Handkerchiefs are not just for dress up
Recently, the batteries ran out on one of our wall clocks and I started to wonder if we shouldn’t think about investing in a couple of wind up clocks! If we wound up the clocks, we could stop using batteries altogether and wouldn’t that be better for the environment? In that spirit, here are few of my favorite old time substitutions:
Cloth napkins are not just for the dinner table anymore. We also use them to cover foods in the microwave, darker colors are better for this purpose. They do need to be laundered but they’ve never added so much to the pile that I had to wash an extra load.
Handkerchiefs are not just gentlemanly. They, like napkins, are also more sustainable than paper products (tissues) and can be tossed into the laundry without causing the basket to overflow.
Rags can be used for cleaning instead of paper towels or (breathe deeply, ladies) toilet paper. As a graduate of Outward Bound, I know full well how to manage my personal hygiene on the trail and now the time has come to bring those wilderness principles into the home.
Picnic and party supplies such as paper plates and plastic cups and utensils may seem easy but they take their toll on the environment and landfills. If you’re having a party, ask friends if they have extra dishes and silverware they are willing to donate for the evening’s festivities. Dining poolside or alfresco and worried about breakage or weight? Consider borrowing or buying lightweight re-usable melanine or plastic serving pieces.
Other articles of interest:
Gifts That Help Reduce Reuse & Recycle
