No Waste October 2019

Oldest daughter is doing a No Waste October challenge and asked me if I wanted to join her. I am all about supporting my kids so I said I would. Hubby and the son are not participating so I will only be showing you what I do. 

When she mentioned it last week, I had a few question? Can I still use toilet paper. I can get rid of lots of things but I have no interest in getting rid of toilet paper. She said I can make my own rules. So TP is in. So are female products. I know lots of you love Diva cups but I am sticking to what I use. Other then those 2 things I am pretty much in. I know I will have some garbage but I will be more aware of what I am doing. 

I am already pretty good about limiting our garbage. Here are some of the ways I do it:



I avoid food waste. This is one of my biggest annoyances. It is disgusting how much food ends up in landfills every day. Just so you know, I washed the baggies and metal tins so that I can reuse them. The water bottles will be be returned for 15 cents profit. The cans will be recycled and the hot dog bun bag will be used for dog cleanup. The only thing that went into the garbage was the chicken bones and the chip bags. I always buy the large bugs.


Sticking with food waste, I use everything up. I used the apple cores and peels to make apple jelly. Potato and carrot peels go to Oreo's food. Broccoli stems get grated and added to soup. Leftover apple pulp gets made into apple cakes. Leftover coffee gets turned into ice coffee. Tomato skins get dried and turned into powder. I really try to use everything. 


If I can't find a way to use it then it goes into my homemade compost bin that hubby made with recycled materials. It then gets added to my garden. 


I keep jars to reuse them. They come in handy for when I make gifts. 


We recycle. If we can't reuse it then we put it in our recycle bins. 


We bring reusable cups EVERYWHERE. 


We also use reusable containers to take food to work and school. 


Our straws are metal. They have been for years. 


Our napkins are cloth. I have 2 drawer full. Most of them are from yard sales, thrift stores or homemade. 


We use old clothes and towels as rags. I do not use paper towels. Hubby still does but If he uses 2 rolls a year that is a lot for him. 


Produce bags for loose fruits and veggies is a must. OD made this one for me. 


We buy in bulk as much as possible. This bag will end up as a garbage bag for us. 


Reusable shopping bags are a must. They hold so much more then the plastic ones and I can use  them for years. 


Hubby buys the large bottles of oil to cut down on plastic. It is also cheaper. We bring the used oil to our county recycling center. We also bring all of our yard waste to the county compost facility. 


I use brown paper bags that hold food to use for fried foods. 


Hubby reuses old wood. This came from the swing set at my sister's house. 


I find ways to reuse old items. A friend was going to throw away these cute boxes. I said I would take them. I use one for my essential oils. YD took 2 of them for make up. The other one has small loose parts in it. 


I garbage pick. I really do. These were from college move out day a few years ago. I cleaned them up and sold them. I kept useful items out of the landfill and I made some money doing it. 


I am happy to take hand me downs. My sister was getting rid of these 2 pocket books. I was happy to have them. 




I shop thrift store. I needed a new winter coat. I got this one for $15 at the thrift store. 


I try to find new ways to use items that are heading to the garbage. 

Wish me luck on my No Waste October. If you are interested in joining me that would be great. I would love any tricks of tips you have for keeping garbage out of the landfill. 











Comments

  1. Great idea. I try to do this each day. Food always gets eaten, made into something new or frozen for another day. The only time I use paper towels is kitty yack. It doesn't happen often, so use very few. Napkins, old towels or rags are used for most things.

    I do the same with large bags from cat food - they become trash bags (they are paper too, so they break down). Use compost bin when necessary. Re-use jars and containers. I used to buy hubs cereal a lot and I kept the bags and used as wax paper and the boxes became holiday boxes for a funny twist.
    I take the paper and keep the comics for gift wrap and all other is given to the area animal shelter.
    Gosh, there are so many ways to do no waste.
    Good luck to you both!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. We are a lot alike in not wanting to waste anything. No wonder we get along so well.

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  2. I do a lot of the same things! I just saw an article in a magazine (which I get with recycle points and then donate to the local library or medical offices) that red coats are IN. That made me laugh because a couple of years ago I thrifted a red wool swing coat (Leslie Fay is the brand). It fits perfectly and since it is a swing coat I can layer if need be when really cold. I think it cost me $10.00 and was like brand new. I'll keep it for years - and since I get compliments when wearing it along with "where did you get that wonderful coat" I feel especially happy (okay, smug - lol).

    Along with the bag of veggie scraps that I keep in the freezer for when I make stock I am starting a bag of "soup" makings. I haven't bought bread crumbs in years as I use bread ends and stale bread for plain crumbs and then use them for meatballs, meatloaf and breading.

    I wish you well on your month of no spend! Mary

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I haven't bought bread crumbs in years either. I get compliments all the time for my purple coat. I only tell people that get it that it is thrifted. In my family we all share our magazines. They make their way around to everyone and then we leave them at the senior center with the address labels cut off.

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  3. Sounds like you are doing a great job already of no waste :) .

    We do similar and reuse any bags we get with purchases for garbage bags, trench compost our vegetable and fruit peelings, reuse secondhand building materials in other areas like building our 10 x 2.2 metre garden enclosure and tin as a base for our firewood stacks, old plywood recently to level up a floor so we can have our new stove put in (the surrounding vinyl was boarded and higher), our bread ends go to feed the kangaroos and wallabies (in severe drought here) and they have little food. We save rainwater that runs off our sheds to water potted fruit and herb plants, buy secondhand clothing most of the time or end of season clearance items.

    Through doing this we end up if we are lucky with 1 shopping bag worth of rubbish each week.

    Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

    T

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm in too. We've never purchased garbage bags. We do use a plastic grocery bag to line our kitchen can-they seem to arrive at the house from others, drops at the front door (phone books). We empty them into the outside bin and reuse until they are warn out. We rarely fill it with garbage so it works. All kitchen waste goes into the compost pile.

    My current challenge: In threat of frost, I gleaned the gardens. I have a derth of small cucumbers to use up and I don't make pickles. I may take some into my prior workplace to share and not waste. Same with a derth of peaches. Not really enough to can but not enough time left to eat them all fresh.

    We shop minimally, rather we favor using up what we have and reducing what we have. I go to the thrift shops 1st if we actually need something.

    I look forward to reading all the successes this month!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you like relish? You could use the cucumbers for that.

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  5. Hubby just swore and I wanted to see what the problem is, and I lost my comment so who knows what you are going to get. We do many of the same things to save money. I love your posts.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I love yours too. Husbands are very distracting.

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  6. Wow! I am really impressed by your effort to avoid waste. :-)

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