Zero waste at Bulk Barn

I've been thinking more about zero waste since my daughter sent me this article Bulk Barn Has Embraced the Zero Waste Movement.  This is exciting!!! Starting February 24th, 2017, Bulk Barn now allows you to bring in your clean, reusable containers at all their stores across Canada.  I have been looking at their website to see what products I can buy there in bulk so I can use my own containers instead of buying prepackaged and then throwing out the package.

 

This past weekend, I went on an adventure with my daughter to Bulk Barn for our first zero waste shopping trip.  I took along an assortment of jar sizes and packed them in a cardboard box that has handles cut in the sides.  The box was just the right size to fit in the shopping cart.

• 1 cup x 6
• 2 cup x 6
• 4 cup x 3
• 6 cup x 1

Knowing how many cups each jar holds was helpful so I had an idea of how much I was buying.  I am very particular about the chocolate chips I buy for baking and only buy one brand.  I would prefer to buy them without packaging, so I bought just enough to make a batch of cookies and I will have a taste test.  I also took along the Tupperware container I keep my oats in and bought just the amount I wanted.  

I took along some empty jam jars to reuse.  Because they had some glue on the outside from the labels, I was unable to refill them.  I like that they are uniform and all weigh the same which should make shopping easier, so I'll have to get the glue off for my next trip.

  

I was surprised at what all you could buy bulk.  They even had Epsom salts!  Buying bulk could even help with your weight.  If you enjoy having chips for a treat, you could buy a small jar full of corn chips, cheese sticks or cheese cruncheez for just one portion instead of buying a whole bag which will inevitably get eaten.

Let's support this great initiative and hopefully more stores will go zero waste too.  It's time to rethink how we shop.  

Green highlights:

•  reusing containers
• reducing the amount of garbage going to landfills
• reducing emissions from manufacturing

-TJ

Keep your cracked teacups!

It's been a while since I have posted here.  This is a quick life update.  Things have been pretty crazy with one daughter that got married 2 weeks ago, my other daughter expecting my first grandchild and some surgery and recovery thrown in the mix.  I still have to finish writing about "The Project" that we started some time ago and I have a couple more things to do before the room is finally done, but I will get there!

I have been looking for ways to store my costume jewelry so that it is on display to make it easy to find something to go with what I am wearing.

I found this neat idea when I was searching online and that is to use teacups.  I have  a collection of teacups that look so pretty in my china cabinet.  I even have one that was passed down to me from my mother that once belonged to my great-grandmother.  I also have some teacups that are now cracked.  They are so pretty that I haven't thrown them out, but they are no longer useful for drinking tea out of. 

Instead, you can use them to store and display jewelry.  You could have them sitting out on your dresser or bathroom counter or put them in a drawer so that every time you open the drawer you see something pretty.  Earring with hooks can be hung on the cup and other types of earrings can go inside the cup.  You can put necklaces, bracelets and pins in the saucers.

You could also put the saucers under a potted plant like I have with this air cleaning Pathos that I started from a cutting.

Green Highlights

•  reuse cracked teacups
•  reducing waste

Have you found another use for cracked teacups?

-TJ

It's not garbage yet

I have an aversion to throwing things out that are not garbage.  Why fill up the landfill with stuff that someone else can use?  Instead of throwing it in the garbage, why not see if there is someone that would want it.  

(source)

I had a large bag full of bubble wrap so I posted it on Kijiji to give away for free.  In no time 3 people had responded to the ad.  I wanted it give it to someone that would put it to good use and not use it just to pop the bubbles.  I figured someone would want it for packing, but this person wanted it for insulating windows.

(source)

I googled bubble wrap for a picture to use in this post and to my surprise using it for window insulation came up.  The person I gave the bubble wrap to says he puts it between the windows or you can click on the source link above, to find out how to apply the bubble wrap directly to the window.   

The next time you have something you no longer want or need, try posting it on Kijiji and see if someone else can make use of it.

Green Highlights:

• giving something away instead of throwing it out
• another use for bubble wrap
• reducing energy use

Do you have something you can give away instead of throwing it in the garbage?

-TJ

A green gift exchange

Whether is it with family, co-workers or an organization we might belong to, it's the time of year when we get asked to take part in a gift exchange.  This year, why not make it a green gift exchange?  Instead of going out and buying something brand new,  have everyone give a gift that is used.  It could be something you already have and don't want, but someone else would appreciate or you could shop at a resale store or website.  You can find anything from china, crystal, books, tools, sporting goods, art, music, movies, jewelry and the possibilities go on.

(source)

Here is a list of some organizations that have stores in my area (London, Ontario) to get you started.  I've included links to their websites for more information and so you can see if they have a location near you.

• Good Will
• Value Village
• Kijiji
• Bibles for Missions
• Salvation Army
• Talize
• St Vincent De Paul
• Kid Cents
• Mission Services of London

Many of the stores in this list are non-profit organizations so your purchase will be helping other people.  You could even put a bit of a twist on your gift exchange and have everyone donate something at the same time.  You can do some decluttering  and shopping all at once.    

Green Highlights:

• reusing items instead of buying something new
• donating items

Will you do a green gift exchange this year?

Useful vines

Alternative to using string for bundling yard waste

We have regular yard waste pick up in the city where I live.  I have 2 garbage cans that I use just for yard waste and I like to make sure they are full for our scheduled pick up.  Last weekend I filled them both up, but I still had a trumpet vine that I wanted to take down.  This was planted from a shoot from our main plant and it has started taking over the front of the house.  I thought I could pull down the growth and put it in a couple of 5 gallon pails, but when I got it all down there was way too much. 

(source)

 I didn't have any string to tie it up with so I used a few strands of the vine itself.  I wrapped them around the bundle and tied the ends so it would hold.  When I got home at the end of the day, the garbage pails were empty and the bundle of vines was gone!  I didn't need to use a manufactured product and it didn't cost me anything.  I have some ivy I want to get rid of which I will use to tie up some more bundles. 

Green Highlights:

• using vines for string

 -TJ  

Corn on the cob

It's always a treat when the time of year comes around for fresh corn on the cob.  I cook it on the stove by putting the shucked cobs in a pot of boiling water and boiling them for 7 minutes.  The husks get taken out to the composter.  Once the cobs are removed from the boiling water, I carefully take the pot outside and pour the water on weeds that grow in my driveway between the asphalt and sidewalk or between the patio stones to get rid of them.  It works great on dandelions that grow in cracks where you can't dig them out.  You might have to do it a couple times before they die.  I have also used it on ant hills.  I do the same thing with the water I boiled eggs in.  This is an environmentally safe way to get rid of weeds and insects by using something that would otherwise have been poured down the drain.

(source)

Green Highlights:

• killing weeds and bugs without using chemicals
• finding another use for boiling water instead of pouring it down the drain
• composting produce waste

Do you have an environmentally safe way to get rid of weeds?

-TJ

A hole in one

I've got a hole in one.  In my rubber glove, that is!  It's not time to throw it out just yet.  There's still some life left in that rubber glove with a hole.

Yard work
I use rubber gloves when I do the dishes.  Otherwise I end up with a rash on my hands.  When I get a hole in one, I put it on the shelf in the garage where I keep my yard gloves.  Then I have them handy for when I have some dirty work to do.  As long as there is no water or liquid involved, the glove with the hole can still be used.  For those of you that like to use disposable latex gloves, this is an alternative that doesn't cost you any money and you are not generating more trash.  I found this handy last fall when I was raking leaves, especially when the leaves were wet.

Pet hair 
For those of you with pets, getting the hair or fur off your clothes can be a challenge.  Bentley, our puggle, sheds a lot.  We use a rubber glove with a hole in it to clean off the pet hair on our clothes.  You can put the glove on your hand or fold it in half, then wipe off the hair off.  I draw a smiley face on it so I know which glove it is and keep one in the kitchen and another in the bathroom.

Me and Bentley

Green Highlights:

• reusing rubber gloves that have a hole

 -TJ

The Project - Part 4 - Electrical

Receptacles and Light Switch
Since the panelled walls were shades of brown, the receptacles and light switch were brown.  We replaced them with white Decora and donated the brown ones to Habitat for Humanity.

Light Fixtures

The existing light fixtures were 4 wall sconces with amber coloured glass hurricane shades that I did not like.  I could have replaced them with new wall sconces, but I didn't want to spend that much money on wall sconces when I would prefer not to have sconces in the first place.  Since rewiring would have been expensive and not something we could do on our own, we opted to keep what we had.  We found small lamp shades that fit the existing fixtures perfectly and we donated the glass  hurricane shades.  I really like the way they look now and the new shades cost less than what we would have had to pay for 1 new sconce.

Power Bar
We got a Smart Strip to hook up our electronics.  I had heard about these but didn't really understand how they worked.  You plug the main device like the television or computer into the main plug and that controls the power to the other components like the dvd player or printer.  When the main device is turned off the others get turned off as well.  This reduces power usage and will save money on your energy bill.  There is also a plug that isn't controlled so you can plug a lamp or other item in it and it will not be affected by whether the main device is on or off.

Timer
We got a timer for the dehumidifier.  It is programmed to run during off peak time for hydro so we are paying the lowest electric rates when it is running.

         Green Highlights:

• donated items
•  reused light fixtures
• smart strip for reducing energy usage
• using a timer to save money on hydro usage

Do you use a smart strip for your television or computer?

-TJ

The microwave died

Well, it didn't exactly die, but it now makes a strange noise.  The manufacturing date of our microwave is May 1990 and since it is over 25 years old, I think it is time to let it go.   

Now to dispose of it responsibly.  I checked the "my waste tool" on the city of London's website to see how.  Since my microwave is metal, I will take it to the EnviroDepot or see if a friend wants to take it to the scrap yard and get a bit of cash for it.  I am going to donate the roller ring.  Someone may have broken theirs and would like a replacement.  I could also donate the glass plate, but I am going to reuse it and put it under a plant/plants.  Some of those large pots for plants have a drainage hole in the bottom and the glass plate will be perfect for protecting the surface underneath.

I certainly got my money's worth out of this microwave oven.  I heard one person say they have to replace their microwave every few years.  If they replaced it every 5 years, they would have gone through 5 microwaves in the lifespan of mine.  There are benefits to buying good quality; it saves money in the long run and it reduces waste generated.

Green Highlights:

• recycling old microwaves properly
• donating parts that are still usable
• re-purposing the glass plate

How long have you had your microwave oven?

-TJ

The Project - Part 2 - The Demo

Getting rid of carpet without it going into a landfill.

Some of the less becoming features of the family room are the carpeting which consisted of 4 different sized pieces and the popcorn ceiling.  There is also the panelling, but we will cover that in a later post. 

  

Carpet
I posted the carpet on Kijiji to give away for free.  I had 2 people wanting it in less than 15 minutes after posting the ad and many more after that.  I suggested that it could be used under a drum kit or for a child's play area.  It wouldn't be a big deal if the child spilled on it or drew on it with crayon like one of my youngsters had done in the past. 

Once we rolled up the carpet, I noticed a stain on the underside of one of the pieces that I wasn't aware of before then.  The first couple people saw the stain and walked away without taking the carpet.  When I contacted the next person that was interested, I mentioned that there was a stain on the back before they came to look at it and they took it no problem.  I have found that when I post ads on Kijiji, it is best to mention a flaw in the item before they come and then they aren't taken by surprise.

I am pleased that someone else could make use of the carpet we no longer needed and that it didn't go to the landfill.

Popcorn Ceiling 
Our family room is in the basement and has a 7' ceiling.  The popcorn made it shadowy, not helping to brighten the room and it turns out it wasn't even white, but a grey colour.

There was a time when popcorn ceilings were made with asbestos.  In the late 1970's, it was banned in popcorn ceilings, but if the product had already been purchased it was grandfathered in and was allowed to still be used.  So ceilings installed up into the mid 1980's could still contain asbestos. 

I was pretty sure ours did not contain asbestos, but to be on the safe side, we had it tested.  I sent a sample, along with a cheque for $25 plus tax, in the mail to LCS Laboratory Inc in London.  I had the results in a matter of days - and we were asbestos free!  We wrapped bandannas on our heads and we covered our faces with a mask or bandanna and away we went.  We sprayed water on the popcorn and then used a putty knife to scrape it off.  I was surprised at the amount of dust that had collected on the ceiling and we didn't even know it.  When we ran the putty knife across the ceiling, the popcorn would hang down on the dust.  Now that the popcorn is gone, the room feels less closed in and looks much better.

Green Highlights:

• carpet was given away on Kijiji
• kept the existing ceiling
• popcorn ceiling was asbestos free

Have you ever removed a popcorn ceiling?

-TJ