Plastic Free July Day 10

We ran out of vinegar for cleaning, so I picked some more up in glass bottles.  Check to see if you have bulk vinegar near you (we don't).

Things I use vinegar to clean:

• Kitchen and bathroom counters
• Floors
• Toilets
• Dishwasher rinse cycle
• Mirrors and windows 
• Pretty much everything

I use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water in a spray bottle, and usually add a couple of drops of tea tree and lavender essential oils.

What's awesome about cleaning with vinegar (and baking soda):

• Non-toxic
• Way cheaper than "conventional" cleaners and expensive greenwashed products
• They work!

This fall, when we are eating lots of apples again, I would like to try making apple scrap vinegar.  The Zero Waste Chef has a recipe here.

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If you aren't familiar with Plastic Free July, take a look at this post.  Basically, it's a month-long challenge to reduce the amount of disposable plastic you use.  It's a great starting point if you just want to give cutting out disposable plastic a try.
 
My first Plastic Free July was in 2013(!), and this month I'd like to highlight some of the things I do to reduce my plastic use, and some struggles.  Many things are part of my routine at this point (buying in bulk, refusing plastic silverware, etc.), but I am not perfect, and I always find this challenge to be a good time to refocus and look at what trash I am actually producing. 

Plastic Free July Day 9

The last time I bought razor blades for me or my husband was three years ago.  For $15.

We still have a bunch left--about 2/3 of the box.

A safety razor was one of those plastic-free switches that saved us a whole ton of money.  I bought our safety razors at Life Without Plastic, and found our razor blades on Amazon here.  If you want to know more about shaving with a safety razor, read my post about it here.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link to Life Without Plastic, a company whose mission and products I fully support.

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If you aren't familiar with Plastic Free July, take a look at this post.  Basically, it's a month-long challenge to reduce the amount of disposable plastic you use.  It's a great starting point if you just want to give cutting out disposable plastic a try.
 
My first Plastic Free July was in 2013(!), and this month I'd like to highlight some of the things I do to reduce my plastic use, and some struggles.  Many things are part of my routine at this point (buying in bulk, refusing plastic silverware, etc.), but I am not perfect, and I always find this challenge to be a good time to refocus and look at what trash I am actually producing. 

Plastic Free July Day 8

 Plastic Free July is really about reducing the disposable plastic in your life.  Things like yogurt cups, and coffee pods and plastic bags.  It's not about replacing every item in your home that happens to be made with plastic.  But sometimes other things that aren't meant to be disposable (or maybe they are?) break.

Here are some things to consider before running out to a big box store to replace something.

• Do I need to replace the item at all?  Did I really use it a lot?
• Can it be repaired and still function well?  Am I able to repair it easily, or do I know someone nearby who can?
• Can I find a used version that is in good condition?
• If it's something I don't use a lot, can I borrow it from a friend or neighbor?
• Can I find and afford a sustainably made version of the item? (Produced without sweatshops, made of natural materials, etc.)

Two years ago, my plastic hairbrush broke and I bought a wooden replacement on Life Without Plastic (and one for my husband).  It is still going strong, and will last much longer than the plastic one it replaced, which wasn't even a year old when it broke.

Another smallish thing in our home I've chosen to replace with a new, but ethically made enamel dustpan and brush.  Our plastic one cracked a while ago and was no longer doing its job.  

Ninety-five percent of the furniture in our home is used, either from friends, Goodwill, Craigslist or off the street (save for our coffee table, which is actually locally made!).  Our couch is used from friends, we have a rocking chair from the side of the road, we got a really awesome mid-century record storage cabinet from Craigslist.

As I've said before, it's about finding a balance between not creating and buying a whole bunch of new stuff and supporting local businesses and companies who are doing the right thing and making ethical and well-made products.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link to Life Without Plastic, a company whose mission and products I fully support.

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If you aren't familiar with Plastic Free July, take a look at this post.  Basically, it's a month-long challenge to reduce the amount of disposable plastic you use.  It's a great starting point if you just want to give cutting out disposable plastic a try.
 
My first Plastic Free July was in 2013(!), and this month I'd like to highlight some of the things I do to reduce my plastic use, and some struggles.  Many things are part of my routine at this point (buying in bulk, refusing plastic silverware, etc.), but I am not perfect, and I always find this challenge to be a good time to refocus and look at what trash I am actually producing. 

Plastic Free July Day 7

One of the most frustrating things for me is when a store stops carrying a plastic-free/bulk option I had been relying on.  For instance, a long time ago, our Whole Foods used to have bulk oil and vinegar.  It was wonderful.  No longer :(

Anyway, we get semi-local humanely raised whole chickens from Whole Foods.  They used to be shipped to the store without packaging, but now they come pre-wrapped.  We don't live in an area where there are a lot of other options, and our farmers market has no meat or eggs.  (We do buy other meat at the butcher counter plastic-free).

We buy a chicken about once every two weeks or so, but we try to make it last.  After we have gotten three or so meals out of it, I use the carcass to make homemade chicken stock.
Making homemade chicken stock is super easy:

• Throw your chicken carcass in the pot.  
• Put in an onion, a couple of carrots and stalks of celery.  
• Season with a bay leaf, peppercorns, allspice, etc.  
• Add a dash of apple cider vinegar.  
• Cook for several hours (you can even do this in the crock pot, although I usually do it on the stove top)
• Freeze, or refrigerate and use in the next couple of days.

Here is a picture of the chicken stock being cooked:



You will never buy store bought chicken stock again.  And even if your chicken comes wrapped in plastic like mine, you will be making enough chicken stock that the waste created by the chicken wrapper is much less than the waste created by the cans or tetra packs of store bought chicken broth. 🐓🐓🐓

Plastic Free July Day 6

On Wednesdays, our town has a farmers market.  There is a local organic farmer who has some really nice produce.  (My husband went this week, thanks for bringing back such nice veggies :)

This week we got:

• Summer squash
• Zucchini
• White eggplant & regular eggplant
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Kale

Farmers markets are a great place to get produce.  You are supporting your local economy, and you can get produce that is grown in a more sustainable way than what you can find at the grocery store.  (And there are no plastic produce stickers or saran wrap to be found!)  Make sure to take your own bags when you go.

Talk to the farmers there to find out their growing practices.  Organic certification can be expensive, and there may be farms that follow sustainable practices but just don't have the certification.  Avoid vendors who just bring in produce from all over the country or different parts of the world (having out of season produce is a red flag).  To find a farmers market near you, you can go to Local Harvest.