Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Who's in for March?

In like a lion, y'all.

A quick re-hash of the very loose guidelines for this project:

* No item is too big or too small to be your Reduce, Reuse or Recycle. Perhaps this is the month you finally recycle that cursed leprechaun shotglass set your hateful Uncle Padraig left you. Or perhaps this is merely the month you re-use those green socks as dusting cloths.

* You don't have to jump in every month. If you do, cool. I would love the company, and welcome your tips and creativity and inspiration.

* You don't have to nail all three things -- Reducing, Reusing and Recycling -- every month. If you do, great. Because -- again -- I would love the company. But maybe some months, you're not up to thinking about how you'd have to smash the cursed leprechaun glasses by the light of a full moon, then dump them in the recycling bin.

* The point is for us to put our collective brains to use, and get a mental grip on our material worlds.

This month: I wll be reducing my prepackaged foods purchasing, after realizing that the one ten-year-old Tupperware container I used to tote a different lunch every day was probably less wasterful than the disposable junk from a week of Lean Cuisines. I will be re-using the plastic bottled-water bottles from work as cloches for my seedlings (protects them from slugs and snails). And I will find a way to recycle two cashmere sweaters that are now unwearable thanks to huge holes that got ripped in the arms and seams. (There's still a lot of nice -- and intact -- knit material there. Surely there's some crafty solution.)

So ... What will you be reducing this month? What about re-using? Recycling?

Comments

[Lauren]

I might be able to help you unravel those sweaters and knit something new. I've never done it myself but we could give it a try.

[KatieM]

I've got a good Reduce (or mabe its more of a Reuse?) this month: we're switching to cloth diapers! We have been throwing away 2-3 bags of dirty diapers each week not to mention spending tons of money. We used our last disposable a week ago and so far its going very well. Getting through March will be the test. Cloth is a little more work, but its also more fun since the diapers come in fun colors and prints!
Other RRR goals this month are to find new owners for some outgrown baby equipment and to buy a used bike trailer.

[Lisa]

KatieM, you are turning into this project's overachiever! With the paper towels and now the diapers ... I am very impressed!

Lauren, I would love to take you up on that offer. At the least, you'll have some cashmere yarn for other projects.

[Kerry]

You can also wash the cashmere to felt it and either cut & embroider appliques for cutesy sweaters, or make cat toys, or pillows....

[Jecca]

You could also make a french-press (or tea) cozy with the felted cashmere.

Reduce: I'm going to continue something that I started at the tail-end of Feb.: Reduce use of my office space heater by just wearing more layers and putting on my coat when I get cold. I'll also try to walk during my breaks and for part of my lunch to combat the body-temp. drop that comes from sitting perfectly still for hours at a time.

Reuse: I've finally put a ton of TJ's paper sacks into the trunk of my car. Now I just need to remember to take them into the store with me so that I can reuse them while avoiding getting new bags.

Recycle: Continue recycling at home (taking bags of recycling to special dumpster at one of J's surf spots). Keep decluttering and taking good-condition items to thrift store.

[Jane]

I was also thinking along the line of something for the cats with the cashmere......maybe cutting out blocks, say 4 x 4" and sewing several together in a square for a cozy little blanket to put down on the cats' favourite spot. The cats would probably like it and it might just prolong the life of the furniture. (Of course, what do the cats care - just put down the old sweater and they would probably be just as pleased -esthetics don't seem to be a big thing for our cats - but... maybe yours are different.) Covering the cats' special spots is always prudent at our house - just in case "Kitty" decides to indulge in his/her own "special" type of recycling - ie, horking up a hairball and most of its breakfast on a freshly made bed.

[Bureinato]

I like the felted cashmere tea cozy idea.

Reduce: I ran across an older article about reducing electricity use in the home and I'm going to try the suggestions.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1024/p13s02-lihc.html
What struck me was the 3rd paragraph where he was audited by the electric company because his usage had gone down so drastically. I'm going to pick up a few compact florescent bulbs and some power strips this month.

Recycle: the rest of the cardboard.

Reuse: Not inspired today, perhaps I'll think of something later on this month.

[Bureinato]

Sigh, I've linked the wrong article, I meant this one:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1130/p13s01-sten.html

[drunken monkey]

I'm going to reduce the number of magazines that I buy. The fact that I recycle them when I'm done isn't a good enough excuse for what makes its way into the apartment in the first place. So I'll second-guess all my purchases before getting to the register, keep track of what I do spend (I'm thinking I might be a little thrown by the number) and get subscriptions for the real keepers at the end of the month. I'll save trees and money!

I'm ordering new towels today and will get new sheets when my tax refund arrives, so I'll resurrect my goal of reusing the old sheets and towels as cleaning rags.

I can't think of anything for recycling right now. I'll just continue my usual efforts. I'm impressed with the reduction in the number of trash bags we throw down the chute since I've become diligent about getting the recyclables out to the bins behind my building.

[Ellen]

Does shoveling 18 inches of snow by hand count? Other than that, I've been slowly trying to reduce my paper towel usage. I've been working on the same two rolls since mid-fall, so it's going reasonably well.

I thought of you and the Swiffers in Target today. Method has a new line of Swiffer-like mop cloths that are made from corn fibers and billed as compostable. Not quite as sustainable as a rag or microfiber cloth, but could be a good halfway point.

[Julie]

Hey, drunken monkey, how about an idea for "reuse" of the magazines you buy? I bring mine with me to the doctor/dentist/hairdresser, etc. and leave them in the waiting room. Not a big stack, mind you, but maybe two (if they're 'zines I subscribe to, I cut off my address). That way, they get read more than once, and some other client gets to read a recent Entertainment Weekly or In Style instead of a 3-year-old Golf Digest. :)