This is a repost of my January 2021 article in the Mueller neighborhood newsletter, The Front Porch Flyer. In the world of zero waste, one of the big books is Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter. The book does a great job of balancing what’s going on in the world…
If you need some lighter hand weights, you can make your own or use something you already have! It’s pretty hard to find certain weights and workout equipment right now. When you can find it, sometimes the price is inflated due to current demand. Cans of food, books, your kids toys, etc. can be used…
I just learned about the Buy Nothing Project/group about a month ago. I’m used to seeing, reading, and writing about posting about (for or away/give or want) items on craigslist, Freecycle, Marketplace and our neighborhood social media platforms. My neighbors started mentioning our area’s Buy Nothing group as a way to re-purpose/re-home/donate items. It’s awesome.…
Free secure document paper shredding Austin ARMA will host the fall shred day Saturday November 16, 2019 at Balcones Shred. Be careful to read the map(s) provided by Austin ARMA. The address posted is not always the exact entrance you will use for drive through. Secure document shredding may be available on site but please…
Instead of buying a new piece of furniture, consider giving your current furniture a facelift. Slipcovers, pillow covers, decorative pillows, blankets artistically draped, paint, new hardware, new accents, all these things can be used to give a new life to pieces you already own. Here are some examples of a quick color change. My couch’s…
Do you need a new car seat or an upgrade for your child or grandkid? September 3 – 13, 2019 is this fall’s Target Car Seat Trade-in event! Quoting from Target’s website, “Guests who trade in their old car seats will receive a 20 % off coupon toward a new car seat, stroller or select…
One of Austin’s zero wasters posted about an incredible new lending library she is creating for dishes! You can check out her post on the Dish Lending Library here; it’s so good I’m not going to repeat it! I would love to see this used at the block parties in my neighborhood! Libraries aren’t just…
Due to the amount of neighbors that offered to help collect or transport non-curbside-accepted recyclables to the appropriate place, I created a neighborhood recycling Facebook group where residents and businesses in my neighborhood can be listed as drop-off sites for more difficult items. The items collected are not allowed in the blue recycling carts and…
Toys can be recycled! One thing I see a lot of during Austin’s Bulk Collection is unwanted or unusable toys left curbside. I would love to see these toys donated to those who don’t have toys, or if unusable then recycled! Plastic toys without batteries or plugs, know as “Hard Plastics,” can be recycled in…
Did you know you can pick up free paint from the City of Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center?! Austin ReBlend paint is free for individuals, nonprofits and businesses. Austin ReBlend is a 100 percent post-consumer, reblended flat paint (with low VOCs) made from paint collected at the Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center. Austin ReBlend paint…