My boyfriend suggested the push mower when we first moved into a rental house. The yard is really small so it worked out perfectly. He did get some weird looks the first year he used it. Well, you can say he started the trend in our neighborhood. The neighbors on the left and back purchased the exact one.
Can we talk about how much quieter manual push mowers are?? I used to live in a neighborhood where, for some reason, all my neighbors mow their lawns on different days of the week so I'm constantly waking up everyday to lawnmowers :( Wish my neighbors got those push mowers
Wonderful! I’ve found 2 at the curb in the last 2 years. People just throw them out when they need wd40 or to be sharpened. It’s easy and so much cheaper than a gas powered or electrical mower. It’s also a good work out. Manual push mowers are great. The 1 Madison is using in the video is what I found at the curb with the shavings catcher!
I wish you weren’t made to feel that you had to put a disclaimer when you say something that you think! Most of us are here watching your video because we are interested in your ideas and opinions! Continue being yourself and sharing your incredible knowledge of sustainability with us 😊
Quick thing about push mowers: it’s incredibly important to wear steel toe boots when operating them so you don’t accidentally chop your toes off on it.
not sure if anyone cares but if you guys are stoned like me during the covid times then you can watch all of the latest movies and series on Instaflixxer. I've been watching with my girlfriend for the last couple of months =)
When quarantine started I bit the bullet and finally bought period underwear because sanitary products were hard to find. Let me just say it was sooo worth it!! I'm so glad you talked about it on your channel because Thinx is AWESOME
You may be interested to know the eco friendly things I've adopted based purely off your suggestions! - I bought a second hand phone rather than a new one - I've started off-setting my carbon footprint whenever I fly. - I got a wireless charging pad for my phone so I won't wear out the charging wire - I buy single bananas instead of a bunch because they are less likely to be used by other shoppers I do other stuff, but I just thought you'd like to know about the stuff you've directly influenced :D
Kirsten Walsh all the phones i’ve ever had have been second hand - they’re usually just through family hand me downs, but sometimes i get them through something like ebay/gumtree/facebook etc
My lawnmower system is super environmentally friendly, 5 rescue guinea pigs🐹🐹. They are super cute and they do an awesome job cutting the lawn, I just have to cut round the edges with shears. They also fertilise the garden aswell, as I sweep their tiny poops off the lawn and onto my veg plot, so they definitely earn their keep😀👍.
Swaps for cats. Toys - there are a lot that you can do DIY instead of purchasing them Litter box and "scoop" - get them in metal/steel because they 1. Last longer, 2. Can be disinfected and cleaned easier, 3. Do not break (plastic become brittle at some point), and 4. Metal does not absorb smell like plastic can.
I was about to comment that! I bought a nonstick oven tray, of 45x30x7 cm. Really, a nonstick oven tray. It's cheaper and works WONDERS. Also, i use biodegradable cat litter from Cat's Best. It lasts longer and the poop can be disposed of in the toilet
i came to say that about toys, theyre one of the easiest animals to diy toys for imo. i use pieces of scrap fabric and feathers from my rooster's molts to make toys. my moms cats also love empty chapstick containers, or really just any junk thats small enough for them to swat around. we also put beads into an old tp roll and wrapped it in in fabric, just like a tootsie roll and sewed the ends good so they dont eat beads lol
@@egheitisunna i didn't hear that 🤔, but it's possible. Maybe its also the coolness of the tray, but the nonstick is not that cool and if you keep it in a shady place and it has depth enough, it shouldn't be a problem, i guess
I appreciate how you present your info. You don’t yell or talk down or use upward inflection. You make statements vs framing everything as a question. Also you’re often positive style in your delivery. Thank you.
Etsy offsets carbon emissions from every delivery. I just now found this out and I am totally gonna buy more from Etsy. It's also great that you get to do so while supporting small businesses.
For cat sustainability: Petco has a program where you buy a bucket filled with cat litter and can refill that bucket from their giant bin of litter. It may not be the best but it's something!
We tried and tried to get our cat to use the litter tray (spoiler: she hasn't touched it in 2 years). Now she just goes outside or her favourite place (not ours however) in the bath - sounds gross but so much easier to clean than a litter tray and more sustainable bc we are literally flushing waste down the toilet same as we do as humans, using disinfectant before wiping the surfaces down.
RSMD 96 my cat uses the bathtub too sometimes, no matter how hard I try to break him of the habit...he just hates the feeling of litter in his feet! I may try and toilet train him after I move this summer
I def recommend if you are hooked with clay litter. I personally didn’t like their litter at all. I am personally hooked on walnut shell cat litter. Although I don’t do it it is flushable! I honestly don’t know if it is a more sustainable option bc I haven’t vetted them yet. But just wanted to share
This is not a good option, sadly. Petco gets the refills in small plastic bags and they are sourced from strip mining. I would recommend buying okocat if you're going to petco!
There are now tofu cat litters - made from the mostly the run off (if you buy the Japanese brand - which loving in Asia I do). It is not a massive impact on the Earth to make, it biodegrades and it is flushable (which with the SUPER STRICT rubbish sorting here makes it so much easier!)
So, I just replaced my Prius battery pack a few weeks ago and I feel like this would be a good swap to talk about! I got my refurbished pack through Green Bean Battery and they took my old one to fix and resell. Mind you, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the lifetime warranty and the next day installation (at my home) IS WORTH SO MUCH PRAISE! Definitely putting in my personal vote to go check out green bean!!!
I didn’t know about lawn mowers that don’t use gas. I also didn’t know about contact recycling program! I love your channel. I’ve learned so much from you that I hope to start implementing!
@@bandz27 it's IMPOSSIBLE to use with dull blades! So investing in good sharpening tools is essential :) It's not that hard to come by, luckially :) Often a neighbour will have a machine or you can do it by hand :)
Oh boy, this is the perfect opportunity to talk about something I'm weirdly passionate about: my cat's litter setup!!!! I have a system of using pine pellets in a Breeze litterbox, and I LOVE it both for eco-friendly purposes and for ease of use/no more sandy litter bits getting in my bed purposes 😂 I followed a video by Victoria Gardens Cattery, so definitely check it out if it's something you're interested in, but essentially it is just these large pellets of compressed pine shavings (I think it's a waste product from the sawmill industry?) and when the pellets get wet (i.e. your cat pees on it), it turns into sawdust. These pellets are on top of a grate, so when it turns to sawdust, the dust falls through the grate into a separate little bin that can be easily cleaned. It was a bit of a process to transition, but I am so so so happy that we did!!! Clay litter is very much not sustainable, and I always found it gross to deal with!
Hows the smell? Do you clean it once daily? I recently switched to tofukitty litter and love it but it is a little pricier. It's flushable though which is great
We have 5 cats and have been using pine pellets for about a year. It's way cheaper than the clay litter and lasts longer! We really only have to sift the boxes once a week. You can't smell the pee! You do have to get rid of the poo daily unless your cat buries it well. It comes in a 40lb bag but I wish I could find it without plastic. Still it's way better than clay!
Katie Lanier The smell is not noticeable! Some people say it smells like pine, but I can’t smell anything. Of course, the poop that sits on top smells just like all poop does haha! I scoop the poop daily, but I only empty the bottom bin when it gets full, which is like 3 weeks or so? Full disclosure, there is a slight ammonia smell at first whenever the bottom tray is completely empty-I used to use potty pads on the bottom, but that’s not very zero waste, so now I try to put just a handful of pellets at the bottom so the first few times my cat pees there’s something at the bottom to absorb it :)
A sustainable swap I really like: I know you’ve talked about reusable safety razors before, but I actually use rechargeable dry electric stubble razors marketed for men’s faces on my legs. It doesn’t require any soap/shaving cream/or water to use, I never cut myself, I can do it on the couch, I’ve had one for like 10 years, and I never have to get replacement parts for it.
I’ve been really stressing out the past few days. Anxiety and depression and lots of sleepless nights but your videos just make me so calm and relaxed and lets me know that there are good people in the world who are doing their best to do what they can to make the world a better place and for that all I can say is honestly from the bottom of my heart thank you so so much for everything you do ♥️
There are also glasses recycling places. There are companies that take them, remove the lenses and then repurpose the frames for people who need them but can't afford them. Or if the lenses are still good they will just give them to someone who needs that prescription. I think they also recycle the lens material as well. Many of the bigger companies that do exams and sell glasses have a donation box in their lobby. These mostly donate them to a company called OneSight, but the Lions Club, New Eyes, and Eyes of Hope are also companies that recycle glasses. I think Goodwill also takes them. It depends on the company what condition the glasses have to be in or if they accept mail ins, but it's worth checking if you are a glasses person.
We've always had a push lawn mower because our yard is so small & on a hill so it was a waste of money & more work to get a standard lawnmower. It's nice when simple, practical things are good for the environment like that. It really helps people who may not care about the environment make sustainable decisions on accident.
I excitedly told my mom the other day about how there is a gas free lawnmower thinking it was something new and innovative. She responded with "ya we used to use that when I was younger". It made me realize that, of course, there must have been something like this before gas lawnmowers. Also, I think it would be really interesting if you could do a video about the impact of having a grass lawn. This is not a topic I know much about and I would be interested to learn more.
Here's a crazy small swap: whenever I leave a hotel, I take the small hotel soap I've opened back home with me and use it up as hand soap. I don't know, but I assume most hotels toss those in the trash after each person's stay.
Grill BASKETS for vegetables on the grill! Easier to clean than grill bags, made of metal, last forever, and you can toss them in the dishwasher. Easy to spray with oil or whatever you want. Also good for things that you're afraid of falling through the grates, like pieces of tofu or fish. Highly recommend!
I knew about push mowers that don’t use gas because my grandpa had one, but I didn’t honk they’re ere still being made. I love that! We bought a gas powered push mower second hand. When that one eventually dies. I will definitely try to find one of these!
My dad is an optometrist and I got him to do contact lens recycling there! If anyone in the Wheaton/Naperville IL area, Danada Vision Center has contact lens recycling.
Hii!! About the contact lenses: I wear hard contact lenses. They last about 1'5 years (or untill you have to make new ones). They are not 100% zero waste but it is an alternative to daily ones
I started making my own sandwich wraps a few months back! They’re quite easy if you have a sewing machine but I reckon you could do it by hand too. I just cut two squares however big I want them, one in cotton and one on oil cloth (I normally buy fabric at the charity shop). I then sew them together inside out leaving a small hole to turn it the right way round and then stitch up the small hole. I then sew Velcro on so the wrap can be closed diagonally.
Yes the lawnmover Shelby! We had an old school one of those back in the day when I was a kid and it was our job to mow the lawn. We are about to settle on our first home tomorrow and a friend has given us their old hand mower they don't use anymore so win win.
Look for cat supplies secondhand like kennels, and collars. When I got my cat I told my neighbors and many of them had old cat supplies laying around they were willing to give me.
You just brought me back to my childhood! My dad has vintage lawn mowers. My sister and I loved mowing the lawn with them. The vintage metal ones work better than anything you can find now, and the fact that they’re manual means you get a great workout.
I've noticed that your editing skills have improved over the quarantine or maybe you just have more time to edit your videos now. Either way, I just wanted to let you know that we see your hard work :))
Thank you so much! I have absolutely been trying to develop my personal skills! But I am also super fortunate that I recently was able to bring on an editor to my team. So she helped me edit this one! But I’m so happy that you’re liking the upgrades 🤗
Shelbi, THANK YOU!!!!! We already use very little tinfoil in my house, I don't use it for food storage, or for covering food in the oven, however my husband loves to stick onions in tin foil and throw it on the grill. I have been searching for a swap that would work for this, and I am so excited to try this out and see if it meets his needs. I am crossing my fingers. Thank you!
Yesterday's News paper pellet litter. Its the only paper pellet litter that comes in a paper bag, so that you can recycle it afterwards. Oh and they have a softer pellet verison too for those with sensitive paws.
You should turn the captions on for this videos and future videos so that these very information vids can be accessed by your deaf/hard of hearing and those with auditory processing issues audience! :)
Hiii, now im in quarantine im trying to become more zero waste and you've really helped me with that! Just a quick question, can you pls make your next video about how to save more water????
Hii! That is so exciting! I actually don’t think I will be able to make that a video but I already have an entire post about it here, www.shelbizleee.com/post/55-ways-to-conserve-water-in-your-every-day-life
My great aunt had a metal green antique lawn mower that got it's power from the individual who pushed it. I loved mowing her lawn with it every time we visited her whether the lawn needed to be mowed or not. XD So glad that there are still theses types of mowers today!
I had a cat and she loved catnip. Instead of buying it all the time, I just grew a catnip plant. One time buy and it was a cute plant to have in my room. Also you can donate your gently used eyeglasses at certain Walmarts. I got LASIK done and Walmart partners up with Lions Club to donate glasses to those in need.
My German husband bought a second hand manual mower when we recently moved into our house. He also chose a set of shears instead of a gas or electric trimmer. Trimming by hand involves a wider spectrum of body movements - a big bonus!
Well I don’t have a cat but a bunny, and there is a lot of stuff that they use in common, and he is more zero waste than me, I make cardboard castle with my old one for him, toys with TP roll are the best( but there lots of other diy toys you can do with cardboard, strings, old clothes ...) I buy eco friendly wood stove pellet in bulk for his litter, I make little rugs for him to scratch to with old clothes and he often get veggies peel ;) he doesn’t eat catnip of course but he is a great fan of mint leaves so I grow some in a pot, I sure you can do the same with catnip, you wouldn’t have to buy it anymore
We have cats a dog and a bunny and the bunny is definitely the most zero waste member of the household. Doesnt need to eat meat, loves my extra seedlings from the garden and veg scraps, her run is made out of reclaimed pallets and she loves playing with cardboard rolls
So I did a more sustainable swap recently. I've never gotten into dermaplanning since I didn't want to buy the plastic disposable ones, but bought a straight razor with replaceable blades for my husband a while ago. I decided to try dermaplanning with it and it worked! I don't think I've seen it talked about anywhere but it definitely saves on plastic and MONEY since you can get a pack pretty cheap.
I love grilled fruits and veggies in the summer. I have a reusable grill basket that I use all the time! I toss in the food and on the grill it goes. It's easy with minimal cleanup!
7:07 @ your colloquial use of the standard canadian "eh" 🇨🇦 ❤💚❤💚❤ I am sure you hear this all the time but your work has changed my life! Thanks for being a huge positive inspiration!
I love your idea about buying contacts that have recycle options. I'm going to try to buy that brand the next time I go to the eye doctor and maybe even lasik eventually. I can't wait to hear your info about cats! I've been doing a lot of research on sustainable companies for dogs, cats and reptiles.
So I did my final project on this for my energy class. Switching to a push reel lawn mower is great! I also looked at Lithium battery lawn mowers which reduced emissions a lot. Not the greatest reduction in emissions, but simply lowering how often you mow your lawn works too!
My dad used a manual lawnmower for years but finally got an electric one. We have a pretty steep hill in our backyard, and especially the first mow of the spring when you have to cut through the bushy growth and weeds is super hard work. He can't do the whole yard on one charge. But a tip for the manual ones- sharp blades will help so much! I've seen specialty knife and scissor sharpening places also offer to sharpen lawnmower blades and other gardening tools.
I love your lawn mower. I noticed it in a video where you were in your garage. I would love to hear from Madison how she likes usung it. Also, being summer, I would love a sustainable outdoor video. I just found a recipe for salt/vinegar/dawn mix for weeds I didn't know existed
For the grill--I use it for about everything in the summer. My family does eat meat-we live in a small town in the Midwest and purchase meat and eggs from small local farmers, but we also participate in CSA for fruits & vegetables. Aluminium foil just isn't necessary. Most vegetables are better straight on the grill (carrots, asparagus, onions, peppers, kohlrabi, radishes and more) and for anything that is too small you can buy a grill pan, ours is a circle and has a detachable handle and I use it for broccoli, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, etc. The only thing I've ever needed foil for is potatoes and I just realized I don't like them on the grill so it's not hard to avoid. You can even cook cakes and brownies on the grill. I make "mug cakes" in Corning Ware or cast iron and put it on after everything else is off. You can also make cobblers, in cast iron and just grilling pineapple or peaches straight on the grill is delicious.
For litter you should definitely use wood pellets there’s many videos on it on TH-cam if you look up sustainable cat litter, it’s cheaper, easier and smells less
I just offset my Carbon! It was way cheaper than I thought it would be! for the price of three starbucks coffees a month, I can go Carbon Neutral! That's a purchase that's well worth it! I'm so happy I found this video.
That blows my mind about the lawn cutter that no one thought about, that is our favorite one! Only because we are poor AF and it works just as well as the gas one hahah
This series is so good and educational! I'd never heard of reusable grill bags, that's such a cool idea, especially now its summer and loads of people will be out!
At school they give us so much paper and I know you can recycle, but I wanted to do more. So now I’m taking my written on paper and making it into new paper with a kit. I was wondering what else I could do! Thanks for teaching me about sustainability bc I think it is super important!
For the eyewear brand Eco, I would suggest mentioning their parent company (I don't remember, but I think I got those). From what I was told the Eco brand uses the leftovers from the parent brand.
if you wanna wear contact lenses, maybe just swap from daily lenses to the monthly ones (and i think there are even some that can be used for like a year) - it's not zero waste, but at least a bit better for the environment
We have copper grill mats that you put on the grill to keep small items from falling through. They work amazing for veggies and you still get the grill marks.
For cats: I do use cat's best litter, it is made from plant fiber, works very well, does not smell at all, lasts a lot and the clumps can be disposed of in the toilet which is grest ( I think local regulation may vary though)
I found a used push mower the other day. My kids can mow the lawn now! I'm currently converting my backyard to a clover lawn. And I'm working on some hugelkultur beds, because I live in an extremely dry area in the summer and rainy in the winter.
I used to think that the most sustainable thing between glasses and contacts would actually be lasik. I had a prescription that changed twice a year(super super bad eyes), wore glasses and contacts interchangeably. And here I am a year later, still using the single use eye drop vials prescribed to me post op. My prescription was so bad that I actually STILL need glasses. It’s really hard to make the right choice with this kinda stuff. I’m hoping I don’t need to use post op eye drops forever. But I don’t plan on getting contacts any time soon.
A few sustainable cat tips I've picked up: Toilet paper inner tubes make excellent play toys. Poke holes in it, put their favourite treat inside and fold up (or don't if they struggle - it's really easy to modify the difficulty). It's so great to keep them entertained and thinking. I also use recycled paper pellets as cat litter and SS litter box/ cleaning equipment. Very controversial: I feed whole (dead) mice. Unfortunately they legally have to be wrapped up in plastic and are quite expensive, but it's literally a meal in its own container and you can minimise plastic by buying in bulk. Plus my cat loves to play with them beforehand and will bat them about for hours before eating them. Cats are obligate carnivores and mice are the perfect food. I've been feeding mice for years and have already saved a ton on vets bills. Plus I don't have to worry about his teeth rotting or bladder stones. I also noticed that he has stopped bringing home birds and mice of his own. I get feeding mice isn't ideal for everyone and is kinda gross. If you wanted an even better option, you could feed your cats dead chicks and make the most out of the fact that male chicks are killed as part of the egg industry. I'd rather feed them to my cat than have them die for nothing.
My fiance grew catnip in our garden last year and we barely used 1/4 of it from just one planter! It's easy to grow, lasts a long time and it's SO POTENT. Our cats now know our phrase "you want some of that good kush?" And they get all excited xD
Also for people who didn’t know there are some recycling/donation programs for used glasses. If you need to get a new proscription like every year and the glasses are in good condition you can find programs to donate your glasses to people who can’t afford them.
I love using pellets instead of cat litter for my cats! I've made the switch almost a year ago with two 16 year old cats and it's did take a while to transition them, but it paid off! I added more and more pellets to their litter every week until they were use to it. Like everyone else said the pee you can't smell unless you are standing next to them right when they do it. The poop unfortunately you can because my cats don't cover theirs, but I clean them twice a day so most of the time you don't smell it. I find it easiest to have their litter boxes less than half full otherwise they get to heavy with all the pee and wood shavings. Most of the time you can get a 40lb bag for around $6. I enjoy the environmental aspect, money saving, and find it easier than messy not very well clumping cat litter. It's also easiest to use with a sifting litter tray.
For cats, we use compressed pine litte in a sifter box. It is made from lumber waste. So much easier than clumping litter, smells better, and has no dust so better for kitty's lungs. You can also get it super cheap about $9 for 40 lbs (it does come in a large plastic bag we reuse) and that bag last me about 6m with one cat.
My cats like to use the cardboard scratching pads. Whenever I buy them at like a conventional store, they ALWAYS come with little bags of cat nip. I don't need the catnip! Maybe ones that don't come with catnip?
Planting flowers around your home to detract fleas and ticks and I do know adding garlic to dog food makes them sweat out the smell enough to (not like actual flea/tick treatment) detract them from biting your pupper. Not sure if it applies to cats as well 🤔 my friend gets her treatment in bulk and she swears by dawn for any age or animal flea bath
Yes I have a reel type mower and it’s perfect for my tiny patch of grass! (I transformed most of my yard into a garden) They’re really common where I live since there is a large Amish population.
Another swap Noone talks about: sustainable bank accounts and insurance companies. There are a lot of options out there to invest your money in a sustainable way and no one talks about this. I really like this series, thank you so much for sharing. 😊
Love Go Climate Neutral! Thank you for the recommendation. It was super-easy to sign up, for sure, and I loved looking through all the different projects they support.
Just spit-balling here because I have no clue, but what about a program where you send in your own shirt to have it printed on with like a plant based ink or like an iron-on we could buy and diy. I just think of all the "merch" people have made and pretty much 100% of it is from unsustainable crap and I shudder at how many resources go into making a brand new tshirt 😰🤢 That being said, I would definitely love to sport your logo 😘
I don't wear glasses but one of my towns local churches collects them for missions where they check peoples eyes and give them the donated glasses, pretty cool!
When I was in animal club in highschool we made our own cat toys. We used old socks and stuffed them full of cat nip. Then either sewed or tied the ends shut (and tied it with the sock not with string). I will warn you that most socks can have threads pop out more easily so watch out for those because the can eat them and that is super dangerous. Also, our cats love a good box and bag.
Thanks for the contacts mention I didn’t wear contacts for an entire year while trying to reduce my waste. I just used my glasses but I hated it! So I got contacts at my next checkup like three weeks ago so this was just in time.
For cat litter I used to use the walnut litter you recommended and liked it, but it would get everywhere. My boy's previous owners had him declawed and so it would stick inside his paws and get everywhere. I recently switched to Cocokitty litter which is made from coconuts. It's super lightweight so is much more carbon friendly since I would get it shipped, much softer on my cat's paws, and just overall works better and is way less messy. And the bag is at least recyclable whereas the walnut litter bag wasn't. Highly recommend the Cocokitty litter!
My boyfriend suggested the push mower when we first moved into a rental house. The yard is really small so it worked out perfectly. He did get some weird looks the first year he used it. Well, you can say he started the trend in our neighborhood. The neighbors on the left and back purchased the exact one.
Can we talk about how much quieter manual push mowers are?? I used to live in a neighborhood where, for some reason, all my neighbors mow their lawns on different days of the week so I'm constantly waking up everyday to lawnmowers :( Wish my neighbors got those push mowers
Wonderful! I’ve found 2 at the curb in the last 2 years. People just throw them out when they need wd40 or to be sharpened. It’s easy and so much cheaper than a gas powered or electrical mower. It’s also a good work out. Manual push mowers are great. The 1 Madison is using in the video is what I found at the curb with the shavings catcher!
ASMR AsianJenJen what a fanatic trend to start!
I wish you weren’t made to feel that you had to put a disclaimer when you say something that you think! Most of us are here watching your video because we are interested in your ideas and opinions!
Continue being yourself and sharing your incredible knowledge of sustainability with us 😊
I like using the pebel e-bike vs a car
Quick thing about push mowers: it’s incredibly important to wear steel toe boots when operating them so you don’t accidentally chop your toes off on it.
True. My grandpa lost his pink toe because of that lol.
Mine doesnt back real so its it's safer and cuz like a guard thing
not sure if anyone cares but if you guys are stoned like me during the covid times then you can watch all of the latest movies and series on Instaflixxer. I've been watching with my girlfriend for the last couple of months =)
@Tyson Torin Yup, I have been watching on instaflixxer for years myself :)
When quarantine started I bit the bullet and finally bought period underwear because sanitary products were hard to find. Let me just say it was sooo worth it!! I'm so glad you talked about it on your channel because Thinx is AWESOME
That’s really smart quarantine is a great time to get used to something bc you don’t have to go outside and risk having a leak
You may be interested to know the eco friendly things I've adopted based purely off your suggestions!
- I bought a second hand phone rather than a new one
- I've started off-setting my carbon footprint whenever I fly.
- I got a wireless charging pad for my phone so I won't wear out the charging wire
- I buy single bananas instead of a bunch because they are less likely to be used by other shoppers
I do other stuff, but I just thought you'd like to know about the stuff you've directly influenced :D
How does one buy a used phone?
i’m curious about sustainability and flying/traveling! does she have a video on that?
@@Keebzoo I bought mine off my friend when she got an upgrade through her phone company :)
@@a-bq4bb she talked about carbon offsetting in a previous video, it was a compilation like this one but I can't remember what number it was!
Kirsten Walsh all the phones i’ve ever had have been second hand - they’re usually just through family hand me downs, but sometimes i get them through something like ebay/gumtree/facebook etc
My lawnmower system is super environmentally friendly, 5 rescue guinea pigs🐹🐹. They are super cute and they do an awesome job cutting the lawn, I just have to cut round the edges with shears. They also fertilise the garden aswell, as I sweep their tiny poops off the lawn and onto my veg plot, so they definitely earn their keep😀👍.
Nikki Lane that’s amazing and adorable ♥️
So far the best I’ve heard! Lol
@@brianatable6065thank you😍
@@NoNo-ji4uy they are so cute and much more relaxing than pushing round a lawnmower 😀😀
This makes me want guinea pigs lol. I’ve been considering it for some time now... how do you make sure they don’t escape your yard?
I only found out about contact lens recycling last week after wearing lenses for 13 years!
Wow .
Would like more information about recycling contacts please.
You should do a video on how you research, I find it hard to tell if a company is greenwashing.
Swaps for cats.
Toys - there are a lot that you can do DIY instead of purchasing them
Litter box and "scoop" - get them in metal/steel because they 1. Last longer, 2. Can be disinfected and cleaned easier, 3. Do not break (plastic become brittle at some point), and 4. Metal does not absorb smell like plastic can.
I was about to comment that! I bought a nonstick oven tray, of 45x30x7 cm. Really, a nonstick oven tray. It's cheaper and works WONDERS. Also, i use biodegradable cat litter from Cat's Best. It lasts longer and the poop can be disposed of in the toilet
@@lunanogueira3037 Nice! I will have to remember that!
I've heard that some cats do not want to do their buisness in metal litter boxes as it can be rough for their paws to scratch in it.
i came to say that about toys, theyre one of the easiest animals to diy toys for imo. i use pieces of scrap fabric and feathers from my rooster's molts to make toys. my moms cats also love empty chapstick containers, or really just any junk thats small enough for them to swat around. we also put beads into an old tp roll and wrapped it in in fabric, just like a tootsie roll and sewed the ends good so they dont eat beads lol
@@egheitisunna i didn't hear that 🤔, but it's possible. Maybe its also the coolness of the tray, but the nonstick is not that cool and if you keep it in a shady place and it has depth enough, it shouldn't be a problem, i guess
I appreciate how you present your info. You don’t yell or talk down or use upward inflection. You make statements vs framing everything as a question. Also you’re often positive style in your delivery. Thank you.
It's never too late to do your bit.
Sustainable swaps are an easy way to make change gradually.
Etsy offsets carbon emissions from every delivery. I just now found this out and I am totally gonna buy more from Etsy. It's also great that you get to do so while supporting small businesses.
For cat sustainability: Petco has a program where you buy a bucket filled with cat litter and can refill that bucket from their giant bin of litter. It may not be the best but it's something!
We tried and tried to get our cat to use the litter tray (spoiler: she hasn't touched it in 2 years). Now she just goes outside or her favourite place (not ours however) in the bath - sounds gross but so much easier to clean than a litter tray and more sustainable bc we are literally flushing waste down the toilet same as we do as humans, using disinfectant before wiping the surfaces down.
RSMD 96 my cat uses the bathtub too sometimes, no matter how hard I try to break him of the habit...he just hates the feeling of litter in his feet! I may try and toilet train him after I move this summer
I def recommend if you are hooked with clay litter. I personally didn’t like their litter at all. I am personally hooked on walnut shell cat litter. Although I don’t do it it is flushable! I honestly don’t know if it is a more sustainable option bc I haven’t vetted them yet. But just wanted to share
This is not a good option, sadly. Petco gets the refills in small plastic bags and they are sourced from strip mining. I would recommend buying okocat if you're going to petco!
There are now tofu cat litters - made from the mostly the run off (if you buy the Japanese brand - which loving in Asia I do). It is not a massive impact on the Earth to make, it biodegrades and it is flushable (which with the SUPER STRICT rubbish sorting here makes it so much easier!)
So, I just replaced my Prius battery pack a few weeks ago and I feel like this would be a good swap to talk about! I got my refurbished pack through Green Bean Battery and they took my old one to fix and resell. Mind you, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the lifetime warranty and the next day installation (at my home) IS WORTH SO MUCH PRAISE! Definitely putting in my personal vote to go check out green bean!!!
Grill ideas that come to mind:
Peaches for homemade salsa
Anything in a cast iron to not heat up the house
Pineapple
Mushrooms for “burgers”
Zucchini
I didn’t know about lawn mowers that don’t use gas. I also didn’t know about contact recycling program! I love your channel. I’ve learned so much from you that I hope to start implementing!
I had one for a couple years and it was definitely worth it when I sharpened the blades. It was MUCH easier to use with sharp blades.
@@bandz27 it's IMPOSSIBLE to use with dull blades! So investing in good sharpening tools is essential :) It's not that hard to come by, luckially :) Often a neighbour will have a machine or you can do it by hand :)
Oh boy, this is the perfect opportunity to talk about something I'm weirdly passionate about: my cat's litter setup!!!! I have a system of using pine pellets in a Breeze litterbox, and I LOVE it both for eco-friendly purposes and for ease of use/no more sandy litter bits getting in my bed purposes 😂 I followed a video by Victoria Gardens Cattery, so definitely check it out if it's something you're interested in, but essentially it is just these large pellets of compressed pine shavings (I think it's a waste product from the sawmill industry?) and when the pellets get wet (i.e. your cat pees on it), it turns into sawdust. These pellets are on top of a grate, so when it turns to sawdust, the dust falls through the grate into a separate little bin that can be easily cleaned. It was a bit of a process to transition, but I am so so so happy that we did!!! Clay litter is very much not sustainable, and I always found it gross to deal with!
Hows the smell? Do you clean it once daily? I recently switched to tofukitty litter and love it but it is a little pricier. It's flushable though which is great
We have 5 cats and have been using pine pellets for about a year. It's way cheaper than the clay litter and lasts longer! We really only have to sift the boxes once a week. You can't smell the pee! You do have to get rid of the poo daily unless your cat buries it well. It comes in a 40lb bag but I wish I could find it without plastic. Still it's way better than clay!
Katie Lanier The smell is not noticeable! Some people say it smells like pine, but I can’t smell anything. Of course, the poop that sits on top smells just like all poop does haha! I scoop the poop daily, but I only empty the bottom bin when it gets full, which is like 3 weeks or so? Full disclosure, there is a slight ammonia smell at first whenever the bottom tray is completely empty-I used to use potty pads on the bottom, but that’s not very zero waste, so now I try to put just a handful of pellets at the bottom so the first few times my cat pees there’s something at the bottom to absorb it :)
A sustainable swap I really like:
I know you’ve talked about reusable safety razors before, but I actually use rechargeable dry electric stubble razors marketed for men’s faces on my legs. It doesn’t require any soap/shaving cream/or water to use, I never cut myself, I can do it on the couch, I’ve had one for like 10 years, and I never have to get replacement parts for it.
I’ve been really stressing out the past few days. Anxiety and depression and lots of sleepless nights but your videos just make me so calm and relaxed and lets me know that there are good people in the world who are doing their best to do what they can to make the world a better place and for that all I can say is honestly from the bottom of my heart thank you so so much for everything you do ♥️
There are also glasses recycling places. There are companies that take them, remove the lenses and then repurpose the frames for people who need them but can't afford them. Or if the lenses are still good they will just give them to someone who needs that prescription. I think they also recycle the lens material as well. Many of the bigger companies that do exams and sell glasses have a donation box in their lobby. These mostly donate them to a company called OneSight, but the Lions Club, New Eyes, and Eyes of Hope are also companies that recycle glasses. I think Goodwill also takes them. It depends on the company what condition the glasses have to be in or if they accept mail ins, but it's worth checking if you are a glasses person.
We've always had a push lawn mower because our yard is so small & on a hill so it was a waste of money & more work to get a standard lawnmower. It's nice when simple, practical things are good for the environment like that. It really helps people who may not care about the environment make sustainable decisions on accident.
I excitedly told my mom the other day about how there is a gas free lawnmower thinking it was something new and innovative. She responded with "ya we used to use that when I was younger". It made me realize that, of course, there must have been something like this before gas lawnmowers. Also, I think it would be really interesting if you could do a video about the impact of having a grass lawn. This is not a topic I know much about and I would be interested to learn more.
Here's a crazy small swap: whenever I leave a hotel, I take the small hotel soap I've opened back home with me and use it up as hand soap. I don't know, but I assume most hotels toss those in the trash after each person's stay.
As a vegan in a not vegan household we grill a lot! We usually grill zucchinis and mushrooms, sometimes even smoked tofu or meet alternatives
Grill BASKETS for vegetables on the grill! Easier to clean than grill bags, made of metal, last forever, and you can toss them in the dishwasher. Easy to spray with oil or whatever you want. Also good for things that you're afraid of falling through the grates, like pieces of tofu or fish. Highly recommend!
I knew about push mowers that don’t use gas because my grandpa had one, but I didn’t honk they’re ere still being made. I love that! We bought a gas powered push mower second hand. When that one eventually dies. I will definitely try to find one of these!
My dad is an optometrist and I got him to do contact lens recycling there! If anyone in the Wheaton/Naperville IL area, Danada Vision Center has contact lens recycling.
Hii!! About the contact lenses: I wear hard contact lenses. They last about 1'5 years (or untill you have to make new ones). They are not 100% zero waste but it is an alternative to daily ones
Irrelevant bot yes there are daily contacts. I have to wear them instead of a pair you can rewear because of an eye condition I have :(
I'm a beginner but I love taking notes on your videos for my sustainable/zero waste lifestyle to grow!
I started making my own sandwich wraps a few months back! They’re quite easy if you have a sewing machine but I reckon you could do it by hand too. I just cut two squares however big I want them, one in cotton and one on oil cloth (I normally buy fabric at the charity shop). I then sew them together inside out leaving a small hole to turn it the right way round and then stitch up the small hole. I then sew Velcro on so the wrap can be closed diagonally.
Yes the lawnmover Shelby! We had an old school one of those back in the day when I was a kid and it was our job to mow the lawn. We are about to settle on our first home tomorrow and a friend has given us their old hand mower they don't use anymore so win win.
Look for cat supplies secondhand like kennels, and collars. When I got my cat I told my neighbors and many of them had old cat supplies laying around they were willing to give me.
You can also easily grow your own catnip! 😻
I grow mine and my cat and the stray cat really love when I leave them a leaf lying out to roll in😂
You just brought me back to my childhood! My dad has vintage lawn mowers. My sister and I loved mowing the lawn with them. The vintage metal ones work better than anything you can find now, and the fact that they’re manual means you get a great workout.
Cat Sustainability: I use compressed pine pellet for litter. Currently researching how to appropriately compost the used litter.
bokashi system
Recently found your channel, absolutely loving how accessible you make sustainability! 💚
I've noticed that your editing skills have improved over the quarantine or maybe you just have more time to edit your videos now. Either way, I just wanted to let you know that we see your hard work :))
Thank you so much! I have absolutely been trying to develop my personal skills! But I am also super fortunate that I recently was able to bring on an editor to my team. So she helped me edit this one! But I’m so happy that you’re liking the upgrades 🤗
Shelbi, THANK YOU!!!!! We already use very little tinfoil in my house, I don't use it for food storage, or for covering food in the oven, however my husband loves to stick onions in tin foil and throw it on the grill. I have been searching for a swap that would work for this, and I am so excited to try this out and see if it meets his needs. I am crossing my fingers. Thank you!
Yesterday's News paper pellet litter. Its the only paper pellet litter that comes in a paper bag, so that you can recycle it afterwards. Oh and they have a softer pellet verison too for those with sensitive paws.
You should turn the captions on for this videos and future videos so that these very information vids can be accessed by your deaf/hard of hearing and those with auditory processing issues audience! :)
Captions are always on. And anyone can add to them ❤️
As someone who always uses captions on videos Shelbi's are always one of the best, the words are almost never wrong unlike some youtubers!
Hiii, now im in quarantine im trying to become more zero waste and you've really helped me with that! Just a quick question, can you pls make your next video about how to save more water????
Hii! That is so exciting! I actually don’t think I will be able to make that a video but I already have an entire post about it here, www.shelbizleee.com/post/55-ways-to-conserve-water-in-your-every-day-life
thank you so much 😊
My great aunt had a metal green antique lawn mower that got it's power from the individual who pushed it. I loved mowing her lawn with it every time we visited her whether the lawn needed to be mowed or not. XD So glad that there are still theses types of mowers today!
Yay! We are still self-isolating. Your videos make me feel like I’m hanging out with a great friend! Thank you! 💚
I had a cat and she loved catnip. Instead of buying it all the time, I just grew a catnip plant. One time buy and it was a cute plant to have in my room. Also you can donate your gently used eyeglasses at certain Walmarts. I got LASIK done and Walmart partners up with Lions Club to donate glasses to those in need.
My German husband bought a second hand manual mower when we recently moved into our house. He also chose a set of shears instead of a gas or electric trimmer. Trimming by hand involves a wider spectrum of body movements - a big bonus!
You are such a wealth of information. Love the catnip and eyeglasses information. Really, really love your AWESOME energy. ♡♡♡
Well I don’t have a cat but a bunny, and there is a lot of stuff that they use in common, and he is more zero waste than me, I make cardboard castle with my old one for him, toys with TP roll are the best( but there lots of other diy toys you can do with cardboard, strings, old clothes ...) I buy eco friendly wood stove pellet in bulk for his litter, I make little rugs for him to scratch to with old clothes and he often get veggies peel ;) he doesn’t eat catnip of course but he is a great fan of mint leaves so I grow some in a pot, I sure you can do the same with catnip, you wouldn’t have to buy it anymore
We have cats a dog and a bunny and the bunny is definitely the most zero waste member of the household. Doesnt need to eat meat, loves my extra seedlings from the garden and veg scraps, her run is made out of reclaimed pallets and she loves playing with cardboard rolls
Does he have a friend to fulfill his social needs?
Yes! I definitely knew about the push mowers! I intend to get one when I someday have a yard. It just seems so much simpler (and cheaper!).
So I did a more sustainable swap recently. I've never gotten into dermaplanning since I didn't want to buy the plastic disposable ones, but bought a straight razor with replaceable blades for my husband a while ago. I decided to try dermaplanning with it and it worked! I don't think I've seen it talked about anywhere but it definitely saves on plastic and MONEY since you can get a pack pretty cheap.
I love grilled fruits and veggies in the summer. I have a reusable grill basket that I use all the time! I toss in the food and on the grill it goes. It's easy with minimal cleanup!
7:07 @ your colloquial use of the standard canadian "eh" 🇨🇦
❤💚❤💚❤
I am sure you hear this all the time but your work has changed my life! Thanks for being a huge positive inspiration!
We use pellet litter made of post consumer paper or pine wood. Japan has alot of reusable things for cats
I love your idea about buying contacts that have recycle options. I'm going to try to buy that brand the next time I go to the eye doctor and maybe even lasik eventually. I can't wait to hear your info about cats! I've been doing a lot of research on sustainable companies for dogs, cats and reptiles.
So I did my final project on this for my energy class. Switching to a push reel lawn mower is great! I also looked at Lithium battery lawn mowers which reduced emissions a lot. Not the greatest reduction in emissions, but simply lowering how often you mow your lawn works too!
I am so grateful for this channel
Thanks Shelbi! Love your personality that shows through in your videos and editing. Keep them coming please.
My dad used a manual lawnmower for years but finally got an electric one. We have a pretty steep hill in our backyard, and especially the first mow of the spring when you have to cut through the bushy growth and weeds is super hard work. He can't do the whole yard on one charge. But a tip for the manual ones- sharp blades will help so much! I've seen specialty knife and scissor sharpening places also offer to sharpen lawnmower blades and other gardening tools.
I love your lawn mower. I noticed it in a video where you were in your garage. I would love to hear from Madison how she likes usung it. Also, being summer, I would love a sustainable outdoor video. I just found a recipe for salt/vinegar/dawn mix for weeds I didn't know existed
For the grill--I use it for about everything in the summer. My family does eat meat-we live in a small town in the Midwest and purchase meat and eggs from small local farmers, but we also participate in CSA for fruits & vegetables. Aluminium foil just isn't necessary. Most vegetables are better straight on the grill (carrots, asparagus, onions, peppers, kohlrabi, radishes and more) and for anything that is too small you can buy a grill pan, ours is a circle and has a detachable handle and I use it for broccoli, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, etc. The only thing I've ever needed foil for is potatoes and I just realized I don't like them on the grill so it's not hard to avoid.
You can even cook cakes and brownies on the grill. I make "mug cakes" in Corning Ware or cast iron and put it on after everything else is off. You can also make cobblers, in cast iron and just grilling pineapple or peaches straight on the grill is delicious.
Love the video. Yes, I use the hand mower for the side lawn, then a push petrol mower for the rest of the acreage 💜
Yes!! I love my push mower! getting the blades sharpened is hard now as the company that did it before does not do them anymore :(
For litter you should definitely use wood pellets there’s many videos on it on TH-cam if you look up sustainable cat litter, it’s cheaper, easier and smells less
I just offset my Carbon! It was way cheaper than I thought it would be! for the price of three starbucks coffees a month, I can go Carbon Neutral! That's a purchase that's well worth it! I'm so happy I found this video.
Jep! My grandfather and great grandfather had them. At 6 years old I could push them without problem. They did not have a catcher though.🤷♀️
That blows my mind about the lawn cutter that no one thought about, that is our favorite one! Only because we are poor AF and it works just as well as the gas one hahah
This series is so good and educational! I'd never heard of reusable grill bags, that's such a cool idea, especially now its summer and loads of people will be out!
your dress (??blouse??) is so cute!! Love the colour!!
At school they give us so much paper and I know you can recycle, but I wanted to do more. So now I’m taking my written on paper and making it into new paper with a kit. I was wondering what else I could do! Thanks for teaching me about sustainability bc I think it is super important!
I got Lasik last year and love it! It is an investment, but so worth it in the long run (no need for glasses or contacts no more) 🥰
I just want to say that I adore your videos. You've been SUPER helpful while we've been making this transition. Thank you
For the eyewear brand Eco, I would suggest mentioning their parent company (I don't remember, but I think I got those). From what I was told the Eco brand uses the leftovers from the parent brand.
if you wanna wear contact lenses, maybe just swap from daily lenses to the monthly ones (and i think there are even some that can be used for like a year) - it's not zero waste, but at least a bit better for the environment
I use bi-weekly contacts, but if you take care of them and wash them each night they last me for at least a month!
We have copper grill mats that you put on the grill to keep small items from falling through. They work amazing for veggies and you still get the grill marks.
I'm currently binge watching all your videos, and this is definitely my favorite series of yours
These videos are my favorite! There’s always so many unique swaps! 💕🌎
For cats:
I do use cat's best litter, it is made from plant fiber, works very well, does not smell at all, lasts a lot and the clumps can be disposed of in the toilet which is grest ( I think local regulation may vary though)
I've been using Go Climate Neutral since the first time I heard you mention it! I'm so glad they sponsored you!
I found a used push mower the other day. My kids can mow the lawn now! I'm currently converting my backyard to a clover lawn. And I'm working on some hugelkultur beds, because I live in an extremely dry area in the summer and rainy in the winter.
I used to think that the most sustainable thing between glasses and contacts would actually be lasik. I had a prescription that changed twice a year(super super bad eyes), wore glasses and contacts interchangeably. And here I am a year later, still using the single use eye drop vials prescribed to me post op. My prescription was so bad that I actually STILL need glasses. It’s really hard to make the right choice with this kinda stuff. I’m hoping I don’t need to use post op eye drops forever. But I don’t plan on getting contacts any time soon.
Had an old manual mower when I had a small lawn, beautiful cut! Now I have mower with rechargeable batteries. It is so light weight and easy to push!
Wow didn’t know about the grill sheets!
I think you can get silicone reusable baking sheets too!
Lol I don't eat meat and I don't usually grill food, but who knows, maybe some carrot "hot dogs" or grilled corn is in my future this summer!
A few sustainable cat tips I've picked up:
Toilet paper inner tubes make excellent play toys. Poke holes in it, put their favourite treat inside and fold up (or don't if they struggle - it's really easy to modify the difficulty). It's so great to keep them entertained and thinking.
I also use recycled paper pellets as cat litter and SS litter box/ cleaning equipment.
Very controversial: I feed whole (dead) mice. Unfortunately they legally have to be wrapped up in plastic and are quite expensive, but it's literally a meal in its own container and you can minimise plastic by buying in bulk. Plus my cat loves to play with them beforehand and will bat them about for hours before eating them.
Cats are obligate carnivores and mice are the perfect food. I've been feeding mice for years and have already saved a ton on vets bills. Plus I don't have to worry about his teeth rotting or bladder stones.
I also noticed that he has stopped bringing home birds and mice of his own.
I get feeding mice isn't ideal for everyone and is kinda gross. If you wanted an even better option, you could feed your cats dead chicks and make the most out of the fact that male chicks are killed as part of the egg industry. I'd rather feed them to my cat than have them die for nothing.
Do you have a citronella plant? you mentioned clovers in your yard attracting mosquitoes, and I know citronella plants can help!
We had two and they didn’t help whatsoever 😫
My fiance grew catnip in our garden last year and we barely used 1/4 of it from just one planter! It's easy to grow, lasts a long time and it's SO POTENT. Our cats now know our phrase "you want some of that good kush?" And they get all excited xD
Also for people who didn’t know there are some recycling/donation programs for used glasses. If you need to get a new proscription like every year and the glasses are in good condition you can find programs to donate your glasses to people who can’t afford them.
I love using pellets instead of cat litter for my cats! I've made the switch almost a year ago with two 16 year old cats and it's did take a while to transition them, but it paid off! I added more and more pellets to their litter every week until they were use to it. Like everyone else said the pee you can't smell unless you are standing next to them right when they do it. The poop unfortunately you can because my cats don't cover theirs, but I clean them twice a day so most of the time you don't smell it. I find it easiest to have their litter boxes less than half full otherwise they get to heavy with all the pee and wood shavings. Most of the time you can get a 40lb bag for around $6. I enjoy the environmental aspect, money saving, and find it easier than messy not very well clumping cat litter. It's also easiest to use with a sifting litter tray.
For cats, we use compressed pine litte in a sifter box. It is made from lumber waste. So much easier than clumping litter, smells better, and has no dust so better for kitty's lungs. You can also get it super cheap about $9 for 40 lbs (it does come in a large plastic bag we reuse) and that bag last me about 6m with one cat.
My cats like to use the cardboard scratching pads. Whenever I buy them at like a conventional store, they ALWAYS come with little bags of cat nip. I don't need the catnip! Maybe ones that don't come with catnip?
Planting flowers around your home to detract fleas and ticks and I do know adding garlic to dog food makes them sweat out the smell enough to (not like actual flea/tick treatment) detract them from biting your pupper. Not sure if it applies to cats as well 🤔 my friend gets her treatment in bulk and she swears by dawn for any age or animal flea bath
Yes I have a reel type mower and it’s perfect for my tiny patch of grass! (I transformed most of my yard into a garden) They’re really common where I live since there is a large Amish population.
Another swap Noone talks about: sustainable bank accounts and insurance companies. There are a lot of options out there to invest your money in a sustainable way and no one talks about this.
I really like this series, thank you so much for sharing. 😊
Love Go Climate Neutral! Thank you for the recommendation. It was super-easy to sign up, for sure, and I loved looking through all the different projects they support.
There is also grilling mats for grilling vegetables.
Cece Darter yeah I saw a pack of reusable grill mats at Walmart for 9.88 today.
One question ~ when does a t-shirt with your saying come out ?! 💖
OMG I knoooooow! I need someone to help me make them :(
Do you have certain ideas you would like? I mean. Shouldn’t be too hard to get a design? I could surely try.
Custom ink is super easy and fun to design!!
Just spit-balling here because I have no clue, but what about a program where you send in your own shirt to have it printed on with like a plant based ink or like an iron-on we could buy and diy. I just think of all the "merch" people have made and pretty much 100% of it is from unsustainable crap and I shudder at how many resources go into making a brand new tshirt 😰🤢
That being said, I would definitely love to sport your logo 😘
Oh, watch ‘ Oh Snap!’ on See the Seitz youtube for their explanation!!
I don't wear glasses but one of my towns local churches collects them for missions where they check peoples eyes and give them the donated glasses, pretty cool!
When I was in animal club in highschool we made our own cat toys. We used old socks and stuffed them full of cat nip. Then either sewed or tied the ends shut (and tied it with the sock not with string). I will warn you that most socks can have threads pop out more easily so watch out for those because the can eat them and that is super dangerous. Also, our cats love a good box and bag.
Oh man , I grill all summer . Veggie burgers, grilled squash (so good), portobello mushrooms, potatoes, kabobs, Brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes . Soooo many options
Thanks for the contacts mention I didn’t wear contacts for an entire year while trying to reduce my waste. I just used my glasses but I hated it! So I got contacts at my next checkup like three weeks ago so this was just in time.
For cat litter I used to use the walnut litter you recommended and liked it, but it would get everywhere. My boy's previous owners had him declawed and so it would stick inside his paws and get everywhere. I recently switched to Cocokitty litter which is made from coconuts. It's super lightweight so is much more carbon friendly since I would get it shipped, much softer on my cat's paws, and just overall works better and is way less messy. And the bag is at least recyclable whereas the walnut litter bag wasn't. Highly recommend the Cocokitty litter!