What Did You Recycle Today 2009

[AnnaInOhio]

As some of you may know I make homemade goat milk soaps. One of my key ingredients is vegetable shortening made from soy and cottonseed oils. I have a large contract where I make 500 bars of soap about every 8 weeks and I use alot of shortening containers and was throwing them away. My little friend Maddy who is studying hard on being more eco friendly was over the other day learning to make soap and frowned when I threw the containers in the trash. She said "Anna you could be recycling those" and feeling guilty, I agreed. So today I cleaned out 6 containers (retrieving some from my trash can) got all the extra shortening stuck to the inside by cleaning with recycled newspapers) then washed with soap and water.

I punched holes in the bottom of the container with a paring knife (for safety sake I really should have used a phillips screw driver). I had a large pot of mystery plants in the backyard garden... we threw seeds in the pot and forgot to label. Anyways we had a huge amount of sprouts come up but none were flowering because too many were in the same pot I think? So I carefully loosened 5 from the pot, transplanted them into the vegetable shortening containers after adding dirt and they now have a new home in my front flower bed where I can keep a eye on them growing. We think they are either a hot pepper such as jelapenos or habaneros or sweet peppers??

Also after washing dishes this morning in a dish pan, I rinsed the pan out and rinsed my dishes over the dish pan.. I saved 4 gallons of water that I then put in milk containers and used some of that water today to water the new transplanted plants.

Hopefully here is a photo of the new transplanted plants.

If I had the time and tools available, I could have spray painted the containers a pretty color but function was the key today to getting this plants transplanted and saved.

Anna

[Lislyn66]

Thanks for the pic Anna, what a great idea!

Lisa

[SanDansMom]

Lately it has seemed like I am always needing new storage containers for food. It has occurred to me that I can use all those wonderful jars that generally get thrown away. So instead of buying more containers, I am saving the jars, and they work really well. I save plastic containers also, mostly from Smart Balance. I try to store used cooking oils in them, and when they are full, in the trash they go. I also store food for the fridge in them. My goal is to severely reduce the amount of trash going to the curb. We have pickup twice a week, and I would like to regularly have only one can maximum per week. We don't have recycling here, so whatever we do is strictly up to us.

A question--will all the used glass jars work in the freezer? I have wondered if they might break.

[Cooked]

I don't know about the glass in the freezer, it has never worked for me, but others swear by it.
I found some plant pots in the lane set out for garbage pick up and brought them home and planted my herbs in them. I am hoping to bring them inside for the winter.
I am also making plarn. It is plastic bags cut into long strips and wound into balls of yarn, plarn. I get damp in the basement in front of the washer and dryer so I thought I would use the plarn to make a rug that could get wet, but keep my feet comfortable. I am crocheting it and it will take quite a while to finish. I figure it is better than throwing out the ripped ones.

[madmum]

I have some coffee jars that have 'sucker' lids instead of screw top and I have found that they make lovely snow globes as gifts, thats what I have done today

[SanDansMom]

We also recycle fruit and vegetable trimmings and used coffee grounds. I have 2 large pots and a 5-gallon bucket that everything goes in. It's amazing how much stuff you can continue to add. No fancy composting, just putting the stuff in, covering it with crushed leaves, etc. and letting it sit and do its thing.

I also use the coffee grounds around flowering plants, and sometimes I put them in the garbage disposal to freshen it.

[AnnaInOhio]

Laura

I never thought of doing the composting on a small scale like that, very interesting. Do you have trouble with any critters getting into it, such as possums, raccoons, or insects like water bugs, roaches, ants, etc?

Also Laura

I use used pickle jars to freeze stuff in, just make sure to give it plenty of "head" room for expansion of the food or the glass will break.

Anna

[Pag36]

I put coffee grounds around diff plants in yard and on porch likewise bury banana peels around my rose and neighbors Rose trellis, it is on the "line" so she says the rose is ours lol. Actually since I can not get on the ground anymore either Judy or one of her daughters does it for me.

[LaurieS]

I have a compost bin that I throw my veggies into, coffee grounds go around the flowers.
Banana peels go next to the rose bushes.

[AnnaInOhio]

We and our friend Neal are starting to check into composting, seems a logical choice especially since I make coffee every day.

Anna