eco challenge time!!!

[spiralgirl]

Ok we used to do this alot- just been thinking about it, and we ALWAYS all have ways we could be more eco..Ive just read an awesome book ( that Kaoss leant me) about a family not spending for 6 months and being self sustaining and the eco changes they made and its got me pretty motivated! I think of myself as green, but there are so many things i could change

anyway, its always easier when broken down into smaller chunks - hence the challenge!

we always used to do one challenge that we all tried for the month, ( like we all tried to accept no plastic bags that month, or we all tried to plant a tree that month or whatever) Im thinking that we can do that again OR we can just all make a personal pledge for the month of a change we think we can make ( because we are all at a different stage in our eco-ness) does that make sense??

***off to buy luffas to replace kitchen sponges as we speak***

[mama_bel]

I use crocheted and knitted cotton dishcloths and they're brilliant. I also use luffas but mainly the cotton ones. Love 'em. I've just started stocking them at Spiral Garden. They aren't really a toy and maybe an unusual gift, but one I'd be happy to receive any day!

I've been cutting up old tea towels and things to use as rags. I haven't really done that before, so that's a new eco thing for me I guess.

I am going to plant some seeds. I've bought more seedlings this year than usual, because I've been disorganised, but I'm going to start a heap of vegies in punnets and trays now that we've had some rain and I can garden again. :) So planting seeds is my eco challenge for the month.

[spiralgirl]

i saw those crochet dishcloths in your shop and wondered if they are better than a luffa actually....but the reason i was thinking luffa is that i can chuck them in the compost when im done with them and they will break down pretty quick

so you find them better than a luffa??

[mama_bel]

Oh, yes! I have had my dishcloths for aaaaaaaaaaages - over a year - and they are washed daily here (I have about 8). They're a little out of shape (more a rectangle from hanging on the line) but they're just great. The perfect amount of texture to clean off grime, but soft enough to give a near-dry finish to the bench etc. Love 'em.

I'm going to slowly replace our bathroom terry face washers with the bamboo ones. Our terry ones are getting a bit tired. :) I'll recycle the bathroom ones as rags of course!

Luffas are good for scrubbing gunk, but then they get full of it in the kitchen and so have short lives. They're great in the shower with a slither of soap shoved inside - especially for feet! And they're good for cleaning the shower and basin and our car and, and, and. Yeh, luffas are good and you can compost 'em but you can also compost cotton washcloths if they ever die! They have to easily last 40 times longer so are more economical (and hygienic IMO) than luffas for dishes. :)

Just my 2c (and a bit more). x

[sarah bean]

yup all my dishcloths are ones I've knitted from cotton or bamboo or mixes and they've been going strong for, hrm well ages :2lol A year or so.

I'm thinking I could challenge myself to something that is embarrasingly basic but (huge ugly confession) since moving here, we've not had a recycling bin because it was sooo expensive. So all my recycling has been going in the rubbish bin (ack, don't shoot me please).

So this month I will make it my mish to see if there is somewhere I can drive to once a month or so and take my recycling to myself. There are in NZ, as well as free kerbside recycling collection weekly, so i'm hoping there's recycling stations here to use for free too? Well I'll suss it out this month :)

[skn]

Sarah, do you mean the recycling bins with the yellow lids that stay outside? Or are you after an inside recycling bin?

Anyway, I think that's a good challenge. I don't trust the council garbage/recycling pick-up, I swear I've seen them put the recycling bin contents into the rubbish section of the truck.

[spiralgirl]

sarah recycling with kerbside bins is free here!!! if you dont ahve a yellow topped bin at your house, then contac the council for one

[spiralgirl]

bel im sold - will order some from you ASAP ( hubby was thinking luffa would get too gunky in the kitchen - he rolled his eyes when i told him in fact)

[sarah bean]

i dont live in a house :oops

we pay for rubbish bin/collection and pay more again for recycling bin/collection

[mrs fox]

I pledge to lower the chemical use in house and garden.
I have a spray bottle of vinegar hanging in each shower and a small container of bi carb paste (with little scrubing brush) in both bathroom vanities so the products are just there and I can use them every day/second day.

I am planning on replacing the soaps/hair care/skin care products etc with organic/earth friendly/human friendly products once the current ones are empty(so as not to waste the dollars already spent).

I do not accept plastic or paper shopping bags! I carry my eco bags everywhere, they are stored in the car and I have a few that are folded up in my handbag, I even have a little home made drawstring bag in the boys school bags just in case they have an accident or need to bring things home from school.

I am also thinking of the xmas pressent for the boys this year may include those tin lunchboxes(saw them at the going green expo).
I have more ideas but must stop blabbing!:hyper

[Rinelle]

I have actually knitted some acrylic squares for using for washing up in the kitchen. Not as eco-friendly, as they can't be composted, but they work really well for removing grease etc, kind of like those microcloths. I use some similar rags from an old acrylic jumper to clean the bath/shower/basin too, and I find they work really well. I wash them, and reuse them, so I figure at least it's better than buying any of the short life rags from the store, and I'm only using acrylic wool that I already had anyway, so...

[spiralgirl]

well currently i buy eco -ish washcloths ( vileda brand) and a sponge for the kitchen - im already going to use cut up rags to replace washcloths .....it was the sponge i needed to replace....and they get manky and get thrown out alot, so something that is washable to reuse AND compostable is perfect

[sarah bean]

I am also thinking of the xmas pressent for the boys this year may include those tin lunchboxes(saw them at the going green expo).
I have more ideas but must stop blabbing!:hyper

i got my 5yo a tin lunchbox from kmart :D just a crappy ben 10 thing, but he loves it and it keeps me happy. Also have one the same that my 3yo uses that i got a thousand years ago somewhere equally cheap and random that was housing first aid stuff until we moved here and started the school/daycare gig ;)

[spiralgirl]

im looking at these for school lunch boxes :

http://www.buttnatural.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=73

[spiralgirl]

sarah - sorry about the recycling thing- what kind of living is it? units and complexes should still have recycling ( sorry i know nothing of your arrangements)

[emd]

We're pretty good at home, although I'd like to replace the Filth Pot in the kitchen. It's an old stockpot with one broken handle for holding waste til we empty it into the outside compost bin. Takes ages to fill as most of the waste goes into the recycling, chook bucket, or landfill bins. So it gets totally stinky and mouldy by the time it's full, and it's hard to carry a heavy stockpot with one broken handle. I'm going to get a new recycling bin for the bathroom, and turn the tiny bathroom recycling bin into the compost bin - and use compostable cornstarch liner bags in it so it doesn't require washing every time it's emptied.

[sarah bean]

im looking at these for school lunch boxes :

http://www.buttnatural.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=73

stainless lunch boxes would be looovely, coz you could just pack stuff straight in with no other layer, noice. :nod

[Snoozie]

I always have such good intentions and then it all goes to pot.

I'm just working on one step at a time trying to get things to stay happening!

[SeaStar]

I crochet and knit my dishcloths and they are brilliant, wash and wear well and best of all work better than the sop sponges etc.

I am trying to buy things with less packaging. I bought some sandwhich wrap things for the girls today and love those stainless lunchboxes!

[quigybopp]

My DH just finished that book Spiral! It's a gr8 read! We are trying to grow luffas but I have never used them as a dishcloth b4! We are slowly trying new things to be more eco friendly. I am in the process of making organic cloth nappies for DS and pads for me. Found another great read called Gorgeously Green. Has real fantastic tips.