I've been cutting.
Not myself! Whoa! So dark . . . I've been cutting boards! And now I have panels. Enough to fill a wall. Which means art making aplenty. Next I'll craft backside framing, prime and paint the buggers, then beautify them! That's my favorite part.
Turtle-ing.
It's been a slow week for work on big momma. Large pieces can be challenging. They require patience, determination and open-mindedness. Here are some detail shots of my focus areas.
Waste Not.
"Americans make more trash than anyone else on the planet, throwing away about 7.1 pounds per person per day, 365 days a year. Across a lifetime that rate means, on average, we are each on track to generate 102 tons of trash."
I'm sure my family and friends are sick of hearing me talk about this book. But for real. Read this book. It's well crafted and easy to absorb, but convicting. It claims that an easy first step toward protecting the planet is a reduction in human consumption. I tend to agree. We United States citizens love to consume; it's fun, therapeutic even, but what if there's something more satisfying? Like, focusing on quality over quantity, experiences over possessions, and finding creative ways to reduce the use of disposable containers. Like living in a clutter free home, knowing that your food scraps turn into soil, your rubbish generates electricity and fuel, and you aren't sending plastic to the ocean. It's a good goal to reach for.
At the end of his book, Edward Humes recommends five ways to start reducing one's trash contribution.
1. "Refuse." Say no to stuff. If it'll end up in the trash a year from now, don't buy it.
2. "Go used and refurbished." It's cheaper and has minimal environmental impact.
3. "Stop buying bottled water." US bottled water is fraudulent and wasteful. Reusable bottles filled with tap water are just as safe.
4. "No more plastic grocery bags." If you can stop using plastic bags, it proves you can stop using other disposable plastics.
5. "Focus on cost of ownership." Rather than buying cheap items with short lifespans, save up for quality items that can be passed to future generations. Say no to things you don't need. Save instead of spend.
If you'd like one person's zero waste example, check out Bea Johnson, an amazing frontier in zero waste: zerowastehome.com