It’s not easy being “green”. And this week with all the attention on Earth Day, I especially feel the guilt. I try to be “green”. I try in small ways; very small, microscopic ways, but ways nonetheless. I need to do more. I recognize that. I know there are laundry lists full of ways I could be more environmentally friendly, including washing more clothes in cold water. But alas, the lists go unchecked and the guilt piles up, much like the mountain of jeans currently sitting on my laundry room floor.
I do participate in curbside recycling. I’m very dedicated to getting our weekly plastic and paper discards hauled out to the end of the driveway every Thursday; so dedicated in fact that I have been known to make a frantic dash down the driveway in nothing but my nightgown, cradling the overloaded bin in my arms, gasping for breath, all in an effort to catch the recycling truck. You know that’s a sight the waste management crew laughs about for the rest of their route. And now that I think about it, I wonder if this recycle streaking is the reason my neighbor in the over seven years we’ve lived here hasn’t said hello to me when we see each other on the street. One word. Bathrobe.
I do turn the water off when I brush my teeth. This step alone is a huge water saver because I often get bored and distracted when polishing my pearly whites. More often than not I wander off, toothbrush cantilevered from my lips, only to return to the sink five minutes later rather rabid looking and desperate to spew foam. Focus is not my middle name. Multitasking is.
I do use CF bulbs. Well, three CF bulbs to be exact. We put them in the driveway coach lights because those are pretty much on all night, every night. It’s our security version of a big, growly dog in the back yard. Internally, I’m not a big fan of the CF bulb for anything other than papercrafting task lighting. Give me a house full of old-fashioned, energy sucking bulbs any day. To me the jaundice-like glow they emit bathes a house in warmth and makes it a home. The cool blue light from CF bulbs makes me flashback to doctor offices and every time I get off the couch I half-expect to have parchment-like paper stuck to the back of my thighs. Nothing homey about that.
Now that said … if some day “they” report that CF bulbs make a person look 10 lbs. thinner, I’ll switch out every single bulb in a heartbeat. And don’t you know that I’ll start with the tiny one in the fridge : ).
In January I happened upon an article in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine about hosting a swap party. That idea totally peaked my interest because it was basically a three-fer (you know I’m all about the multitasking): a way to be more “green”, a way to be more frugal and best of all, a way to be eating more cream puffs.
The party basically goes as follows: invite people over; people bring stuff they no longer want; people mark other people’s stuff they want; people go home with “new” stuff. Not too complicated. Not too time consuming to put together. Perfect party scenario in my book!
But in case you’d like more detailed details for planning your own swap soirée, and you’ve already sent your January BHG to the recycle bin, here are some ideas to consider and/or use:
Pre-Party
Invitees. Start with a small number your first time. Build from there as interest and word of mouth grows. Make sure those invited have similar tastes, which will be especially important if you are having a clothing only swap.
Items. Make it clear that items should be in good shape, free of stains and in working condition. Ask invitees to tag items with a short description so other guests will know of its history. Think about focusing on a single category of items such as books, toys, electronics, clothing, household pieces, etc.
At the Party
Arrangement. As pieces arrive group them categorically and plan for appropriate display methods: set up clothing racks and have ample hangers for hanging pieces; pull in empty bookshelves for books, cds, even small home décor items; provide open outlets so that electronics can be tested.
Markers. Give guests a marker for each item they bring. Markers could have guest’s name or an assigned number on them. Allow everyone about an hour to mingle, nosh on refreshments and tag items they want.
Distribution. In case two or more people mark a single item, put markers in a bag and draw to see who gets to take it home. For more ideas on specific swap guidelines/rules, check out this link.
Post-Party
Leftovers. There are two ways to handle leftovers. One option is to make arrangements for a charity truck to pick up unwanted items from the party location. The other option is to have guests take their unclaimed pieces with them. Provide invitees with a list and map to local charity sites so that they can drop things off on their way home if desired. For additional ideas on where to take/send leftovers, see this link.
Now in case you’d like some inspiration for party décor and accessories, peruse this clothing swap gathering by Christi at P is for Party. I fell in love with her idea to give guests decorated bags to carry their loot home in.
And in case you’d like to see my take on party décor and accessories for a swap soirée, check out the pix below. I started with the frugally “green” concept of using only items I had on hand and things that had been used before for other purposes.
My supply list included kraft paper that had once been rolled into a “tube” for which gift wrap had been packaged on. There were leftover page protectors and pattern paper strips from earlier projects. I even rescued a blackberry container from the recycle bin.
And here’s what I came up with using these less than “new” supplies (just click on the individual project picture to see instructions and a supply list).
The invite is basically an oversized tag and plays off the idea of a price tag.
The clothespin markers come straight from the BHG article. I added some flat number discs to be used on items that wouldn’t support a clothespin. The berry container is designed to hold each guest’s markers for better portability as they wander the swap aisles “shopping”.
As I mentioned above, I loved the decorated bags as party favors idea. I thought this could be done two ways: wrap a reusable shopping bag with a cute belly band or make a bag from page protectors.
Well, I hope this post has inspired you in some way; maybe you’ll host a super fab swap party, or use more recycled items when crafting your next set of party accessories, or maybe you’ll just try to be a little more “green” in your daily life to lessen the guilt. I’m all about lessening the guilt! But if you decide to host a swap party, let me know. I’ve got an in-mint-condition shaved ice machine I’d be willing to swap for say … a bathrobe : ).
Happy swapping, dear reader!
~ Elizabeth (ekb)