My sister cracked me up Easter evening when we were at her home for dinner. She said, "Nan, I just can't seem throw away my Quik Trip cups!" Giggling at her confession I knew she spoke the truth for just behind her stood a stack of 32oz cups on her kitchen counter. I couldn't judge her. I too have items I find tough to toss. For example I love paper. A few months back, when we had nine pooping pups, we found ourselves in sudden need of newspaper. Buying a newspaper each day wouldn't begin to touch the tip of the iceberg. We needed lots of paper and fast, so one evening Jimmy and I got the bright idea to reuse recycled newspaper.
With plan in place, once the sun went down, he and our son Drew headed for the closest recycling bin. In the cloak of darkness Jimmy peeked into the yellow and green receptacle and low and behold cast his eyes on sixteen perfectly good note pads; just the thing I love! Snatching them up first, he then helped himself to some puppy paper and returned home to show me the loot. (Is this stealing?) To my utter amazement not one notepad was torn, dog-eared, or blemished in any way. I use them with great satisfaction still today.
Along with keeping my eye out for a good sheet of paper, I also "save" boxes that are in good shape, zip-lock bags that still zip, and paper and plastic grocery bags. For some reason I am determined to find more uses for these particular items.
I believe God is naturally quite thrifty as well. He is cleaver in every way and never desires for us to waste good resources. In today's vernacular I think it's safe to call Him green! After all, He made that color and it's a beautiful one at that.
Now, I'm curious. What catches your fancy? What do you try to conserve, save, or reuse? Oh...and please share what other uses you find for these things that veer from their original intent. I love thinking outside the box!
2 comments:
I print everything on fast draft unless it's a formal report which will mailed to clients to save ink because the office supply store in our area no longer recylces them.
Print outs I no longer need, I put back in the printer and print on the clean side.
Every opened envelope, cardboard container (unless there is food on it) magazine, flyer, etc that comes into this house is recyled.
No more bottled water unless we are traveling, I look for products with less packaging...
I have reduced the amount of trash we take to the curb from 2 large cans twice a week to 1 can which is full or 1/2 full once a week.
I have to say that with us living in an apartment recycling is tough. Not enough space to store the stuff needing to be recycled and our complex does not have a program.
As far as what do I collect? Well..I dont' have a good handle on how many reciepts, bill stubs, that kind of thing I can get rid of or keep..we have LOTS of stuff filed away.
I don't wash my Foil like my grandmother did..but I do resuse ziploc baggies that didn't have something sticky inside.
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