Waste and money saving....

[British Red]

When I was a nipper, kids who bright packed lunches used old ice cream tubs, or, more often old bread bags

I recall in the heavy snow, those same bread bags were worn over the socks & under the school shoes to prevent wet feet on the walk to school . My grandad kept a cobblers last to fix the family shoes too...

I don't know when it became a point of pride to throw away clothes with a little wear on them, or to always have the latest.... whatever.

Our video this week covers a few of the ways in which we try to use, re-use and re-purpose. Whilst everything getting pricey is nothing to celebrate, perhaps returning to a world that celebrates those who are creative, practical and thrifty would not be all bad?

 

[Robson Valley]

I try to use plastics many more times than they were originally intended, both bottles and bags. Dirt in the clamshells to grow microgreens.

I have a wheelbarrow of soil in my downstairs kitchen (big kitchen.) From that and a plastic table, I pot up what I need to grow "windowsill-greens." I can tailor the yield of sprouted seed to suit my appetite rather than have 1/2 my produce from the store rot in front of me.

I'm proud to say that Mom set the tone. Mesh onion bags became A-1 pot scrubbers. The wrapper on the butter was used to grease the bread pans.

 

[British Red]

I do like the butter wrapper tip!

Rag boxes also need to make a comeback! Old cotton t-shirts make the best dusters & show cleaning cloths!

 

[SaraR]

I do like the butter wrapper tip!

Rag boxes also need to make a comeback! Old cotton t-shirts make the best dusters & show cleaning cloths!

I really think they should have fabric collection sites for textiles that’s too worn or otherwise unsuitable to give to charity (I know some accept both). Leaving things to be recycled or otherwise kept out of landfill really ought to be the easiest option.

 

[British Red]

I really think they should have fabric collection sites for textiles that’s too worn or otherwise unsuitable to give to charity (I know some accept both). Leaving things to be recycled or otherwise kept out of landfill really ought to be the easiest option.

When I was a nipper there was an ecologically friendly household collection service for textiles and animal waste!

 

[saxonaxe]

throw away clothes with a little wear on them, or to always have the latest.... whatever.

I think a significant proportion of the modern generation are quite confused by the decision posed above...so they pay £50+ for a pair of shredded washed out jeans with ragged holes, deliberately made in the fabric by the manufacturers....

 

[Robson Valley]

Take a look into the rag trade. The volume of clothing that is thrown away weekly will curl your toes. Tons and tons of it.
Big enough to pay people to take winter coats apart for the insulation.
I have a can in the closet for the buttons from old shirts. My housekeeper decides which shirts, etc., are good for cleaning rags. She expects me to launder everything and toss them all back into the rag box in the cleaning closet. Fair deal.

 

[Robson Valley]

Forgot to post that last night.

In the meantime, I am surprised that you didn't hear my loud string of profanity.
I bought a 450g bag of sweet crunchy fresh pea pods. That was last Wednesday. Snacked on them until last evening, Friday evening, to discover that the bottom half of the bag, 200g at least, was slop mushy rotten.

It's no damn wonder that I am moving to growing my own sprouts and greens. There's always been 'DIY,', I propose we add GIY. Anybody local that wants to start up a little sprout growing business, I'll buy them.