Don't throw out! Use, Store, or Donate.

When it comes to spring cleaning and getting rid of all of the junk that you no longer use take a moment to consider where you might be able to send that stuff before concluding that it is rubbish doomed to a landfill. Also in your everyday dealings with waste consider these alternatives that are more environmentally friendly.

Getting started with the spring cleaning.

Appliances:
Old appliances when no longer useful or obsolete tend to take up space in a house. I still have an old Apple I-mac I am holding on to for no good reason. Some appliances still have value and it is easy to sell them on websites such as http://www.trademe.co.nz/ or in shops such as Cash Converters. If someone else can make use of it and you can profit from it then why not?

If that doesn't work you can try giving it away for free on websites such as https://nz.freecycle.org/. Here people give objects they don't want and take objects that other people no longer need. This website encourages re-purposing of everything from televisions and keyboards to glass jars and microphone stands.

Apple Imac. Taking up space and not being used.

Household items:
Anything intact and not electronic can generally be gifted to a second hand store, clothing, furniture, household goods, toys and books.

You can find your local Salvation Army Family Store here.
You can find your local SPCA Op Shop here.
You can find your local Wellington Vinnies Opshop here.
You can find your local Wellington Mary Potter Hospice Shop here

One of Wellington's many Op-shops.
http://www.vinnies-wellington.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Khandallah-Shop-Outside-2015-small.jpg

Clothing:
As well as the Op-shops listed above, there are some places that will take only clothing. Recycled clothing experts such as Rebound Clothing and SaveMart will take all clean clothing, even if it is ripped and useless.

Read here how SaveMart recycles through every step of their business:

Where does our stock come from?
It comes from various sources including:
1.Clothing Bin Contracts,
2.Recylcing Projects,
3.Woollen Mills,
4.Clothing Manufacturers,
5.Carpet Manufacturers,
6.Imports,
7.Surplus Stock,
8.Seconds and Opportunity Stores.

Hundreds of dedicated employees sort the incoming stock in to those items deemed suitable for sale in our stores, only the very best quality makes it onto the shop floor. It is value priced to sell in the same week. Unsold stock is removed after 4 weeks.

All wearable clothing etc that is unsuitable for sale in SaveMart stores is sent to Papua New Guinea where there is great need for clothing especially in the highland villages.

Inevitably there will be garments and material that are not able to be used again as originally intended, these can still be recycled as follows;

Cottons are made into Cleaning Rags, Knitted woollens and acrylic go to India to be made into blankets for relief organisations, Carpet yarn is used in the insulation industry.

Our aim is to recycle everything possible.

The inside of a SaveMart store, full of recycled clothing for sale.
http://savemart.co.nz/images/SaveMart_New_Brighton_065.jpg

Clothing Bins can be found in most suburbs throughout Wellington.
http://everydaysustainability.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/clothing-bin.jpg

As a person who always tries to make the most out of what I have got I tend to accumulate things, I'd like to differentiate between my thriftiness and being a hoarder because I try to use the things I accumulate. I have little containers filled with bits and bobs that I use from time to time. Here are a few examples of the stuff that I have that I hold onto for later use instead of throwing away.

Paper. Empty excercise books, blank paper, coloured paper, I have a pile of all sorts of paper that I can use whenever I need it. I use it to draw pictures, design my next project, scribble on, write lyrics or poems on, anything that I need blank paper for I have it sorted.

Shelf full of assorted leftover paper, to use when I have need. 

Scraps of paper. I tend to accumulate scraps of life in the form of paper, whether this be ticket stubs, pictures, words, cards, post cards, photographs, or any number of other beautiful things; I tend to keep them. I have previously organized these onto cork boards, but more recently I have compiled them into a scrapbook. My scrapbook is a way for me to remember many scraps of time in a creative way, I glue all of the different pieces into the book, and then draw and write words around it; I empty my brain of all of the memories associated with that physical piece of my history.

A few open pages of my scrapbook.

Some of the images and physical memories within my scrapbook.

I have old notebooks intended for drawing in. I challenge myself to fill them up, here I get the most crazy images that come from my mind, they are for my eyes only unless I choose to share them, and I get to use the pen and paper in a way that nobody judges. I challenge you to find an old notebook around and to fill it up with ink in anyway that you can.

A Sneak peek from my weird doodling book.

Other Junk: I keep a lot of other junk hidden away for when I need it. I use old containers to store things in. Have a look at this older blog post about storage conatiners for some examples.

As you can tell I try hard to reuse as much stuff as I can, however I am realistic and know when something is at the end of its life and should be recycled or thrown away. The key part is really trying to make things last.

When something reaches the end of its life be sure to recycle it if possible, some plastics can be added to your weekly recycling collection, as can some metals; other metals will need to be recycled by taking them to a scrap dealer, if the metal is worth anything you will also receive payment for it.

As the sun begins to stay around a bit longer and you approach spring cleaning, be sure to minimize waste, re-use and recycle.

De-Construction of Pellets

With Valley Rovers as a fundraiser we decided to split wood and sell it on. While the wood dried it sat on a bunch of pellets which I got for free by asking nicely at the Dominion Post. As we have started to sell our wood and the pellets have freed up I have been able to take the pellets and make use of them.

I brought them back to our flat and tried a bunch of ways to deconstruct them. The videos below showed a couple of ingenious ways to take pellets apart without destroying the timber. I tried a couple of these methods but they were a bit  hit and miss.
I eventually told a mate of mine who in turn lent me his Stanley Wonder Bar Crowbar. This paired with a hammer did the trick. (Ear muffs were a must for deconstruction).

Stanley Wonderbar - as seen on Amazon.

I deconstructed pellets so as to make new stuff. I have a variety of projects in the line that require a large amount cheap timber, pellets are ideal for this, in my case they are free (apart from transport costs) it just require some time to deconstruct them and make them pretty.

Heres some videos I watched.

This video is a striaght up deconstruction video done with a hammer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtPmUZ-k3aI

This video shows an inventive method using the weight of bricks to seperate the timber.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7oWaRPpdKU

This video offers a range of methods that didn't apply to me, and is very safety conscious. But still a good watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thAsa9jE2QQ

Heres the tools I used.
Hammer - any old hammer will do
Stanley Wonder Bar Crowbar - as seen above
Brush - mine is a wooden handled brush that came paired with a steel shovel, perfect for cleaning the dust and wood shavings off the timber and the floor.

A pile old pellets - yet to be turned into beautiful fresh timber.

Once the timber was separated out I used my claw hammer to remove any nails left in the timber. Sometimes the old rusty nails would snap off in the timber so for safety and the integrity of the timber I had to punch them deeper into the timber using another nail as a nail punch.

http://www.justagirlblog.com/how-to-install-a-pallet-wall-part-1/
The timber needs to have nails removed carefully to ensure its integrity.

The next step is to sand the timber. This strips the surface layer from the wood, revitalizing it and making it seem new again. I borrowed two electric sanders for this job. The first is the belt sander that rips off the old and used top layer of timber. I try not to rip too much off so the timber to give the timber the desired rustic look so people can see that the wood has already lived and served a purpose.

The timber is clamped down while I strip it using the belt sander.

http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=810
Some timber given a rough sand.

Now that the timber is fresh, revitalized, ready to use I have to come up with a few projects with which I can use the timber. The first thing I wish to make is a wardrobe, as our current room in the flat doesn't have one. Other projects I wish to do with recycled timber include a guitar rack, and a book shelf.

4X2 planks salvaged from pallets and sanded down

A plank salvaged from a pallet. Nails removed and sanded down.

Now to make something, check out next weeks upcoming post to see what project I do first.

The Alleyway

One of my flatmates is brilliant at talking, he spins tales like intricate little webs with such a poker face that the truth is indistinguishable from a lie. One of these stories has earned him an association with the name 'The Alleyway'.

Adin-Jenks http://adin-jenks.deviantart.com/art/Alleyway-Stock-164030882

An Alleyway is a place that summons up all sorts of dark images of grime and criminal activity. Dodgy trade deals, violence, and drunken antics.

When we moved into the flat we jokingly said that we would get him a sign on his bedroom door that said 'The Alleyway' we teased him for a while about it before leaving it to rest a while. In the back of my mind I've been meaning to get on with making the sign and surprising him with it. Last week I finally got on with making the sign.

I sketched out a few diferent layouts on paper. I then grabbed a skinny piece of ply and sketched out the shape of the letters on the ply with Pencil. When the blocked shapes were perfect I drew over them in vivid marker to make it easy to see when I got to cutting the shape.

My workspace filled with tools

I readied the jigsaw, for such a small and intricate shape as a word I needed to turn the reciprocation speed down and ensure that I was using it on the correct setting that allows for curved cutting on wood. I then set to cutting out all of the negative spaces around the letters this was difficult at times. I struggled to clamp the ply in ways that would hold it firmly but allow my intricate maneuvers with the jigsaw. At times small pieces of ply would chip of and I would have to slow down, this tests ones nerves, any further damage would result in the shape being unusable.

First paint job

When the shape was finished I sanded it with my new toy, a 1/3 sheet sized electric finishing sander; this smoothed both main surfaces. I sanded the edges with scraps of sandpaper allowing my fingers to get in and sand the small grooves.

After the first paint job.

When the shape was done I imagined how it would look on the door. I decided to mount it on a larger piece of wood and also to paint it. I painted it black completely on both sides and the edges and then mounted it on the block of wood.

Initially I had planned to screw it to or hang it on the door but I decided instead to save the door and just duct tape it to the top of the door frame, this meant that no lasting damage would come to the door. Another project was achieved with a scrap of ply and a few hours of work.

The doorway

When my flatmate arrived home and noticed the sign above his door he was both impressed and pissed off at me. The sign is a reminder of his ability to spin believable tales from lies and also how some tales will stick and refuse to come off.

The Alleyway.

Darning my Clothes

I wanted to know could I salvage my jersey?

The deteriorated arm cuff.

I'd always wanted to learn how to darn so having clothing that was falling apart on me was the perfect excuse to.

Like a lot of fabric crafts I have had this preconceived notion that darning was a female craft. Perhaps once upon a time the ladies would jump at the chance to sew, knit, or darn the clothing of men all around to show off their mad skills; maybe not, it is more likely this was a result of a tradition where men were bread winners and women stayed home and didn't spend money; how the times have changed! Nowadays the suggestion that the ladies should do it for you would likely earn you a slap.

In the process of darning.

As more rows are thread the jersey pulls together more easily.

One of my favourite woolen jerseys, a re-purposed school jersey had been looking a bit worse for wear. The sleeves had laddered considerably, and one of the cuffs was hanging by a couple of threads. The idea was to darn these parts of the sleeve to make the jersey look less scruffy, to save it from deteriorating further, and to keep my arms warm as intended.


To darn you need a length of wool, in this case mine is black to match the black wool of the jersey.
A large darning needle, big enough to thread the wool through, a big needle of around 100mm is a good length to use.
A lot of holes are made over joints such as elbows and ankles. For holes like this it is useful to use a cup or egg shape to shape the hole naturally.

The upside down cup is used to stretch the hole out into a natural position for darning.

Through the magic of the internet you can find many images and tutorials to darning, they can explain the process much better than me. These images influenced how I went about my darning.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/darn

http://www.ecouterre.com/mend-and-darn-clothing-world-war-ii-style/patch-darn-shirt-mrs-sew-and-sew-4/

https://blog.colettehq.com/tutorials/make-do-and-mend-darning

The link above was for me the most comprehensive and easy to understand guide to darning.

My jersey partially darned.

Darning is like many other crafts in that by practicing doing it will prove better results. My first attempts were acceptable but not amazing.

A darned object has been altered in a way that does not hide the fact too well; darning as well as a number of different design techniques such as the Japanese pottery technique kintsugi can be used to highlight the part that has been repaired. The owner of the item recognizes that the item is more beautiful for having been broken. In the case of my jersey I can recognize that it ripped in several places and reflect upon the memories of adventurous activities I have had whilst wearing the jersey.

In the process of darning along a large tear.

The nicely finished tear darn. It has been turned inside the right way.

I currently have a few other items that need mending, I believe that the more I practice the neater my darning will become. I definitely believe that darned clothing is a fashion statement of sorts; it tells the world that the person wearing the clothes is happy to reuse and fix clothing to give it a longer life. I do not need to throw this  jersey out and buy a new one.

The darned jersey arm. Not perfect, but practical.

Me looking pretty stoked with my fixed jersey.

Getting around - Publlic Transport/Driving/Scooter

Wheels

The Situation.

I live in rural Wellington with my partner Shellie, together for the past few years we have relied upon driving a car that has been loaned to us, a red Mitsubishi Lancer. One morning a couple months back we were driving to work through the busy morning traffic; it was a cold winters morning, the windows were foggy from condensation, and there was blinding sun strike hindering our safe progression to the city; ultimately this led to us being rear ended by a little old lady who was also blinded by the sun.

The Lancer

Upon closer inspection, our car got written off, the result of a bent chassis. The insurance money was paid to the owners of the car, and we were left without a vehicle.
Some of you may know I live in an area of Wellington where public transport is not an option. We needed a vehicle as soon as possible to continue going about our daily lives. We ended up buying two vehicles over two weekends.

The old scooter, it putted out and got sold for parts

Perhaps you are to the view point that the use of petrol is killing our world and anyone using a vehicle unnecessarily is kicking their boot in at mother earth. I know that my use of petrol is killing the earth, but I believe that our use of two vehicles is the most suitable mode of transport for our lifestyle.
The first vehicle we purchased is a yellow Honda Fit, the Japanese equivalent of the Honda Jazz. This 'Small Car' "Fits" our needs nicely. Although smaller than the Lancer, it has a lot of storage space, it carries up to 5 people, perfect for driving friends and family around and holding a weeks worth of gear whilst we are away from home. Also, the Fit is more fuel efficient than the Lancer, we save $10 every time we fill it up.

The Fit

For the first week we made use of the fit for all of our needs, but we soon found we each wanted to be self sufficient as far as transportation. The following weekend we purchased a Motorized Scooter; a PGO, PMX Naked 50. I originally wanted to get a motorbike but being sensible we agreed to buy something that both of us could drive.

Our new PMX

In purchasing the two vehicles we exchanged money intended as our international travel fund, into two vehicles, two assets, and in doing so, cemented our residence as being in New Zealand for the next year or so.

Shellie was thrilled with owning our own car; this meant that she could get from one place to another and have the ability to work her jobs as a nanny for two different families, being able to drive children from A to B.
I am thrilled to have the scooter because it means not having to rely on the car; being able to drive through rush hour traffic slightly faster; and most conveniently, being able to park right outside my work building in the middle of the city all day for free.

Two of my least favourite things are getting stuck in traffic and paying for petrol. In a different world I would not have to face either of these daily realities, but instead I live a life that requires my mobility. With my lifestyle the choice of  vehicles that I drive complement the way I go about my daily business.

By driving a car I feel obliged to take into consideration fuel efficiency. Our current car is more fuel and money efficient than the Lancer, and the costs of driving the scooter are almost negligible; I am often taken aback by the fact that I can pay for a weeks worth of petrol for the scooter out of the few coins in my wallet.

I used to stress about having to pay money all the time just for it to turn from Liquid petrol into fumes that become lost to the air; the reality is though, that purchasing petrol has become routine. Whenever the car is empty it gets filled up. I know that this is an extremely privileged situation, but our income from working the lifestyle that we have chosen does allow for our transport costs to be covered.

I still do worry about my fuel consumption, If I lived anywhere else I would happily use public transport or even travel by bicycle. The reality is that having two vehicles opens up so many opportunities for us, yet it retains out desired lifestyle. Firstly we live in Makara, the rural part of Wellington. This place is inspiring, rugged, and beautiful. Living here has enhanced my ability to perform well as a designer and a photographer, it has encouraged my creative output, and ultimately it has promoted my emotional well-being and a happy state of mind, I wouldn't trade all of that in for a cheaper transport option.

Using the train system in Wellington is very efficient.

Vehicles allow Shellie and I to do the things we love, this includes our ability to attend scouting activities. Without a vehicle we would be unable to turn up and be scout leaders for the twenty or so children from the Karori West Scout troop, we would be depriving them of learning life skills and bush craft. We would be unable to attend Rover Scout events, depriving ourselves opportunities of self-development. Personal transport allows me to see my parents most weekends, therefore strengthening our relationship. As an adventurous couple, Shellie and I like to explore the country. Our vehicles allow for this, whether it is a road trip on State Highway 1 in our car, or a afternoon adventure with the two of us on the scooter, our appreciation of our country is made better by the use of our vehicles.

Not neglect for the environment, but passion for living. That is the reason we use machines that consume petrol and output bad emissions. The environmental impact still weighs on my mind, but not enough to change my choice of lifestyle, not yet.

Buy from the producer - Market shopping

First of all. I'm sorry its late, this week has been a week of illness and stress and I am only beginning to put the rest of it in order.

Pressing on.

Wellington is a great place to live because on both Saturday and Sunday every week there are veggie markets. I often use the Victoria Street market on a Sunday which is run out of trucks in a car-park block. Another brilliant veggie market is the Hutt City Riverside Car-park market, held every Saturday, this market is similar, but also includes some fast food stalls and other junk stores, and some other types of goods.. Generally they are open all morning until the steady stream of customers dissolve in the early afternoon

http://www.huttvalleynz.com/Events/Riverbank-Market/

The best thing about shopping regularly at the veggie market is that it is cheaper. I won't start crunching numbers here, but your $20 on veggies will make you a lot more stir fry if you spend it at the market than at some super-brand-company that will sell you food that is sub-par for the price you pay. The best thing is saving money, but it isn't the only thing.

By shopping at the market you as a buyer are saying no to the overpriced veg, no to the imported veg, and no to the veg that has been frozen six months ago, only to be defrosted and put on shelves when it is no longer grown, that is given to you from supermarkets. There is no need to purchase fruit and vegetables that are individually wrapped in plastic. When you shop at the market you show your power as a buyer by negating the advertising and signposting of corporate super chains, and choosing for yourself instead, good locally produced food. Simple. You 'Take the power' and 'share the power'. Choosing your own destination for your hard earned coin.

                                      

 

https://www.change.org/p/countdown-supermarkets-progressive-enterprises-stop-wrapping-vegetables-and-fruit-in-plastic-wrap-and-styrofoam

By clicking on the above link and signing your name, you will be helping to rid supermarkets of excess plastic as seen in the image above.

 

Market shopping is good for the soul.
The setup is only present one morning per week and therefore a lot of people rush to one place to buy their vegetables. You will be pushing, squeezing, and excusing your way past many complete strangers, and that is good. You learn skills of interaction not only with them, but also with the tellers.
You are outside, rather than in a warehouse prison that the media has hypnotized you into spending much of your life in. You will experience the weather, you will breathe fresh clean air, and you will have to avoid mess on the ground that no one will cleanup. Market shopping will keep you active, and fill you with your daily dose of fresh air.

http://websta.me/p/671121070847395062_16532272

Market shopping at first can be an overwhelming experience, but when you have learnt to move with the crowds and handle your goods it becomes a fun experience. You will get to know your food better by moving around it and exploring good and less good qualities of food. You will have opportunities to eat and taste your food, One of the best marketplace snacks is vegetarian dumplings. Often times the market will have a busker or two, making music for the people to enjoy, some people love buskers and give them a few spare coins, others despise their attempts to screech out well known lyrics; regardless, buskers add to the environment of humanity found at the market. There are people. Lots of people, you might see a friend you know.

http://blandforddailyphoto.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/2609-market-busker.html

Holding on to many bags of food as well as operate the mechanism of a wallet and the correct coins can be tricky, but in a fast paced market environment you will learn how to make a transaction fast. Some tips:
1. Take a friend. They can help you hold stuff, while you take on wallet responsibilities.
2. Prepare your money before approaching the teller, and move off to the side once the transaction is complete. This is an efficient way of market shopping that saves you time, and allows those waiting in line behind you to get on with their transaction.

http://peacechild.org/21-easy-ways-to-help-the-environment/

 

 

Market shopping works perfectly with re-useable bags, just weigh and pay for your produce and then put it in your own bag. A decent big bag will save on awkward carrying, and lessen the impact of your consumerism on the environment.
Recently I have even purchased free range eggs from the market, these are at similar prices to your normal Farmer Brown caged eggs from Countdown Eggs. Now that leaves your conscience feeling clean.

Clean your fruit and veg

 Speaking of clean, you must be vigilant at the market to choose produce that isn't spoiled. Check for clean fruit and veg before you buy. A cheaper price at the market means a product with less life, the cheapest bananas will be ripened black in a couple of days so you will have to use them quickly.  Clean your veg when you get home. Some people suggest cleaning produce before you eat it, I suggest cleaning it before you put it away; by doing this you ensure that the produce is not rotten, you can maximize spacial efficiency by cutting up certain produce and throwing out (composting) the waste;
Capsicums are a great example. Cheap to buy in bulk; when I get home with them I chop them up, chop the top, the bottom, cut out the seeds and core, and cut the stem off the top piece, you will be left with the top, the bottom, and a large round. Rinse these in water, shake off any excess water, and then put them in the  fridge in a container, ready to use when you need them.

A whole capsicum chopped, cleaned, and ready to eat.

By buying from the market and looking after your food before you eat it, you will be eating the best healthiest food there is on offer. If you run into me at the market, come and say hi!