Refill to You

We encourage people to reimagine their consumer lives by using the many Rs and moving toward a zero-waste lifestyle. In other words, to rethink, reduce, repair, reuse, repurpose, and refill whenever possible. We share our discoveries and habits in blogs and social media posts under the theme of "local finds with refill in mind."

[refilltoyou]

Isle of Serendrip

For years, I have been imagining a community hub and coffee shop that I would one day call my own, and for as long, I have been coming up with naming options. My favorite word has always been “serendipity,” however, I had not thought to link it to my future space. It was not until a few months ago, when this project started to get real, that “serendripity spot” came to me during one of my mind-meandering bike rides. My partners and I agreed this was the name to describe this “whimsical undertaking.”

In the first few days of this year, “How to Cultivate the Art of Serendipity” was published in the New York Times and the contents of it sealed the deal on my place-name because it introduced the idea that a “serendipitor” is a protagonist, practitioner, and encounterer, and it opened a way to talk about serendipitous people rather than just discoveries.

To me, serendipity describes the innate instinct of connection well before something is able to be explained or described. And it is how I like to think I go about things on my little island in the stream of life. I invite visitors to come ashore, and observe, share, and suggest right along with me; I like to get together with people, dig in, get involved, and unearth all sorts of stuff, even if it means getting dirty every once in a while.

Like the article says, some of the best ideas “emerge from spills, crashes, failed experiments and blind stabs.” I have been plodding forward, gathering ideas, kindred spirits, fits and start-ups, and new attachments, and I am now ready to open the doors of Serendripity Spot to see what might attract others. My hope is that I might learn “far more about the habits that transform a mistake into a breakthrough” and find new ways to build community.

…and so it seems I have taken a perfectly good word, mucked it up, and made coffee out of it.

[refilltoyou]

Dirty Words & Muddy Musings

When a friend shared an article about a climate scientist’s wondering whether or not to continue his study of climate change, a far-reaching and seemingly endless concern, after being diagnosed with stage four cancer, its poignancy was striking. It also invited the consideration of something similar: does it make sense to adopt meaningful behaviors in the short term when the long term prognosis of climate change is looming and, some would say, dooming?

The author, Piers Sellars, makes a point about the arc of his work being multidecadal, a measure that boosts its importance because his vocation addresses something so large. Later, he similarly upholds the work of other, scaled advances in research and technology. He is not wrong to encourage big thinking and big tech, but perhaps he is too singular, because while all that species saving stuff is waiting to be developed and deployed, what about the rest of us in the here and now?

Sellars’ editorial is really about carpe diem and an investigation into individual purpose, and so it seems contradictory when he positions the challenges of climate change as an externality for most and that problem solving rests on the shoulders of just a few. He wrote “The initial heavy lifting will have to be done by policy makers… It’s hard to take a tough stand on an important but long-term issue in the face of so many near-term problems… Ultimately, though, it will be up to the engineers and industrialists of the world to save us.”

From someone who just emerged out of an internal deep-dive and found out he was not able to deny his assiduous nature, how can Sellars be remiss in recognizing the value of everyday people in making daily, climate-appropriate decisions about what we do or don’t do? Can a grassroots denial of current market trends spark ideas for research and development?

Basically, Sellars invites us to hunker down and deal with it. He writes “What should the rest of us do? Two things come to mind. First, we should brace for change. It is inevitable. It will appear in changes to the climate and to the way we generate and use energy. Second, we should be prepared to absorb these with appropriate sang-froid.” Hmm. Is that what he did or did he seek out what was manageable for him in order to maintain significance within his condemned prognosis? (Hint: his final words are “And so, I’m going to work tomorrow.”)

We should all be encouraged to be part of the solution through our own agency and knowledge that we make a difference, and this is what Serendripity Spot and Strong Side Terra Farma is all about. We encourage zero waste and believe in the durability of people and things. We make it friendly and easy to engage with each other and in the marketplace in a do-it-yourself manner. We empower people to choose alternatives and help them discover ways to live lighter and healthier. 

We will launch in April 2016 under the umbrella name of North Minneapolis Dirt and Mud Company and we will invite you to visit our website then to find out more.

[refilltoyou]

Our Co-op Cart, Part 2

I admit it; when Kelley started bringing empty yogurt tubs and obviously-used ziplocks to the co-op, I got uncomfortable. Sure, I liked the idea of shopping there and the environmental advantages of bulk goods, but it all felt confusing and cumbersome. Regular co-op shopping started for us when we were living in Carpinteria. We did our best at the local, walkable place but the selection did not sustain diverse, healthy meals. Thirty minutes away was the Isla Vista Food Co-op, which had an amazing array of bulk food but was located in a geographic area we simply didn’t find ourselves visiting much. All that changed when I started taking extension courses at UC Santa Barbara. I found myself near the co-op on a regular basis and it made sense that I would take care of the shopping. This meant going at it alone with our pile of tubs and bags. The first couple of solo trips were agonizingly time-consuming. I mixed up PLU codes, forgot items, and was painfully self-conscious about what I was doing. Each visit I got more comfortable with the process; shopped more efficiently, and came to accept that if I was “that guy with all the random containers,” at least I was distinguished. Today, when we visit the grocery store I’m much more comfortable that we simply are the eco-weirdo to some, it is clear we have a point of waste-not, want-not and that we are trying to cooperate with less is more ideals. And, I am realizing that they would not build it if they did not want us to come. Best of all is when we get to shop as a team with shared goals allowing one another to contribute their strengths. For me, the checkout process has gone from something I dread to an enjoyable challenge. There is still a lot going on during checkout, which is not easy for me to manage, but I now use the experience as an exercise in staying present in the moment. We are easy to identify as we roll through the isles of various co-ops, so if you live in the Twin Cities area and see us at the market with our abundance of yogurt tubs brimming with bulk enthusiasm, please say hello and tell us about any tips you’ve picked up in reducing and reusing.

By Peter Tatikian

[refilltoyou]

Our Co-op Cart

The season is here when food consumption is a cornerstone for gatherings and galas from now until the Superbowl, so we figure there’s no better time to introduce our thoughts about package-less food and where we go to get it. 

After we sketch out our meal plan for the week, our first stop for food is one of the many co-ops in the Twin Cities area because they offer the best places to shop our values. We love co-op markets for many reasons. Here’s our top 10:

10. Samples: Most people will say they like them because they can try something new before committing to the purchase. We just can’t pass up a buffet of any sort.

9. Bicycle discount: During the biking season, we are adamant about cycling to and fro for our groceries and we get 5% off using Bicycle Benefits. Now with “the weather,” though we are busing and driving more, we are careful to avoid “lone erranding” by planning trips to the co-op in tandem with other to-dos.

8. Member owned: We are 100 percent certain that having a stake in the game makes for better business.

7. Local produce: Co-op employees assure us that they stock the produce department with as many local crops as possible. We are excited to change our menu and challenge our palate as seasonal fruits and veggies become available (remember we are recent transplants from CA where food and weather have essentially one season).

6. Friendly employees that strive to enhance your shopping experience: During our latest visit to Mississippi Market on West 7th, we tried to inquire with customer service. The guy behind the counter said he wasn’t in that department. “No problem,” we said knowing that the matter wasn’t urgent. A few moments later, we were found at the exit by the shift manager who genuinely wanted to know what was on our minds. Also, on our second visit, a certain checkout lady remembered us and all the particular ways we shop (see above) and was happy to accommodate.

5. Upon store entry we see colorful food, not an array of logos and big, disposable items: Two pictures are worth a couple dozen words.

4. Socially and environmentally conscious: From options that help people on assistance programs to having reusable plates and utensils at the food bar, people and environment drive a healthy, economic bottom line for co-ops.

3. Variety and consumer choice: Conventional or organic? Pre-packaged by volume and weight or get as much as you need in bulk? Donate rewards or take a discount? Shoppers get to choose for themselves, which makes going to these stores feel more like fun than a chore.

2. Community and commerce: Annual meetings, classes, suggestion boards that are taken seriously, and many other ways for people to share leadership ideas, are ways co-ops go above and beyond mere shopping.

1. Bulk food: We bring our own reusable, refillable containers for all sorts of things like pasta, grains, eggs, milk, cooking oil, baking ingredients, syrup, soy sauce, sweet treats, salty snacks, soda, dried fruit, spices, cereal and much more. As a result, our waste is reassuringly minimal – we still have the same household trash bag since we moved here in early September. Since we compost, there’s no decomposition and no need to take out a bag that’s still got room.

As we toodle around town we shop at small businesses for “specialty” items, and we will share our findings as we stumble upon them. For now, and over the next couple of weeks, we hope to inspire a few dishes where you bring all the good taste and none of the waste to meals you provide with love to family and friends.

[refilltoyou]

Soda Stop

The summer after seventh grade, I was shipped across the river from Minneapolis to stay with my dad in Saint Paul. I was horrified with the idea of being sent to a place far, far away where I knew no one and had absolutely nothing to do. The most fun I could make for myself was to listen to Prince’s 1999 album and walk to Speedy Market for a pack of spearmint Bubble Yum and a Diet Coke, which I had not yet tried since it debuted the year before. I ended up doing that every day of the summer.

Ritual turned habit and for the next 30+ years I kept consuming this carbonated delight often at an accelerated pace. Nothing could sway my “just-for-the-taste-of-it” thirst - not the Pepsi Challenge, not aspartame scares, not my mother’s warnings of brain cancer, and not even knowledge of how much freaking water it takes to produce, package, and ship all that brown syrup around. Finally, I got sick and tired of feeling contradictory about how incensed I can get at our over-packaged marketplace but forgiving myself when it came to DC.

Alas, no mas. I no longer buy Coke by the case and can. I have soda stopped.

Well, sort of. What I do now is buy Diet Coke at soda fountains where I can bring my own cup, and this rationale and compromise works for the time being. About three times per week, I fill up at the neighborhood sandwich shop (where I have made friends with the gals behind the counter…bonus!), and though it costs me $1.75 per visit, my mind and recycling bin have found some rest.

P.S. I cannot leave this post without a quick nod to the cute boy who lived next door to my dad and who later on made the summer of Saint Paul not so bad. Thanks Jim L., I hope you are well.

Some of the seventh grade friends left behind

[refilltoyou]

Earn Your Cup

Nothing’s brewing at my pad. I am the only bitter-sipper and it seems a waste of counter space to have a coffee maker out just for me. Plus, I like to earn my cup with a brisk morning walk to a “third place” where I can make a daily drop into the local economy.

While I am mindful of fair trade, local roasting, and organics, the point of Refill to You is to reduce material waste, so I will share a couple of ways to earn one’s keep, I mean, cup.

At a third place:

Patronizing coffee shops is buying in bulk. The resources are shared so there is no need for a coffee maker in every home. Also, it takes one zap of energy and one filter (if any) to share a very large pot amongst many customers.

Bring your own mug. Mine pays for itself after 230 daily visits (or 7.6 months) and then starts saving me money because I get a discount for bringing my own. If you are on the forgetful side, at least go to those joints that offer “for here” mugs and stick around for a bit to enjoy it on site.

Luckily, I prefer “just black” so I don’t have to contend with single-use sugar, creamer, or stir sticks. If I preferred my coffee with confection, I would tote my own swizzle stick and bulk-bought sweetener (probably not my own cow though).

Forget the drive-thru. I can’t figure out how someone can bring their own and still drive thru. I have asked a local chain how they deal with filling reusable mugs in this situation, and so far, my question is left unanswered. (If you have intel on this, please forward.)

At the office:

It's nice just to figure out a strength of brew that’s palatable to most of those you work with – whew! Once that was settled, I began to appreciate some of the reuse and refill options at my workplace:

We have a reusable filter.

Beans and sugar can be bought in bulk.

The cupboard is filled with reusable mugs; disposables are not the default option.

For the Keurig and/or K-cup user:

The startling reality is that there are enough K-Cups produced in single year to circle the globe more than 10.5 times. Is it time to rethink convenience and to adopt a greater sense of satisfaction in making it yourself? Wouldn’t your coffee be that much better if you measured the water and coffee (that you ground from beans you bought in bulk and carried home in a bag you brought)? Would you appreciate the aroma and rich taste of your java more if you had a hand in setting your preferences, waiting for it to heat, adding your extras and in then earning and savoring your morning joe? It would be like being a vintner for java!

It’s my belief we are allowing ourselves to get too far away from earning our materials goods, and I don’t think convenience is so convenient. If we take more time to plan ahead, put some muscle into things, and do more of it ourselves, I believe we will get far more mileage out of ourselves and our resources. We will have a greater sense of satisfaction and we will feel more connected even to the small stuff in life. Also, planning stimulates thinking and organization, which should help keep us sharp down the road.

A couple of numbers before you go…

Americans consume 100 billion cups of coffee every year & more than 16 billion of those coffees are bought in disposable paper cups (with lids and cozies to boot). In most cases, paper coffee cups, which have petroleum-based plastic linings, cannot be recycled; nor can most coffee cup lids (which are made of #6 plastic and cannot be recycled).

Buy a coffee tumbler at a re-use store and save on the release of CO2 from new production - it takes about 1.5 years of using a new stainless-steel travel mug to start saving carbon.

Thanks and have a waste-free day.

[refilltoyou]

Filtering the Faucet

Our tap water used to taste funky. I chalk it up to the super hard mineral-rich water supply we had in California; water which also deposited a cloudy film on everything. My solution to better the taste of our favorite beverage was to use a Brita water filter and pitcher.

Brita has positioned their products as a greener alternative to plastic bottled water which I happen to believe is accurate in terms of gross product waste. The company recommends filters be replaced about every two months which means the average person will go through six plastic cartridges every year. (However, just like oil changes, the service provider/manufacturer’s recommendation on changing the filter may be of higher frequency than actually needed. Instead of the calendar, we choose to use the gauge at the top of the filter to let us know when to swap in a new one; thus we only go through 2-3 per year.)

The filters themselves are a mix of plastic resin and carbon granules and typically cannot not be recycled in curbside collection programs. In 2007, environmental advocate Beth Terry began an online campaign to pressure Clorox, Brita’s parent company, to provide a recycling channel for used filters. By the end of 2008, Brita had partnered with Preserve, a national recycling solution provider, to distribute collection bins at Whole Foods stores and to provide a mail-in option as well. Part of Preserve’s Gimme 5 Program, the initiative was most successful in the Midwest and East Coast, where many Whole Foods offered a simple drop-off location.

In conjunction with our work with Heal the Bay (the environmental nonprofit Kelley and I both worked for) we discovered the Preserve’s program. Since the program did not cover shipping costs, neither Heal the Bay or any other nonprofit or partner that we knew of was willing to be a collection center for used filters.

So time marched on and I kept a pile of used filters in a corner that someday something could be done with them. Thankfully late this summer I discovered that TerraCycle (one our favorite solutions for "traditionally unrecyclable" stuff) is now accepting Brita products including filters, plastic packaging, and the actual pitchers, dispensers and faucet-based filters. These returned items are used as source material for park benches, trash cans, park fences and other heavy-use plastic-based products. TerraCycle also provides free shipping, which should encourage consumers to do the right thing. And TerraCycle is a great place to shop for the eco-freak in your family - our ClifBar tote has been with us for years and generates conversation whenever we use it.

Needless to say, I was happy to take another step toward reducing our material waste. And I realize the buck does not stop there. My editor/wife reminds me that there are untried alternatives to water filtration including Binchōtan Charcoal sticks and heck, now that we’re in the Twin Cities where no one else seems to be filtering their water, maybe going without is a possibility too.

[refilltoyou]

Puttin' on the Glitz

…is not really something I do that often. Most days I am happy to clean and go with products from Made With Love Organics and supplied by Refill to You. I especially love the green clay mask, rosewater toner, and face moisturizer and I feel healthy and fresh with just a little daily maintenance. But now that I am job-hunting again, I have personal care regimens and additional upkeep weighing on my mind.

When first impressions are paramount, appearances take a front seat so I tend to spend more time “making myself up” than normal, especially for interviews and key meetings.

I am also not as fresh-faced as I used to be, so I end up relying on cosmetics to help me look my best on occasions such as these. I try to keep them to a minimum and I am comfortable just using pressed powder for the most part. If I am in the spotlight or “on display,” I also apply concealer, mascara, and a touch of lip color.

It is important for me to choose brands that have a good reputation of environmental stewardship and keeping parabens and other dangerous additives out of their products. Since I abhor having to throw anything away, I have done my best to find cosmetic lines that offer refillable cartridges. Aveda has a line called “Environmentals” which comes closest to satisfying my stringent criteria than anything else I have found in my intermittent searches. It also does the job of hiding the spots and wrinkles that have come with age.

I welcome additional suggestions of brands that offer refillable options, so if you know of them, please forward them on.

Thanks and wish me luck.

[refilltoyou]

What a Load (of Laundry) - Part 2

My name is Peter and I like to do laundry. Dirty, smelly items go in the machine, I wait a bit, and they come out clean. I put them in another machine and they come out warm and fluffy. Yes, I have to fold them, but unlike someone else I know I think folding laundry has a zen-like quality which I don't mind having a little more of in my life.

We only use Refill to You's line of products and for laundry we are big fans of Biokleen’s “Laundry Liquid” formula that includes grapefruit seed pulp and orange peel extract as cleaning agents which gives the product a subtle citrus scent. The ingredient list is relatively short, made up of (mostly) identifiable ingredients. I had to look up “linear sulfonate” which is a propriety blend of sulfuric acids and sodium salts.

I also appreciate what is not in it: no phosphates, chlorine, petroleum solvents, alcohol, butyl, glycol, or any other alphabet soup of mysterious, abbreviated 3-letter chemical compounds. This laundry liquid is not tested on animals, so no lab bunnies lost their eyesight for my clean clothes. It’s also made in the USA which I value for a number of economic and environmental reasons.

Like many modern cleaners, it is a concentrated formula; according to the label “3x More.” The recommended use for High Efficiency (HE) washers is 1 tablespoon (or 1/2 oz.) which may seem like a ridiculously small amount, but using more will just create a sudsy mess (trust me on this one).

Refill to You sells liquid laundry detergent for $.35 per ounce, which is about 18 cents per load if you have an HE washer.

We also use and sell Oxy Boost, a multipurpose cleaning agent for $.60 per oz. In the laundry, it works as a color-safe brightener and bleach alternative. The main cleaning agent is oxygen bleach, which is baking powder (sodium carbonate) treated with hydrogen peroxide. The rest of the ingredients are clays, plant fibers and extracts, and soda ash. It’s vegan, and free of sulfates, parabens, phosphates and chlorine.

In the laundry, I use Oxy Boost to help brighten my whites and remove man-stink. Use instructions seem to vary, but I found 1/2 tbsp per load in our HE washer seems to work. You can also use it as a pre-wash spot treatment for ground-in dirt and grime. I used it to resurrect my canvas boat bag that I tote my dusty hiking shoes home in, and it did a solid job of cleaning it up and removing the sweaty feet smell.

Several Refill to You customers have recommended using dish washing detergent as a pre-spot treatment for oily, food-based clothing stains. Designed to break down the same compounds on your dishes, I have used it on some seemingly hopeless cases and the results have been good.

Refill to You's dish soap is also made by Biokleen and is made of much the same ingredients as the laundry liquid, so it also does not contain petrochemical agents or odd 3-letter compounds, and it's cruelty free. We sell it for $.35 per oz. which is the recommended usage for a sink full of dishes. As a pre-spot agent, you'll probably use a lot less.

[refilltoyou]

What a Load (of Laundry) - Part 1

When it comes to laundry, I admit that I am not my usual industrious self. I hold off on doing the wash until it is absolutely necessary, I do not sort by color, and I loathe folding and returning items to their rightful place. Sometimes it takes days for my clothes to return to the bureau or closet once put in the washer.

I suspect my dislike of this chore has resulted in a more lenient application of my staunch code of conservation. I used to be more diligent. Now I need to challenge myself to do better. Here are some thoughts as to how:

Timing is everything - In the heat of the summer, we often get reminders and warnings from Southern California Edison to reduce energy use and unplug appliances, especially during peak hours. No problem. I am happy to start the wash cycle just before turning in at night.

Hung out to dry - I used to like to hear the “snap!” of wet laundry as I watched my mother hang our clothes out to dry all those years ago. Modern day air quality and high particulate matter makes me wonder about how clean clothes dried outside will be once they are brought in, so at our home in L.A. we had an indoor drying rack that worked well for most loads. I seem to have left that idea attached to the wall it was mounted on when we moved away; it’s time to get back into the habit.

Soap opera - How many cleaning products does it take to freshen denim and delicates? We have recently examined all the laundry extras the marketplace tries to convince us we need and have decided to only use refillable detergent and, when necessary, a little bit of oxy boost. We “just say no” to additives like fabric softener and dryer sheets. This is fine by me as clothes still come out clean, I save money, and I get to leave yet more material goods behind.

Gray matter - When in drought, some go the extra mile in maximizing water use, which is in critically short supply these days. I am inspired by neighbors doing the reclaimed water thing and hope to convince Peter to try something similar when the time is right for us. Check out the “Gray is the new black” story here.

[refilltoyou]

What ergs you?

Recently, while I was sipping coffee at my favorite morning watering hole, I witnessed three young-ish men order breakfast to go. They each received their eggs, bagels and what not wrapped up all cozy like in containers surrounded by too many napkins, plastic utensils, and sea creature-choking plastic bags. After they got these bag-fulls, they moved all of 10 feet to the right and proceeded to unwrap and eat breakfast using nothing of the to-go ware they were given. When they were finished they took a few more steps and filled up the waste bin behind me with their material waste.

Erg! (Or should I say “no erg?!”)

Their to-go ware did absolutely no work for them (nor were they charged a fee, but that’s a blog for another time). The energy, water, and petroleum-based products put into manufacturing these items severely outweighed how far and wide the “carry out” went. It left me wondering if I had made my case in terms of physics, would these guys have seen their waste for what it was?

In any case, I propose three kinds of questions for those who want to dispose of more disposables:

1) Where did it come from?

Try to consider both products and packaging and when possible decide against plastics, which are harmful and remain in the environment for millennia. Go for other choices like unbleached paper goods, bringing your own, or declining anything you don’t really need.

2) Where does it go?

Think about its final destination before you go for it. Will it have to be landfilled or can it be used again? How about it’s potential as compost or recycling?

3) What does it do in between?

It is more satisfying to select quality products that will last and bring continued enjoyment and use, so you may want to ask yourself “will this thing I have do any work or will it be thrown away after just a short while?”

A lot of people are looking to government and industry to start taking serious steps toward mitigating climate change. It is time we step up in our own lives too by thinking and planning ahead and foregoing some “conveniences.” We can do our part by walking more, using less, and shopping locally. You know it feels really good when we do!

[refilltoyou]

Reduce, reuse, resurf

When I go surfing, I like to think I’m renewing my connection with nature. I’m at one with the elements, riding ocean swells that have traveled hundreds of miles. Nothing but the open skies, the wild, untamed sea and me.

Well, me and my wetsuit, surfboard, leash and surf wax; all products of a complex stew of petrochemical-derived ingredients that make up modern surfing.  So maybe not so at one with nature after all.

I also probably drove to the beach.

So eco-guilt aside, how can I (and you) make this supposedly in-tune-with-nature experience as sustainable as possible without buying more “green” crap to replace my existing “non-green” crap?

I like to start with the basics; taking care of what you already have. Maintenance isn’t sexy; but it’s simple, affordable and effective.

Here in the Santa Barbara area, I wear a wetsuit for most of the year. Wetsuits are not cheap and are made from a complex blend of dinosaur-derived products. It makes sense to take care of them so they will last you for several years. When I was young I abused my wetsuit; I tugged them on and off, stuffed them wet and dirty in the back of my car (nice odor after a few days, by the way) and dried them by laying them out to cook directly exposed to the sun. Then I would wonder why they only lasted a year. Today I take care of my wetsuit by rinsing it out after every session, hanging it to dry in a cool place and taking my time when getting suited up. Almost all wetsuit manufacturers now offer a multiple-year warranty on seams and at least one year on materials, so hang on to that purchase receipt. You can fix minor leaks and tears yourself with neoprene cement, available at any surf shop. Zipper repairs and other serious patch-ups will probably mean shipping the suit to the manufacturer’s repair shop. In my experience, many wetsuit manufacturers will even do out-of-warranty repairs for reasonable rates (just don’t expect your gear back for at least several weeks).

  Modern surfboards are fragile things and get damaged (“dinged” for those in the know) easily. This usually happens, not while surfing, but by dropping your board in the parking lots, scraping against rocks or flying off of vehicle roof racks (all three have happened to me, multiple times). These open dings in the fiberglass shell allow water to seep in, quickly rotting the very absorbent foam that makes up the delicate interior of the board. Even as a teenager, I knew was aware of this and used duct tape a to create a quick waterproof fix until I could get the board properly repaired. Fixing a board right requires you to get intimate with the noxious petroleum-based resins and catalysts that help make up your board or bringing it in to your local surf shop where it be magically repaired (although the usual repair charge is $50 and again, you’ll have to wait several weeks). You can help your board safe from that everyday damage with a board bag; today there are models made from reused surf contest promotional banners. These are made here in Southern California from material that otherwise would be destined for the landfill and are available in a choice of colors. 

If you like your board, take care of it and ride it until it’s dead. The surf media has for decades touted the latest design (“ride what the pros ride”) and that you should replace your board every six-to-nine months. As a kid, I totally believed this. Now, I ride my boards until they’re dead; with care, they typically last for several years. 

But what if it’s really time for a new board of you really, really don’t like your board? Try the used board market. Used boards are cheap and give you an opportunity to try a different design for a few hundred dollars instead of plunking down more than $500 for a new board that you might like (or not). Sell or trade in your own used board and the cost will be even lower. Be part of the reuse economy.

(Photo courtesy of surfstation.com)

Still determined to buy a new board? Buy an ECOBOARD certified model. This third-party certification program verifies that your new board is made with the “latest advancements in green chemistry, recycled and renewable materials.” A number of surfboard shapers offer certified models, often competitive priced with traditionally manufactured boards.

And what if you yourself don’t surf? June is right around the corner, so think about your favorite surfing dad or grad. Do them a favor and take their favorite board or wetsuit in for repairs; most surfers will never get around to this themselves.

  Guest post by Peter, who is still waiting to get his favorite board back from the ding-repair guy.

[refilltoyou]

Refilled: WD-40

Last month I was rummaging around in my mother’s garage when I spotted this spray bottle of WD-40. Instead of the standard sealed metal can with an aerosol spray top, this is a plastic refillable bottle with an adjustable-width spray valve. (I bought this about 20 years ago, when I was learning to do minor repairs on my VW Bus. Why it wasn’t with all my other tools and supplies at my house instead of my mom’s I have no idea.) In the following two decades since, I estimate that I have purchased at least a dozen aerosol cans of WD-40 since then. They’re not refillable, so the empties get dumped into the recycling bin (the cans are made of steel). The traditional aerosol cans have always been troublesome to me; the red swizzle straw was easy to misplace or simply pop off the nozzle. Since it was often covered in lubricant, it was often maddeningly difficult to reattach to the side of the can with the little piece of provided clear tape. I also often misplaced (or stepped on) the red plastic cap, which meant that the aerosol trigger was free to spray the inside of my toolbox, garage or interior of my bus anytime the trigger can into forceful contact with an errant wrench or other heavy metal object. I also managed more than once to crack or completely break off the aerosol trigger from the can. Sometimes it could be reconnected; sometimes not, but either way it was a messy affair, often leaving everything nearby with a light sheen of lubricant droplets. If the trigger was too damaged to work meant that you've now lost access to the rest of the contents of the can (transforming it from a empty metal can suitable for recycling to one more item of household hazardous waste). Since it was hard to estimate how much lubricant is left in an aerosol can, there was alway the chance you would run out before you were done unsticking things.

With the non-aerosol pump bottle, you have none of the aforementioned problems. No red swizzle straw needed, since you have an adjustable nozzle (yes, it’s not as exact in tight quarters, but if you’re using WD-40 on locks or bike chains you’re using the wrong lubricant). No aerosol trigger to break or launch unplanned lubricant mists all over your shoes, burrito, repair manual etc. Best of all, when you run out of WD-40, you simply refill the bottle. When you’re out (which was easy to check by unscrewing the top), you can refill from the economical 1-gallon metal can. I’m not the only one who thinks the non-refillable aerosol spray bottles are less than ideal. Way back in 1999, the EPA Region 9 office put out an worksheet for auto and machine shops promoting refillable spray bottles as a more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly alternative to aerosol spray cans. Alas, you can no longer get the official WD-40 refillable non-aerosol spray bottle anymore. (There is a non-aerosol spray bottle, but it is sealed and cannot be refilled; the mandated child resistant closure makes it impractical, if not impossible, to refill.) But there’s no reason you can’t make your own refillable spray bottle solution. Quality chemical-resistant refillable spray bottles are available for less than $5 at most hardware stores. Combine this with the 1-gallon can and you're well lubricated for some time.

Unfortunately, WD-40, like many metal lubricants, is made of a mysterious stew of petroleum-based oils, gases and solvents. In an better world there would be plant-based lubricants that performed as well, especially in addressing rust and corrosion (fish oil anyone?). If you know of an earth-friendly all-purpose solvent, please share it with all of us in the comments. Guest blog post by Peter, who is still looking for his missing childhood Legos in the aforementioned garage.

[refilltoyou]

My Truth About Earth Day

Nineteen years ago I was in Washington, D.C. as part of the production team for the 25th Anniversary National Earth Day Concert & Rally. It was a bright, shining moment in my first career job as hundreds of thousands gathered to tell Congress “Don’t Roll Back the Clock” on public health and natural resource protections. Our goal was to attract press coverage and to get people fired up about threats to federal environmental laws, and our hook was to use celebrity and fun to gather the masses. Despite the Oklahoma City bombing just three days before, people and news media came and, well, there was a party on The Mall.

I have been friend and fundraising for eco/advocacy groups ever since and some of that time has been spent tabling at countless education events and Earth Day festivals in cities like Denver, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, just to name a few. I enjoy representing organizations and initiatives and I am good at engaging people who stop by to learn more, and while festival attendees are generally friendly and interested, I have yet to see evidence of increased volunteerism or membership. What I do notice is that no small amount of energy is used to put on the festivities and that they are riddled with disposables (informational flyers, giveaways, beer cups, etc.).

Despite incentives to carpool and claims to be zero waste, events are not carbon or waste neutral, and I believe that parties put on in the name of the environment are antithetical by way of the traffic and consumption they generate. What’s more is that these festivals often have dozens of causes and messages involved, so that no one learning objective is given or received, so for me it is hard to find a positive and definitive outcome of these parties for the planet.

I think inspiration and leadership is better shown by real world examples of living lightly, resource reduction, and behavioral change. Thus I appreciated happening upon a news blurb about the Lucidity Festival doing away with disposables in favor of washable, reusable dishes and utensils. My experience is that people learn, do, and change by observing peers and people they respect, and I think the Lucidity Festival is taking a step in the right direction.

[refilltoyou]

Intermission

…aaand we’re back. If you have been following this blog, thank you. You have probably noticed that things have been quiet lately - thanks for allowing us to take a much-needed breather. As the saying goes, “life got in the way.” Upon our return, we have decided to rejigger the blog a bit. Kelley has regrouped and is ready to write about rethinking, reducing, reusing, and refilling in the real world. Peter will step in to post about things from a guy’s perspective with an emphasis on another R: repair. Our re-emergence comes with the promise that we will not adhere to time-certain postings. We will wax whimsical when the spirit moves us, keeping our point of view alive without requiring weekly public ponderings. Thanks for humoring our hiatus and hope all is well. Kelley & Peter

[refilltoyou]

Please Don't Hand Me A Tissue

Growing up, it seemed like every year my mom would buy a set of handkerchiefs for my each of my grandparents for Christmas. And I clearly remember the old-school way my grandmother would have one tucked up her sleeve for safe keeping and easy access.

What I don’t remember is when I became the hanky carrying kind. It just sort of happened, I guess, because I don’t recall ever having bought them for myself. Somewhere along the line I must have disclosed that I liked the idea of using them instead of disposable tissues, and somehow they just sort of appeared thanks to the gift-giving kindness of others. I do know that I put them on my wish list this past holiday season and received a beautiful array from my mother-in-law, which I find especially thoughtful because she thinks them a tad gross and unhygienic.

I also know for certain that I will hold onto and use hankies for the rest of my life because they are emblematic of many things I think are important: they defy immediate disposal, show their wear even after a good washing, and are there to sop up life’s emotional moments. People reach for tissues not only when they are sick but also during times of joy and sadness. My hankies have been with me through ups and downs and I will count on them to be there for future grief and invigorating, tear-making adventures alike.

Today, however, is a sick day and I am glad not to be surrounded by the likes of these:

[refilltoyou]

2014 Throwdown

Peter’s favorite food is chips and salsa. Before we lived together at least one of his daily meals was that and only that. Where I am lower, middle mediocre in meal making, he is outright impoverished. This is by no means a complaint as Peter contributes his fair share via mechanics and maintenance.

One of the ways I show my appreciation is by bringing home a lot of chips and salsa. (The photo above depicts an after-party rescue; usually our salsa comes glass-entrapped and we buy Santa Barbara-made La Tolteca tortillas and use the empty chip bags to scoop doggie doo). Unfortunately, salsa ranks pretty low on my preferred dip list (I’m from the Midwest; we had “picante” sauce in the fridge), thus my inclination and inspiration to “refillify” salsa is pretty low.

Hence the throwdown. In 2014, I challenge Peter to knock out some salsa of his own. I will gladly grab the ingredients if he makes a list and agrees to go out on a limb and try to tackle just one culinary concoction.

I will match my throwdown to Peter with one or two of my own, first setting out to attempt do-it-myself mayonnaise. Anne Burrell of the Food Network has a fairly simple recipe of which all of the ingredients except mustard can be purchased in packaging I supply myself. Though I am a bit concerned about the salmonella warning when using raw eggs (Is the disclaimer really recommending against farm fresh eggs? I will have to look into that further.), I will give it a whirl and see what happens.

Butter (and apparently buttermilk as a by-product) has also made the 2014 throwdown list thanks to the fact that the Isla Vista Food Co-op keeps Straus Family Creamery whipping cream in stock in returnable, refillable bottles.

Here’s wishing us patience, perseverance, and a bit of good luck.

Happy New Year everyone!