Any suggestions for "The Pope Francis Waste Not Club"?

[mlanning72]

All of your posts are truly inspiring! I am a biology and environmental studies student at Niagara University. I highly suggest we compose our thoughts and ideas into a concise document (or book =] ) to add to the movement! Any thoughts?

 

[lynnvinc]

For now, buying from farmer’s markets and co-ops can circumvent some of this. A lot more of the imperfect produce makes it to the fruit stand to be sold than would in the grocery store. It also saves because you aren’t paying for transporting the produce from wherever to where you live.

I’m also thinking that a lot of the bad-looking, or a bit over-ripe produce actually ends up in canned and frozen goods, or it prepared meals. It’s hard for me to imagine, say, a tomato farm would simply throw away all the tomatoes that didn’t look good, had a bad spot, or were a bit ripe for shipping and selling retail. The food processing industry probably gets a bargain price on such produce (which is perfectly good once the bad spots are removed).

Anyway, a food co-op may also help. We had one in which a lady would bring apples from her tree each year (they were terribly dimpled, but tasted fine). It’s a way to share and also share information.

 

[lynnvinc]

All of your posts are truly inspiring! I am a biology and environmental studies student at Niagara University. I highly suggest we compose our thoughts and ideas into a concise document (or book =] ) to add to the movement! Any thoughts?

I’m planning to write up all the suggestions from this thread, and perhaps some more. Of course, there are lists and books on such “waste not” tips, but some of the suggestions here I have not seen elsewhere .

If they have closed the thread, then I’ll private mail each of you…

 

[4elise]

Do I WANT it? or Do I NEED it? helps me.

I walk. When I see trash I pick up – except for cigeratte butts and Kleenex because of the fatal germs that could be on each. I guess I could have a baggie with me to pick them up. We also have a “green” garbage can where I feel comfortable throwing away things from the refrigerator or items that have gone bad & know they will be turned into compost instead of being buried for hundreds of years.

I LOVE THIS — We always phrased this with our kids when they would ask for something — eventually we got through – while their friends would say … “I need…” they would say about the same thing (if they did) “I want…” ---- now adults they tell me that they often stop and even if it is a want - they postpone getting whatever for several days because wants so often fade!

 

[4elise]

I’m planning to write up all the suggestions from this thread, and perhaps some more. Of course, there are lists and books on such “waste not” tips, but some of the suggestions here I have not seen elsewhere .

If they have closed the thread, then I’ll private mail each of you…

Great idea! What a wonderful way to engage everyone lynnvic!

 

[ATeNumquam]

Soeone mentioned on the previous thread, and maybe this one, shopping bags. There is now a region-wide ordinance where I live, to discourage non-reusable bags. You are charged at check-out if you do not bring your own container and need paper or plastic (ugh to the plastic). The fee is designed as a disincentive, and the vast majority are cooperating and getting the message – bringing their own or even hand-carrying lots of items together, to avoid the fee.

Same here in NZ - well, the biggest supermarket chain charges for its plastic bags. So I’d say at least 50% of shoppers take in their own “green bags” which are made of a synthetic cloth (not good recyling for those, but they last for years!). The back seat of my car is covered in “green bags”. This supermarket chain, “Pak n Save” leaves you to pack your own stuff and has the cheapest prices by way of compensation.
Others take their trolley out to their car and load their stuff into bins or boxes in their car boot (trunk, you call it?)

 

[DHC1Chipmunk]

I often use shredded paper or cardboard in my garden as a soil supplement. Of course you don’t want to use stuff with a high plastic content, poisonous ink, et cetera.

Also, we shred all paper and cardboard that’s not accepted as recyclable in our area. The small pieces break down very quickly in the landfill and, surprisingly, don’t fly all over the desert in our high winds the way envelopes and full pages do.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Do I WANT it? or Do I NEED it? helps me.

I walk. When I see trash I pick up – except for cigeratte butts and Kleenex because of the fatal germs that could be on each. I guess I could have a baggie with me to pick them up. We also have a “green” garbage can where I feel comfortable throwing away things from the refrigerator or items that have gone bad & know they will be turned into compost instead of being buried for hundreds of years.

Have you considered taking a “Gopher” pickup tool with you when you walk That way you can pick stuff up without touching it? Then when you return home you can use antiseptic wipes to clean the pickup cups to avoid germs.

 

[LegoGE1947]

I often use shredded paper or cardboard in my garden as a soil supplement. Of course you don’t want to use stuff with a high plastic content, poisonous ink, et cetera.

Also, we shred all paper and cardboard that’s not accepted as recyclable in our area. The small pieces break down very quickly in the landfill and, surprisingly, don’t fly all over the desert in our high winds the way envelopes and full pages do.

Lots of stores around here have boxes where you may recycle used plastic bags.

 

[anilorak13ska]

So inspiring to read these! Our parish is in the process of being certified by GreenFaith, and inter-faith environmental effort intending to get places of worship to do their part in stewardship. (greenfaith.org/programs/certification/steps-to-become-a-greenfaith-sanctuary/detailed-summary-of-certification-requirements ) The categories in which we need to show improvement to get certified are: Environmental Justice (DH was co-chair of this cmte last year), Stewardship, Spirit, & Communications.

Things to add to the list that we do that haven’t been mentioned yet:

cloth diapering

reusable feminine hygiene products (I get mine from Gladrags.com)

We use a scooper to pick up dog poo and we flush it in the toilet (no bags, no landfill)

We use coffee cups for our water, no bottled water.

We have a car we bought used that is no longer worth the repairs it will soon need. The goal is to do the same when we need to buy the next car. We also bought a Prius, but we are now questioning its worth. DH has a 1.5 hr one-way commute, and we were paying in gas what our car payment is right now, so we felt that the less gas used/better mileage was worth it. We were also under the assumption that the Prius wasn’t supposed to lose much value. We’ve had ours for 5 years, and it’s down to half of its original value.

 

[Bonnie]

We use coffee cups for our water, no bottled water.

We do use plastic bottles, but we refill them at home. On rare occasions - usually if I’ve forgotten to put a refilled bottle in the car - I’ll buy a new one.

We have a car we bought used that is no longer worth the repairs it will soon need. The goal is to do the same when we need to buy the next car.

We’ve done this for years. We had one car - a Honda - that was literally held together with wing nuts and duct tape at the end of its long and useful life. The engine was the last thing to die. I miss that car. :bighanky:

 

[Edmundus1581]

Great idea! What a wonderful way to engage everyone lynnvic!

:yup:

 

[LegoGE1947]

We do use plastic bottles, but we refill them at home. On rare occasions - usually if I’ve forgotten to put a refilled bottle in the car - I’ll buy a new one.

We’ve done this for years. We had one car - a Honda - that was literally held together with wing nuts and duct tape at the end of its long and useful life. The engine was the last thing to die. I miss that car. :bighanky:

Duct tape and WD40–the perfect repair kit!

 

[ATeNumquam]

We’ve done this for years. We had one car - a Honda - that was literally held together with wing nuts and duct tape at the end of its long and useful life. The engine was the last thing to die. I miss that car. :bighanky:

I bought a car in 1989 that was “born” in 1981, a used car imported from Japan. (New Zealand, as well as some other countries, imports certain used Japanese cars that are hand-picked by agents, because the Japanese have to submit to frequent, detailed car servicing checks and after about 5-6 years there is a check that costs them so much they often just discard the car rather than pay that - yet it is still perfectly good).

Anyway, we have a lot of these cars on our roads in NZ as well as those bought from new of course.
I kept this car till 2003, then sold it on. It was still going really well, and the next person was still driving it in 2010!!
My current car which I got in 2003 is another used “Japanese import”, a 1995 Nissan Pulsar, and they are reputed to last forever almost. It’s a great car that I’m very attached to!
I believe in buying a reliable 2nd hand car, keeping it for years and years and only getting rid of it when you think it might start costing you money. (I was wrong about the car I sold in 2003!!)
A new car is a depreciating asset - I would never buy one when second hand cars can be perfectly OK. (Japanese ones are the most common makes in this country and are VERY reliable: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc),

 

[mommyof4]

Just a few small things we do here:

Hubby finds tons of stuff on Craig’s List (tools, roofing for the barns, etc. for way less than full retail).

We have chickens and pigs right now- they get some left overs that we don’t eat (lettuce that goes brown before we can eat it, etc.)

Buy locally grown food at the Farmer’s Market;

I pack my own lunch using left overs from the night before as often as possible and rarely purchase lunch during the work week.

 

[lynnvinc]

…We have a car we bought used that is no longer worth the repairs it will soon need. The goal is to do the same when we need to buy the next car. We also bought a Prius, but we are now questioning its worth. DH has a 1.5 hr one-way commute, and we were paying in gas what our car payment is right now, so we felt that the less gas used/better mileage was worth it. We were also under the assumption that the Prius wasn’t supposed to lose much value. We’ve had ours for 5 years, and it’s down to half of its original value.

I was waiting a couple of decades for a plug-in EV to come out that we could plug into our 100% wind-generated (soon to be 45% solar-generated) electrcity. Was even considering doing an ICE-to-EV conversion --there are EV clubs around the nation that help – but we never had the time.

So when our old clonker finally gave out…leaking everywhere and would cost 3 times its worth to fix…we went for a Chevy Volt. At our age we figure it will be our last car, and since we’ve been so frugal buying used cars and living very close to work and shops, etc. nearly all our 44 years of marriage (and saving $$ hand over fist doing so), we figured we could really splurge on the quite expensive Volt. But come to find out, with the great savings and (I figure) a better resale value after 6 or 7 years than a Ford Taurus (what my husband REALLY wanted, except they aren’t making the smaller 6 cyclinder anymore), we will be saving the difference within 6.5 years. I hope it doesn’t lose value as fast as the Taurus would; then the pay-the-difference will take a few more years.

Benefits: savings mentioned & knowing we are driving mainly on wind power (we rarely drive over 40 miles in a day), and that we have the flexivbility to go on longer trips (went to Houston over Spring break).

Drawbacks: high cost, only seats 4.
Also buying new is sort of a waste of resources, but in this case there weren’t any used ones yet and we couldn’t wait another month even. Also there isn’t much public transportation here.

 

[4elise]

I bought a car in 1989 that was “born” in 1981, a used car imported from Japan. (New Zealand, as well as some other countries, imports certain used Japanese cars that are hand-picked by agents, because the Japanese have to submit to frequent, detailed car servicing checks and after about 5-6 years there is a check that costs them so much they often just discard the car rather than pay that - yet it is still perfectly good).

Anyway, we have a lot of these cars on our roads in NZ as well as those bought from new of course.
I kept this car till 2003, then sold it on. It was still going really well, and the next person was still driving it in 2010!!
My current car which I got in 2003 is another used “Japanese import”, a 1995 Nissan Pulsar, and they are reputed to last forever almost. It’s a great car that I’m very attached to!
I believe in buying a reliable 2nd hand car, keeping it for years and years and only getting rid of it when you think it might start costing you money. (I was wrong about the car I sold in 2003!!)
A new car is a depreciating asset - I would never buy one when second hand cars can be perfectly OK. (Japanese ones are the most common makes in this country and are VERY reliable: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc),

I’ve always heard that the most affordable car is the one you already have!

 

[Country_Gal]

I have chickens. They are economical and easy to keep. I just started with a carpool to work. Local produce is in line with God’s original, non–fossel fuel set up.

 

[DorthyBlueBird]

I am a huge fan of re-use. Unfortunately, some of the “green consciousness” has actually made this harder. They try to “use less material” for packaging which makes it deliberately trash, and therefore cannot be reused. I’m thinking of cardboard tubes that come in paper towels. (Yes, I know that using them can be problematic. But I only use them in instances where to do otherwise would be unsanitary-- such as cleaning up after pets. Yes, I know he’s not a fan of pets, but that’s another discussion.)

There are also applications for bottled water. I wish I could reuse those, but they have been depleted of material so much that the only thing you can do when they are empty is to throw them away. Such a waste! They can’t even be turned into planters anymore!

I think that moderation is the key. It is too easy to be penny wise and pound foolish in matters like this.

For example, buying fabric in the store is often more expensive than buying finished clothes. Unfortunately, though, those store bought clothes are often made of fabrics that don’t mend well-- they either fall apart because the thread itself pulls out of shredding/unraveling fabric, or the fabric is wearing out, literally,. These are hard, if not impossible, to mend with those flimsy fabrics. You not only have to avoid waste, but purchase wisely in the first place. Learning about the things that you do use and what makes them best for eventual reuse and recycling is key to avoiding problems.

 

[Bonnie]

For example, buying fabric in the store is often more expensive than buying finished clothes.

Thrift stores sometimes have fabric, and many of the clothes are of a quality I can’t afford to buy new. A friend who sews helped me alter a couple of very nice skirts that didn’t quite fit. Now they do & look great. We bartered for the work - she got books in return for the work.