It's Sunshine Awareness Week at Kitchen Stewardship! I'm burned on half my body as a result of testing natural sunscreens...be sure to check all this week's posts for the scoop on what works, what doesn't, and when (if?) we need sunblock at all, along with over $400 in sun protection giveaways. Check out the natural sunblock review for the scoop.
Make sure you don't miss a thing by subscribing via RSS or email.
We are in the midst of the season responsible for more trash than any other.
What?
Did you expect me to say more JOY than any other?
I want to feel joyful about the earth I’m leaving behind for my kids. I’m building their faith lives, but I teach them about being good stewards, too.
Our family creates one garbage bag of trash every week. That’s with a baby in diapers (I know, I know…disposables are so naughty. I haven’t jumped that hurdle yet.). Without diapers, we can stretch one bag to two weeks if it’s cold enough to keep the nastiness frozen and not-so-tempting to the neighborhood critters.
Your mental mission this week, just something to think about, not to act upon, is to consider how much and what kind of waste your household produces.
Try to find ONE WAY that you think you can reduce what you throw away. I’ll provide some great ideas and incentives in upcoming Monday Missions.
If you really have extra brain power this week, contemplate all the disposable items you use especially because of the gatherings and hooplah of the season. Is it necessary? Let’s explore that together as we work on
It’s the latest alliterative theme at Kitchen Stewardship. Get ready to reduce your waste (or share your strategies if you’re already a waste-less or low-waste diva)!
———————————————
Win it! Your choice of FOUR Biokleen eco-friendly cleaners!
If you want to reduce your waste, be sure to sign up for an email subscription or grab my reader feed. You can also follow me on Twitter.
If you missed the last Monday Mission, click here.
Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money. If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.
Hungry for more? Related posts:
Over the last couple of years since I started making so much food from home as well as consciously being aware of what I throw away. We used to FILL a large 96 gallon garbage bin each week. I now haven’t taken out our garbage (I forget All. The. Time.!) going on 3 weeks and it’s about half full.
I don’t even have to worry about recycling. I don’t buy cans and most the glass jars I buy get reused for storing other kitchen items!
Hopefully next year we can lower the amount we toss if I can convince my husband I NEED a compost bin!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Donielle,
Have you seen this totally easy and about $15 way to make a compost bin?
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Duh, sorry, here’s the link – http://simplemom.net/how-to-make-a-compost-bin/
[Reply to this comment]
Great topic! I personally have stopped purchasing paper towels and instead use kitchen towels to wipe up messes, as well as worn-out t-shirts that have been cut into squares for wiping down mirrors and windows. And, I’ve stopped buying traditional cleaners in favor of using the tried-and-true recipe of vinegar and water solution (for which I have a reusable spray bottle so no need to purchase more bottles.) I also use baking soda a lot and either recycle the box when it’s empty, or throw it in the wood stove this time of year.
[Reply to this comment]
I’m so glad you chose this theme! It surely is an important issue, and especially at this time of year. Some kinds of reusable things (like cloth napkins, handkerchiefs, and steel water bottles) make great gifts!
I wrote a post last summer about the difference between real dishes and disposables, and last month I rewrote it to be more specific to my parish and e-mailed it to the parish list. I was nervous that people would feel criticized or nagged, but the response was 100% positive, and some people said they were inspired to change habits at home as well as at church! Click my name for the original post.
‘Becca´s last blog ..Silk Underlayers
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Becca,
Katie
I read your article – fabulously written, touching and very poignant with truth. Thank you for sharing!
[Reply to this comment]
Erm, out here in the country, we burn all trash that can be burned. I have to admit that I’ve not investigated the environmental impact of that.
Becca, thanks for linking up your post. Very neat!
I’ll send you an e-mail with a lead on cloth diapers, just in case. :>)
Lenetta @ Nettacow´s last blog ..Frugal Advent Wreath
[Reply to this comment]
cloth diapers are SO easy, make the switch!!! Going to cloth diapers was tons easier than giving up paper towels. come on, you know you can do it. (do you feel the peer pressure?)
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Heh heh heh…yes, I feel the pressure! I really wanted to make the switch when Lovey Girl was ~10 mos. old, but I as afraid of investing more $ than I would spend on disposables before she potty-trained, since I don’t know God’s plans for the size of our family. If we conceive again, I’m in!
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Ugh – I’ve fallen behind on washing my kitchen towels and have used more paper towels than usual the past couple weeks.
@karen – Dh and I have talked about starting a family and we’ve mentioned saving money ideas to my mom. She’s a post-partum nurse and is totally against cloth diapers. I’ll just keep my plans – she’s the same one who goes through 4 rolls of Bounty just between her and my dad!
I too have wondered about the environmental impact of burning. We burn only wood, but the thought is there.
K @ Prudent and Practical´s last blog ..Dresser Drawer to Designer Dog Bed
[Reply to this comment]
Lenetta @ Nettacow Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 10:25 am
K, I’m curious as to why she’s not a fan. Any particular reason?
[Reply to this comment]
K @ Prudent and Practical Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
I don’t know. She’s a baby-boomer nurse, super-germaphobe. She’s extremely concerned that I’m (just-turned) 26 and childless so the “baby” topic comes up all the time. To make it short, I said something about breastfeeding and cloth-diapering. Her response: “Ew, yuck, honey, why would you do that to yourself? Those are A LOT of work. And what if the baby doesn’t want to breastfeed.” I backed myself up, but she kept rambling. I’ll just continue being the “black sheep” of my family!
K @ Prudent and Practical´s last blog ..Christmas Baking: Biscotti
[Reply to this comment]
as if i need more reasons to love the PNW…recycling is MANDATORY here. if they find recylables in your trash, you can be fined. We also have yard waste & food waste recycling. i do it all & i love it. the few paper plates, paper towels & paper napkins i use go into food waste for compost. as do greasy pizza boxes & starbucks cups. in the city of seattle, restaurant take-out boxes have to be compostable. at UW, their food service system prides itself on being fully compostable. compostable disposable silverware…so cool!
surprised to hear you’re not on the CD bandwagon, Katie.
tonya´s last blog ..rcwant2be: RT @animalag: What’s in a name? Good discussion of public perception of "farmers," "producers," and "factory farms" http://bit.ly/8K1OMj
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Wow, what an awesome testament to environmentalism! CD, I know, I know…the reader pressure is intense here!
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Alison Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 4:47 am
Katie, don’t feel bad for not using cloth. I’ve used cloth diapers, off & on, for about 3 years of my total of 5 1/2 years of diapering so far. At that time I bought them I already knew the overall impact was similar for cloth dipes and sposies (here’s a current summary http://www.grist.org/article/wee-wee-wee-all-the-way-home ) I initially switched to them mostly from pressure from my friends in my “natural living” moms group. I used daily for about a year initially; then for months at a time off & on to save on the costs of buying sposies. I have a front loader washing machine so water & detergent use is relatively low but both my kids are, uh, frequent in their output of um, well, sticky/gooshy, solid waste so the cleaning process is not as quick & simple as I was led to believe by my friends… Also I’ve noticed that it is very easy to spend a LOT of money on cute, handmade covers and various styles of diapers–note all the ebay listings saying “barely used, selling my CD stash…” (and some are still $20+ second-hand!). So now when friends ask my opinion I say use cloth diapers if it helps your child with diaper rash or you will enjoy it as a hobby, otherwise use sposies and focus on the green lifestyle choices that will be with your family for your child’s entire life–ie limit driving, reduce packaging & waste, try to use washable dishes, cutlery and napkins, etc. etc. No matter how “ideal” one’s diapering choice is, one’s child won’t remember it!
[Reply to this comment]
'Becca Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Alison, you have some good points. I’m a professional researcher (but in social science, not environmental) and I haven’t yet seen a comparison of cloth and disposable diapers that didn’t have a gaping flaw in its logic, for example comparing the impact of one DIAPER of each kind instead of one USE of each kind of diaper…but I can believe that the difference is not really that big.
What sold me on cloth diapers was the idea of reusing vs. making heaps of garbage, plus the aesthetics–sposies feel and smell bad to me, worse that disposable maxi-pads which I can’t stand to use myself, so why would I put them on my baby? Then when I started diapering, I found that the cloth ones were just superior diapers: no blowouts, less odor, adjustable absorbency! Click my name for my article on the subject.
Katie, I do think it is wise to resist the pressure to switch diapering systems now since this baby may be your last. However, when you start toilet-training her, consider using underpants under cloth-diaper covers (to reduce leaks) instead of super-absorbent Pullups which may prevent her from being aware of accidents. It worked really well for us!
‘Becca´s last blog ..Rambling Sprawl Estates
[Reply to this comment]
Alison Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Becca, I like your idea of underpants under cloth dipe covers for potty training (especially since I have all the pieces already), will have to try it for my younger son when he is ready to learn. And, hmmm, maybe for my older boy who has been sleeping through his body’s signals at night!
Enjoying the dialogue, Alison
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
January 7th, 2010 at 3:10 am
You gals are awesome! K, let’s be black sheep together as long as our world and our kids are better for it.
Alison and Becca, thank you both for the tips. It’s really fun that readers are having conversations with each other!
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
I’m just finding this post today…we haven’t thrown anything out today, but we have been doing a few improvements:
using cloth napkins (haven’t bought paper napkins in almost 1 year)
use microfiber cloths (instead of paper towels – although we still use pt – just in more limited ways)
Something I hope to do this next year is to buy some good SS water bottles & SS thermos containers so we can give up our plastic water bottle routine & take hot lunches with us to our homeschool co-op!
Ellen´s last blog ..Slug & Ant Giveaway!!!
[Reply to this comment]
I keep thinking I will start using my cloth napkins, but I seem to accumulate paper ones that certainly need to be used more than once. My dog and I do a pet therapy visit once a week at a hospital I used to work at, and as a volunteer, I get food coupons to use in their bistro, so eat my dinner there on that particular day. They have the nice dinner napkins, so when I’m finished using one, I stick it in my pocket or fanny pack (hoping no one sees me & thinks me a bit neurotic) and continue to use it at home until it’s falling apart. Then I put it in a paper bag under my sink and use it to wipe out greasy pans before I wash them.
I do use paper towels occasionally to wrap potatoes for baking in the microwave, but will use them a second or third time for the same purpose. Then, they, too, go into the paper bag until I need them for wiping out grease — or cleaning up a spot on the floor.
[Reply to this comment]