Happy New Year readers! Thank you for your support, questions and ideas! I am so grateful for the involvement and eagerness you share with me in working towards a life with less waste, more care and a lower footprint. Last year my plan was to focus more on secondhand goods and repair. I shared some…
If you are cleaning out for the new year, I want to let you know that in Austin, photograph paper is not recyclable. Please put unwanted photographs in the trash rather than recycling. Check with your local utility/provider to determine their policy on photograph paper. If you printed images on standard office paper or cardstock,…
*Note on the use of the word Christmas: I try to use as many words as I can to capture and make available as much information as possible. Not everyone is going to know all the terms for something so I try and make sure I think of all the alternatives. At the same time…
Just a reminder that string lights, Christmas lights, Hanukkah lights, Diwali lights, (your word choice here) etc. are recyclable, maybe not everywhere so check with your local providers but they are in Austin. In Austin you can take them to the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center’s Electronics stations for recycling. During COVID it’s by appointment…
I wanted to share a few jewelry-themed ideas with you all. I was in an anklet mood this summer. Instead of buying a new anklet, I used a 18″ chain that I wrapped twice around my ankle and threaded both strands through a charm. It works great! This way I can reuse both pieces for…
I love repair/refresh/fix so we’ve got another one for you! It’s especially relevant for cold weather and sweaters! When I was little, my mom had a funny little machine in her sewing box. I thought it was a vacuum. It was actually a fabric shaver. A fabric shaver removes those little balls of fabric that…
Friday was Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day. Saturday was Small Business Saturday. Both days are part of our country’s big start to the holiday shopping season. I would like to encourage you to think about the material of the items you purchase (or find used) in addition to what type of business you are…
Cooking Oil and Grease can be cleaned and reused sometimes. You’ll need to check with your local utility or search for local businesses and options that may collect and recycle the oil. If you live in Austin, you can drop used cooking oil and grease off at the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center at the…
Anyone else ever order too many bananas??? We accidentally ordered bunches instead of a set amount of bananas. What we didn’t plan to eat or freeze I set out and emailed my block and friends for pickup. You can also post food like this on Buy Nothing groups. If I had more time or was…
My favorite R: Repair for a Little Playmate Igloo Cooler I’ve had this cooler since elementary school summer camps. I’m in my 30s so this is a quality product and holds a lot of memories for me. My son started playing with it this spring and he was doing great with it until one day…