Mrs Green’s 3Rs stories of the week
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Mrs Green is inspired by using gash wood and plastic to build a greenhouse
Welcome to another roundup of 3 Rs stories from around the net.
You’ll discover how to reduce, reuse or recycle to your heart’s content in order to live a zero waste lifestyle!
A Rubbish Greenhouse
I’m sure ‘Peaceful mama’ won’t mind me calling her greenhouse rubbish!
I was inspired by her post talking us through a recent building project where other people’s trash became her treasure.
The greenhouse plastic used to be huge industrial plastic bags destined for landfill while the wood shelving came from a neighbouring farmer who took down their shed.
Check out her Menus and Greenhouses post
Waste free gifts
Over on 365 Less things, Colleen shared an excellent post about gift giving.
Many of her readers have friends and relatives that give their children far too many “clutter” gifts, but when asked for ideas these parents’ minds go blank!
Split into age groups of 0-5, 6-12, 13-18 and up to 25 this list is a keeper for great presents without the clutter.
Check out “Children and alternative gift giving“.
How to reduce food waste
Over on Jonathan’s “wasted food” site, he shared a brilliant challenge with his readers.
In the US, the average person throws away 25% of the food they buy.
His challenge is simply to buy 25% less food when you shop. He reckons by doing this, it’s a no brainer way of stopping food waste!
Why not take the challenge yourself and see how you get on?
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We don’t waste that much food at all here. The idea is, as seen and heard on TV a lot recently, is to make a shopping list of everything you need for a week and shop at the supermarket once a week. The only food waste we have is usually cooked foods, any other stuff such as fruit and veg that is going off we compost.
Not just children but adults also get clutter gifts. Some families have made a rule only to buy presents at Christmas for the children or anybody under the age of 25. A step in the right direction.
I don’t want lots of cheap jewellery from supermarkets but the occasional piece handmade by a local person would be nice and supports the local economy. Same goes for chocolate. Much better to receive a small bar or bag of quality chocolate such as Lindt or Thorntons than a Cadbury’s selection box.
@Julie Day: I think a shopping list is a great idea but I have trouble only shopping once a week – this is something we could improve on.
@Teresa: We don’t tend to buy for adults either. I buy for my mum and dad and Mr Green; the rest are kiddy presents. I agree with your gift selections!
Ds’s junior school last year built a rubbish greenhouse. They asked parents to save as many 2L soft drink bottles as poss and they strung them onto canes to make the sides – 5-6 bottles high on top of each other. Through the neck and a hole drilled in the bottom if that makes sense. They got some donated wood and a carpenter dad knocked up a 4 side frame into which the bottle poles where then fixed.
it’s fabulous and very effective. the new Head is a keen gardener and with that and a small allotment space, there is school produce in the school kitchen where possible.
@LJayne: Sounds wonderful! A friend of mine is planning the same in a couple of weeks. I’m going to try to go along to help (and to be inspired!)
The only problem with many of the suggestions for clutter-free children’s gifts is the price! If I invite a kid to my child’s birthday party, his or her parent is not going to want to pay upwards of fifty pounds for a membership to the zoo or tickets to Legoland. And the kids may not be such close friends, or the parent available enough to suggest an outing. I’m surprised book vouchers weren’t on this list. Books aren’t clutter, in my opinion, especially as they can be passed on to friends or charity shops when no longer needed. Also, you can give a voucher for as little as five pounds (around the price of most of the junky plastic presents we seem to get), which will easily buy you a picture book or part of a longer one. Plus, you can support your favourite authors this way, by buying their books full-price, AND support your local independent bookshop! Win win win.
I suggested that we stop buying gifts for adults a few years ago, and perhaps do a secret Santa type thing with one family member taking on the task of buying one present of a higher value for one recipient, but dh wouldn’t appoach his family with it, so we’re (or should I say I) still trawling the shops, catalogues and internet for those illusive must have gifts for people we don’t see from one end of the year to the next!
Children are different, but after the age of about 10, they seem happier with money!
@Allison: Totally understand that; we tend to have a budget of less than £5 for kiddy presents as a rule too. Book tokens are a great present – LMG loves them 😀
@Poppy: Oh dear; that must be really difficult for you. We buy for the kids too, but I also have a small family so things are easier. LMG is big into money now 😉