I promise I have not forgotten about plus size and Preppy, and will have a selection of fun more casual Preppy clothes in my next post on that topic. But...shifting gears to the eco-side of my blog, tomorrow as nearly all of us know by now is Earth Day. And each year the list of stores, restaurants and companies getting in on Earth Day gets longer and longer. To wit Yahoo has an article listing all the great deals and other events here. Some are totally in the spirit of Earth Day in this blogger's view, such as those which encourage you to bring in a coffee travel mug or an empty container of makeup in exchange for a refill of coffee or a full size cleanser at Origins. But discounts on "everything"? The Refresh Your Nest sweepstakes? I love the stores that are doing these and love that they are trying to raise awareness about Earth Day. The other day I got an email from a large bookstore chain offering discounts on books about how to be more eco-conscious.
But...as I slide into Andy Rooney mode here. But. Maybe our nest is okay the way it is and maybe our TV's and other items are okay. And what about the paper that those eco-conscious books may end up generating? It all boils down to more stuff. It may be fun to pick up the books and circulate them among friends who are interested in reading them so several people are reading a single book. If you are the lucky one who wins that Refresh Your Nest sweepstakes, donate the old stuff, the kitchenware to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or if you are really lucky and have a Unique store in your area, donate to them. See if a salvage lot or shop in your area will take old ceiling fixtures, cabinetry and the like. Or move the cabinets to your basement if you get new ones in your kitchen.
Toiletries and cosmetics are a tricky area for reuse. Sometimes they DO need to be tossed and as you've probably heard by now if anything smells or looks off, it needs to go out. You don't want to harm yourself putting old creams on your body or lipsticks on your face. I never did used to care about old makeup and hung on for dear life. Then my Mom lost her life to lymphoma. Then I started wondering if ingredients metastasize. I'm not a scientist and don't know for sure but am going the better safe than sorry route now. Still though there are ways. If you are comfortable with gently used items or want to find new items, Makeupalley is a great resource. You must register and they have a "token" system that works alot like feedback on Ebay, the more positive tokens, the higher a member is rated. If you aren't as comfortable with this, try using a fragrance you aren't crazy about on you as an air freshener or leave it in your office bathroom. Shower gels can make great liquid hand soaps. I have never tried body lotion as shaving cream but have heard many vouch for it.
I would love to hear any more ideas you, my dear readers, have on reusing items. And happy Earth Day to all!
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