Oh hi! I did a thing...
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Did you know that I chose Popcorn Ceiling Life by just staring at my bedroom ceiling trying to come up with an Instagram name? Did you also know that it makes me cringe when I hear people say it out loud? I loved it, but it wasn’t working for me and my goals.
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I am doing a rebrand over here! Changing up my Instagram handle, blog name, URLs, Pinterest, and oh so many things that I am still checking off the list. I have been thinking of doing this for about a year and finally took the leap. Going into 2020 I will be focussing more on real world offerings and well, I talk about being sustainable in the suburbs. Gotta be PROFESH and on brand and whatnot. This is a scary step, but needed for me to move forward. My nerves are shot, folks.
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Not to worry! I will still be on Instgram 82 hours a day, bringing you sustainability content, jokes, and winner winner #plantbased dinners. Don’t stop loving me! I’ll always be Popcorn Bitch 💁🏻♀️
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#sustainablesuburbs #rebrand #sustainableliving #sustainability #sustainablekids #sustainableparenting #parenting #ecokids #ecoparenting #zerowaste #zerowastesuburbs #zerowasteparenting #zerowastekids #lowwaste #lowwasteliving #plasticfree #plasticfreeparent #sustainableinfluencers #ecoblogger #entrepenuer #freelancingfemales #selfemployed #auroraontario #yorkregion
Back to basics 🛁
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Liquid soaps are mostly water, requiring them to be replaced more often than bar soaps. They also typically come in plastic packaging which is unlikely to be recycled, regardless of where you live. Liquid soaps definitely have a place, but for reducing waste at home, bar soaps can be an easy (and budget-friendly) swap.
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Tips for making soap last as long as possible:
• Make sure it dries out thoroughly after using.
• Use a soap dish with drainage.
• Use a washcloth, loofah, or soap saver to lather up.
• Store unused soaps in a cool, dry place, without packaging.
• Cut bars in half or thirds - this allows the bar to cure further, harden more in the cupboard, and dry out faster when in use.
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We have switched (back) to bar soap for our hands, showering, and shaving, but we just couldn’t find a shampoo bar we liked and trying new ones was getting wasteful. While I can get shampoo refilled, I cannot seem to get my hands on a dishwashing block. Ah well! I have plenty of SalSuds to make it in the meantime.
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Have you switched to bar soaps yet? What is your favourite?! What are you struggling with?
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#simpleswaps #barsoap #soapsaver #shampoobar #zerowastetips #zerowaste #zerowasteliving #zerowastebathroom #lowwaste #lowwasteliving #wastefree #wastefreeplanet #reducewaste #lowimpactmovement #packagefree #plasticfree #saynotoplastic #frugalliving #frugaltips #sustainablesuburbs #sustainableliving
Kids love kale! Or do they?
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Maybe yours do, but mine don’t. They like 6-14 things, depending on the day, which kid it is, who cooked dinner, wind speed, and the position of Venus in the night sky. One likes things the other won’t touch, and never the twain shall meet.
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Trust me when I say that I have read to the end of the Internet about picky eaters over the years. We do all the things you are “supposed” to do. We eat every meal at the table, no TV, offer things multiple times, try not to push, model behaviour, involve them in shopping and cooking, try to remain calm, and never make a second meal. But here we are! If yours aren’t picky, it’s probably just their temperment. And if yours are? That’s okay! I only started tolerating cauliflower last year.
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Of primary importance to me is that my kids know where food comes and understand the impact of food waste. They know that food does not come from the grocery store. We regularly take them to our local farms and have them pick out fruits and veggies that they may have no intention of eating. I serve them less and they can always ask for more. They scrape their own plates into the green bin and we discuss why food does not belong in the trash. A healthy relationship to food is multifaceted, nuanced, and should not be rushed.
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ANYWAY! The child that agreed to hold this kale would never let it knowingly pass his lips. Do you have picky eaters? Were you one? Open to hearing your strategies for avoiding food waste while getting them to EAT!
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#lovefoodhatewaste #nofoodwaste #foodwaste #supportlocalfarms #farmersfeedcities #shakethehandthatfeedsyou #pickyeater #feedingkids #parenting #momlife #zerowaste #zerowastekids #zerowasteparenting #lowwaste #lowwastingliving #ecoparenting #sustainableparenting #sustainablesuburbs #sustainableliving #thanksgiving #cookingwithkids #kale #kaleyeah #plantbased #plantbasedfamily #plantbasedkids
Today is my 111th birthday!
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Just kidding. It's my 40th. Here I am hydrating my middle aged visage because you gotta.
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Life hasn't turned out how I planned, and that's okay. I haven't achieved what I thought I *should* by now, and that's okay. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, and that's okay. I know who I am, what I'm worth, and how I can contribute to this world. That's enough.
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#thisis40 #birthday #notsponsored #skincare #facemask #sheetmask #plantbased #birchwater #bioferment #madeincanada #supportsmallbusiness #supportwomenownedbusinesses #zerowaste #zerowasteirl #lowwaste #lowwasteliving #sustainablebeauty #greenbeauty #ecoconscious #ecoblogger #sustainablesuburbs
What you don’t see...
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Reposting this photo from back in January about multi-purpose items. In my last post I talked about the best worst option, and how someone else’s needs are not your own. But no matter what I post, I get “You’re doing it wrong” messages. Before you shake a finger at someone, ask yourself...is that necessary?
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As I was wildly unsuccessful at climbing a fence in my youth, I have nerve damage in my left arm and severely diminished feeling and grip in my hand. This will never improve and creates limitations. I use plastic mason jar lids in the fridge (easier to open than metal) but some days I still can't open them. The wax wrap helps me get a good grip and I can move on with my life. You don't need wax wraps to reduce your waste, but this other function helps *me* be more functional. I cook a lot but can’t DIY everything. Pre-cut vegetables would reduce my risk of injury. I buy regular bandaids from the drugstore because I cut my left hand OFTEN, and more “eco-friendly” options are cost prohibitive. I could go on with eleventeen more examples of things I use that don’t meet someone else’s standards, but hopefully you get it. Before nitpicking and judging someone’s choices, ask yourself, are there barriers here that I am not seeing in an Instagram photo, that are none of my business? Could I maybe direct this energy at the big corporations and my government instead of this person trying her best?
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Yes - buy less, buy better, and use what you already have because you don’t need the aesthetic thing. But also... get what *you* need to function better, according to your values, access, and budget. And try not to let the turkeys in your inbox get you down with the Well Actuallys, but set a boundary when they do.
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ANYWAY. This lifesaver tip for opening jars came into my life via @thelittleredheart. What items in your life have multiple uses that you couldn't function without? Also accepting tips for dealing with Inbox Turkeys. Do share!
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#bekind #whatyoudontsee #zerowaste #zerowasteirl #zerowastetips #accessibility #zerowastekitchen #beeswaxwraps #lifehack #lowwaste #sustainableliving #ecofriendly #plasticfree
There is no perfect.
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The most sustainable option is the thing you already own. But we still need to buy things - food, personal care items, utilities, medicine, clothing, transportation, etc. "Buy less, but better" is a common refrain. But what does "better" mean?
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Every product has an impact. Making conscious purchases means trying to find products that align with your values which can include secondhand, recyclable or compostable packaging, small business, locally made, plastic-free, vegan, cruelty-free (including human labour), woman-owned, BIPOC-owned, LGBTQ-owned, natural, organic, palm-oil free, ethically sourced, ethically made, fair trade, non-GMO, paraben-free, grass-fed, small farm, shade grown, bird and bee friendly… the list goes on and on. The product that meets all your criteria AND is affordable is a unicorn (but also unicorns are endangered, so watch out for that).
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It is essential to understand that each of us have different values, and our purchasing power is based on privilege and access. Your ideal will not match someone else’s - that does not make their choice wrong. Sometimes all of the available options suck, but you still need the thing. That’s okay. It can feel impossible for a product to meet these standards, because most times it is. Capitalism is not set up for fairness or sustainability by design. So as we work to dismantle it, consider what you truly need, use your voice, vote with your dollar, and choose the best worst option.
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What things are you struggling with as you learn more about how they are produced?
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#sustainablesuburbs #sustainableliving #zerowaste #zerowastetips #zerowasteliving #lowwaste #lowwasteliving #plantbased #vegan #plasticfree #crueltyfree #toxinfree #wastefree #wastefreeplanet #sustainablefashion #ethicallymade #ethicallysourced #ecofriendly #ecoconscious #consciousliving #consciousconsumer #fairtrade #consumerism #holidayshopping #greenwashing
Background 📷: @daria.shevtsova via @pexels
GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Congrats to @lilabitdunn 🥳 Please DM me to claim!
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Questions about what to get kids for holiday gifts are starting to trickle into my inbox. I am really excited to be teaming up with Bev from @evergreen.and.mustard for a chance to win a great gift that is both useful and sustainable. Best of all, it involves SNACKS! *snacks not included...I ate them*
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The winner will receive this set of three reusable snack bags. Each bag is handmade with 100% cotton and food safe ProCare waterproof interior lining, which is certified free of lead, phthalates, and BPA. Bags can be wiped down daily and are machine washable (but hang to dry). Evergreen & Mustard is a local, woman-owned and operated business with so many more awesome things available in her Etsy shop. Check it out for more great gift ideas!
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How to enter:
• Like this post
• Follow @popcorn.ceiling.life and @evergreen.and.mustard
• Tag a friend below and enter as many times as you like!
• Share a zero waste gift idea for kids for an extra entry!
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That's it! Winner randomly selected on Saturday, November 16 at 8am EST. This giveaway is limited to Canada/US due to shipping considerations. This post is not affiliated with Instagram.
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#giveaway #evergreenandmustard #shoplocal #etsyshop #snacks #reusablesnackbags #reusable #choosereusables #purchasewithpurpose #handmade #madeincanada #zerowaste
#zerowastegifts #zerowastekids #zerowasteholidays #zerowastecanada #lowwaste #lowwasteliving #ecokids #sustainablekids #sustainablesuburbs #ecofriendly #ecoconscious #reducewaste #wastefree #gogreen #notsponsored
