Sweet Southern Belle

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

I’ve done pretty well with recycling for a while now. I keep several bins outside my kitchen door for easy access. Even though my city only has curb-side pick up for paper I collect glass, albumin, tin, plastic and cardboard to take downtown to the recycling center any time I’m heading that way. I check out the numbers on the bottom of anything plastic and I try to only buy products that have a 1 or 2 since that’s what I can recycle. I also buy as many products as I can that are made from recycled material. Our market exists on a supply and demand basis so if we demand recycled materials more companies will use them.

However, not until pretty recently was I conscious about reducing or reusing. Reusing is even more important than recycling since it takes a great deal of energy to recycle. Before I throw anything in the trash or recycling bin I try to think of another use.  Here are a few of the things I’ve been doing lately to reduce and reuse.

1. I take notice of the packaging that anything I buy comes in and if I have several choices I try to purchase the product with less packaging.
2. I buy products in the largest possible container. I buy the largest containers I can find of products I use a lot of such as vinegar, olive oil, castile soap and honey.
3. I’m trying to reduce the amount I buy of anything and everything. The truth is I buy buy buy way too much and I need to slow down and think about the necessity of purchases.
4. I am saving all my glass jars for leftover containers (thanks to Amanda for the great idea). I have slowly been trying to weed out the use of plastic containers so saving glass jars helps me have something to put my food in.
5. I reuse glass bottles to put salad dressing or body oil in both of which I make at home and would have to purchase something to put them in otherwise.
6. I’m using both sides of paper when printing and writing.
7. I wash out plastic zip lock bags ( see above pic…not great decor but oh well)  and reuse them for as long as they hold up (usually 3-5 uses) I would like to eventually stop using them but I’m not there yet.
8. I use reusable cloth shopping bags 95 % of the time. That would be 100% if I could remember to take them out of my car ever time I get out!
9. We use wash clothes and cloth napkins instead of paper ones and I’m trying VERY hard to weed out my use of paper towel (the ones I do buy though are made of 100% recycled paper). I keep them in a high cabinet so I have to climb to get them out which makes me really think about the need. Otherwise we use rags that can be washed and re-used!

What do you do to reuse? Any new ideas?

This is my new favorite salad dressing

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 pinch salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. I just dumped them in my bottle and shook it until it look like dressing!

I like to have a quick breakfast option sometimes and these bars are a great choice. This recipe is my favorite and the bars make a great snack/desert option too. I make these almost every week as they have a “shelf life” of about 7 days.

Play Group Bars

2 cups of rolled oats

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup of flour (your choice….I’ve used all purpose, unbleached bread and whole wheat)

¾ cup of dried fruit or chocolate chips

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup honey

1 egg, beaten

½ cup oil (I used grapeseed or almond)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together until it is a sticky constancy. Then pat into a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Bake on 350 for 25 minutes. Cut into bars or squares while hot. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.