Brainstorm

Dear peeps around the world <3

For a long time I've tried to go trash free, while living in our own apartment. There I had more of a say in which things to buy and what kind of stores to visit. Now, while we're living back with my in-laws for an unspecified amount of time, I see that still every week we produce a full trash bag. Now this might be less than some, and more than others, but I still think that there is more that I can do to produce less trash.

I've spent some time on the internet and Bea Johnson (here) has created a sort of how-to guide for everyone that wants to follow in her footsteps. She mentions 5 main areas in which many of us can improve our habits.

• Refuse the things we don't need. 
• Reduce the things we do need
• Reuse the things we consume
• Recycle the things we can't Reduce or Reuse.
• Rot (compost) the rest

Now I realize that going cold-turkey on this might be daunting, and nearly impossible. I can proudly say that it's been a while since I've accepted a plastic water bottle. At our school we have a water-refill system that counts the plastic water bottles that have been spared because of that system. Every time I see the numbers change while refilling my water bottle I feel very happy and satisfied. And, the bigger the water bottle you're carrying with you, the more the numbers change (I think the machine is set on smaller bottles).
Today is my first day of the summer vacation. For the second part of the summer semester I've followed classes, and on August 4th I'll be having an interview for my green card processing, so for a while we haven't been able to go on vacation together. Well, what am I saying, it has only been a month since the last. Right now my sister is spending her well-deserved vacation in Cascais, Portugal. I hope that she's learning how to pro surf and that she's having a beautiful time there with her friend.

Anyhoo, I've joined a group on the internet that gives away free stuff and requests for second hand stuff in our area. Sadly so far everyone's been requesting baby clothes, of which I have none. I've been trying really hard to throw away some of my old stuff, or things that I don't need. I had a whole crate ready to go. Maybe I should organize a yard sale, or a garage sale. Or a GIANT yard sale in our neighborhood, I'd need to call our HOA president, luckily Purna has his phone number and they're close buddies now. Imagine that, a 'meimarkt' sort of mega yard sale on our baseball field. With little home made food stands and lemonade stands. Dang, that would be amazing. Great idea guys!
The benefits of a giant yard sale:

• everybody can get rid of their old crap in the garage
• your stuff gets REUSED (one of the 5 R's)
• your community comes together
• good opportunity for children to play shop and make real money.
• for lower-income families good opportunity to shop for decoratives/necessities/small household appliances
• backyard farmers are welcome to set up shop as well

Some rules

• Cash only
• Once sold it's sold.
• for small appliances we'd need an outlet to test if working or not.

Wow, this brainstorming thing really works. I should show this to my husband and hopefully he'll take it into consideration. (otherwise I'll steal his phone and call the HOA president myself)

Well, it's been wonderful sharing this with y'all. Hope to see you soon at our new yearly event "Brentwood Yard Sale&Swap". 

En dat was op onze huwelijksreis in Thailand. Heerlijk verbrand !