Comments on: What Non-Consumer Activities Have You Been Up To?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:03:09 +0000

Use glass canning jars. Wide mouthed ones work best, but any will do.

By: sandy

sandy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:57:47 +0000

Yesterday I didn’t go anywhere or spend any money, instead I spent most of my time working in the yard. I have lots of flowers, rocks, and vegetables in the front yard and very little grass. I get compliments on it all the time even though I’ve spent very little money on it. Most of the plants started as cuttings, seeds, small plants bought on sale, or plants from friends (we have a plant exchange every year).

I mowed the grass with a reel mower (these are becoming very popular in my neighborhood and I love how quiet they are) and edged with hand clippers (easier to get under plants with these and the grass doesn’t look shredded and ugly like it does from a string trimmer).

For dinner I pulled a pizza crust out of the freezer–I made bread last week and used part of the dough to make the crust. Some of the items I put on top included homemade sauce, leftover chicken, leftover tomatoes, and peppers from the garden.

In the evening I read a book I picked up at a book swap I had with my friends back in August. After I finish the pile of books I got at the swap, they’re going to my library’s resale store.

By: thenonconsumeradvocate

thenonconsumeradvocate — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:07:27 +0000

Don’t worry. I find time to eat, and usually too often ; )

Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate

By: Klara Le Vine

Klara Le Vine — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:37:48 +0000

I’m guessing your post was just about stuff that was geared towards non-consumerism – because I didn’t see anywhere that you ate!!!!! that I hope you do consume :>)

By: marianne

marianne — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:54:53 +0000

my husband and i are in the middle of moving to a new home that is not completely updated. the last time we did that, we just bought all new fixtures. now i am on freecycle and craigslist trying to find what we need used. i am also scouring yard sales to see if they have things we can use. its a great feeling and we are saving a ton of money. =)

By: WilliamB

WilliamB — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:45:31 +0000

There aren’t a lot of options left. Try: wrap the item in saran wrap, then again in tin foil. Don’t forget to label! Item, amount, date frozen.

By: WilliamB

WilliamB — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:44:02 +0000

NonConsumery:
- Brownbagged lunch, as usual, today’s was vegan: brown rice cooked in a rice cooker (electric is cheaper than gas, although which is better for the environment depends on the power source for the electric plant), black beans cooked in a pressure cooker.
- Wore hand-me-down suit, retailored for me; a very good quality suit, I hate shopping, and my tailor’s labor is worth the price: three-fer!
- Vegetarian dinner of roast mushroom/sauteed onion/mirepoix omlet.
- Read a library book.
- As usual, gave a coworker my old news magazine (not sure this is a net environmental positive: I don’t think he’d buy it so sharing doesn’t decrease overall use, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t recycle the magazine).
- As usual, the coworker gave me his sports page.

Consumery:
- Drove to work; usually I take public transportation, which gives me reading time *and* a couple miles’ walk each day.
- Bought snacks from the vending machine; more packaging and higher price than bringing from home; usually I’m too cheap to do this.
- Unpacked the new flatscreen TV I bought (although the TV it replaced was 9-10 years old, 2x expected lifetime).

Not Sure:
- Made yogurt. Is making yogurt from factory milk any better than buying factory yogurt? From a NonConsumer standpoint; I know homemade tastes better and is healthier.

By: Mary Bigger

Mary Bigger — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:40:43 +0000

Renewed books via on line and avoided fines, then returned books I had finished and found several magazines in their free recycle bin for both of us. Checked out the two local thrift stores and found a yard of heavy pillow ticking for $1 and an antique canning jar $2. For dinner picked shaggy mane mushrooms to go with the pork chops. I’ve started a bone container in the freezer for the next round of soup stock; couldn’t believe the difference it made in my last soup. Yesterday, I got pineapples for $1 each at the dollar store . I’ll be canning them in 12 oz. amounts. Still haven’t found a good source for lids. I hate paying regular retail. Love reading the daily frugal approaches, keeps me feeling like I’m not as weird as my brother makes out!

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:17:16 +0000

Over the last 9 months, I have pretty much quit eating meat, buying local and organic food as much as possible, and riding my bike to work (6 miles each way) as much as possible. The result is I have lost 15 pounds, feel great and highly energized and put about $20 of gas into my car every 2 weeks. Wednesday is senior discount at the thrift store, so I go there tomorrow. On Sundays I cook all day and freeze everything for lunches and dinners during the week. I also grew a garden this summer and am going to greatly expand it for next year, with chickens too. And yes, I live in the ‘burbs.

By: ksmedgirl

ksmedgirl — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:49:41 +0000

I am trying to find an alternative to freezer bags for storing food in the freezer. I don’t want to use plastic containers. Any suggestions?