Author Topic: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?  (Read 7061 times)

Astatine

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Like What small things did YOU do today to save money, what small things did you do today to reduce waste or your environmental impact?

The reducing waste aspect of mustachianism appeals to me at least as much as the frugality side of things.

Today we dropped off books to charity and some household stuff at the recycling shed at the rubbish tip. Hubby wanted some lawn furniture so we can comfortably sit outside in the garden. We found 3 super comfy outdoor chairs at the recycling shed, cost $5 each.

Greg

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2014, 09:57:50 PM »
Not much today but yesterday I made a dump run which included a trip to the recycling center to recycle oil, filters, and drop off styrofoam which they also recycle.  They have a special place for CFL bulbs and Li batteries as well.

Called a neighbor and took their stuff too.

BooksAreNerdy

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2014, 07:09:58 AM »
Cloth diapered the babe
Line dried two loads of laundry

oinkette

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2014, 11:47:26 AM »
Same as I do every day: Take the bus, re-use coffee mug, water bottle, ceramic plates and silverware at work instead of disposables. This past weekend I picked up my repaired shoes (instead of just tossing them out as un-donateable). 

Catbert

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2014, 01:47:30 PM »
Composted (daily occurrence).
Canned 5 pints of homegrown tomatoes
 

lemanfan

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2014, 02:01:48 PM »
Walked to work. Walked home.  Drank water instead of beer.

And yeah - donated the Shrek 2 DVD to the local goodwill store.  Hopefully someone else or their kids can watch it now.

LibrarIan

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2014, 02:11:57 PM »
Took the bus into work. I'm getting my bikes repaired later so I can continue being car-free (for the most part) and then I'm hitting up the library (hey - they're all about reusing).

Astatine

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2014, 03:10:58 PM »
Hubby and I are catching the bus to work today. No cheaper than cost of parking and petrol, but it is lower impact.

sheepstache

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2014, 08:25:36 PM »
Cafeteria was going to throw out some cake so I selflessly volunteered to eat it to keep it out of a landfill.

Snow White

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2014, 08:46:59 PM »
I took two t-shirts that were damaged and altered them to be able to keep wearing them and they were purchased from Goodwill to begin with two years ago!  I also mended a pair of hubby's pants.  We really try to wear our clothes out and not just immediately replace them when they get shabby.

Astatine

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2014, 02:17:13 AM »
Cafeteria was going to throw out some cake so I selflessly volunteered to eat it to keep it out of a landfill.

So selfless and virtuous!

Squirrel away

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2014, 04:34:28 AM »
Collected a bag of clothing to send to a local textile recycling place.

Bagged up some crockery to take to a charity shop this week. They are in very good condition so someone will probably buy them.

Used up scraps from the fridge and random vegetables to make my usual soup lunches again.

Cleaned the kitchen and bathroom with white vinegar.




Astatine

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2014, 04:41:31 AM »
A friend pointed out yesterday that the bag holding the 5kg of rice we bought a few months ago could be repurposed into garden ties, ie to attach tomato and snow pea plants to stakes. So that's a future project.

Hubby realised his nice belt is falling apart (only bought it 2 and a bit years ago for our wedding). It's now on the coffee table to remind me to try to repair it this weekend.

The clip on his pedometer broke last week, so he's been attaching it to his belt with a rubber band since then. Today he emailed the company asking for a replacement clip so he can keep using the pedometer without having to replace the whole thing.

chaitea

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2014, 12:15:32 PM »
I have coffee meetings with clients. I try to bring my to-go mug. It saves my company ten cents but really I just want to give paper cups out of the landfill.

I also live in an apartment complex with no garden/compost space. I bokashi my organic food bits so it ferments them and I can take it to a compost plant later. It's not smelly. And I save waste from going the landfill where it would be in an oxygenless zone so it would just decompose and create methane gas.

VirginiaBob

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2014, 12:36:26 PM »
I saved up a bunch of old motor oil from decades of oil changes, and dumped it all in the Chesapeake Bay so that it could be naturally filtered by the sun and oysters. 

MayDay

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2014, 12:38:47 PM »
Drive to a nearby organic farm (too far to bike) picked a ton of half spoiled bell peppers, am currently cutting off bad spots, roasting, and freezing.

Composted all scraps.

Line dried laundry.

Reusable everything for kids lunches (no single serve Crap)

Set up terracycle program at elementary school to recycle squeeze applesauce, juice pouches, and granola bar wrappers at elementary school.

Kept heat/ac off since weather is great (Wtf neighbors!)

Write Thyme

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2014, 03:16:51 PM »
Reused my stainless steel water bottle and coffee travel bottle.
Brought leftovers to work with glass "tupperware" and reused plastic ziplocks.

merula

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2014, 03:40:22 PM »
Changed a cloth diaper. Took the bus to work. Used my reusable water bottle. Ate lunch out of reusable containers.

And I'm about to bring a banana peel home because I found out the cleaning person replaces the whole trash bag if there's anything in it. So now I'm hoarding desk trash and throwing it away in the bathroom, and as long as I'm hoarding I should take the compostable stuff home and deal with it there.

Astatine

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #18 on: October 02, 2014, 02:44:07 AM »
I saved up a bunch of old motor oil from decades of oil changes, and dumped it all in the Chesapeake Bay so that it could be naturally filtered by the sun and oysters.

I'm assuming this was a sarcastic/tongue in cheek response given that's close to the worst possible thing you could have done with the used engine oil, in one of the more polluted (the most?) waterways in the US?

Squirrel away

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #19 on: October 03, 2014, 04:15:24 AM »
Urm, I did use the tumble dyer but I lined dried my bed covers.

The heating is still not switched on as we are having an Indian Summer here at the moment. I fucking hate hot weather so it's pissing me off.:D I want my crisp, chilly Autumn days instead.:) Oh well, good for my electricity bills I suppose.

Rural

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2014, 05:45:03 AM »
Air conditioning has been turned off for several weeks now (no thoughts of heat here yet with daytime temps in the upper 80s). Likely we'll be able to go without any climate control for another four to six weeks, and then probably only intermittent heating in the mornings while we shower until the end of November or later -- earth sheltering FTW.

GardenFun

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2014, 05:57:45 AM »
Walked to work.

Took own Tupperware to work for my free lunch vs. using their throw-away containers (work PT in the elementary school kitchen).

Hung clothes around the house to dry - requires bending/squatting to get through doors so it doubles as a stretching exercise program :-)

Yelled at family to put on more clothes if they are cold b/c the heat isn't coming on yet.  They have yet to get the concept of wearing socks to bed if their feet are cold.  But fortunately they are trainable....




Loretta

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #22 on: October 31, 2021, 07:15:29 AM »
I did not do an extra rinse cycle on my laundry this morning as I normally do. 

I took some boxes down to the recycling room last night.  I recently purchased a blue tub for small plastics and I feel such weird joy in filling it up.  Weird I know. 

LD_TAndK

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #23 on: October 31, 2021, 12:57:12 PM »
Comically small: I take my lunch out of the fridge a couple hours ahead of time every day... reduces the amount of microwaving required. Also there aren't any cold spots after re-heating

Small: Walked 3 miles round trip to get groceries in the pouring rain Friday. Had every excuse to drive, but felt like a badass instead!

cupcakery

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #24 on: November 01, 2021, 07:39:06 AM »
This morning, I took a sweater off of my drying rack that I use to cut down on dryer use and extend the life of my clothes.  My pants and shirt were from my pile of clothes that have been worn but don't need to be washed yet.  I used reusable cotton rounds when putting on my makeup.  My food for the day is packed in washable containers and packed in my lunchbox.  I have a 3 minute commute to work is really more about work-life balance than being environmentally friendly, but it is still that.  (Biking is not an option.)  I'm at work now and my hand cream here is in a small reusable container that I refill from a huge bottle that I buy in bulk.  I just checked my library account online to see if any of my books are in transit.  This is both a cost and environmental savings. 

GodlessCommie

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Re: What small things did you do today to reduce waste/environmental impact?
« Reply #25 on: November 01, 2021, 12:24:44 PM »
Knocked on 160 doors over the weekend in support of a party that tends to do things that reduce environmental impact.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!