A must read! Zero Waste Home - Arrives on Amazon tomorrow!

For those of you who have not been introduced to the Zero Waste Home blog, you are in for a treat.  Bea Johnson is an amazing person who has created a lifestyle with no trash.  She has been a huge inspiration to me over the last year and I strive to follow in her zero environmental impact footsteps.  Her book comes out tomorrow - you can download it on kindle as a pre-order on Amazon.  The link below should direct you to her new book:

http://www.amazon.com/Zero-Waste-Home-Simplifying-ebook/dp/B00A6CT012/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1365437171&sr=8-1&keywords=zero+waste+home

If you want a look inside a Zero Waste Home, check out Bea's blog at http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/

Unwanted mail, unwanted waste

In an effort to expand on being paperless, it can be taken one step further in your own home.  If you are anything like me, you have been added to every mailing list possible.  I use to go to my mail every day and it was packed full of advertisements, credit card offers, useless magazines, flyers or anything else someone could possibly send through the mail.  Of course all of it would immediately go into the recycling bin and take time away from my family to sort.

In my mission to prevent waste, I found a website that really helped me through the process.  It is a company called Catalog Choice and their website is https://www.catalogchoice.org.  This website offers an easy solution to ensure you are removed from mail service; you can search for the mail source and send them a notice through this service. 

I would take my unwanted mail in my bag to work and when I was stuck on hold, I would hop on the website and enter my junk mail.  Viola, after a couple months it was gone!  It was so nice to just get the essentials and no extra waste.  Of course we try to pay all bills through electronic banking, but sometimes you get stuck with mail regardless of your efforts.  As a warning, you have to stay on it, otherwise other offenders find you.  It’s a never-ending battle, but it feels so good to have an empty mailbox and not create any garbage.

Although this usually solved most of my mailing issues, there was one remaining.  Some of the vendors were not on this website or they were not listening to my requests.  In that case, I would send an email to their customer service or call their customer service line.  The Red Plum advertisements were the most difficult.  It felt great to take a stand against Companies who add your name without your consent and create waste that is harmful to the environment.  Perhaps you feel the same way? 

Thrift Shop Style

I found these wool sailor pants for $1 while Thrift shopping this fall. I have gotten a ton of use an compliments on these babies. Very warm and fun. The only downfall is the bizellion button but they add to the look :)

Paperless – It starts with you!

Businesses are one of the biggest natural resource abusers, especially when it comes to paper.  For years I told myself I couldn’t manage without paper, assuming my Company should be taking the lead-until I had enough!  My job includes a large amount of legal paperwork – especially while managing lawsuits or insurance claims.  I use to drag large binders, in a box, on wheels to proceedings and then bring binders with paper back to my office, which was overcrowded.  I became pregnant with my second child; I was managing several lawsuits and over a hundred insurance claims.  I just needed to simplify my life and cut down on the waste.  I couldn’t physically drag heavy binders and paper around, let alone spend time filing paper.  I decided to utilize what I already had available to make my life easier.  I soon discovered by best assets at work – a scanner and a large Company shared drive (on a server). 

I started small; each file on my drive had a name, date and location.  I organized each folder as if it was my binder or office drawer with files.  I contacted all of my vendors/business partners and notified them I could no longer receive mail – only electronic documents via email (this cut down on my scanning activities and mail).  I took any spare moments available to scan and organize documents.  All old documents were placed back in my printer, to print on the other side and then once both sides of the paper were used, they were shredded and recycled.  When I receive an email, I drag and drop the attachment or email into the folder, then hit delete!  I must admit, it took about 2 years to become completely paperless.  It also allowed me to share documents with remote co-workers.  I could also reduce my annual budget for office supplies, because paper, printer ink, folders, binders, etc. are no longer needed.  I donated all of my office supplies to other co-workers and I have an office of empty drawers and clear desk top space.  Ahhhh, it is so nice and simple.  Also, if I am remote, I have all of my documents at my fingertips through logging into my drive.

I have reduced my impact on the environment through reducing business waste.  Don’t want until your Company claims they are “paperless”, it starts with you.  Even the small steps make a difference.  Reduce paper, reduce stress!

-Heidi Bastien

Cousin to Melissa West & Guest Blogger

Green ER Days

I recently joined a crew of awesome people that have one common goal... making the little town of Elk Rapids a green community check them out at http://www.greenelkrapidsdays.com/.  I am hoping that this will inspire you to get involved in making your community green. Here is a awesome mini documentary http://vimeo.com/59161981   by http://www.callmecal.com, 

American Waste, Waste less

My 4 year old and I took what he likes to call a "home school field trip" to American Waste yesterday. WOW!!! Their operation is nothing less then inspiring and impressive. We were taught about what we can recycle.  Almost everything is recyclable, all plastics, all types of paper, even pizza boxes. The rules of thumb we were given is "when in doubt recycle it". 

All of the trash is put on this crazy maze of contraptions that sorts out recyclables and approx 38% is recovered to be recycled. Recyclables that come in sorted are run though separately from trash on this same "maze" and approx 99% is recycled!!

American Waste also creates their own compost they use as a top soil in the landfill. The cleaner the recyclables are the more value they have when they are sold. Therefore we will be better about cleaning and separating our recyclables to show our support for this business that is locally owned, employees so many and is doing awesome things for the environment. Who is your waste company? Are they making an initiative to be green? Something to think about...


Just the choosing your waste company wisely could make a huge difference on the environmental footprint you are making.

Reusable Paper Towels

After growing up together then living apart for a few years, my sister and I rented a studio together. In our years apart Lindsay had developed some environmentally friendly habits. Me, being a person that is not big on change reverted back to being the whiny little sister that I once was. Cleaning with vinegar. "Ewe, you clean so that your house smells better, not worse!" Cleaning with vinegar was something I stopped when I moved to my own house. But during my pregnancy to avoid the chemicals I started using it again and I have not quit. I put a few drops of citrus essential oils in my sprayer, the vinegar smell fades I am left with the smell of citrus. I like that when kids are in the tub or eating food off the table I am not worried about what chemicals they may be getting. I now love cleaning with vinegar!

Paper towels.... my guilty pleasure. Before this time of my life that Lindsay "deprived" me of paper towels I never thought about how wasteful they really are. Recently I have been keeping a roll of paper towels in the house but used them sparingly and feel guilty when I do. When I think about what it is that I love so much about them, I have narrowed it down to one reason, CONVENIENCE. I like that they are right there when I need them. No digging for towels, no rag that is cluttering my counter. When I am cleaning up something disgusting I like to throw it in the garbage and not have to deal with it. I have recently come up with a solution. I have set aside old rags that are on their last leg for the nasty clean ups. I saw this idea and decided I would make my own easy access reusable paper towels. DISCLAIMER!! I AM NOT A SEAMSTRESS! I can only sew in a line (notice I do not say straight line) so all of my projects must be very easy.

How I did it:
 I found a pattern that I wanted in my kitchen and few old towels that we didn't use anymore and washed them.

Measure the wanted size. I added a 1/2 inch around the edge to make room for the seam.

Sew fabric and towel together on 3 1/2 sides then turn it inside out through 1/2 that is not sewn shut.

I put one button hole in each towel (you could use snaps or Velcro). Then sewed a button on the other side. I decided to put 3-4 seams through the towel so that it would not bunch as much when I wash them.

Finished product is guilt free, easy access, cute, reusable paper towels.

With my leftover fabric I made a few dish towels.

 

Let me know if you have any questions :-)