I found this article on the internet and knew I’d have to share it on Green Renters. I am an enthusiastic cook who is at times, prone to burning things. Especially when toasting spices or trying to make toffee and I get distracted by something else…

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CDs have become a bit obsolete of late with the increase of digital downloading, so what do you do with them then? They can’t go in the normal recycled (only a couple councils let you do this) and if you throw them in the bin then they will end up in landfill… not a good option.
Ever wondered what to do with you old, scratched or unloved CDs and DVDs? Most people have a stash of old data CDs at the back of their drawer that are in need of a good recycling! So Eco Innovators has organised the first CD Swap Meet Melbourne to be held on Thursday 4th march 2010 at a nice little drinking hole called the Edinburgh Castle Hotel in Brunswick.

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I found this tutorial and it instantly appealed as it adhere to our ethos of mending things instead of throwing out/recycling and buying a replacement product. I’ve various friends who’ve dropped their mobile phones in toilets, glasses of beer, washing up water and I’m sure this will appeal to them…

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I was interested when a friend of mine Gauri started a blog on how she would cease from shopping for non-essentials for a year. We all know that shopping and buying things we don’t need are big problems when it comes to reducing our environmental footprint. She kindly consented to an interview for Green Renters.

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I was really excited to find out about the new Take Out With Out Campaign, directed at reducing the use of unnecessary plastics and packaging with take out food. They have the very sensible creed:

ReFuse Unnecessary Stuff

When taking out, refuse the unnecessary packaging! Think about the spoons, forks, straws, and napkins that you get served (why do they give you enough for a family of 20 when eating alone?). Ask yourself before accepting all these items, “Do I really need all of this?”, “Am I going to be eating this right away?” (If so, why take the bag or the napkins)… just enjoy your muffin – and be neat so the napkin isn’t needed!

ReTakeYour Own Reusables

Bring your own reusables (BYOR) and you won’t need to use the can – garbage, that is. You can bring your own containers, straws, cutlery, mugs, bottles, and even your own bag – It’s so easy to find and use!

ReConsiderYour Habits

It’s easy to fall into a routine, so why not choose to create a new one? Reconsider and readjust your habits and adopt healthier eating strategies – it might be challenging at first – but it will save you time, money, your health, and our world. The bonus? You’ll feel like an eco-hero and will inspire others around you to follow suit.

It’s a great little campaign which includes posters and wallet sized tips you can download, an interesting blog and a list of restaurants which support the cause. I usually bring my own bags where I go, and still often have to state more than once “I don’t need a bag thanks”, and I think this is a great extension of the BYO bag idea, taking it up a notch. We’ve seen it happen with the reusable coffee cups such as the Keep Cups we reviewed last last year and I think this is the next step. It would be great if restaurants and cafes supported the enterprise by offering a small discount to those who BYO their own containers etc since they are saving on packaging.

pic from here

Curtains have many benefits in keeping out heat and sunlight. Ask around your relatives, most people seem to have a spare pair of the rubber backed insulated curtains stashed in a cupboard somewhere.

Alternatively you might like to pick up a pair cheaply at a charity shop or ebay or even make your own. Make some ties whilst you are there, you’ll want them open in the mornings. Here’s a great easy tutorial, making curtains is pretty much just about sewing straight lines which get easier with practice!

1. Stay home and celebrate
Seriously, I ‘ve always suspected that NYE is the night for people who don’t go out any other night of year.

As green planet suggests

if you stay home and host your own ring-in-the-new shindig, you’ll save transportation emissions—and, of course, money. You’ll also be able to better control the environmental impact of your night, from sending out email invitations to preventing the food and paper waste that comes from bars and restaurants.

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Who needs pricey wrapping paper when you can make the most of old clothes? Cut flannel shirts or pants apart at the seams, making large rectangle-ish pieces. Make sure that you have enough to cover the box you’re using, then wrap as if you were using paper and secure with double-stick tape. (Put a few strips of double-stick tape on the box to help hold the fabric in place.) Tie bows out of shoelaces or with strips of felt. To make a fabric box topper, cut the hem off a leftover shirt and spiral it into an overlapping circle. Scrunch and gather in the middle. Stitch the center with a needle and thread and use double-stick tape or a safety pin to secure it to the top of your box. (By Amu Palanjian via ReadyMade)

Photos by Kathryn Gamble & Rick Lozier

As a renter I don’t really see the point of store bought Christmas trees. They’re synthetic and kinda ugly and we have no where to store them inbetween Christmases (like most rental properties, storage cupboards are lacking). I don’t see in the point of a cut tree, and the potted variety seem to die off in the summer heat anyway.

I also should mention that we don’t really have the space for a big Christmas tree, our living room is quite small!

So I was excited to see these photos of DIY christmas trees using household objects…

The first three are from here. The ladder looks great and I like it as it doesn’t take up too much space. The second photograph is of an old drying rack, I think something similar could definitely be made with an old clothes horse!

Simple but effective!

The harddisk Christmas tree is a hilarious use discarded discs, whether cd’s, or computer disks!

And the pinecone tree is great for traditionalists who want the pinecone smell

I like the idea of making a junk mail Christmas tree out of all the junk mail that seems to arrive in the letter box, even with a ‘no advertising’ sticker.