I started this crusade with refuse , and now I move on to REUSE. We the Mummies and Daddies are the throw away generation. If something broke we got a new one. It was sometimes cheaper and definitely easier, plus technologies were moving at such a pace that we wanted the next big thing without thinking of the consequences. We had convince in plastics, and ease in throw away items Our grand parent made, grew, mended and generally lived by the 4 R's due to the war and lack of items. Our parents the Tupperware generation , and height of plastics and convenience packaging. We don't even use the same coffee cup twice. And that my friends has to change for sake of our children. So reuse , reuse reuse, it teaches them a valuable lesson in life.
The best place that you can implement this is on their pants, yes I'm taking nappies, as a nanny I calculated that I put over 5000 disposable nappies in to land fill over my career. And when I realised this I was gobsmacked. They package it and advertise them as convenient and good , the inside is Eco friendly , turns out not so much. So with my wee one I have invested in cloth nappies. And I have to say they have come along way. Not only being funky and fashionable prints, they now have a one size fits all, Covers that you can use all day. Coupled with Eco friendly flushable liners that you just remove and keep on using the nappy. This along with reusable wipes for wee bottoms in lavender water the whole system is very easy to use. And saves wads ( get it ) of cash. But the laundry, no more than you do with a baby and their thrills and spills. The power bill of drying, nope I either pop them on the line and let the sun and wind dry them in the summer ( sun bleaches them back to white and kills off bacteria )! Or over night on the radiator that in an Irish winter is on anyway. Plus no pins and extra holes in little people that we of the original terry cloth nappy generation had to endure. You can go right from Newborn to potty training pants, they even have swim nappies for aquatic wee ones. And in the vein of total disclosure, they also do pants for us ladies, reusable absorbent period pants ! I wore mine after my c section from hospital through the 6 weeks I bleed after. So good so absorbent , so washable. No pads and trust me as you know , it is the last thing you want to be wearing at that stage of recovery. They covered me for all my flows over that time from trickle to thought I had popped a stitch !
So have a look at the item before you throw it away and see can it be rehoused , and or recycled ? My next blogs will help you to see some more possibilities. The enemy ( along with zip lock bags ) we need to think ahead and bring in containers, use and rewash for the next day , take out own spoons and straws with us. As I said in REFUSE I have found wax packs which O can wrap up foods. But practicality and squishy foods need a hard shell so a reusable Tupperware is the best solution. Sorry to burst your bubble but we need to invest in reusable coffee cups, some places will even take money off if you bring in your own. And also water bottles, the bane of my life as I also have three teens and the amount they go through ! I keep them, dry them out and get them to fill up for school. I must practice what I preach, when I am out and about on my walks I have to bring my own juice bottle.
In that same school of thought we need to reuse containers, as my wee one is weaning, I know need to be armed with snacks and finger foods. And cling film is the enemy ( along with zip lock bags ) we need to think ahead and bring in containers, use and rewash for the next day , take out own spoons and straws with us. As I said in REFUSE I have found wax packs which O can wrap up foods. But practicality and squishy foods need a hard shell so a reusable Tupperware is the best solution.
You will find there are many ways and things , I haven't even touched on to reuse around the house and around your babies life.
Shopping bags , no brainer !
Storage bags for clothes to go to the attic or to the next baby
Old stained beyond donation clothes can be cleaning rags for bathrooms, kitchen shoe shining when they get to school
Keep a few yogurt pots to be paint pots when your wee ones get creative, toilet roll and paper towel rolls are invaluable as rockets and telescopes. Cereal boxes grab for cutting up
That old cardboard box becomes a house, a car and given a set of crayons a whole rainbow world of imagination.
Old tv remote and sky remotes and old phones, give to your baby to gum to death and pretend with , think how may times are the reaching for yours? Give them their own ones, just take the batteries out
So have a look at the item before you throw it away and see can it be rehoused , and or recycled ? My next blogs will help you to see some more possibilities.
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