Remember me? I was the odd girl in class who would not stop wearing her "Earth Day Every Day" t-shirt or the one that showed how to spell "whale" in sign language and braille. They were my favorites, so don't be mean okay? Once, in 7th grade, a girl called me "some kind of environmentalist hippie chick or something" and I was on cloud nine all day, though I'm not entirely sure she meant it in a nice way.
So it should come as no surprise that I'm crazy about recycling. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to do it:
- Shop at thrift stores! I especially love finding a sweet deal on jeans when I'm thrifting. I love that because they're second-hand, those jeans have been washed over and over again, so when I try them on I know exactly how they'll fit. Thrift stores are also excellent places to find some great deals on unique dishes and fabrics (look for cotton sheets you can use as quilt backs or make into cute skirts).
- Think before you toss! Even if you're putting it in the recycling bin, ask yourself "can I use this in place of something I might end up buying otherwise?" This is one of my recent favorite examples:
I made cheese last summer, and felt guilty pouring all that whey down the drain. So I bottled it and used it in place of the water the next few times I baked our bread. Simple!
- Use the library! I am a recovering book junkie. Don't let that fool you, I'm still just as mad about books as I've always been. I just spend more time at the library than the bookstore these days. And if there's a book I want, I put in a request. The library usually has a brand new copy of it for me in a few weeks, that will hopefully be enjoyed by many others in my community after I'm done with it.
- Precycle as much as possible! When I'm considering bringing something new into my house, I like it to have at least two possible uses. If not, I think twice. Now, not everything I choose to own fits that description, but I feel better knowing that I've really been thoughtful about it.
So it should come as no surprise that I'm crazy about recycling. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to do it:
- Shop at thrift stores! I especially love finding a sweet deal on jeans when I'm thrifting. I love that because they're second-hand, those jeans have been washed over and over again, so when I try them on I know exactly how they'll fit. Thrift stores are also excellent places to find some great deals on unique dishes and fabrics (look for cotton sheets you can use as quilt backs or make into cute skirts).
- Think before you toss! Even if you're putting it in the recycling bin, ask yourself "can I use this in place of something I might end up buying otherwise?" This is one of my recent favorite examples:
I made cheese last summer, and felt guilty pouring all that whey down the drain. So I bottled it and used it in place of the water the next few times I baked our bread. Simple!- Use the library! I am a recovering book junkie. Don't let that fool you, I'm still just as mad about books as I've always been. I just spend more time at the library than the bookstore these days. And if there's a book I want, I put in a request. The library usually has a brand new copy of it for me in a few weeks, that will hopefully be enjoyed by many others in my community after I'm done with it.
- Precycle as much as possible! When I'm considering bringing something new into my house, I like it to have at least two possible uses. If not, I think twice. Now, not everything I choose to own fits that description, but I feel better knowing that I've really been thoughtful about it.
How about you? What are your favorite ways to recycle?
Oh, and happy Earth Day! (It is every day, you know! :)
Oh, and happy Earth Day! (It is every day, you know! :)
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