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Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?


  • Alice Brazier's avatar
    Alice Brazier 8/01/2019 12:16 AM
    Yesterday, we started a garden. It's late in the season to be planting, but with my gardener aunt visiting from New Zealand, now was the time to act. We were able to source seedlings locally, for a variety of vegetables such a leafy greens like spinach and lettuce, and some larger plants like courgette and cucumber. We used up all the pots we had, placing them in sunny patches of the garden, we cleared only 3 sq. ft of grass. We live in the centre of the city and have a small garden. I'd always projected food growing into my future, something done if I ever have a large garden at my disposal. But I became pretty excited by the idea that I can start producing food for us, out of our small city garden, right now. We identified quite a few other areas of the garden, walls and roofs(!) where pots of food could grow, and most of all I've been given the confidence about what I do to start them off, how to handle the seedlings, and how to use water and compost to use to get them growing. OK, ideally I'd have a huge home-made compost heap (where food waste wasn't going to be eaten by rats and foxes), a green house and plenty of spare ground to work with. Short of that though, my eyes have been opened. We have the ability to grow food in our small city garden and maybe we don't need to sacrifice all the cultural events and diversity the city has to offer, in the quest for a sustainable life... definitely another piece of the puzzle. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusable Utensils
    How can you be an advocate for using resusables instead of disposables for the rest of your community? Where are they currently dependent on disposable cutlery, and how can you convince them of the need for change?

    Scott Chase's avatar
    Scott Chase 7/31/2019 1:34 PM
    Right now it's mostly leading by example, carrying my own reusables to public events where disposables are used.
    The need for reusables seems obvious (saving the planet), but it can be a hard sell. An argument for reusables would be reduced cost, i.e. no regular purchases required. The downside is that reusables need to be washed, an issue for some organisations in my community (insufficient washing facilities or staff).
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Use Reusables at Work
    It is often true that we only have control over our own actions and not the collective community. How can you lead by example when it comes to switching disposables for reusable dishes in your community?

    Scott Chase's avatar
    Scott Chase 7/31/2019 1:28 PM
    I now carry a collapsible coffee cup (given to me by my energy provider Pure Planet last Christmas) with me much of the time. This is starting to have an effect, as the monthly popup coffee house I attend has noticed that two of us carry our own cups, and may be suggesting to others that they could bring their own, instead of using the paper cups provided.
    I also now carry a reusable plastic spork and a metal knife in my bag. Two weeks ago at a community breakfast I brought my old plasticware container that was bought over 20 years ago to use as a bowl/plate for a community lunch. Now resurrected. I'll try to bring these to other events where I'm sure they'll be providing disposable utensils and plates. Hopefully folk will notice and consider doing the same.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Visit A Waste Management Facility
    Landfills and recycling centers tell us a lot about our communities and purchasing habits. What did you glean from your visit?

    Scott Chase's avatar
    Scott Chase 7/31/2019 8:36 AM
    My visit on 26 July to the Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre (GRREC), run by Viridor, was a relatively short one, as I couldn't get a proper tour of the centre at that time, but the person who spoke with me did give me some time and showed me their Visitor Education room (for pre-arranged group tours). I learned about their rather impressive facility with 3 different sections for processing materials, and saw some items manufactured from recycled plastic, e.g. a school blazer. Their website will now require a more detailed study when I have the time.

    Sadly, too much of our weekly bulk uplifts (goods too big for the bin, and put out on the footpath) ends up being crushed before it even gets here. Glasgow City Council used to pick up a lot of this stuff (e.g. furniture) and haul it away. Now they stick it into the back of their bin lorry, where it is immediately crushed. It's mostly large electrical items (fridges and TVs) that don't get crushed and now require a special request to the Council for uplift.

    Afterward GRREC I went next door to the Polmadie Recycling Centre, which I had never been to, as I don't own a car. I essentially went there for a wee walk around and to dispose of a light bulb and fluorescent starter, which can't go into any of the home rubbish/recycling bins. During my walk I nipped into the electronic goods trailer (TVs and the like) and ended up coming away from the depot with more than I had disposed of: three HDMI cables, two of which had never been used! This is a symptom of our throw-away society: people don't have the knowledge, time, or energy to arrange for the reuse of unwanted items (i.e. sold or given away). Whether these cables would have been saved by the staff or simply crushed, I don't know.

    I include a photo of a pile of electrical goods on the ground. I'll bet that had their owners taken these items to the Glasgow Repair Café, a good number could have been spared this sorry end to their useful lives.

  • Scott Chase's avatar
    Scott Chase 7/21/2019 1:21 PM
    I have a lot of plastic at home, mainly because I try to avoid throwing anything out if it might have a future use. This came in handy yesterday, when I participated in the Madrid Gla march in Glasgow, with rain predicted. I made sure that no drop of water would touch any part of my body nor any of the fragile things I carried. Plastic bags galore! Also today on the 30 minute walk home with the groceries in driving rain! :-)

    Of course, now I’m in ‘avoid accumulating plastic bags’ mode, but still have a good supply to draw upon for such occasions!

  • Scott Chase's avatar
    Scott Chase 7/19/2019 7:30 AM
    Today's litter pickup was more about reclaiming a couple of plastic/PVC items that were in the trash area, but perfectly reusable with just a bit of a scrub. I do this quite a bit; it's shocking how much stuff is thrown out that is good nick (often with only minor flaws/damage, if that).
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Complete a Waste Audit
    What did you learn about the waste you create? Where can you reduce the most?

    Phil Edelin's avatar
    Phil Edelin 7/18/2019 6:38 AM
    Plastic wrap everywhere. Will endeavour to go to bakery and market where wrapping for bread and fruit unnecessary.  
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lifestyle Watch a Documentary
    Which documentary did you choose to watch? What did you learn?

    Alice Brazier's avatar
    Alice Brazier 7/15/2019 8:33 AM

  • Scott Chase's avatar
    Scott Chase 7/14/2019 10:57 AM
    It’s bad enough to see litter all over, but it really incenses me to actually witness someone deliberately placing the remains of his McDonald’s meal on the ground (in a neighbour’s parking space) in a residential neighbourhood when there’s a public rubbish bin within view just 15 seconds away. Here, what someone in a flash Audi deposited on the ground before driving off. I went downstairs and disposed of it. If I ever see this car again...
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Shop the Bulk Bins
    How has buying bulk impacted the quality of the food you receive? Why do you think Western society relies more on prepackaged foods rather than buying in bulk?

    Alice Brazier's avatar
    Alice Brazier 7/13/2019 5:36 AM
    Today I visited a health food store to buy loose nuts (we eat lots of them in our house). I filled paper bags with loose nuts and, when home, poured them into my mason jars. I wasn't able to get all the varieties I would usually, but the levels of smug happiness balanced it out - this system's a keeper.