News — Zero Waste Maine

What a long strange trip it's been lately with the Covid-19 virus, stay at home orders and a whole lot of stress.

But somehow life still goes on and it's the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.  Our original plan was to do some trash picking up, a recycle drop off, community connections and prizes.  Instead we are offering Earth Day Bingo.

Earth Day Bingo is fun, creative and you can win prizes while making connections.  Plus you can help out small businesses.  Each square is open ended and allows for creativity.  Everyone's situation is different.  At first, I had "take a walk" but realized not everyone was living the rural life.  If you are in a city taking a walk is so different than my reality.  We share big ideas and common feelings but each of us has our own reality.

There are nine squares to fill in.  The center- Planet Earth is the free square.

The most important square is Be Registered to VOTE.  Each state differs but don't wait if you are not registered.  A great site for info is The Environmental Voter Project. 

Donate- donate time, blood, money, items.  There are so many community and grass root initiatives that it can be hard to choose.  Here in Maine since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the lack of PPE safety equipement a drive was created to sew fabric masks for essential workers in retirement homes, public safety, grocery stores and more.  Check out Sewing Masks for Maine. 

Shop Small- this is more important now than ever.  If you value community, innovation and just plain old spunk please use some of your purchasing power to support small businesses.  Green America has a great blog about the power of voting with your money.  

Plant Something- focus on a bit of green.  Start some seedlings.  Repot a house plant.  Get some seeds sprouting in the kitchen.

Make Less Trash- This might be the hardest square to fill in during the quarantine because it's so limiting what you can purchase at the store for food.  One big change for me was to shop from our local farm and buying my milk in glass jars.

Notice Nature- If you are stuck inside look out your window- chances are a bird is tweeting.  If you are lucky enough to walk or hike safely be grateful- nature is a gift to treasure.

Repair or mend- clothes, furniture, a relationship.....  Our recent blog The Joys of Slow Stitching has ideas for using a needle, sewing or knitting to help reduce Covid stress.

Share an Eco Tip- we'd love to hear about your experience with zero waste, being mindful, voting with your money and any tips or strategies to help make staying home a community and growing experience.

We are offering prizes!  3 in a row gives you a code for $5 off our website.  You can only use the code one time per order.  If you fill the cardin share with us to be entered into our Eco Extravaganza Bundle- cool stuff from our downeast shop which is currently closed.

Come on and play some bingo!

 

 

Going Zero Waste during any holiday is tricky but Halloween is especially challenging.  The fun quickly turns into trash.

Here are some simple tricks to help reduce waste but don't procrastinate, DIY takes time.

COSTUMES-

• Organize a costume swap.   Costumes are typically worn just a few times and not made of sturdy material.  Extending the life of a costume keeps it out of the landfill.
• Use your imagination and the recycle bin for any cardboard based costumes.  
• Visit a thrift store for inspiration.  A prom dress can become a princess gown.  A bathrobe a super hero cape.
• A glue gun will become your new BFF.

DECORATIONS

This is the easy part.  Fall is the harvest season filled with natural beauty.  Pumpkins, corn stalks, gourds.  If you want a bit more, invest in quality items including wreaths, bunting and treat bags that can be used for years.  My best advice is to have a Halloween box filled with reusable decorations, favorite books and most importantly memories.  

TRICK OR TREATS

It's helpful to limit the number of houses you visit.  Planning an after party can help with the transition.  The after event can be a special video or family game with a big bowl of popcorn and fresh cider.  Instead of playing "Old Maid" switch it up to a Halloween theme.  Have your family make the cards together.  A fun memory is to use old Halloween photos for the pairs.  Yes, this takes time but if you have your Halloween box it's worth it and your deck can grow each year.  

REFUSE

Simply refuse some items including all cheap plastic ones that have an interest span of seconds but a life span of centuries.  

Pass out natural items.  A bowl of polished stones, rocks or shells is exciting.  Coloring sheets, puzzles or candy packaged in cardboard including Dots or boxes of raisins.

You need to start early for your DIY Zero Waste Halloween celebration.  It takes time to collect materials and craft.  You might also need time to set and manage your children's expectations.  

Let's take the truly scary out of Halloween- the trash and still have fun.

What's in your bathroom?  If you have bottles of liquid soap, we want you to switch.  Bars might be "old fashioned" but they are also sustainable.  Find out more on our Good Soap Blog.

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Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed with your Zero Waste journey?  The good news is there is a lot of advice out there.  However that can also be the bad news- it can be a bit overwhelming.  

In my opinion the most essential tool you need to begin, continue or refine your Zero Waste journey is your brain.  Yes- your brain.  Any advice you get needs to be filtered to fit your lifestyle.  Not the lifestyle you imagine or are striving towards but how you actually live.  The nitty gritty day to day life with home, work, family, pets, etc.  Big ideas and goals need to be tailored and adjusted into achievable steps.  When we are successful, we feel positive, motivated and more open to examining and refining life changes.

Your brain is also the most powerful tool in educating yourself in order to make informed choices.  In our blog 19 for 2019- Tips for Going Zero, Tip #1 was-

1. Educate yourself.  The more you know, the more motivated and committed you will be to keep your resolutions to be plastic free and zero waste.

I wrote my first eco-conscious blog back in 2016.  At the time, I was working on not using plastic grocery bags.  I know!  Now it seems quite ridiculous but back then if I remembered my reusable bags it was all well and good but if I forgot I would take plastic bags and feel guilty.  Now I never use plastic grocery bags and my town has banned them.  The most important change for me was making a conscious choice and then tweaking to make my choice a reality. 

We all have a responsibility to do our own small bit to help reduce the amount of trash and plastic waste we create.  The journey is an awakening if you open your heart and use your brain. 

 

Many years ago, when my family was the only year round family on remote Gotts Island I actually did "Black Friday."  Black Friday is literally going to a mall after Thanksgiving and buying stuff.  I believe it came about because I listened to a talk radio station out of Boston.  This is long before talk radio was so political, of course the station talked national and local politics but also covered many human interest stories, food, psychology.  For me, it was background conversation while I worked alone in my log cabin.  I'm sure I was influenced by all the ads for Black Friday- it seemed the thing to do.

 

So we headed ashore- no easy task- involving boats and our car.  I have no idea what we bought.  Probably broccoli and other fresh vegetables.  It was crowded, we ate at a fast food joint and by the time we got home we were all cross and grumpy.  That's my one and only Black Friday adventure.

This year, celebrate sustainably and slow down.  There is no need to pile the family in the car, deal with hordes of people to buy cheap stuff made in China.  There are so many other things to do.  

#OptOutside was started by the outdoor gear company REI a few years ago.  They are closed for business the Friday after Thanksgiving.  REI's mission is to connect people with each other and nature instead of spending time shopping for bargains.  

Another alternative to Black Friday is Buy Nothing Day.  This began in Canada to highlight overconsumption.  Instead of shopping the idea is to slow down and participate in a community event, get outside or even spend a bit of time doing what you love.  It's a perfect day for some self care. 

Both #OptOutside and Buy Nothing Day are movements and philosophies.  We're a small business which depends on sales to survive.  We understand how complex the world and economies are.  We also knowing making choices about your purchases is a way to vote for the kind of economies and world you want. 

9 Ideas for #OptOutside & Buy Nothing Day

1.   Take a walk no matter what the weather is.  Bundle up, put on rain boots or rub in the sunscreen- just get outside.

2.   While outside pick up trash.  There's nothing like picking up lots od single use plastic to help you make better buying choices.

3.   Clean out a closet, cupboard or room and donate useable items to your local charity shop.

4.   Write letters, postcards or call family and friends far away.

5.   Make holiday cookies or gifts.

6.   Read a book, play cards or do a puzzle.

7.   Get some ART and visit a museum or gallery.

8.   Dedicate some time to self care, give your self a facial, a hot soak in the tub or simply a bit of time doing whatever you love most.  

9.   No matter how you spend the day- do an activity that nourishes you and helps your community and environment.