I don’t need, making my own deodorant/lotion/etc, switching out plastic for glass), and now the last thing I really need to do is get on board with quality. I’m on such a tight budget that I always wonder if I should splurge for the more expensive item. I really need to do research on everything I buy because sometimes the answer is a resounding yes!
My biggest pet peeve in supermarkets is that every meat (beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork) comes in a styrofoam tray. 99% of those trays are #6, which is non recyclable except in very specific facilities (and the only one I know it recycles #6 doesn’t accept anything from food sources anyways). That fact alone has barred me from buying the occasional salmon or chicken, and I would do fine with no meat at all, but my family although reducing immensely their meat consume, still likes to indulge once in a while in a piece of meat. So, my husband had a talk to at least 3 supermarket managers about this issue, and finally one of them started using the compostable styrofoam tray (#7). I was so proud of him! But yes, it is possible to change culture in your community. Our money is power.
One little change I just made TODAY was to purchase some reusable drinking straws. ThinkGeek.com sells super-sturdy titanium straws and they’re on sale right now! My roommate never drinks anything, even at home, without a straw, and his birthday is coming up. And while I don’t use straws at home, I certainly do without thinking when I occasionally eat out or grab an emergency caffeine recharge at a coffee shop. I plan on keeping mine in my purse and saying “Please, I don’t need a straw” when offered one. You can also find glass drinking straws from Glass Dharma, but titanium is a bit sturdier. I bought extras to use as stocking stuffers, too!
this is a fantastic post! My husband and I are also trying our best to eat local and organic, grow as much as our little balcony can hold, and make the majority of our meals. We also home cook for our dogs which has cost us less and we know exactly what goes into their food (We use Dr.Pitcarin’s Natural Health for Dogs and Cars recipes as well as our holisitc vet’s suggestions). My husband has been using a straight razor he bought at our local antique market for quite some time now and he loves it! We stopped buying commercially produced soaps and buy goat milk bars from our local farmers market which last a heck of a lot longer than the other stuff and smell lovely. We have switched to buying only bulk items or things in glass. It’s amazing how much less trash we have now. My mom makes cotton lunch bags and I purchased some fabric bulk bags on etsy so that even after getting bulk items like rice or oats we don’t even need to use their plastic bags, we bring our own washable ones! Another money saving and fun thing I have found is making my own blankets either out of locally produced fabric or repurposing old clothes and fabrics. Our comforter on our bed is all handmade with an old, very soft sheet as the backing. My husband is brewing his own beer which he puts back into clean used beer bottles my family and friends save for him. And we are expecting a baby in the coming weeks and I am planning on cloth diapering from the start. Because I put that out there, several people have given me their cloth diaper stashes! We have saved hundreds of dollars already with these used but perfectly good diapers. Iv’e stripped them and cleaned them and they look like new! 🙂 It’s been fun trying to find new ways to save money, help the environment and learn to do new things. My goal next month is to of course master cloth diapering, make my own yogurt and the biggest one is to watch less tv. Thanks for a great post!! And I’m new to your blog- you have a new reader as well!
I’m totally on board with this razor revolution! And I know for a fact that my grandmother still has my grandfathers old razor, so next time we are up that way, I’ll have to snag it from her. And I’ve never thought of drying out razors before, but it totally makes sense.
I also save every. single. jar. I ever buy. Because we have so many now, before our most recent move, I donated all of our official drinking glasses (and some jars) to a family who lost every thing in the recent floods, so now we drink out of the jars. I use them to store dry goods too, like rice, quinoa, oats, etc. (I pour them in to jars and if they come in the little plastic bags, I cut the cooking directions off and tape them to jar. That way everyone will know what it is and how to cook it.) I’m a little bit jar obsessed. Lol. And of course, they’re excellent for homemade beauty and cleaning products.
I am slowly trying to transition to less and less plastic use in our family as well. Its a slow process, but we are getting there. Even if we buy something and it comes in a plastic jar or container, I still wash it and reuse it as many times as possible. I’ve also turned plastic containers in to planters for herbs and such. I just poke some holes in the bottom for drainage and voila! Plant holder.
Whew! I thought I was the only one with a jar fetish.
Peanut butter jars and pasta sauce jars are indispensable in my house for storing leftovers (esp. soup) or getting bulk items at my local co-op (they just weigh the empty jar first and write the tare weight on it so I don’t pay for the weight of the glass). Our weakness is 2-liter bottles of naturally flavored seltzer water but those make great cloches for the garden.
I’m on my way to getting rid of as much plastic as I can from my houshold. One wonderful way I have already been doing that is making my own yogurt (just guess where I found the best recipe ever!) We eat A LOT of yogurt and always had tons of plastic containers – now I make it in glass jars. Not only it tastes oh-so-much-better than the store bought, it is way cheaper, possibly healthier, and there are NO plastic containers left behind. Yay for homemade yougurt!
Oooh, another thing – I’ve embarked on a “Year of Living Consciously” – not my idea, but I was inspired here: http://30days2011.wordpress.com/. Started with a month of spirit (meditation, yoga, energy workshop and daily readings) for July, and for August plan to try an 8 garment wardrobe challenge, which should help downsize the closet. I’ve also made a conscious effort this summer to buy only locally raised foods.
First Kudos to all you awesome earth sharers! We are doing food. Making, growing, raising, canning and enjoying all we can. Love the razor drying tip! I am going to try the wait a week to buy. I am a very impulsive shopper…never sticking to my LIST! Great advice…also feeding the fish in the evening is what I call a family memory, not TV time!
First of all, I want to say that I have the 7 year pen and it is awesome. It writes smoothly, which is one of my requirements in pens. If you write a lot, though, it probably won’t last 7 years. But still… Four of five years for a pen is way better than four of five weeks, which is how long G2 pens last me.
The challenge I want to take on is waiting to buy. I like the idea I read about writing it all down but not buying for the month of August. I think I’ll do the same!
Fabulous! I’m going to take on the ‘when you want something, wait a week’ challenge. Actually, our family is doing a 12 months of greening challenge which I’m blogging about (www.al-wrightbeingus.blogspot.com) and I’m going to make this our challenge for August as I was yet to come up with one. Our slightly extended challenge will be to write down anything new we want in the month of August, but not buy it. If we haven’t found an alternative second hand/homemade/do without by September, we can buy it.
Love this list! Thanks!
When I need another piece of cookware, instead of shopping online or in the big department stores for it, I visit my local GoodWill or thrift store first. You never know what you’ll find there. I’ve “rescued” many pieces of cast iron cookware from there and it’s really pretty easy to do. If it’s covered in rust, I first coat it, inside and out with vegetable oil and let it sit for 20 minutes or so to absorb. Then with a rag or wadded up paper towels I scrub it clean with a tablespoon of coarse sea salt and a bit more oil. This removes the rust quite quickly, actually. I then wash it with hot water, dish soap and a stiff brush to get it as clean as possible. Then I can re-season it in the oven. It’s like a whole new skillet when finished! It’s so rewarding to see it come back to life, so to speak.
Great post! I love all the ideas! I have a pair of shoes that I’m going to take to a shoe repair shop. I paid a lot of money for them years ago, and once I get the heel fixed, they will last me a few more years.
I recently started trying to remove plastic from my life, and it is much harder than I thought. But I figure every little bit helps, I vow to fix something rather than replace it.
I cannot believe that people think u cant buy tupperware anymore. I sell it and yes it is still on the market. It is still lifetime garenteed and replaced forever. I love my tupperware and so does my grandma her’s is 40 yrs old. If u want an eco friendly bpa free way to store, freeze and cook food contact me Kristina Ehrler, I can direct ship anywhere in the USA. There are reps everywhere though go to tupperware.com to find on in ur country.
I decided to switch back to the old fashioned safety razor after reading Plastic Free; however I’m a cheap skate and didn’t want to buy new so I went looking at a couple antique malls but couldn’t find one. Then I had a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious): I asked my 79 year old father if he had one I could have. Guess what? He did have one! Score! He even had blades!
Also, on a related topic of waste FREE, I was becoming very frustrated with streaky glass and mirror surfaces using commercial glass cleaning products so I decided to try water. OMG! My glass has never looked to clean! All I did was take a wet wash cloth and wipe down the glass/mirror and then dry with a dry cloth. Magic? Makes me so irritated that I bought all those dang bottles of glass cleaner!
After reading all the razor comments, I just have to tell you this trick. You can resharpen disposable razors with your skin. I know it sounds amazingly untrue but it is not. My husband and I have been doing this for several months and IT WORKS. You drag the razor backwards on your arm, leg or stomach and it resharpens the blade. For proper credit, I think I saw this on the Live Journal Naturalliving community. Tell EVERYONE you know and watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ADaRIqy0Dc
This dry razor sounds like a pretty revolutionary idea…. I will have to try it out.
Another thing; I own a coffee shop, and we offer people’s drinks in ceramic mugs if they have time to sit down and drink it here. It was a new idea to the town at the time, and now several other businesses here are doing the same thing.
Inspired by the original post as well as the comment above about handwriting, think I’ll try the “let it run out” approach with my printer. I hardly ever use it, especially since I have a smart phone and never need to print emails or directions, so when it really goes kaput, I’ll resist the urge to replace it. (They always sell them so cheaply, especially when you get a computer, that you somehow feel wasteful and irresponsible if you DON’T get it. How is that?!) I’ll have more space and fewer headaches, and will hardly miss it. I can run to Kinko’s on the rare occasion that I actually do need to print something. It will be inconvenient, but will probably total less time and far less money than getting a replacement printer would.
I too have cancelled cable and use Netflix, so I see very few commercials. My husband and I watch a couple of things here and there on network tv, but it’s been interesting with the Olympics on, since we’re watching so much more than usual. I’m finding that the commercials during Olympics coverage seem to have no effect on me, and I almost chuckle at how NOT interested I am in the products. I can’t claim that I’m not being persuaded on some subconscious level, but I feel kind of impervious to them. The moms of Olympians washed their aspiring kids’ clothes in P&G-brand detergent? No thanks; I’ll stick with my homemade (or storebought-but-nontoxic) versions, and I doubt that any Olympian aspirations my son has will be jeopardized due to that decision. Athletes eat McDonald’s and drink Coke? Eh, I think you’re lying, I still don’t eat the junk, and I am not convinced that just because a McDonald’s item is under 400 calories, it’s healthy (let alone good for the environment or for the well-being of the animals and people at the farms and factories that supply McD’s). Athletes wear Cover Girl? Probably so, if you’re giving it to them for free, but I’ll stick with what I like. I should buy a Chevy or Toyota? Nah, my husband and I aren’t in the market for a car any time soon. Skinny people are floating around in their underwear to breathy music? Fruit of the Loom, all your commercial did for me was tick me off as one more reminder of our culture’s unhealthy emphasis on being skinny. And I’m under no illusions that wearing your product will make me skinny and able to do slow-motion somersaults in my underwear off of skyscrapers to breathy music.
That got more ranty than I intended. My point is, as I make fun of commercials while I watch with my husband, I’m not just being snarky; I think I’m empowering myself and minimizing their power over me, because when you think about it, their messages are kind of silly sometimes. I’m so thankful for blogs like this that help me keep my head on straight!
I was already going to try a safety razor, but it may take some time before I get to try it, because I’m going to use up my current blade refills first, and I’ll dry them. I’d never heard the drying tip!
This post comes at the right time for me! We move frequently (for his work/my travel itch) it is hard to move a lot of stuff so we ended up donating and then buying cheap pieces over and over each place we went. I was sick of it so my husband and I recently went on a streamlining mission in our lives with three goals: everything must fit in back of a small U-Haul VAN (which means a studio/one-bedroom apartment), everything must last at least three moves and everything must be repairable/repurposable.
A few of our changes:
Focus on quality staples and multifunction pieces–spending money on handmade,quality, modular and one-of-a-kind items that suit our lifestyle and eco-beliefs. We chose color palettes for our furniture, kitchen, bathroom that were complimentary, so no matter the layout/size of the place we move to everything works. We went through our huge collection of books and kept our out-of-print and sentimental favorites and donated the rest to a local library; making a commitment to purchase electronic books when available and rent/borrow ones we can’t. We even chose palettes (three colors) for our clothes and donated/re-purposed everything else. It sounds odd, but knowing that if it doesn’t match my palette I can’t buy it (no matter how cheap it is) keeps me from cluttering my closet with pieces that I won’t use and allows me to invest in tailored items that fit and will last–and all match.
that’s a great way to look at wardrobe!
I’ve started making my own homemade lotion bars and instead of buying all kinds of fancy silicone molds, I use things that are recycled from other things like, the bottoms of plastic water or soda bottles. They make a pretty flower sort of design. (I must clarify something though, I DO NOT buy bottled water but we recently had our driveway repaved and it was 100+ degrees that day and I did not want to see the workers dropping like flies so, I had a few left over and poured them into a glass water jug we keep in the fridge and I cut the bottoms off of the bottles to use for molds. My husband always buys 1 bottle of diet soda on his way out of the YMCA, three times per week. The bottoms of Coke bottles work great too.)
I have even stopped buying commercial cat litter as well. They are expensive and never work as advertised. I use chicken feed which is corn based, (very similar to “World’s Best Cat Litter”), but a fraction of the price. A 50# bag of (non-medicated) chick starter is about $13.00. I compost the used/scooped litter in my backyard. I no longer buy commercial pet food either. I make all of my food for both the dog and the cats in our family. It’s a little more work but, not only is it way cheaper but is also so much healthier. No more recall worries in my house.
I would love to know your recipe(s) for homemade dog food!
Angie,
I got my dog food recipe from a book called, “Dr. Greg’s Dog Dish Diet, second edition” by, Greg Martinez, DVM. It’s available thru amazon.com. My dog gets the crock pot diet with added supplements and at meal times I add things like canned, cooked pumpkin, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc…A few days a week, he gets a raw, frozen chicken leg/thigh quarter as a treat. In the fall I buy as many sugar (pie) pumpkins as I can find and cook, puree and freeze them. Pumpkin is great for their digestion. My dog is all black and hates the heat of summer. It wreaks havok on his digestive system as well. The pumpkin keeps him on an even keel, so to speak.
I feed my dog homemade too, well, mostly. Besides pumpkin, cottage cheese, and yogurt as SueW mentioned, I also give him eggs, blueberries, tofu (which to my surprise he LOVES), chard, sweet potatoes, green beans, zucchini, peas, and carrots. I try to feed him organic as much as possible, but I recently moved from a city where organic meat and produce was abundant and relatively cheap, to one where it is virtually unavailable and prohibitively expensive. So now we are all making sacrifices…sigh.
I try to buy things in glass jars as opposed to plastic. They’re great for storage and for concocting things like oil infusions or holding homemade liquid hand or dish soap. And the small jars are good for storing home grown and dried herbs or spices purchased from the bulk section. I also never throw out stale bread. I pull out my cookie cooling racks and line up the bread slices on them to let air circulate all around. The next day I break them up and throw them into my blender for instant bread crumbs. And of course, I store them in a re-purposed glass jar in my spice cabinet. I do save a few plastic things if they deem to be useful like squeeze bottles from honey or syrup. I put some of my homemade liquid laundry detergent in them and use it for stain and spot treatment. I also like the dark brown bottles that hydrogen peroxide comes in. I buy the larger ones with a squeeze cap and it makes a dandy dispenser for homemade body wash. And because it’s a dark and opaque material, I don’t worry about my added essential oils degrading in the bottle.
We cancelled cable about 10 years ago, when our boys were toddlers. BEST DECISION EVER! We kept our dvd player and recently hooked up to Netflix to watch a movie here and there, or to watch old Twilight Zone episodes (how can we deprive our children of something so awesome like that?!)
Aside from saving MASSIVE amounts of money on a cable bill, we are no longer exposed to the constant barrage of “buy this” or “buy that”. Over the years, the difference that “no commercials” alone has made on our boys is amazing! While some of their friends and cousins were asking for the latest toy or gadget for Christmas or birthdays, I am proud to say that their “lists” are relatively small and consist of items that truly have meaning to them and relate to their interests; like art supplies, books, tools, science gear, etc. (We have also adopted the gift giving adage “something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read” -which has been invaluable in so many ways!)
PLUS we have more time to use for family time, reading, cooking, creating, baking, playing, napping, whatever!
The only time I miss tv is when the Olympics is on 🙁
Ooh I need to go back and read the comments on the original post…
It’s hard to be sustainable, especially on a limited budget (like me). But, I’ve started reusing every container I can. Soda bottles get washed out and hold my vinegar conditioner or homemade coconut milk. Spaghetti sauce jars hold liquid soap. I even swiped some itty-bitty pimento jars from my parents’ house to hold lip balm. I’m also trying to buy things in containers that I can reuse instead of plastic-wrapped junk. It’s so strange to look at the containers, but it makes all the difference!
We use mason jars with BPA free plastic lids to store leftovers. No more ziplock bag waste! And the leftovers look better too!
Chase
My husband swears by drying out the razor! I tried it and didnt think it was all that effective, but maybe I need to dry it better. I’m trying to eat as much organic produce as possible. We vote with our fork! And trying to cut back on plastics, especially in the kitchen. I started saving old glass jars (tomato sauce, etc.) to use as storage instead.
The best way to keep your razor dry is to remove it from the bathroom after your shower. The condensation in the room will keep the blade from completely drying out, even if it’s been wiped off with a towel. I know that this works but I always forget to take the razor with me when I leave the bathroom.
I’m going to buy a stainless steel razor (local, antique if I can find it, Amazon or classicshaving.com if not) and pack of blades. No more plastic razors cluttering up my landfill, or electric gadgets that are built for planned obsolescence! After all, those old fashioned razors last a lifetime, and the blades can go into metal recycling (hah! Remember when medicine cabinets had a slot in the back for the blades?!).
I told my husband I decided to purchase less plastic. Once my crappycheapjunk Gladware is unusable, I’m replacing my collection with glass and stainless steel…. One piece at a time. I also asked him to buy me an old-fashioned safety razor the next time he is thinking about buying a gift for me. We all need to BE the change we want to see in the world. One tiny step can make a huge difference!
I absolutely must try drying my razor after I shave. It would be so wonderful if my razors didn’t get so darn dull after only a week of use (even though I usually use my razor until it just won’t shave anymore, which takes about a month, because I really don’t like to waste anything).