Further point on the journey along the plastic free highway, and a detour down the zero waste lane.

So for the plastic that cannot be recycled and that we cannot prevent from entering our home we have started Ecobricking.

 https://www.ecobricks.org

Unfortunately for us we only had a 2 litre bottle in the house (and we had to wait 2 weeks for it to be emptied and ready for use!).  These are much harder to fill to the correct weight especially when you are beginning your ecobrick workout.

So this is the bottle and currently it weighs 342gms.  There is a small amount of plastic in the metal waste bin waiting to go in and the white length of pipe is my current poking stick.  The wooden ladle will be used once I have smaller bottles to fill.  (might have to search in hedge bottoms for one though)  The bottom half is pretty solid but there is still room in the top half (looks full because the plastic bounces back to fill the space)  I hope to have reached the minimum target weight of 666gms by Christmas.

Once you start this process it really makes you think about just how much we throw away.  But the other benefit is that you no longer feel guilty when you buy something that comes in a non recyclable wrapping, because you have a way to deal with it.

We missed the landfill collection last week - but in fact the black bin outside is empty and the one in the kitchen barely a quarter full so not a problem.  We started saving the plastic wraps etc when we put the last bin out two weeks earlier.  And pretty much all that plastic is in that bottle.

IN OTHER NEWS

I have made myself a pair of trousers out of a pair of curtains from a charity shop.  Mainly to practise as I have some material that I bought years ago that I don't want to make a mistake with.  I have been hankering after a pair of highwaisted trousers, that fit me.

Curtains

Unpicking

Not perfect as I decided last minute to add a front zip and waistband, on top of the original waistband from the bottom of the curtains.

The pattern for a front zip rather than a side zip is slightly different (you have to allow for the placket).  Plus I was going for an elasticated waist in the beginning anyway, since I didn't want an outside seam which is where the side zip could have gone.  But I had extra capacity in the material department once I had sewed the legs together because I had overestimated just how big I was so decided last minute to insert a zip instead of the elastic.  (Better than underestimating I guess)

So the next pair will not be so bulky around the waistband which will help the poor sewing machine!

Very comfortable, and with an untucked top no one will know!

I am not a natural seamstress but have a have a go attitude!  I have become a huge fan of you tube.

Whilst researching how to make a pair of trousers without a pattern etc I came across a blogger that is trying to not send any of her unused sewing material etc to landfill.  So she saves every clipped bit of thread, snippet of material and projects that didn't work and reuses them at a later point.  She has some good tips.  One of them being that she found a use for all that dross as stuffing for a cuddly toy.  Would work with cushions too.  I would put a link but I can't remember her name!  She also made eye masks using the bra cup infills as the padding.  I have some of those lurking around so I might just make myself an eyemask for the airplane.