So I got our household 3 stainless steel straws, one for each of us.  At home it’s easy enough to give them a quick rinse then drain after use but I was stuck with how best to transport them home when used out and about.  And more importantly transport them home after using them without leaving dregs in my handbag (gross) or putting them in the nappy bag (grosser).  I set out to sew some kind of straw sleeve and found inspiration on my baby’s butt:  The Polyester PUL (PolyUrethane Lamination) material used on the outside of her cloth nappies is waterproof, washable and food safe.  It’s used to make wet bags (to store wet bathers after swimming or wet nappies when you’re out an about) and food pouches (to replace sandwich bags and gladwrap).  Technically not the most biodegradable or environmentally friendly material known to man but it is going to be used a gazillion times so the guilt reduces.

It made sense to include some cutlery in the kit.  Although tempting to head to the op shop and up cycle, the cutlery needed to be light weight and easy to carry everywhere in the handbag.  After some magic from Google I found 100% recycled plastic cutlery by Preserve which “can withstand hundreds of uses and repeated trips through the dishwasher” and is itself 100% recyclable – awesome!

I narrowed down my straw options:  I decided on the slim straw because it works just fine with a smoothie and it doesn’t deliver non-smoothie liquids too fast like I find the wider ones do.   I went with stainless steel because durable and light weight and I’ve had no issues with frostbite when consuming frozen drinks.  I also went straight versus bent because I prefer them and the pouch width wouldn’t be affected.  The straws come with a handy brush to clean them if they get super mucky that I haven’t had to use yet – touch wood! (Admittedly I’ve not left a used straw forgotten in my bag for days yet either… which may contribute to lack of brush use…).  Hot tip: I’ve been told the brush is also handy for cleaning kid’s sippy cups.

A pouch pattern was devised and a test pouch or two sewn.  A few changes to the dimensions and I was ready to sew for real.  Combining my frugal shopping budget with my hippie save the world attitude plus my love of DIY my friends and family all got a set for Christmas! I did have to explain the purpose of the set to many of them as I obviously did not inherit my environmental awareness plus I didn’t get time to create and print the tag I wanted to include that would explain it all as I was too busy sewing…

After some great feedback I’ve decided to create more and list them on Etsy because they really are handy and I really do want to save the world.  Specially now I’ve got a kid to leave it to (the world that is – not the straw and cutlery set)…

You can purchase your EcoEatz kits from my Etsy shop MirandaMadeAU.  The set includes a 6mm straight straw (food grade stainless steel, dishwasher safe), a cleaning brush for the straw plus a knife, fork and spoon (recycled plastic, dishwasher safe, recyclable) all in a printed Polyester PUL pouch (food safe) approx 24cm x 7cm sewn by me!

Oh and if you’re interested you can read the other steps I took to reduce my waste on the first blog: small changes to save the world.  And for more info on the evils of plastic straws checkout: Straws: Why they seriously suck.  How do you save the world?  Are straws on your agenda?

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We’ve gone with cloth nappies.  I just hate the idea of wrapping raw sewage in plastic and sticking it in landfill.  Who actually reads the side of the pack and empties waste into the toilet first?  But I also wanted to be realistic and didn’t want to overload the workload when Riley first arrived home.  So we started with a bit of a hybrid, gradually increasing the amount of time per day Riley spends in cloth to the point where she’s a daytime cloth and nighttime sposie wearer.  We find the disposables at night keep her drier so we don’t have to change her and risk waking her overnight.   (Did you know you can also buy compostable disposable nappies?) Cloth nappies make financial sense over time and we’ve not had any issues doing a load of wash each day – quick pre-rinse for the nappies only then add in the regular stuff and wash as usual (warm not cold).  It’s all the rage to dry pail now (just a container with holes for ventilation) – no drowning hazards, no bacteria soup, no extra wear and tear on the elastics and believe it or none of the stench I expected.  The ‘fun’ ones get a rinse in the laundry sink and then stay there until the nightly wash.

Most cloth nappies nowadays are shaped just like a disposable and close with snaps or velcro and do not take a degree to assemble even if they come in a few pieces.  I initially invested in sized all-in-one nappies though because I was scared of all the options.  As my baby was born part heffalump, she outgrew the smalls within 6 weeks and was pushing out of the mediums at 6 months.  I’ve subsequently purchased multifit pocket nappies that I adore.  They change sizes with four easy snaps so suit from itty bitty bubby to toilet training toddler and the outers can be dried super quick (read: overnight) on the clotheshorse whilst the inserts are in the drier.  I sold on the sized nappies to finance my larger stash of the multifits.  I stuck with a single brand (Baby Beehinds) as they worked for me but found some of their styles fit her body shape better so do grab/borrow one or two of each format or brand you’re interested in and try them first then ramp up to them full time as you find the type that suits.  Cloth nappies make the most adorable fluffy butts and come in a delightful array of colors and patterns such that we’ve totally ditched pants in warmer weather.  On a moderate day long socks suffice because who’s got time for pants on and off all the time with the amount of nappy changes?  Although when it is pant’s weather you’ll usually need a size larger than expected, or to be selective style wise, to accommodate that extra cushioned butt  (And why do you have to change a nappy more often when the baby is young and you’re least experienced at it? Mother nature has a wicked sense of humor…)

We also use cloth wipes – cos its no extra effort if you’re already washing nappies.  They hold a lot more mess and for any dried on grime we’ve a water spray bottle to moisten them first.  A few packets of cheap flannels from a big chain store (we use the 12 for $5 from Baby Bunting) and you’re set.  For going out, we’ve a wet bag (waterproof bag) (with monkeys on it) (from Planet Wise) to bring home used nappies. Its got a pocket for clean nappies, wipes and cream, and a lined main bit for the not so clean nappies.

We have 17 nappies and wash every day, but could wash every second day and survive with that number now she’s a bit older.   We got a great wash routine from the facebook group Clean Cloth Nappies Down Under and have had no issues with staining, smells or washing out our nappy creams (MooGoo Nappy Balm and Grovia Magic Stick).  Beware the temptation to get all the patterns and colors though, as that’ll ruin their cost effectiveness (and yep – there is a heap of info out there that you still save when including water, electricity and washing powder costs).

The whole using cloth nappies process really hasn’t been the grueling ordeal I originally dreaded plus I get the enviro warm fuzzies and to look at a super cute tooshie.  And a final benefit: Its therapeutic folding them… well almost…  when you getting ‘help’ 🙂

The post Clean up in aisle two… cloth nappies appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

Resusable Bags

I keep a folded shopping bag in my handbag – a whole $2 from Kmart and it stops me using plastic on those unscheduled, quick, couple of items pickups.  They come in a number of patterns from old lady to hipster.  I also have Onyalife produce bags – I adore them!  For a lot of items I just let them free-ball (mandarins for example) but beans were always a plastic culprit.  These guys are lightweight and made from recycled plastic themselves.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYewug2Dxh-/

Reusable Food Wrap

Any food that used to leave my house in glad wrap or a sandwich bag now goes out in a food pouch or wrap.  These guys velcro shut and do keep the bread fresh til lunchtime.  I’ve tried a couple of brands and find the 4myearth range functional, flexible and fits the food best.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYfQk81Dk7E/

Reusable Cup

I went with the Keep Cup mainly because I could spend an afternoon picking different colors on the website, although I was tempted by their Star Wars range… Remember if you do leave it at home (or lets admit it – forget it was in your hand bag all along) then at least ask them to leave the lid off your take away cup.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYfrIcjDbJb/

Decent cleaning cloths

Grabbing some good quality microfibre has let me ditch the paper towel.  Find some that rinse well so that its not a chore to use them and you’ll stop reaching for the paper towel when the high chair is covered in the mealtime carnage…  I’m using Norwex with success.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYiaVe_jacg/

Buy second hand

For some, the thought of trawling through vast quantities of someone else’s leftovers is cringe worthy whilst others cannot wait to dance through aisles of pre-loved treasures for a unique find.  As both a budget and eco conscious option, op shops are hard to go past.  The last couple of times I’ve gone in with a mission I’ve been successful walking out with the item required with minimal browsing and from a single store (ie. I need jeans, I need black pants, I need a little black dress).  I admit I hate op shop smell, which is thankfully removed by putting items through a single wash.  We’re also super lucky to have a second hand kids clothing warehouse in the area which is where 90% of Riley’s clothes come from.  Its not just limited to clothes, they’ve got most things baby related and they also sell kid’s clothes you bring back in on consignment for store credit!

Don’t limit yourself to just clothes, from hard rubbish to Gumtree, upcycling can get you a unique piece and/or a craft project.  The chair I’m typing in comes from a second hand office furniture store. Its not worn out, functional and way comfier than my budget would have allowed buying new.

So how are you saving the world?

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