{our journey towards} a non-disposable life

Goodbye friends for now...

Thank you so much for your patience. We had such great intentions in starting this blog and our public journey brought us gifts that will be long lasting in our journey towards a non-disposable life. Unfortunately we both had to make the decision to let this blog go because our lives full of mothering, working and projects are just too much. Both of us write other blogs and have for some time.  Because Molly's work is in sustainable textiles, she will be sharing her non-disposable journey there. Mary is continuing this journey with her family and will include thoughts and ideas on her journey (among other things) here. Molly will be doing demonstrations, sharing ways we can use textiles as alternatives to plastic and paper. You can find her schedule on her blog. We hope we can meet face to face at some point.

We will leave you with a great video sponsored by Green Sanga and Chico bags that Molly was a part of (an extra). Though her part was small, all those little small positive things she does is a part of a shift.  Still moving towards a non-disposable life with lots of love to you that have commented on our little bits of experience and shared your ideas and thoughts. We will always be grateful.

Molly and Mary

Plastic State of Mind from Ben Zolno on Vimeo.

 

 

Slow down sister

:: molly::

This sister needs to slow down and I don't seem to have the tools. Meditation, daily power walks, rituals, screaming at the top of the mountain. I am stuck right now in my life, with out a moment to my self. Good busy, YES! With a lot of desire to slow way down to just enjoy the small treasures like my kids. Getting ready for my first all year farmers market, doing demonstrations around the bay area on how to use textiles as alternatives to plastic, paper and packaging, training other women to sew through the Canal Alliance. Big plans, big projects and trying to love my family and to be grateful for what I have. I think I need a love in... Thank you for your patience for not being around much..

The girl with the plastic bag on her head!

Do you know how much water your family uses every day? every year? Can you use less? I use 95 gallons a day for 5 people. I want to use 1/2 of that, for starters. What are some tricks to save water? I have some of thoughts but will you share please?
 

Plastic ban bill AB1998

It saddens me to look at what happen with the plastic ban bill (AB1998) possibilities for California. When I heard about the bill not passing the day it happened, I tried to talk about it, but inside I felt alone and powerless. Beth Terry from fake plastic fish has so much information and support. Please take a few moments to read her post. Hopefully she will inspire you to take action in ways you didn't think of before. I have copied her "what can we do now" suggestions.

  

WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?

We have to get on the stick, people.  We can’t just wait and assume that a bunch of environmental groups are going to solve this problem for us.  We have to make our personal actions count.  We’ve got to get outside our comfort zones and use our influence to halt the production and use of single-use plastics.

1) Stop using single-use plastics yourself.  Just stop.  No excuses.  Forgetting bags at home is not an excuse.  You don’t develop a habit by letting yourself off the hook time after time.  More than once, I have carried out my purchases in my hands.  If I had too much to carry, I put stuff back.  Because I don’t have a car.  But if you DO have a car, bring your cart out to the car, unload your stuff, carry it home and maybe put it in bags to bring it into the house.  You won’t forget again.

2) Talk to your friends and family about why you bring your own bags, bottles, containers, etc. with you.  Don’t be preachy but also, don’t keep your actions to yourself.   Yes, you have to start with your own personal actions, but if you leave it at that, we’ll never make big enough change to make a difference.  Set an example.  Talk to people.  Make your actions count for more.

3) Talk to store managers/owners about banning plastic bagsfrom their stores.  It’s worked in several places already.  Rebecca Hosking in Modbury, England got all the merchants in her town to commit to stop handing out plastic bags.  She circumvented the legislative process altogether.  Green Sangha has put together a flyer that you can print out and hand to store employees explaining why you refuse plastic bags: Why I Don’t Use Plastic Bags (PDF).  The bottom of the flyer is the part that’s most relevant.

4) Write to your legislators — local, state, and national — and demand legislation banning single-use disposable plastics, like plastic bags.  Organize your family and associates to write letters too. 

5) Use the power of social media to spread your campaigns.  It’s not hard, and IT’S FREE.  We don’t need the money of the plastics industry if we use the power that we do have.  Our votes are what get them into office.  We just have to let them know what it will take to win our votes.

Want some ideas for how to create a social action campaign?  Ask me about Take Back The Filter.  No really, if you’re serious about creating a campaign, ask me.  It takes commitment.  But anyone can do it, and I mean YOU.

6) Write letters to the editor of your local paper.  Worried about how to do it?  Don’t be.  Just start writing.  Keep your letter short and to the point.  Here are some tips: How to Write a Letter to the Editor that Gets Published and Read.  Seriously.  Try it.  The very first time I wrote a letter to the editor, it got published in Rolling Stone Magazine.  I’m not kidding.

7) Take to the streets.  Learn how to visit your representatives and talk to them.  Participate in rallies.  Get out and get to know the people in your neighborhood.  Organize street cleanups and beach cleanups to make people SEE what single-use plastics are doing to the environment with their own eyes.  These cleanups don’t solve the problem, but they do spread awareness.

The point is that each of us must take our actions to the next level, whatever that is.  Get a little outside your comfort zone.  Try talking to a stranger once, and see how it feels and what happens.  So many of us, women especially, are worried about people thinking we are “pushy” or that they won’t like us.  We worry about making people angry.  So what?  SO WHAT?  I’m pretty angry about what we’re doing to the planet and the fact that the monied interests are only concerned with maintaining a status quo that is killing us. 

Do you think they’re worried about making ME angry?

 

Ahh, some real signs of relief

::molly::

So I feel like my kitchen is in order and ready for some consistent good cooking, I still look in the refrigerator a lot and wonder what the hell to cook. Oh tortillas again? I don't think there is enough hours in the day for all the things Im trying to do. Juggling my kids, animals, taking care of myself, the house, the financial stuff, my love and my work. I stay up late, get up early and I am on all day. I am practicing many forms of discipline. Mostly cleaning up after myself, oh yeah and every body else. Spiritual practice which consists of literally a moment where I drop to my knees offering my day to my highest purpose. Doing the next right thing is my motto and a lot of time I can only think of  clearing the kitchen counter and straightening things up in the living room.  This brain of mine is working over time to find order and at the same time not wanting to be controlling. Sometimes I think this journey is more about creating order and peace than living a non disposable life. I am finding rhythm and balance in my home and it feels really good. I do look around me and wonder why everyone  seems like that have it so together.  Although, I have my shopping deal down. My towns market ( Mill Valley Mkt has been really supporting my efforts. They even got a bunch of organic bulk with my suggestion. Thats pretty impressive. I really want to support them. They also expect me with kindness to get my boys bacon in a tin.

I do feel really controlling at times with the packaging thing. The more I do this thing the more waste I see out there. And even though my family is proud of what we are doing. I hear sometimes when my family gangs up on me, someone says "lets go buy something with lots of plastic" or my boy has said "mama loves the earth more than she loves me. Thats pretty sad to hear, but its hard. Some times I can't control my self. Tonight we had to go to a big drug store to get a lock for Camille. The kids went to the car as I checked out so I had some freedom to  speak up. I watched customer after customer receive a plastic bag with no concern. Sometimes for a few items, sometimes not. When it was my turn, there was a high school aged boy behind me. When I said no thank you to the bag, I just said " its so sad what we are doing to the oceans and no one seems to flinch" They both kind of agreed. But I feel like the crazy lady when I do that. I went out and watched the boy from the car. I wanted to see if he would get a bag, he didn't. That was cool!! But, I don't want to become the parent that teaches her kids to go the opposite direction of me just because I was being so controlling. So enough with that. I have been working on my kitchen for a while now and  even though my kitchen is only 10' by 10'. Its been the biggest project. I have been working on other parts of our home along the way. Here are few of them

Water and laundry :: I have always been a clothes line enthusiast, and have always bought good, natural laundry detergent, but really wanted to make my own.

 I got this receipt and bought the ingredients when I did my Rainbow shopping. I made the powdered formula, only because I didn't have a plastic container to store it in and at first I didn't want to waste the stove top energy. Realizing that I felt like I then needed to start the wash off with hot water to dissolve the soap shavings. Hmmmm. It was so much fun and easy to make. I need to learn more about bar soap. I bought meyer's cause it smelled so good, but paid $5 bucks for it. 

soda ash (Rainbow grocery)

box o borax ( any grocery)

bar of natural soap Meyer's lavender clean day

Water awareness. Yikes!!!

I wish the water people would give more incentives, gifts or even an award for using a certain amount of water per household. I could really get in to it. Now I know I'm getting old. Lovin all that stuff..

Bathing:: With five people in my home, a bath tub inside and a shower out side. We do a lot of bath tubs. I have always conversed with my kids about sustainability. Trying hard to let them come up with the ideas and then following through on them. Doesn't always work, but when it does, it is the best. I was doing the old mama in the bath and usually one or two joins in voluntarily. Jullian( 7)  happened to be that lucky little monkey. It was one of those beautiful occasions when it was a quiet, relaxing bathing together, full of in site and connection. "Mama, I don't think we should waste the tub water, lets use it to flush the toilet, we can use it twice". So since then, we have been doing just that. You can really see He feels apart of the solution and I am accountable. Love that!!

Dish washing:: I waste so much from years of bad habit. Ya know, just letting that water flow as I wash and rinse( so embarrassing). Hanging out with some friends from Holland one night. We went over to do the dishes and my new friend was standing by me with dish towel in hand ready to dry. I wanted to be confident but I knew this woman was an expert just by her vibe. So I told her, I suck at doing dishes." will you teach me how you do it?" So she showed me the ropes.

Rinse all the dishes first

Fill washing basin with hot( only natural) soapy water. Wash dishes, put in rack and dry immediately, put away.

I guess I am from the lazy dish washers. Our dishes build up for a half a day, even over night. I wrote instructions above my sink so that we all, or at least Willem( my husband). would notice that we were doing things a bit differently.He better do it right!!

I have a big fat basin on the left and a smaller one on the right.

The sign says" Please rinse of dirty dishes, leave them in the left side of the sink. When ready to wash dishes, fill basin with hot soapy water, wash, don't rinse, dry and put away.

I made my own glass cleaner, but still testing.

My menstrual cycle waste has been bothering me for years. Even though I have been using my Sister Kate's hand sewn, must comfortable, organic pads. I was still using organic cotton tampons. I finally bought a natural rubber cup. I love it!!! Plus it saves so much f-----n money.

If you don't know this I make sustainable kitchen goods for my work. The weirdest thing is that I didn't have my kitchen or food together in my own life. I believe this was my way of getting there. I am such a slow learner in so many ways. I just have to do things in the only way I know how. I have put up my etsy shop on this site and if you want to know what I'm up too out there in the community you can go to my textile blog.

Here is another way to Furoshiki. Sorry about the low quality picts.

Salad spinner/ carrier

now spin this puppy 

 

 

 

                                                           ::molly::

Friends,

I'm really excited about my new line Ambatalia, to the market. It was totally inspired by my  inspiration, struggle and awareness in my journey towards you know what. I'm giving away a set of origami bulk and produce bags. I would love for you to join in the fun.

 ::molly::

This journey towards a non disposable life is guiding me to know more about the food that feeds my family. I'm so curious and I'm seeing more and more each day. Where does our food come from and who are the people that make this happen? The packaging becomes the barrier to this connection for me. You eliminate this and it brings you closer to the food. I love knowing the history of the beautiful land that we live on. I will sacrifice other things in my life to be able to support this abundance in my own back yard. I am so excited to be able to bring this gift to my family.

movem on movem out, keep moven moven moven

::Molly::

Foraging through the summer's gifts, I have to constantly pause to actually notice them.  I have to say this past couple of months have been a roller coast ride in my journey. I have had some negative responses about using my own containers in some of my life long local spots and I'm unhappy at how much waste we still create as a family, but still moving forward. There has been plenty of support too (can't forget that stuff). Being the beginner that I am and having pretty severe organizational difficulties, I find that I have to keep it simple and try to keep order. Making many mistakes daily, but I just start again with a bit more focus. I feel like I'm in kindergarten at 47 years old. It's kind of exciting and humbling.

A few weeks into summer and I feel like I'm finally getting some relief from the chaos. I have so many little thoughts and stories about why things don't work, but I really want to focus on the things that do. I have been realizing that because meal planning is so difficult for me, I need to shop once for the week and for bulk once every two months. I get so freaked out that I can't afford to buy the food I want, but meanwhile I think I waste a lot of money by not planning. I get paralyzed and end up at the end of the day not knowing what to cook. My beautiful sister-in-law Cara offered to take me to the San Rafael Farmers Market once a week. Before, driving by myself just seemed too far away. But with a sista's support, I can do it. I also feel like I want to support Rainbow Grocery. I was super excited about the new Whole Foods supporting more local farms, but to me it still feels big and corporate. I'd rather give my money to the farmers, co-ops and small businesses. It really feels good to get complete support when I bring my own container to a merchant.

I'm also wanting to be a part of the foraging scene here in my area. I'm bringing my textiles tomorrow to try to become a vendor at the SF Underground Market. I got inspired with all those foragers and made a foraging apron out of an old Ben Davis shirt. I'm not done, but it's kinda cool.

For my family and I in this beginning stage: glass, post consumer paper and metal are okay. That will change and packaging will become less the more in depth we go.

I also would love people's thoughts on products that are packaged in post consumer paper, corn based plastic containers, bags and other utensils. In my gut I feel like we need to support companies that are leading the way by using these packaging choices, but I'm still not sure. More and more I want to support non-profits like this.

Sorry for the rambling of thoughts, but this is how it is. I can't wait to share with you all the other things that I'm doing in and around my life, but I am supposed to wait until we get to that section on our blog. I will give you hints.

What my boy inspired us to do with the bath tub water

How I am doing my dishes (thanks to a Dutch friend)

No waste menstrual cycle

                          

Traveling to Point Reyes for a little hope.

Marin Sun Farms

Difference between a small business (Bovine) and Starbucks.

Glad to sell you Brick Maiden Bread in your own bag

good furoshiki

The best tea ever

 Gaia tea uses real cellophane, but they are enthusiastic about bringing your own bags. Yes!!

Couldn't buy my chicken and guinea bedding once I saw this. Still don't know what to do. I thought it was a good thing to buy a big bag of it. Yikes!!!

 Ahhhhh!! A bit more tea, and a little less coffee.

 Simple tutorial at my other blog:  "tee turned into market bag"

A sweet camping trip to our dear Friends in Sonoma.

 Finally got a tortilla press and larger mortar and pestle.

                                  

Press em sista

 

 I hope you all are having a wonderful summer and I hope we can connect a bit.

                              

    

This looks like a beautiful project. Im noticing in my journey, for the most part less packaging means more real food.