February
Feb 1 <Covered leftovers with beeswax wrap>
Feb 2 <Made coffee with unbleached compostable coffee filter>
Feb 3 <Purchased eggs in cardboard carton>
Feb 4 <Used my reusable water bottle>
Feb 5 <Bought veggies not packaged in plastic>
Feb 6 <Reduced food waste by dating leftovers>
Feb 7 <Made homemade foaming hand soap>
Feb 8 <Gave Birdie Shameless dog treats w/ upcycled Ingredients>
Feb 9 <Made homemade wipes>
Feb 10 <Washed laundry with soap nuts>
Feb 11 <Shaved with a safety razor>
Feb 12 <Gave lavender filled knitted hearts as gifts,-natural air freshener>
Feb 13 <Sewed rice pillows>
Feb 14 <Made reusable shopping bags from upcycled horse feed bags>
Feb 15 <Printed reports double sided>
Feb 16 <Mended clothing>
Feb 17 <Washed hair with shampoo bar>
Feb 18 <Gifted LED lightbulbs>
Feb 19 <Refused a plastic straw at restaurant>
Feb 20 <Tried out new sponge cloths to replace paper towels>
Feb 21 <Ordered tree seedlings>
Feb 22 <Washed my reusable shopping bags>
Feb 23 <Avoided getting a plastic cup by bringing my own tumbler for a smoothie from cafe>
Feb 24 <Adjusted programmable thermostat to lower temperature when I’m in bed or not at home>
Feb 25 <Bought new & more energy efficient refrigerator>
Feb 26 <Designated an “Eat First shelf” in the new fridge to avoid food spoilage
Feb 27 <Learned how to drive my electric car more efficiently>
Feb 28 <Reused bread bags>
Feb 1, Day 32
<Covered leftovers with beeswax wrap>
Food wrap choices have long focused on petroleum-based options, but you can do better. Cling wrap is the sticky, thin plastic film handy for covering food dishes that you often see at potlucks & in fridges full of leftovers. Many film plastics are recyclable, cling wrap is not.
Most cling wrap is made from polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), a flexible form of plastic used in a variety of U.S. goods. PVC releases dioxin, a toxin known to cause reproductive & developmental human health issues, during manufacture, use, & disposal. Each piece of cling wrap we use ends up contaminating the environment or sitting in a landfill. And PVC can take up to a thousand years to degrade.
Research suggests the potentially toxic plastics in our cling wrap leach into our food & drink. Because PVC is a known carcinogen and suspected endocrine disruptor, this can be detrimental to human health.
Avoid human and environmental contamination by ditching plastic cling wrap & trying this sustainable alternative=beeswax wrap.
Need to store your leftover lunch, a half-eaten block of cheese, a chunk of bread? Beeswax food wraps have it covered (literally). This reusable & plastic-free option infuses organic cotton with naturally malleable beeswax to create a sustainable cling wrap alternative. Beeswax wrap keeps food fresh & is delightfully versatile. Learn how to make your own here.
Feb 2, Day 33
<Made coffee with unbleached compostable coffee filter>
I like these filters I buy at my local coop.
Made from unbleached totally chlorine-free (TCF) paper, so no chlorine gets dumped into lakes, rivers or streams during manufacturing. A 2012 study published in Environmental Engineering & Management Journal found that discharge from chlorine-bleaching was “the most significant environmental issues” in pulp & paper mills. Certified for municipal, commercial or backyard composting. After I brew, I toss the filter & coffee grounds in my compost.
Feb 3, Day 34
<Purchased eggs in cardboard carton>
Paper-pulp egg cartons are 100 percent compostable as brown/dry matter. You can put the cartons directly into your compost bin or heap, or take a few moments to tear, shred or otherwise render them into smaller pieces. Please note that polystyrene (styrofoam) egg cartons are not compostable & should be discarded.
Their compostable nature & tidy dividers make paper-fiber egg cartons ideal for starting seeds. Poke a couple of small holes into the bottom of each egg cup, then fill 3/4 of each cup with potting soil. Plant your choice of seeds, & keep the egg carton watered & in a sunny, safe spot. When your seedlings are ready for transplanting, cut the egg cups apart, then place the seedling, egg cup & all, in your prepared garden bed.
Feb 4, Day 35
<Used my reusable water bottle>
This bottle is like an old friend...
I take it with me wherever I go. I’ve had it for many years!
Do you have a favorite water bottle you don’t leave home without? Try to adopt one & avoid buying bottled water.
Feb 5, Day 36
<Bought veggies not packaged in plastic>
This is getting harder to do these days. Our local coop has some produce not wrapped in plastic. You can buy fruits & vegetables in the quantity you need instead of a whole bag.
Feb 6, Day 37
<Reduced food waste by dating leftovers>
Keep a post-it note pad or sharpie in your kitchen junk drawer to date your leftovers. You think you’ll remember when you made that stir-fry, but chances are, you won’t!
Roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption around the world goes to waste. Environmentally, it accounts for about 8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, 24% of the freshwater & 28 million tons of the fertilizers & pesticides used in agriculture. If food waste was a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the USA & China!
Some tips to help you waste less food:
Meal plan.
Write a shopping list and stick to it.
Date leftovers.
Freeze leftovers or food about to go off.
Get creative with meals and use leftovers.
Share meals with neighbors.
Feb 7, Day 38
<Made homemade foaming hand soap>
Making your own dish, laundry or hand soap is easy, less expensive & better for the planet & your health. Controlling what ingredients & scents you use is very liberating!
Foaming Hand Soap
In a foaming soap dispenser:
1/3 cup Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap, unscented
2 tsp almond oil
15-20 drops essential oil, scent of your choice
Fill dispenser with water to 1/2” from top. Shake well.
Feb 8, Day 39
<Gave Birdie Shameless dog treats w/ upcycled ingredients>
Birdie, our mini doxie, LOVES these treats. Each of these treats are made with at least 30% upcycled fruits & veggies. That means those perfectly-nutritious foods that are not-quite-right for the grocery stores (aka jumbo blueberries, mini sweet potatoes, & the yellowest bananas) are living their best second life as dog treats. Shameless Pets focuses on rescuing ingredients from agricultural production, post harvest leftovers, & food processing.
Fruits, vegetables, and dairy are the greatest contributors to food waste & where they focus their efforts.
In addition to wasting nutritious calories, food waste contributes to throwing away precious resources such as water, land, energy, & labor. According to a leading research institution, Project Drawdown, food waste is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. If food waste were measured as a country, it would be the third worst greenhouse gas offender after the U.S. & China!
Feb 9, Day 40
<Made homemade wipes>
By making your own wipes from paper towels, olive or coconut oil & your choice of liquid soap or shampoo, you are saving lots of money & controlling what ingredients are in your wipes.
You can use whatever shampoo/natural soap, or oil you like or have on hand. Please note- these are not antiseptic wipes. These are great if you want to make your own wipes without chemicals.
But do not flush- not good for septics or sewers.
HOMEMADE WIPES:
Whisk 1 cup boiling water, 1 TBSP shampoo or liquid soap, 1 TBSP coconut or olive oil (or oil of your choice) in container that will hold a 1/2 roll paper towels (good quality ones, cut with sharp knife)
*Can adjust water amount to make less or more moist.
Pull from the middle.
Feb 10, Day 41
<Washed laundry with soap nuts>
I’ve heard about these & have been wanting to try them. Found them at Trader Joe’s!
One way to zero-wastify a laundry routine is to integrate soap nuts into the mix. Like horse chestnuts, soap nuts are a natural way to do your wash. Native to India & Nepal, soap nuts have been used historically to treat skin conditions like eczema & psoriasis, but they can also act as a chemical-free, natural way to clean clothes & fabrics. With the average American running anywhere from four to five loads of wash per week, making your laundry routine as eco-friendly as possible has never been so important. These nuts or berries contain saponin, a natural surfactant in the laundry wash. Saponin is a natural detergent; it’s super foamy & can cut through dirt, oils, stains, & other unidentifiable grime. Soap nuts also may have the ability to kill bacteria. Plus, soap nuts are reusable. You can use them up to 10 times before the shells become softer to the touch & appear grayer, then it’s time to compost them!
Feb 11, Day 42
<Shaved with a safety razor>
Why? It is Environmentally Friendly-The biggest environmental issue with disposable razors is that they are not recyclable.
According to the EPA, 2 billion disposable razors end up in land fills every year. That’s billion, with a “b”. The steel DE razor blades are recyclable, which can drastically reduce the negative environmental impact.
And the razor itself can last a lifetime.
See more about safety razors HERE.
Feb 12, Day 43
<Gave lavender filled knitted hearts as gifts,-natural air freshener>
Instead of a stinky tree-shaped air freshener in your space, try dried lavender! I knit some bright-colored hearts & stuffed them with lavender to give as Valentine’s Day gifts.
Kept one for myself to hang in my Rubee. Makes me happy & keeps my car smelling nice!
Feb 13, Day 44
<Sewed rice pillows>
One of my favorite gifts to make & give. Essentially a tube shaped pillow filled with white rice that can heated in the microwave for a few minutes. Heat one up & leave it in your bed under the covers while you brush your teeth. Come to a cozy bed that stays warm until you doze off.
Feb 14, Day 45
<Made reusable shopping bags from upcycled horse feed bags>
For housewarming gifts, I like to give a GOING GREEN Welcome Home Bag. An upcycled bag made from a feed bag or tee shirt filled with LED light bulbs, homemade beeswax wraps, a knitted wash/dish cloth, shampoo bars, reusable produce bags, Norwex cloths & Charlie’s laundry powder.
Birdie not included!
Feb 15, Day 46
<Printed reports double sided>
When showing homes, I print out brochures for myself & my buyers to reference. To save paper & trees, I print the reports double sided.
The environmental impact of paper production is important to note since it has many negative effects. Here are some of them:
40% of the world’s commercially cut timber is used for the production of paper.
Pulpwood plantations & mills endanger natural habitats.
Over 30 million acres of forest are destroyed annually.
The pulp & paper industry is a big contributor to the problem of deforestation & is partly to blame for the endangerment of some species that live in the forests.
The life cycle of paper is damaging to the environment from beginning to end. It starts off with a tree being cut down & ends its life by being burned – emitting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Paper production uses up lots of water. An 8 1/2 X 11 piece of paper requires 2.6 gallons of water per sheet.
Most of the materials in landfills are made of paper. When paper rots, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas. When it is burned or composted, carbon dioxide.
Pulp & paper mills discharge water that’s riddled with solids, dissolved organic matter called lignin, alcohol, inorganic material such as cholates, chlorine & metal compounds. All of this contributes to soil & water pollution.
The paper industry is the 5th largest consumer of energy in the world. It uses up 4% of the world’s energy. To produce 1 ton of virgin paper, it is estimated that 253 gallons of petrol is used.
Feb 16, Day 47
<Mended clothing>
Put a dent in the pile of clothes to be mended & now can wear my flannel owl night shirt again!
The global fashion industry accounts for about 10% of global carbon emissions, & nearly 20% of wastewater. And while the environmental impact of flying is now well known, fashion sucks up more energy than both aviation & shipping combined emitting 1.7 billion tons of CO2 per year.
Of the 150 billion new clothing items put on the market every year, 25% of that remains unworn.
In North America, 10.5 million tons of clothes are sent to a landfill each year. Clothing that’s sent to thrift stores or charity shops is often sent to Africa or Central America where it disrupts the local textile & tailoring economies in these areas.
What we need to do is to care for our clothes. We need to make them last longer. Even extending the life of our garments by an extra nine months of active use would reduce the carbon, water & waste footprint by around 20% to 30% each.
Info from HERE
Feb 17, Day 48
<Washed hair with shampoo bar>
Another way to reduce plastic pollution is to use a Shampoo & Conditioner Bar.
I found this one from The Soap Works at the East Aurora Cooperative Market.
* They are natural soaps-Specially formulated with Aloe Vera as a conditioner this bar leaves hair “squeaky” clean, contains no detergents, & doesn’t come in a bottle.
* Unwrapped Bars are very economical & convenient for sports, camping, workout, cottages, or reducing your bottle footprint in the shower.
* Keeping you & your environment clean.
Feb 18, Day 49
<Gifted LED lightbulbs>
High-efficiency LEDs are extremely energy efficient using up to 90% less power compared to incandescent lights. That allows homeowners to reduce their energy consumption costs, since each LED light uses a fraction of the power.
A high-quality LED has an expected lifespan that can reach 100,000 hours. In comparison, the average incandescent bulb lasts for about 1,000 hours. A compact fluorescent can last for up to 10,000 hours.
They work in the cold. They are highly-resistant to breakage. They turn on with full brightness almost immediately. There are no UV or IR emissions.
I order my bulbs from 1000bulbs.com
Feb 19, Day 50
<Refused a plastic straw at restaurant>
Before the waitress puts one in your drink or on the table, kindly tell her “No straw, please”.
The main reason why plastic straws are a problem is their enduring environmental footprint.
Enduring pollution. Plastic straws are one of the most common types of litter found on beaches, yet they can’t be recycled. Instead they end up in landfills, as litter, or in waterways.
Heavy Usage. It’s estimated that Americans use, on average, 1.6 straws per person per day. That translates into roughly 500 million disposable plastic straws every single day.
Hazard to marine life. Marine animals mistake plastic straws for food. They can choke on them or straws can get stuck in animals’ nasal passages.
Non-renewable ingredients. Plastic straws are made from polypropylene, a petroleum-based plastic. In effect, a non-renewable resource is used to create a single-use, disposable item.
If you must use use a straw, choose paper or metal.
Feb 20, Day 51
<Tried out new sponge cloths to replace paper towels>
I love trying new products that help me save money & are good for the planet. Found these at the East Aurora Co-Op. $6.00 for 5 cloths. They are super absorbent, replace up to 15 rolls of paper towels & machine washable up to 300 times. And they are compostable, unlike plastic sponges. I like them already!
Feb 21, Day 52
<Ordered tree seedlings>
If you live in WNY, Erie Co. Soil & Water Conservation District has a annual sale & distribution of evergreen & deciduous seedlings & transplants.
Planting tree & shrub seedlings will:
- Provide wildlife food and habitat
- Protect water quality
- Shelter crops and landscape
- Reduce air pollution
- Stabilize erodible land
- Reduce heating/cooling expenses
Feb 22, Day 53
< Washed my reusable shopping bags>
Researchers learned during their survey that 97% of the people never washed their reusable grocery shopping bags. What was worse was that upon testing these bags, experts found E.coli contamination (in over 50% of the total tested bags).
When we pile foods upon foods in our reusable grocery bags, we entertain cross-contamination of foods. Moreover, we also entertain bacteria entering our food chain. If you use a canvas shopping tote bag for groceries, but you also take it to the gym, you risk even more health hazards to affect your family.
It is your answer in a nutshell: clean, reusable grocery bags as often and as carefully as you can. Some specialists say you should use more than one bag for food shopping & wash your bags at the end of the week. Yes, you should also wash poly shopping bags, not only cotton or canvas ones.
How Do You Clean Reusable Grocery Bags to be Safe? See HERE.
Another option is to make your own shopping bags from tee shirts that are easily washed. Check out how to upcycle your old tees HERE.
More good info from HERE
Feb 23, Day 54
<Avoided getting a plastic cup by bringing my own tumbler for a smoothie from cafe>
Plastic pollution is a real problem & an easy way to use less is to bring your own cup when you order your favorite beverage. Also, avoid the new plastic straw & bring a reusable one!
Feb 24, Day 55
<Adjusted programmable thermostat to lower temperature when I’m in bed or not at home>
Save energy by programming your thermostat to lower the temperature when you are not home or under the covers!
I discovered my local electric company, NYSEG, has some pretty great discounts on energy efficient products like thermostats, lighting, water fixtures & more. A Google Nest Learning Thermostat is discounted from $250 to $174. It can be adjusted with your smartphone from anywhere & learns your heating & cooling patterns! Pretty Cool!
Consider looking into a programmable thermostat if you don’t have one yet!
Feb 25, Day 56
<Bought new & more energy efficient refrigerator>
Our 10+year old fridge had been acting up & not staying cold. The repairman said it is probably a $1000 fix-not worth it! Sad how short the life span is of appliances. During Covid refrigerators are in short supply, so the new fridge I ordered before Thanksgiving JUST arrived!
Things I learned:
There is a wonderful calculator that tells you how much you can save if you “Flip Your Fridge” & upgrade to a new, more energy efficient fridge. I will save $254 over five years & 437 lbs of carbon pollution.
I paid Home Depot $25. to take my old fridge away, but I could have made $30. by taking advantage of NYSEG’s Appliance Recycling Program! Now you can also recycle an old working room air conditioner with your qualifying refrigerator or freezer pickup appointment & get an extra $10!
Don’t unload the entire contents of the old fridge until you are certain the delivery truck will make it up your steep, snow covered driveway! Had to reschedule the delivery!
Feb 26, Day 57
<Designated an “Eat First Shelf” in the new fridge to avoid food spoilage>
In addition to marking your leftovers with the date they were made, it is super helpful to designate a shelf where you keep food that will spoil in the next few days. Sometimes we tend to lose track of what we have or it gets pushed to the back where we don’t see it until we clean the fridge. By creating specific space for food more prone to waste with a clearly defined concept (Eat Me First); you encourage a different approach to food consumption in your home.
Feb 27, Day 58
<Learned how to drive my electric car more efficiently>
The amazing thing about driving an electric car is that it has made me so much more aware of how my driving habits affect my range & how many miles per kWh I am getting.
Speed, acceleration, braking, climate control, the outside temperature, extra passengers, & hilly terrain all affect your range!
There are several ways to get feedback on my driving. On an info screen with a graph it shows how many miles/kWh I am driving in 5 mile increments & my average over the last 50 miles. I have to say once I learned this, I obsess about this way too much & challenge myself to drive better & keep my miles/kWh above the red average line!
Also, on the dash by the GOM-(Guess O’ Meter-the car’s best estimate of the maximum, average & minimum mileage you can expect with current charge) there are indicators that show if I can expect the towards the high or low end of the range.
I try to get the most range I can.
Makes me drive a bit like a grandma, but I love saving energy!
Feb 28, Day 59
<Reused bread bags>
In his childhood, my husband would use breadbags to waterproof his aged winter boots by putting them over his socks before putting on his boots.
I like them for wrapping leftover cheese, veggies, or a bowl of soup.