Monday Input

There’s not really a “focus” for this post. It’s late, I’m tired, and I just want to journal style this one.

First of all, I’m not professing to be original in any way in this zero waste journey. I’m flat out copying others and implementing the changes in my life.

Taking the time to write it out in a blog is really just a way to keep me accountable to a goal I want to follow through on and to see if I can inspire anyone else to make even the smallest change. Nothing else.

But again, I must mention, one of the things I’m really enjoying is that as I type out random strings of consciousness in my evenings about my attempts (and often failures) at trying to become more green and go zero waste, is that people often problem-solve for me. It’s kinda really nice.

I had a friend today text me a variety of places that I could find applesauce packaged not in plastic including glass jars of applesauce at Target and a 6 pound aluminum can of applesauce available on Amazon, you know – school lunch style. Or camp food style. We’re talking serious bulk here.

Anyways, we may give the 6 pound aluminum can of applesauce a go and freeze whatever we aren’t using in the moment. I never would have thought of looking on Amazon for buying applesauce in bulk. You know who you are – thanks!

Also, FYI it sounds like the reusable pouches become a breeding ground for mold. Just like all the plastic kid bath toys that squirt “water”…..until they’re full of mold. And yes, I’m still bitter about all of those bath toys. Seriously, the best kid bath toys are measuring cups, funnels, and sieves from the kitchen.

Ok, but here is the “real” issue I want to bring up tonight. So far this year, I’ve encountered one family birthday and it was super easy to be zero waste with an Amazon gift card emailed to the person. But zero waste gift giving has been on my mind a lot.

I don’t give my kids presents for Valentine’s Day and opt instead for an “experience”. But my 3 year old will be turning 4 soon and shortly after, it will be Easter. I’ve been thinking a lot about both his birthday and filling those Easter baskets.

First of all, my kids are young and I am cheap. Frugal? Which one sounds less insulting? I have little stuffed bunnies and ducks that were given to my kids previously that I put in their baskets each year to take up space make their baskets look festive. I plan to reuse them forever.

I already have the plastic Easter basket grass that I will reuse, hopefully, forever. I already, also have a giant cache of plastic Easter Eggs. It seems to grow every year as if the Easter Bunny is trapped in my Easter storage bin and laying eggs. There are LOADS of alternatives to plastic Easter basket grass and even plastic Easter Eggs. I had a cousin who sent me a really cute felt alternative to plastic Easter Eggs with a pocket that you can stuff with candy or money or whatever other goodies. (I can’t find the picture – it’s late, I’m not searching.)

I’m sure closer to Easter when I’m scrambling for ideas for blog posts that I will run through all those alternatives. Like I came up with the ideas all on my own. 🙂 And I may try to sew those felt Easter Eggs with a pocket just for fun if I get the time. For the sake of Science.

I have some ideas for their baskets this year including stuffing plastic eggs with coins and/or bulk candy, bulk candy in a small glass jar, maybe some silk play scarves, a Lush bath bomb.

I’ve looked online but I’m hoping by me posting this now, a few months in advance, that I will get some great suggestions from people out there in internet land that I can steal and claim as my own respectfully use and give credit where it’s due.

Actually, for Christmas I gave my one year old these egg matching toys:

They’re plastic (wop wop), but you open them and match their shapes and colors to connect them. My 3 year old likes to set them up as a matching game to play, allowing me and my husband to easily win since you can see the colors when they’re open. My 1 year old likes dunking them in glasses of water left on nightstands and throwing them at me.

I may very well just put those in his Easter basket to take up space make his basket look more festive.

Anyways, if there’s any good ideas out there…this tired, unoriginal mama will take ’em!

I also got my safety razor in the mail today. I am both excited and scared. I’ll write a post as soon as I take it for a test drive.

It’s past my bedtime and the bread in my bread machine is baking and giving off all sorts of good smells, so I’m signing off before I go eat the entire loaf. Night…