Weekly Wrap-up is where I share happenings on the blog, books I have read or acquired recently. I link to Caffeinated Book Reviewer,
Off The Blog
To celebrate the fourth my boyfriend and I went up to my family’s cabin for a few days. Unfortunately, it was pretty buggy so we didn’t get to enjoy the great outdoors but I did get some reading done.
The bf and I are also in the process of apartment hunting which is super fun. During our search, Zach would consistently tease me as after every apartment we looked at I would Google its proximity to the local library. After a frustrating few weeks, we’ve found an apartment, it is within walking distance to the library which in my opinion makes it perfect. We are now in the waiting game of the approval process.
Plastic Free July
This month I’m participating in “Plastic Free July”. I haven’t been doing too bad on the plastic front. One of the first changes I made was to switch from tea bags to loose leaf. I wasn’t aware that those pretty mesh tea bags contain plastic, not to mention the disposable packet some come in. While I should have realized it, it still blew my mind. Actually, I’ve found I prefer loose leaf and don’t plan on returning to bagged tea in August. It has a stronger flavor with more varieties than tea bags and, I can use the same leaves multiple times. I also purchased a reusable water bottle (which I filled with homemade iced tea for my drive this week). I did throw away/recycle two plastic water bottles from the car, but I hope with my Klean Kanteen that will be a thing of the past.
I’ve used reusable shopping/produce bags for a while so plastic bags from the grocery store haven’t been a problem, although my eyes have opened to the plastic in frozen food. the amount of waste used for “convenance sake” is insane and once I clean out my fridge of them, frozen food will not enter my freezer again. Eating cleaner is better for you and the environment so it only makes sense to make that change.
Overall, I think I’m going alright. I’ve kept my waste to a minimum and have also discovered ways to reduce it more, which I will practice in the future. It is defiantly a learning experience.
Last Week on the Blog
This Week on the Blog
Around the Blogosphere
- Dewey’s 24 hour readathon is hosting a reverse readathon July 28th
This Week I Read
Pages: 243
I hope that you and your bf get the apartment! And yes, proximity to the library is a very important factor. 😉 Have a good week! 🙂
I hope so too, and I’m so glad to hear someone understands the importance of having a libarary close by.
Proximity to the library seems important. 🙂 Definitely a good criteria to use. Good luck with geting approved!
Thanks, we feel pretty positive about it.
We’ve just put our apartment up for sale this week and it’s only about a half-hour walk to the library! It’s in England though so probably a bit too far for everything else in your life 🙂
Happy to see another Plastic Free Julyer. How’s your challenge going?
That might be a bit far, good luck on selling your apartment though. My plastic free July has been going alright, my biggest change so far was substituting tea bags for loose leaf and switching from plastic water bottles to reusable. Baby steps as they say.
I’ve heard Lucky is fantastic.
Lucky was fantastic, I read it in two days. I was moved and disgusted at the same time. It is a very powerful read.
You just blew my mind, tea bags really have plastic in them? I think I also need to do a switch to loose leaf tea.
I hope you get approved for your apartment!
I was surprised too, it is in the meshbags and the little tag attached to the end of the string some companys include. I plan on writing a post about it later this month. Thanks for the encouragement on the apartment!
Wow-I would have never thought about plastic being in tea bags! Its great that youre giving up all the plastic! Good luck!
I was surprised by the plastic in tea bags as well, it was certainly a wake-up call. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go completely plastic-free this month but I definately plan to reduce it. Thanks for commenting!
I loved that Picoult book…and I can totally relate to Googling the neighborhood you are looking into…Whenever I think of moving, I realize that I love my proximity to all the things I enjoy.
Good luck with the apartment.
Thanks for sharing, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
Google and I have become besties in our apartment search. It is so important to know what is around your potential home.
OMG! I had no idea teabags have some plastic in the mesh bags! Mind = blown. I may have to consider switching to loose leaf… I use a lot of tea bags!
I drink a lot of tea too and my mind was blown as well. Plastic is typically used to seal the mesh bags together and can sometimes be found in the string/tag. I made the decision to switch to loose leaf after reading that and I actually prefer it, the flavors are much stronger and I’m able to reuse the same leafs for several cups of tea.
Ooo, the reverse readathon sounds intriguing. May give it a go.
I think so too. I always love a good readathon and Dewey’s are always the best.
I hope you get the apartment. Good luck with plastic free July. I’m trying to cut down on plastic, too. Have a good week!
Plastic free is fantastic. There’s more awareness around it now. We no longer have plastic bags in our grocery store, unless you buy it for 15c. I really don’t think they should offer that. Just cloth bags and yes it’s more expensive but people will most likely to remember to bring their own, whereas no one cares about 15c.
It’s quite hard to do it when many food manufacturers still use ALOT of plastics! Even to buy fruit and vege you have to put into plastic.
It’s a slow process but we are definitely heading in the right direction.
See you at Deweys!
Wow Congrats on going plastic free and your ideas have inspired to look out for the wastes in my kitchen. I am gonna reuse better, as at the moment going plastic free is not an easy option for me.