The Buck

I purchased a for soap bars to replace existing products that use bottles - let's see how it goes! Small steps, but hoping every little bit helps!

Over the weekend we read some more books about plastic in the water and things we can do to help.

We use silicon straws from Mighty Nest. I love them, the kids love them, the planet loves them. Win Win Win!

This week the kids and I read a book about plastic in the ocean and how we can limit it. I also have stainless steel water bottles for the family, and re-useable coffee/coco travel cups, and re-useable straws.

My favorite challenges are composting all food scraps and planting a garden because these are related for me.  I compose all food scraps, papers, soiled paper towels and pizza boxes - if it grows, it goes in the compost bucket.  Every week, the compost company comes and pick up my compost and leaves me a large bag of real compost and I add that...

I started a garden and I am so happy with it.  I use the compost I get weekly from my composting company and add that to my garden.  The garden has thrived!  I currently have Chinese eggplants, shishito peppers, tomatoes, basils, Swiss chards, and kale. 

I belong to Garbage to Garden here in Portland.  I put all of my organic waste ( food, bones, paper, soiled pizza boxes, etc) into the bucket.  They pick up once a week and once a week I get a bag of compost for my garden.  I am so happy with this. 

I just got some mesh bags which I will be taking to the grocery stores and farmer's markets so that I will not need to use any plastic bags to bag my produce.  These bags are recyclable and washable.  I am super excited not to create any waste on that part.

I have noticed in restaurants that they are not automatically putting a straw in every drink.  I asked the servers about this and all of them have said that they've (the restaurants) stop automatically putting straws in drinks unless customers ask for the straws.  One of the wait staff informed me that the management gathered the staff and...

This is a really fun challenge because there are so many different ways to make an impact!  This weekend was the first time not using any plastic bags for produce at the grocery store.  Good feeling !