Trash to Treasure

4/14/2015

I'll give you some ideas on how to recycle without causing more pollution & cost to taxpayers.

I won't continue to repeat everything I wrote in my JEANS post earlier this month about my thoughts on recycling and the destruction of our planet. If you missed it, please visit and leave me your thoughts on the subject. Instead, I'll give you some ideas on how to recycle without causing more pollution & cost to taxpayers.

Buy used as much as you can. Used clothing, used furniture, used books, used videos...
Repurpose things. When something no longer fits its original purpose, be creative. Find a new purpose for it.

Make things. Great-great grandma couldn't use the excuse, "I can't sew." or I'm not crafty." If you are truly lacking in the domestic arts; trade with someone. If you are a gardener, trade produce for homemade things. If you are an accountant, trade bookkeeping help with someone crafty. Bartering is a great way for you both to do what you love and are good at and still have less waste. I have a friend who brings me grassfed beef when I make her daughters dresses. It's a wonderful trade!
Shop selectively. If you don't want to waist a bunch of plastic, don't buy things packaged in it. I wish flour was still in cotton sacks! I LOVE it when packages come in the mail with paper filling instead of bubble wrap (unless it's glass, then I REALLY appreciate bubble wrap). We reuse the paper for art projects and I save bubble wrap for mailing breakables to others.
Re-evaluate the difference between needs and wants. Downsize, minimize, & don't buy so much stuff. You don't need as much as you think you do. (Ouch! Did I really say that?)

Some of the links below may also be affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for details.

I searched "Trash to Treasure" in Amazon books and got over 2,000 results! Some are children's books that look like a lot of fun. Make Stewardship and Thriftiness a fun family project. While you're at it, enjoy learning about God's Creation too:

My favorite links from last week are:

50+ Upper Elementary Writing Prompts at This Sweet Life of Mine

Relevant Writing Strategies You Can Use!

Teaching Our Children NOT To Be Consumers

Katie @ Paradise Praises
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Tara @ Embark on the Journey
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Jeanae @ Just Jeanae
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& Your's truly...

An InLinkz Link-up

The Evolution of Mom - Momma Told Me Link up

13 Comments

Parental Journey link

4/14/2015 11:22:14 pm

I love your tips. I have to say that I do most of that, especially the first one. I buy used stuff all the time and I love that. It's not garbage just because it's used.

Dawnita link

4/15/2015 02:59:48 am

Amen! I've even holiday & birthday shopped at 2nd hand stores & antique shops. Our family loves it!

Phyllis link

4/15/2015 03:16:24 am

Great ideas. We barter our maple syrup for farm fresh eggs, goats milk, fresh asparagus, and soon we'll be exchanging some for beef. Oh yeah - we also get cat sitting when we travel.

Dawntia link

4/15/2015 05:23:07 am

Ohhhhh Maple Syrup! I wish I had someone to barter with for some of that! The bees out here haven't been well since this nasty drought. I've been using blackstrap molasses & it's just not the same...

maryanne @ mama smiles link

4/15/2015 04:20:50 am

Great tips! We try to do all of these things in our house :)

Dawnita link

4/15/2015 11:27:37 am

I'm so glad these ideas aren't 'new' to you all! It's encouraging to know others are trying to live frugal & thrifty lives too.

Keisha Hanvy link

4/15/2015 04:32:33 am

Great advice. I shop at Amazon a lot and I hate how much bubble wrap most companies use when shipping their products!

Dawnita link

4/15/2015 11:31:09 am

Amazon is great! I like Vitacost too. They use more bubble wrap now, but I'm glad because several of my orders came broken. They were great about replacing things, but it's nicer to have it all in tact the first time. I prefer my vitamins in glass. :-) I find ways to reuse a lot of the glass too!

April @ A Simple Life link

4/15/2015 11:30:05 am

I am working more on reuse and re-purposing things. But I confess it is hard when I don't feel good. It is so much easier to toss it aside. So, it takes work. Actually, everything good and right in life takes work, doesn't it:-)

Dawnita link

4/16/2015 04:00:32 am

It definitely does April. I loved using cloth diapers with my babies, but having 2 or 3 in diapers while recuperating from c-section or sickness made it nearly impossible sometimes. We do the best we can and thank God (and hubby) for patience and provision. I'm seriously glad the environmentalists are wrong and it's sad they are always giving people such guilt trips...

Holly link

4/17/2015 04:02:31 am

One of the things I like to recycle the most is books. I am always on the look for great children's and history books at thrift stores, garage sales and used book shops.

Dawnita link

4/20/2015 02:25:32 pm

Me too! We are blessed with a used book store that lets us trade. One of our favorite places to go!

Mike link

11/22/2015 04:47:15 am

I live a cashless life in the middle of the Latvian countryside so I repurpose everything that I find, things get repaired not replaced or I do without.... I chose this style so it's not like I am suffering and best of all, I don't have to worry about not having enough to by the latest phone, computer or bright shiney thing :)

Trash to Treasure

My favorite links from last week are:

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