As it was 106 today in Austin, Texas, I pulled out the ice cube tray! Not for my drinks mind you, but for my son to play with! I got this idea from Thinkery, the children’s museum here in Austin, Texas. The Thinkery, as part of their toddler program Bloomers, froze small plastic animals in…
Reusable cotton swabs. For years I lamented the fact there was not a reusable cotton swab. I went through so many! Not enough to design and patent one obviously but there was woe. One of the hot green items of the spring was and is reusable cotton swabs. These are typically a plastic stick with…
I wanted to share another face mask post. I’m kind of a geek now about making my own masks out of other items. Some people like to shop all the pretty handmade masks, I like the creative challenge of reuse! I already wrote a post on zero waste face masks. Please check the link for…
If you feel like you need to donate right now there are some options open. There are many people in need and you want and can help. And/or you may need the space and mental clarity of clearing out clutter. Whatever your reasons, please be safe (wear a mask and keep 6 feet of distance)…
Plastic containers that plants come in can be recycled in Austin, Texas. If you recycle them they should be rinsed and dry, free of dirt and plant material. Some cities don’t accept black plastic. Some cities don’t accept certain numbers of plastic. Please check with your local city department or contractor. Please do not ask…
Several types of cloth reusable face masks are addressed here. I wanted to make face masks using materials I already had and items that could be re-purposed and reused. Since social media is all a buzz about more medical-looking face mask, I’ll share this first. I was fortunate to have a scrap/rag bag going on…
It’s a new year! We’re going to be focusing a bit more on the other R’s this year beyond Recycle even though Recycle is a big area we can always improve on. There are at least 7 Other Rs according to Treehugger: Reduce: Just use less. Return: Producers should take back what they sell. Reuse: Almost boring,…
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.…
We’ve all seen these. Many of us have ended up with them, willing or not. There are local charities that are ecstatic to accept donations of unopened utensil/cutlery packs! You may have to do some research at first. As I am informed of organizations accepting donations I will update this post. Mobile Loaves & Fishes…
I don’t know about you, but I always came home with a ton of little party favors and such from school at this time of year, not to mention all the other holiday/seasonal parties, birthday parties, stocking stuffers, treats, freebies, etc. When you’re a kid, it can seem like you get something at everything you…