throw nothing away day

I think this is a great idea. I'm signing up.
I take my own containers when I buy tofu from the bulk bucket at our food store and people there think I'm a little odd,  but I can't see using plastic bags for it when I'm going to take it home a 15 minute walk away and put it in the container anyway.  Where I've gotten things in plastic bags from the bulk bins I save them and reuse them refilling with the same item - they think that's odd too.  I like the idea of the silk bags, I will do that. But is there some carbon offset kinda thing for getting a receipt, because they'll print one whether I want it or not.  And it drives me a little crazy that our wonderful natural foods store packages deli items in containers that aren't recyclable here, and that a really cool little hippie restaurant uses styro to go containers, and that toilet paper made from recycled paper comes packaged in a plastic wrapping.  But I can't quite see keeping a bucket of dried leaves in the bathroom so I don't know. 

i love it.

I must confess, I had to buy something today after all  –

adam called from vail (2 hours from home) to say his truck had broken down so I had to jump in my car to go rescue him from the middle of the snowy, cold, windy night.  I called work to make sure my shift was covered until I could get there and they said they were busy, but they'd be ok. 

my car didn't have windshiled cleaner fluid, as usual because I have a mental block about buying that toxic waste stuff, but I couldn't see well enough to drive safely without it, so I had to stop and buy some.  it comes in a plastic jug and after I'd poured it all into the car I just couldn't toss the empty jug into the garbage bin at the gas station because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't get recycled there, so it's in the back seat of my car waiting to get to the recycle bin.  I hope it's a plastic number that we can recycle here. 

and I had to buy gasoline for the car.  grrrr.  but I did have the option to select reciept or no receipt and I gladly said no. 

and I didn't HAVE to, but I did buy coffee and I drank it out of a paper cup because I didn't bring my coffee cup with me.  but I didn't put a plastic lid on the cup.  and the empty paper cup is now in the backseat waiting to be recycled.

after I picked up adam, we both had to pee and the nearest open place was the walmart in avon.  so we went in and used the restrooms.  (I would've just gone outside by the side of the road, but adam is much more civilized than I am and he insisted on restrooms.)  I was a little shocked to find myself in a walmart on black friday.  I don't think that's ever happened before.  adam bought a headlight replacement for my car that I've been driving around with only one headlight and one taillight for months now.  and I bought eyedrops (my eyes were really hurting) and organic almonds (from california - yipes) in a – gag– plastic container – it's recyclable though - #1 plastic. 

We got home and I dropped off adam and his luggage and then I had to come to work directly.  oh how I ached to stay home and go to bed with him after not having seen him for 10 days. 

when I got to work the girls told me about a family of four (mom, dad, sister, brother) who all died because of a carbon monoxide leak at a home east of aspen.  (carbon monoxide is another hazard of modern living – if they had been at farland's cabins they'd for sure still be alive because there's no gas heater there.)  they were staying in a friends' home and another family of friends' arrived to stay at the same house and found them.  the girls' who were working tonight and took the call were very sad.  one of them has two small children at home with their dad while she works. 

what a night. 

maybe I'll try again for tomorrow to be a throw nothing away day / buy nothing day.  I like the idea of having at least one day a week, but I think I'll try to get to an everyday being a throw nothing away day.  but I'm still using toilet paper no matter what – that's going to be my exception.  but I'll try to use as little as possible of it. 

jeannie  – shall I write a letter to seventh generation about the plastic and ask them to think of an alternative. 

and anyone – what could we use for windshield stuff in the winter instead of that toxic waste that comes in plastic jugs??? 

I am going to make December a take the bus to work month.  day shift is best for that because I can always get a bus and it'll save gas and windshield cleaner and it's much less dangerous to be on the bus on icy, snowy roads than in a small car surrounded by suv's and i'll get to read some great books while on the way home on the bus.  :-)   and in the mornings on the way to work on the bus I'm going to listen to the coffee break spanish pod casts again.  I've got all my warm clothes ready so waiting at the cold, windy bus stops in the mornings in the dark won't be so bad.  :-) 

good morning my favorite not sticky fish….. 

i'm sad right now.  we were just able to contact the family members of the deceased.  it's very sad.  the kids were just 8 and 10 years old. 

i agree – the point is to be mindful and do our best to buy as little and throw away as little as possible and be thoughful about what we use.  :-) 

It feels so good to be living as simply as possible, buying as little as necessary and throwing away as little as possible.  It is so inspiring to read blogs like this and know others are feeling and trying to live the same way.  Most of our extras we give to St. Vincent de Paul's.  Call it the ultimate recycling project.  Shop at the co-op, live simply.  (except for big trips half way around the world…hmmm….well guess some of us have to have splurges….)  Anyway, this is inspiring.  Even with the little tragedy added in, Farland.

use leaf lettuce leaves and flush
if you put them into compost e coli might be not the best thing!!!
also, use a squirt ketchup bottle to rinse
squirt squirt!!!

hehehe

Elisa I use a squirty bottle too , it just feels cleaner .


Dawn I have used public transport for years and wouldn't even mind paying more in taxes if they would have it cover a greater distance. it is a great way to unwind after work the swaying of the bus or metro which can lull me into a semi slumber , i can watch movies ,and read too. OMG I saw an ad for solar powered xmas lights cooooooool.


Jeannie maybe they could find a way to convert leaves into toilet paper and that way no harm comes to the trees.


And Farland this blog go me thinking really hard about how much I still waste,I don't compost ,there is always a better way my mantra for today,thank you

I am going to start composting again. I just decided. thank you Farland for the inspiration. and while I didn't buy refrain from buying yesterday, I did leave Athens, Ga.,, my favorite place to go haunt Jackson Street Books and Wuxtry Records and Daily Groceries and Agora and other funky shops, without buying anything other than some Brown Cow yogurt and some pomegranate juice. My decision to refrain from consuming things I don't need for a time feels so right.

I think it's very strange that most people in this country use new, non-recycled paper content toilet paper and flush with first quality water to dispose of human waste. I mean, come on, at least use recycled paper content, YOU'RE GOING TO FLUSH THAT STUFF AWAY. I loved the very clever toilet I saw but can't remember where that had the faucet over the tank so all the water run off filled the toilet tank, that was brilliant.  Why isn't every bathroom made that way?

Here is a link to one of my favorite sites, a great article about composting, and links at the bottom, one good one about urban composting although I wouldn't use what she did. I use those black plastic nursery containers - they'll give them to you free if they have cracks in the bottom, which is fine. The black absorbs heat and composts faster and the largest ones are a good size. It keeps something out of the landfill and works really well.  Here is a more thorough article about the proportions of what goes into a compost bin or pile. I love compost.  

Laura, we posted simultaneously. I don't really buy buy nothing day either but on the other hand I like not helping with my dollars for the retailers' quest to make that one day save their whole year.

If I compost my receipts do they still count as garbage?

Dawn, that is so sad.  It's also a little sad to be trampled to death in the desperation of people to get into Walmart and shop. Sad and pointless and very crazy. And once again the US is famous world over for just the wrong reasons…

I read the article and was disturbed by this

“Wal-Mart said the incident was 'unfortunate'. ”

are you kidding me walmart spokesperson is was unbelievably sad and horrific
What more to say “it's beginning to look a lot like xmas”

Perhaps there is some middle ground?  As a forester and tree farmer I can say that trees are a renewable and a local resource.  The paper and wood industry plants lots of trees and also provides a lot of jobs.  Wood and paper are recyclable and biodegradable.  I am all for the wise use of our resources  but it not really necessary to go to letuce leaves and ketsup bottles yet.  Let's focus on reducing the number of cars, plastics, disposable drink containers, electronics and imported commodities we can make and buy locally.  If that doesn't keep us busy enough than perhaps we can work for world peace.

I compost or recycle almost all paper - it's turned into a kind of game in our house where we won't buy it if it's packaged in something that can't be recycled or composted. Some paper gets burned up for starter for the grill outside our back door where we cook a lot, even in winter - it's a really labor/resource intensive form of kindling, but I count it as recycling anyway since it's already there. We use one of those chimney starter things with hardwood pieces. 
Trees are a renewable resource (bamboo even more so!) but planting trees and keeping jobs aren't a reason for using more than we absolutely need to. Just like buying for christmas isn't justified because retailers need that season. I don't think I could go with lettuce leaves, maybe non-edibles harvested around my house but I'm definitely not there yet either so tp it is for now…
Coconut shells? Oh my. Just trying to picture how that would work.

This will be the way everywhere soon here,which i think is perfect bc not only does it encourage people to use less plastic i believe it will set into motion a whole different approach to packaging,and the canvas totes and all those cool original bags people sew are fun.
I've used magazine paper when i had no tp and find rinsing with a little water cleaner. I'm wondering about the coconut shells and the frayed end of an anchor cable just bc I'm thinking was it was shared ;-) which makes me a little more than grateful for tp,still i wonder can we recycle leaves and make tp out of them?

I also see the beauty in the fallen decaying tree and I am alarmed at the loss of any plant and animal species.  To preserve and maintain the plant and animal  species it will take management by man and it will take cutting of trees, one of the most effective management tools. Mans initial impact to our forest ecosytems has been devastating during our short history on this planet.   Take Georgia for example,  90% of the state was cleared and converted into farmland in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  ( Most of the South was pine forest, native longleaf pine) this was a big mistake as much of the land is not suitable for row crops, tremendous soil erosion and failed crops resulted and the land went back to mother nature.  But this time it was hardwood forests.  The native pine forests that were dominate when the Indians had it to themselves  would not come back with out fire.  Pines are a subclimax species that require fire (which it is resistant to:  http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/ ) to keep the hardwoods from dominating if this forest type is to florish.   Now that the white man has taken over, the fires have stopped allowing the hardwoods to dominate.  By the way the longleaf pine ecosystem has it's own unique plant and wildlife species.  The point of all of this is that a lot of work is being done in  Georgia (and the other Southern States)  to restore the native forest types which means planting pines, controling their density with cutting and controled burning.   Pine plantations can be limited moncultures initially but if managed properly can be transfromed to create forest systems to support the flora and fauna native to the region and supply a sustainable wood resource which goes into a multitude of  wood and pulp products.  Georgia is now over 66% forested and their are more trees now than at any other time.  http://www.gfagrow.org/PDF/07%20state%20of%20forest.pdf 

Probably more than you wanted to know, I was trying to make the point that maybe it is ok to cut trees and that trees will play an important part in sustaining the 6.7 billion human race.  Now the question, should they be used for toilet paper?  As long as its cheaper than coconuts,  I'm with tinkonthebrink.   I say let the market decide this one.  Also,  I see so many other causes that need our energy and support where there is more significant harm threatening our planet and its people.