Tag Archives: Reuse

Whatchu’ Drinkin?

Posted on by
Reply

As most of you know, single-use plastic water bottles are a HUGE problem when it comes to sustainability, but let me paint an even better picture for you. It is estimated that over 15 million metric tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year. SO much plastic is being dumped that scientists are now finding traces of microplastics in the fish we consume. All human life revolves around the health of our oceans, whether we think it or not. Furthermore, 1 million single-use plastic water bottles are bought every minute in the world. However, less than ⅓ of this plastic will be recycled. It is naive that we assume that because we live in places such as Austin, TX, our plastic won’t end up in our oceans. Here is some advice to inspire the change within yourself! 

Tap Water 

Did you know that bottled water costs over 100 times more to produce than tap water? Well, the consumer must be paying for better quality water, right? Wrong! 25% of all bottled water is just tap water that was put into single-use plastic and sold. Essentially, you are just paying for well-advertised tap water which is costing you more than you think. A person who only buys bottled water spends around $1,095 annually, whereas a tap water drinker will only spend a mere $0.48 per YEAR. Who wouldn’t want over a thousand extra dollars in their pocket by making this simple switch? 

Reusable Plastic Water Bottles

If a person drinks around 4 bottles of water per day, they will waste 1460 single-use plastic bottles in a year. Even if that person only purchased 1 single-use plastic bottle every day, they would still be wasting 365 water bottles a year. A person who uses a reusable plastic bottle every day will not have to throw away one single bottle that entire year. Reusable plastic water bottles are the most cost-effective bottle to purchase since they will be quite a bit more affordable than stainless steel bottles. Reusable plastic bottles are easy to clean, especially since you can see through them it will be easy to spot any areas that need special attention. However, since these bottles are still plastic they are still more likely to end up in landfills and our oceans. First, when it comes to picking the perfect plastic water bottle, be sure to look for bottles that are BPA-free and PET-free. These are harmful chemicals that can leech into your water over time, especially when left out in the sun or a hot car. Second, make sure the bottle you buy is dish-washer-friendly so that it doesn’t warp when subjected to high temperatures. 

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Stainless Steel water bottles are the BEST option for the environment, and here is why! Stainless steel, unlike plastic, is not porous, which means it will not leak any toxic chemicals into your water, even if subjected to high temperatures. Stainless steel makes these bottles resistant to rust, bacteria, corrosion, and mold too. Furthermore, Stainless Steel water bottles are 100% recyclable and are much more likely to stay out of landfills. These water bottles are also more environmentally friendly to produce than other materials. Although stainless steel bottles are more expensive than reusable plastic bottles, they are much more durable. The only downside to stainless steel bottles is that when they are dropped, they can sometimes dent. However, the benefits outweigh the cons. Make sure that when you are purchasing a metal water bottle it is Stainless Steel, rather than aluminum. Researchers have found that BPA can still exist in Aluminum, so it is best to steer clear of them all together. 

Hopefully, this information will inspire you to make a cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly change in your life! Most of the United States has clean and safe tap water to drink, so finding a filling station near you won’t be a problem. Let us know how your journey to switching from single-use water bottles to reusable ones has impacted your life! 

5 Items to Reuse and Repurpose at Home

Posted on by
Reply

It is common in hispanic culture that most households reuse items to give them a new purpose. Growing up as a hispanic myself, my family and I were practicing sustainable habits without even knowing it!  

More people should adopt this sustainable lifestyle since it is cost effective and at the same time helps the environment. Today, I am here to introduce you to a list of items that my family and I have reused and repurposed so that you can too!

Plastic Bag from the Grocery Store 

(Because you forgot your reusable bag at home, of course)

The average American family takes home almost 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year. Plastic bags are also used for an average of 12 minutes. To extend their time span of use,  they can be used as a trash bag for small trash bins around the house like for your room or restroom. This way, you can refrain from purchasing actual smaller sized trash bags saving you money and cutting back on plastic usage. That is, of course, if you forget a reusable grocery bag. 

Plastic Food Containers

Brace yourself for someone in your family to eventually be deceived by this. Reusing food containers for other food is a great way to avoid paying for more plastic tupperware. The world produces more than 380 million tonnes of plastic every year and this sustainable habit can help cut that number down. Plastic containers can be reused over and over again.

Old Clothes

Old, torn clothes can be repurposed as a cleaning rag to get rid of dusty areas. It is green and also cost effective. According to the World Wildlife Fund, it can take 2,700 liters of water to produce the cotton for a single t-shirt. So might as well make the most of it instead of throwing it away.

Plastic Bottles

Instead of going out to find a pricey pot for your plant, you can reuse a plastic water bottle. Instead of buying a pencil container, use a water bottle. Instead of purchasing a watering can for your plants, use a water bottle. The ways you can reuse a water bottle are bountiful; from making a bird feeder to using the water bottle to suck egg yolk to even making a jewelry stand.

Disposable Razors

Once your razor becomes too dull to use for shaving, you can repurpose it to remove lint from your clothes. Like any sustainable habit, it is cost effective and this one will make your clothes look nice and presentable. 

Extending the usage of items such as the ones mentioned creates a household with sustainable habit and slows down purchases of disposable items. Growing up in a hispanic household there was no such thing as disposable, only reusable. That itself is living sustainably. You do not need to be Greta Thunberg or Leonardo DiCaprio to make a difference. 

Tag us @envirojunkiess on your Instagram/Twitter posts sharing if your family did the same growing up or if you have more items in mind that can be reused or repurposed feel free to share that with us! 

Links:

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/plastic_bag_facts.html

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution

https://treefy.org/2020/06/24/template-2/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20World%20Wildlife,just%20for%20one%20t%2Dshirt.

Apps For Environmentalism

Posted on by
Reply

The number of people worldwide who use smartphone technology is continuously increasing, now there are close to 3 billion users worldwide. More smartphones mean more opportunities for App development. There are a seemingly endless number of apps available to users, whether you have an iPhone or Android. Now, in the palm of your hands are many opportunities to step-up your environmental impact through these new apps. Here is a list of three great Earth-saving Apps and what makes them worth the download! 

Earth Hero: Climate Change  

Earth Hero connects you with reliable climate data from around the world, as well as practical ways to take individual action on the Climate Crisis. Earth Hero has easy signup, which took me less than 30 seconds to register for. When you first access the App you will answer five questions that give you an estimate of your carbon footprint. Once you’ve answered all the questions, you will see a breakdown of your carbon emissions compared to the U.S and the rest of the world. It’s time for change! You can set personal climate goals and track your progress on reducing your emissions. Can’t think of any climate goal? Well, don’t worry because Earth Hero Provides hundreds of actions you can apply to your life. 

Brightly: Eco-Community

The Brightly App is another great app for sustainable living. The Brightly app is unique because of its interactive nature. Brightly connects you with thousands of other environmentalists who are interested in a wide range of sustainable topics. You can meet people through direct messaging them, or you can join one of the hundreds of group chats that are available based on your interest. For example, I love being a plant mom, so I joined a group forum called “Plant Lovers”. Brightly also has a tab for all current climate news and a tab for sustainable searching by topic. Topics include; shopping guides, home and lifestyle, fashion, beauty and wellness, food and kitchen, and environmental podcasts.  If you’re looking to join a global community of environmentalists then this is the app for you! 

My Little Plastic Footprint (MLPF)

It is MLPF’s mission to help you improve your plastic footprint by going on a “plastic diet”. The world consumes too much plastic, but you have the opportunity to reduce your use of plastic. MLPF starts by calculating your Plastic Mass Index (PMI), which is based on the number of plastics you consume, the size of those items, the frequency of their use, the probability of that plastic ending up in the environment, and the availability of alternative products. By using this app, you can find alternatives to your plastic products, and educate yourself by taking quizzes that help educate you on the uses of plastics and how to reduce that use. For example, Did you know that you can easily make your own deodorant? No?  Me either, before taking the MLPF bathroom quiz. I encourage you to download the MLPF app and discover all the easy and fun ways to go on a “plastic diet”. 

Now making an individual impact on the Climate Crisis is even easier through the use of smartphone technology. Hopefully, one, if not all of these apps interest you enough to download. Each of these apps has such valuable information at your fingertips. Download now and be the change! Tag @envirojunkiess on Twitter and let us know about your environmental journey!

Beginner Composting Basics

Posted on by
Reply

Did you know that when you combine our food scraps and yard waste together, they make up more than 30 percent of what we throw away in the trash? I mean seriously, 30 percent! This is such a high percentage, which could be totally reduced by composting! We can do better than this, plus there are so many cool benefits that come from composting, so, that’s why I’ve put together a basic guide for anyone looking to start up this great hobby! 

Compost Storage 

There are two types of composting, indoor and outdoor. For indoor composting, it is best to buy an actual composting bin. Many places like target, Walmart, and Amazon all sell composting bins and have plenty of options. The main tip if you use indoor composting is to make sure to keep the area clean and manageable so that it won’t attract any pest. As far as outdoor composting goes, you can use a variety of things to make a bind, wooden planks, bricks, whatever works for you should be fine. Just make sure that you choose a dry, shady spot for your compost. 

Getting Started

To get a compost bin started, there are three things required, browns, greens, and water. Browns include things such as dead leaves, tree branches, and twigs. These things are in charge of providing carbon in your compost. 

Greens are pretty obvious. Materials such as grass clippings, vegetable scraps/waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds are all part of the green category. Green materials provide nitrogen for your compost. 

Water is important for composting because the moisture is there to help break down the organic matter in the compost. 

Benefits of Composting 

There are many benefits to composting. First, composting plays a very positive role in our ability to naturally enrich our soil by helping the soil retain moisture and to limit plant disease. Because of all of this, composting reduces the need to use chemical fertilizers, which is absolutely necessary. Composting also promotes and encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi. 

Finally, one of the biggest benefits is that by composting, it helps reduce methane emissions from landfills and drumroll please…..LOWERS YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT!! 

So, it is clear that composting is one of the best ways to really enhance your sustainable lifestyle and a great hobby to take up as well. However, it isn’t just a hobby, it’s growing in our restaurant industry. In fact, on the local end, many restaurants in Austin have started to switch to using compostable to-go containers, awesome right!? It is so important that we stay committed to continuously work towards a lower and lower carbon footprint and composting is an awesome way to do so! I mean, now that you know the basics, aren’t you SO ready to get started?! 

Sources

https://mashable.com/article/beginners-guide-to-composting/

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/ultimate-beginners-guide-composting.htm

Places to Thrift in Austin

Posted on by
Reply

Americans are buying more clothes now than ever. Clothing items have never been cheaper and this is thanks to fast fashion. While fast fashion is a highly profitable business model, it is detrimental to the environment. Producing a pair of jeans requires 2,000 gallons of water and emits the same amount of carbon as driving a car for 80 miles. The fast fashion industry leaves a giant footprint in the environment and is responsible for a tenth of all humanity’s carbon emissions. The fashion industry is also considered as the fourth most polluting industry under food retail. 

A way to avoid spending money on fast fashion is thrift shopping. Thrift stores sell used clothing at an affordable price. That way, you can save 2,000 gallons of water every time you buy a pair of jeans at a thrift store. Thrift shopping allows you to be environmentally conscious while also saving a few bucks. So here is a list of  stores you can thrift at in Austin, Texas:

Buffalo Exchange 

Located on the corner of 29th and Guadalupe St. Buffalo Exchange works to protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing and gives clothing a second life. Make sure to stop by the store on April 22nd because they are having a $1 Earth Day Sale in support of charities and environmental causes. More information can be found on their site: https://www.buffaloexchange.com/

Pavement

Located on 611 S Lamar Blvd and 2932 Guadalupe St. 

Pavement is a larger than life buy/sell/trade shop. The thrift store has buy counters where you can drop off clothing you want to recycle in return for some extra cash. Visit their site for more information: https://pavement.store/

Uptown Cheapskate

Located on 3005 S Lamar Blvd

Uptown Cheapskate promotes sustainable fashion. Their website is full of insightful information on the environmental impact of fast fashion and the benefits of purchasing used clothing. Uptown Cheapskate has raised close to $600,000 in donations and have helped build 13 schools through their Charity Fill-A-Bag Sale. More information can be found at: https://www.uptowncheapskate.com/upcycling-impact

Austin Pets Alive! Thrift

Austin Pets Alive has 3 locations in Austin: 1409 West Oltorf St., 5801 Burnet Rd., and on 5102 Clarkson Ave. 

Austin Pets Alive is a boutique style thrift store, all their net proceeds go to directly support their lifesaving programs and animals. Fosters actually receive a 20% off on in store purchases. More information can be found at: https://www.austinpetsalive.org/shop/thrift

These are just some of our favorite thrift stores out of the many you will find in Austin. Thrift shopping is a simple way you can make a big impact towards the betterment of the Earth. You can save 700 gallons of water if you buy a cotton t-shirt at a thrift store instead of purchasing a new one. That is an insane amount of water you can be saving just by thrifting! So go out and find yourself a nice outfit. (Wearing a mask, of course!)

Tags: Thrift Shopping, Thrifting, Sustainable Fashion, Sustainability 

Citations:

https://www.planetaid.org/thrift-center/thrift-center-blog/the-thrifting-movement

https://healthyhumanlife.com/blogs/news/what-is-fast-fashion

https://www.levistrauss.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Full-LCA-Results-Deck-FINAL.pdf

https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10#:~:text=Fast%20fashion%20makes%20shopping%20for,pollutes%20the%20oceans%20with%20microplastics.

The top 7 most polluting industries in 2024

Life After The Blue Bin

Posted on by
Reply

How your recyclables are reused, reduced, and recycled to remake other things.

Have you ever asked yourself, “well, im recycling but I have no idea what they are used for once they make it to the recycling plant…” Here’s the short answer, Recycling truly does our environment wonders. The simple reason for this is because by recycling, we are providing a way to reuse the same exact components needed to continue making certain things, rather than creating an extra amount of product just because we chose to throw it in the trash instead. 

Why is recycling so good for the environment? Recycling is important because we are reducing how much excess waste that we are throwing away. What would be the point if all we did was just continue to make plastics, cans, etc. and continuously throw them into the trash that then eventually makes its way to landfills, dumps, or the ocean, as we previously learned on Tuesday.  

Avoid making a new “batch” 

Recycling allows goods to be remade without having to make a whole new “batch” of the original supplies. But, that is certainly not all. There are so many things that we are able to make out of the common recyclables, so why wouldn’t you want to contribute!?

These are just some of the things that come from your recyclables: 

Many recyclables are used to make jackets. You know that polyester lining in your coats? Ya, this can be made by recycled plastic bottles! 

While cars seem to be all heavy, industrial, metal, that is certainly not the case. Little do you know, a lot of your car parts are actually often made of recycled bottle caps and other metal like containers! These recyclables are mostly used to make parts such as wheel liners, seat cushions, and splash guards. Pretty neat right? 

I think that we can all say that we’ve had our fair share of fun at the playground when we were younger, right? Well guess what – playground equipment such as slides, swings, and other similar equipment is made out of your recycled milk jugs! Yep, milk jugs! The majority of that plastic-like material you find on the playground is made of high density polyethylene, which is the same as that of milk jugs. 

One of the more basic items made from recyclables are toothbrushes. The plastic handle part is made from recycled yogurt cups! Do not worry though, the bristles are new!

So, our recyclables really do contribute to the creation of many things, some random and some are just the average good! Either way, we must continue to recycle because it truly does make a difference and allows us to be useful rather than wasteful. Keep it up y’all! 

Make sure to tweet us @envirojunkiess and share with us what other things are able to be reused, reduced, and recycled to make new things! 

Citations: 

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71088/15-surprising-things-are-made-recycled-materials

https://www.moneycrashers.com/what-to-recycle-list-recyclable-items-materials/