Day 159- Shopping

So, my friend Katie over at The Katie Chronicles has this thing called Wednesday link-up. This is where you shop one site for cool stuff, this week is Etsy, and since Etsy is pretty eclectic I figured, hey let's shop for plastic alternatives. Or something.... Yeah.... Something.






First: STRAWS

Yes, we all know I love straws. But these are especially awesome because they have anchors and go with my navy and white/khaki wardrobe. Score. 

Coasters- And these are so pretty! These are great to make sure that your furniture stays water ring free. Yes, I know most coasters are not plastic, but I am also on a coaster kick this year. 

Water bottles- perfect for those like me that lose water bottles like pens. At least I can bean someone with these if someone tries to steal from me.

Day 102- At least I think it's day 102

So, as I've mentioned before; once The Hubbs and I got through that first push, going plastic free is pretty easy. As a general rule, unless we are buying food, we don't have much of an issue. And I'm sure you all want to hear about my day to day comments.... Hey lookie! I cut my toe nails. Weeeee!

Things have been changing recently, though. Spring has definitely sprung here in the great white north. This means that I can FINALLY go to the farmers market. I love farmers markets, I would seriously go to one daily if I could. Unfortunately, I have illusions of grandeur with regard to markets. I want there to be thousands of vendors and I want there to be gorgeous fruit and veggies. In reality, it's a bunch of herbs (in plastic!) and jelly. Though, I do like jelly. It's delicious. Well, I don't need herbs, the Hubbs built me an awesome herb garden for our balcony. I will keep trying the market; it has to get good sometime, yes?

Speaking of herbs, we found that we wouldn't really be able to make bruschetta or caprese salad this summer without herbs like basil. And he can't make terrible things with cilantro (which tastes like soap) without, well, cilantro. We also couldn't buy a little container, because they were plastic. So, he made one! Now we have 8 little pots with herbs in them! The Hubbs got wood, and terra cotta pots, and we requisitioned some soil from the apartment complex. With a little tool action, we have a balcony herb garden, it's pretty exciting.

See our little basil?

So that's our exciting news for now.

Soon, I'll have a LUSH product review and the battle of clothes shopping. 

Day 74- I confess

So it's been a while, I think it's mostly shame. Shame of buying plastic water bottles. Since my last post, I've gone on a binge. I really want to blame it on traveling, considering that's when I wind up getting them; but I also brought one home from work. In that time I have also lost two, yes, TWO reusable bottles. I almost lost the second one twice. So needless to say, it's been a bad few weeks.

The upside is that beside the bottles, the Hubbs and I have been doing really well. The Hubbs takes food with him to work, and I have as well. So that means less plastic! Yay! And I've also ordered a glass straw. I'm a little on the fence about the straw, it's creepy! Whenever I think about glass straws all I can think about is Chinese torture.

Here is your useless info for the day: There is a form of Chinese torture where one inserts a glass straw up a urethra... and then breaks it in situ. Sounds wonderful, right? Anywho, that's what I think about when I think of glass straws. Maybe it'll be pretty and then I won't care!  So we shall see.

In the meantime, it's off to the camping store to get some new water bottles. I'm thinking stainless steel. Thoughts?

Day 53- Wedding stuff

Note: I may have been slightly hyperbolic about cadbury eggs. I like them, but normally I don't have more than 8 a year.

ANYwho (MOM), this past weekend the Hubbs and I went to a wedding in Dallas. It was really very beautiful, and the first wedding that we've been to as a married couple. During the dinner and cocktail hour I noticed that there was lots of plastic cups and plates. This got me thinking about our wedding and how much plastic there was that day. But really, there wasn't that much plastic (and!! I have pictures for you) at all. Let me explain.

Let's talk about decor first. Yes, I did order table clothes instead of renting them and they all came in individual plastic bags and I had a ridiculous amount of cranberries, but that was about it. All of the centerpieces were wheat wrapped in ribbon, sticks stuck in cranberries ( I think we practically had a bog  there) and candles with rocks. So mostly plastic free, yes?

I must confess as a general rule I'm cheap, so when we picked out serving ware,  I didn't want to pay for real china. We had Whole Foods cater the whole wedding so one of their options is something called verterra plates. Turns out that verterra plates are made of the fallen leaves of the gumdrop, and they also look really cool. In addition to the verterra plates, we had cups made of corn and normal silver wear. We also had normal plates for cake; because really, who wants to scrape frosting off fallen leaves of the gumdrop?

And the best part? Whole Foods was awesome and composted the leftovers and my bog of cranberries. So, it is possible to be pretty plastic free. But if I thought of this idea before the wedding, now THAT would be a blog! 

Day 47- The Joys of Easter

Wow, I've been AWOL for a while. Sorry 'bout that. I do have some fun updates though!

1) As most of you know, it's Lent right now. I am sad to say that I was unable to find a King Cake, which is just as well. Will won't eat King Cake until the baby is found, so I would be eating King Cake for days. Anyway, for Lent I gave up bacon. I was really good for the first 3 days, but then it was Sunday and I couldn't have bacon, so I had oatmeal. Let me just tell you, in case you didn't know, oatmeal does not compare to bacon. In case you are wondering, the Hubbs gave up soda.

2) At the end of Lent is Easter! I LOVE Easter, both for the bunnies and for the ham; it's my second favorite holiday. The best thing about Easter is the eggs. I don't just mean the deviled eggs, but also the Cadbury eggs. Now, I don't know if you've ever had a Cadbury Egg, but they are full of gooey tastiness.  I gorge on them for 2 weeks and I'm over it, but I do look forward them every year. The BEST part? They are foil wrapped, so my Easter is totally fair game. Sadly I can't nestle them in a bed of astroturf grass, but maybe I can get some weeds off the side of the road. Oh, yes. And Easter also means deviled eggs.

3) I've decided that this blog needs more pictures, I mean, who wants to READ? Last week, I bought some really cool wrap things, called kids konserve wraps.

Let me disclaim that, yes, these are plastic, but they are also reusable and they have a Velcro so they really well. Of course, I grew up in California and lived in Texas, so I have mad burrito wrapping skills.   I can use them to wrap cheese and take left overs. I've been carrying one around in my purse so if I need to take leftovers I'm not unprepared. Sadly, they came from a website called ecobabybuys, which freaked The Hubbs out. He was a little freaked out by baby things coming to the house.

So there you are, one picture!

 

Day 38- I have comments!

I just realized that I have a total of three comments. I feel so loved! No really, I do, it's like I'm a blog celeb. I'm on the W list, eat your heart out Kathy Griffin.

So, I would like to tell you about The Hubs and his amazing shopping skills. As some of you know, I have been vexed by toilet paper for a while. I suppose I could get off my lazy bum and find a janitorial supply shop to find paper wrapped paper. That seems a little redundant, but eh, whatevs. But Will found paper wrapped paper at Whole Foods. AND HOLY CRAP!!! I just looked online at Staples, and I can totally buy TP wrapped in paper. And I can have a glorious 48 rolls at a time. TP FOR ALL!! Ok people, you can come to my house and use the bathroom now. I know you are all piddling your pants in joy, but at least you have something to wipe with. Ok, enough TP jokes.

We also have been looking for mayo, well Will has been looking for mayo, I was content to make it at home. I don't know if you remember, but mayo used to come in those wavy glass jars? Then you get to use the jar to hold nuts and bolts and stuff? Yeah, doesn't happen anymore. Now we have easy squeezy jars, but we can't buy those. So anyway, not only did The Hubs get TP, but he also found mayo and old school milk containers. So for those of you keeping track- I can now have my sweet taters with a garlic mayo. I had it tonight, it was good. Then I ran to the store today and I found plastic free q-tips! Today, I feel that I defeated plastic.


My friend Erika also found this article for me: Beyond BPA

I haven't had a chance to can a lot of things, but the farmers markets are opening soon!

Day 33- Post Disney Bloat

As no one knew, the Hubbs and I went to Disney! It was really fun and an even bigger challenge to work with our plastic free lifestyle.

We brought a nalgene with us, and didn't buy a single bottle of water the whole time! But I couldn't stay away from 1) straws and 2) mickey mouse ice cream. I can't help it, I like to nibble his ears. Sorry Mickey. The interesting thing about disneyworld is that the staff or "cast member" is not allowed to give you  lidless cups. Though I kept trying to give the lids back, but alas, my Margarita needs to be lidded. Thank you sir, I shan't drop a drop.


So that's about the most exciting thing that has happened recently. We are doing some house shopping this weekend. That'll be a post.... The plastic free move.