I'm thinking of taking a no plastics for a week pledge to raise my own awareness of how much plastic our household consumes (then tosses into the recycling bin....or not, in some cases of saran and other baddies). If you haven't seen pictures of the Great Pacific Garbage Dump, it may alarm you into swearing off of polymers, too. Olga Naidenko's article at Enviroblog came across my inbox and led me on a scavenger hunt, which led me to this funny gal from Oakland, who is doing all sorts of neat comparisons to decide which commonly used grocery and household items we can replace in order to avoid adding to the plastic grossness. Anyone know of a great plastic-wrapping-free cheese from CA?
Every once in a frequent while, I need to reassess consumption around here. Miles birthday was an example of a lot of excess wrapping paper, plastic toys, giant gift bags, and things that I will be trying to find a home for when Spring cleaning and the nesting season kicks in. I can tell you that this Christmas there will be major moratoriums. If I thought I could do it, I would commit to handmaking all of our gifts, but I just don't know what I'll have time for. I don't think it will be that challenging to select or make thoughtful, minimumally-packaged gifts, but I will forego Tyvek (which I don't use that much of anyhow) in favor of small boxes and no stuffin for the peeps far away .
Is it that time of year already!? I'm going to try to put a list of my favorite gifts together again this year and also just throw out there that not giving gifts is totally ok with me, too. What about you? Would it ruin the holidays to adore someone in such a way that doesn't involve the purchase or exchange of items? Of course, it is a little harder with the wee ones.
Totally changing the subject...
Design Studio, 5:20 am this morning:
Knitting Schmitting, are you tired of hearing about it yet?
Ten things I love about knitting:
1. Totally portable, follows me from room to room, to work or dr.'s office in the bottom of my purse and can be stopped and started at any time.
2. Kiddie-friendly, can be dropped immediately to wipe someone's bum or kiss a boo boo, with no handwashing or de-chemicalling required to do so.
3. When natural materials are used, they can all go straight back to the earth (or compost pile) without harming groundwater or future generations.
4. My workshop is in bed. Or anywhere I want it to be in the moment!
5. Doesn't cut into my social life. With a headphone on, I can talk on the phone and do it. (nice social life)
6. Near instant gratification
7. Yarn that stretches even just a little forgives the advanced beginner
8. The colors the colors the COLORS!!!!
9. Cackling women that discuss the male anatomy in art while knitting in the yarn shop crack me up and help me fix my mistakes
10. Silence and sitting still have never been so fun
