Sustainable Fashion in YEG

My name is Jessica (for the purpose of clarification since we now have two Jessica's on the Reuse blogging team, I am Jessica T!) and I'm so excited to get started on sharing my experiences, knowledge, news, and random tidbits of information about reducing waste, recycling, and reusing!

To give a bit of background about me, I'm a third year Professional Communications student at Grant MacEwan University. I've been so lucky to be involved in such an amazing community, where environmental awareness, sustainability, climate change, government, politics, social and cultural issues have been the forefront of discussions during my time as a student. Having been inspired by many dedicated individuals, I decided that volunteering with this blog was the perfect way for me to contribute my voice to this sustainability movement.

During my time as a contributor, I hope to share fascinating and forward-thinking news, information regarding reuse, upcoming or newly-emerged sustainability events happening within our city, and my personal experiences of reuse projects that I will (hopefully) be accomplishing!

To start, I have to share about a great event I attended recently. If you live in Edmonton and are tuned into sustainability news, you've perhaps heard about this one!

The Wardrobe Exchange
(Instagram: @thewardrobeexchangeyeg)

The Wardrobe Exchange YEG describe themselves as a "curated second-hand shopping event that lets you sell + resell clothing and accessories to the public... The Wardrobe Exchange promotes sustainable fashion by championing communal thrift culture." The event is open to all guests and anyone can apply to be a vendor. 

This recent event was only their second held in Edmonton (the first one was in March 2019) and there were already over 200 vendor applicants! It's so great to know that the Edmonton thrift culture is thriving, and events like these just make it so much easier for everyone, even those not familiar or skilled at thrifting (yes, finding worthy goodies at thrift stores takes skill, lots of patience, and a good eye) to partake in and enjoy a one-of-a-kind sustainable shopping experience!

What I love about this event is that it fuels the new generation of sustainability-aware entrepreneurs. One of my friends participated as a first-time vendor and told me that she believes this event was timely, meant-to-be, and an affirmation to start her own consignment business. She had been collecting clothes for years for this purpose, and was finally able to sell most of it at the event! 

Although the next official event date is not available yet, it's reasonable to expect that they'll be back next spring. I believe that as this event continues to grow bigger each year, thrift culture will take on a whole new identity within Edmonton and be a main driving force in reusing fashion! If you are interested in acquiring some unique finds or selling some you have saved, definitely keep an eye out for this in the future. I will be back next month with more stories, news, or ideas to share about Reuse!

- Jessica T (Volunteer)

2019 Waste Reduction Hero

In early September, we had the opportunity to present this year’s Waste Reduction Hero Award at the Edmonton in Bloom awards ceremony. This was a special opportunity for us as we awarded one of our long-time volunteers.

Charlotte started volunteering at the Reuse Centre in November 2011. For eight years, Charlotte has sorted through materials donated to the Reuse Centre with a smile on her face or a story of joy to share with fellow volunteers, staff and customers. Charlotte began her volunteer work at the Reuse Centre through a partnership with Goodwill Industries of Alberta and later graduated from their program. She continues to volunteer independently and remains committed to her role as a citizen supporting sustainability within our community.

Charlotte is a great leader and mentor to her fellow volunteers. She takes personal ownership of contributing to the mission of the Reuse Centre each shift as she arrives with items to donate, whether it be gift bags, beautiful stationery, old calendars or jigsaw puzzles. Charlotte and her fellow volunteers have sorted more than 2 tonnes of items since the start of 2019. 

Over the last 8 years, Charlotte has volunteered close to 3,500 hours. She has made many friends over the years and customers and staff greatly appreciate her presence and strong work ethic.

We are grateful to all of our volunteers and the work that they help us do here at the Reuse Centre and in the community.

Interested in volunteering at the Reuse Centre? Check out our website to view current opportunities.

Vanessa (staff) 

Reuse Stumbles

My name is Jess and I am shiny new to the Reuse Centre blogging team. I’m also somewhat new to this effort and energy directed toward the earth, our environment, and waste management, which means I make a lot of mistakes. One reason why I've been really excited to join the team is the push it’ll give me to learn more about the city because I’m also new to Edmonton. It’s a lot of newness. So I guess the commitment I’m making to this blog is to keep trying to find zesty ways to reduce my waste and reuse what I can, and also to keep digging into the incredible community of environmentally conscious people here in Edmonton.

An unrelated photo of me in a swath of greenery as a formal introduction. So pleased to be here.

To sort of sum me up, I’m not Martha Stewart or a DIY queen. I’m a 24-year-old creative who works two jobs and plays pretend mom to a giant dog. I love and yearn for practical waste solutions and I also really like to laugh at myself.

A few months back I became simply overwhelmed by the massive amount of waste produced by my ancient drying machine and the seemingly endless toilet paper rolls that litter both our recycling bin and at times our trash (ugh). Ever helpful, The Internet advised stuffing the rolls with lint for easy fire starters. This seemed so practical to me—we have a fire pit in the yard and I’m fairly useless when it comes to starting a real fire. So we took a few months’ worth of rolls and lint and made fire starters that we keep ready in a bag near our back door.

Well. Let me tell you...

I used one fire starter as a test while doing some yard work, and haven’t used a single one since. Turns out that between fire ban season and monsoon season this year, we don’t actually enjoy many fires.

Moreover, there are SERIOUSLY SO MANY fire starter rolls. And surprise, surprise, the lint and rolls keep piling up. I could produce enough for my entire community I bet.

What a lovely reminder for me that reuse isn't always as easy as it's made out to be. But the stumbling is important! While our beloved Internet reuse lists and Pinterest hacks can host incredible gold mines, this attempt left me searching for a different answer—even if that answer means considering a more radical zero waste bathroom approach. But ... maybe I’m still working up to that one.

 - Jess (Volunteer)

Reuse these and help the Bees

Happy belated ‘Don’t step on a Bee Day’

July 10 was International Don’t Step On A Bee Day. If you are like me, then this special day may have caught you by surprise, but do not dismay. Every day is a good day to celebrate these important insects and an equally as good day to practice reuse. So, why not do both today! Turn on some tunes by the Bee Gees or Sting, and hum along as you consider how you can reuse items in celebration of these essential pollinators.

Reuse Centre bee crafts.  Photo: Andrea

Reuse paper from around your home.

Use our blogger Ellen's tutorial for making paper, but add some bee-friendly wildflower seeds. Throughout the rest of the year you will create a buzz among your friends and family when you give gifts or share notes made from your finished product. These notes and tags are also the gift of a garden once planted. 🌷🌹🌻

A big ol' bag of shredded office paper.   Photo: Ellen Hanna

Save milk cartons, tin cans, and cardboard from your recycling.

Reuse these items to build a bee hotel that provides a much-needed rest for these buzzy critters and a home for their eggs through the winter. Or, watch this how-to video for a slightly more complex version requiring additional tools and pieces of wood. 

Don’t waste sticks, pine cones and fallen pieces of bark from parks and sidewalks in your area.

Go for a walk around your neighbourhood to observe the mighty bee in action while you collect items from nature for reuse in a bee hotel made from your gathered materials. For inspiration look at these beautiful creations. 

Odds and ends such as string, yarn, shoeboxes, paper scraps, paper towel rolls and artificial flowers still have use. 

Challenge yourself to avoid buying all new materials when getting creative with or building activities for kiddos. Rather, you can visit the Reuse Centre to find items you need for doing these Bee & Pollinator Activities created by the Edmonton Area Land Trust.

Lastly, reward yourself for a reuse project well done with a drizzle of honey in a cup of tea or on a piece of warm, buttery toast!  Until next time, swarm wishes!😉

Submission by Andrea (staff)

'Recipes' to Reuse Packaging - Part 2

World Environment Day on June 5th served as an important reminder of just how precious our resources are and an abundance of those resources are used to produce the various packages we encounter everyday.  If you missed the opportunity to participate that day, then there is no better time than to start making reuse a daily practice! Whether or not you habitually reuse containers for their original purpose by refilling or not, these ‘recipes’ provide practical and delicious ways to reuse packages for a new purpose. The following items that you may habitually discard can be reused by getting creative.

A cereal box

Has new purpose as a solar oven with benefits for the whole family: it allows you to meet one of the UN Commitments for Environment Day by reducing our energy usage, keeps kiddos busy once school is out and saves everyone from missing out on glorious S’MORES in the unfortunate case of a fire ban during your summer camping adventures.

Created with Canva

Or check out these instructions to create a more durable camping solar oven.

An empty bag of birdseed or compost

Is now a garden apron that keeps the muddy work around your yard from making a mess of your clothes! Yard work is also safer with the help of a grocery bag hat to keep the heat of the sun off! You can read more about the challenge of dealing with plastic bags throughout Canada.

Apron and hat created by a Reuse Centre customer

A stash of candy wrappers

Can become purposeful again and add style when rolled into beads for DIY jewellery. Don’t want to try this project on your own? No worries, you can book a program or birthday party with us and our staff will help!

A laundry soap container

Has new use as a sitting or hanging plant pot that offers exceptionally easy watering! Create your whimsical and practical pots with this video.

Video sourced from YouTube

Though this compilation of common packaging and reuse ideas is far from exhaustive, it will hopefully inspire more reuse in your life! Some people struggle with the idea of crafting due to the perception (a reality at times) that crafts result in excess waste. But, I strive to find fun and function from my crafting efforts that will creatively reuse commonly wasted items. Continued success to all of you also striving to find creative re-useful crafts. Please share what household containers and packaging you struggle to reuse or what is your favourite way to reuse containers and packaging? Add your thoughts to the comments section below.

All photos and submission by Andrea (staff)

‘Recipes’ to Reuse Packaging - Part 1

I recently had a chat with someone who wondered how useful the Reuse Centre is to a person who "doesn’t craft”. It's an honest question from a conscientious person and one that I simply had to share because reuse is for EVERYONE! 

        So, if you...

a) DO NOT know how or lack the equipment or time to sew - "There was no Home Economics class at my high school. "
b) Get anxious at the thought of pulling out a glue gun - "I’ve burnt my fingers too many times to count!"
c) Have more DIY disasters than successes - I’ll save these for future posts😏

OR
d) All of the above
     ...Then look no further! 

Courtesy of Giphy

Craft skills are NOT needed to reuse packages for their original purpose; we save valuable resources from travelling to a landfill or piling up at a recycling facility when we use them again in our own home. 

Step 1:

Next time you finish with a laundry soap bottle and are ready to put it in the recycle - STOP! Instead, keep it to refill with some homemade laundry soap!

Step 2:

Gather these 3 easy-to-find and reasonably-priced ingredients from your local grocer. A Sunlight soap bar (or natural alternative, if preferred), Borax, and Washing Soda.

BONUS: Take the Environment Week challenge and bike or walk to get these ingredients!

Step 3: 

Follow the recipe below to cook up some fresh-smelling laundry soap that does triple duty: it saves your socks from stinking, saves money, and is an easy way to reduce excessive packaging waste.

 One batch filled 4 bottles (more than 8L of soap)! 

Here is the recipe:

Other craft-free ways to reuse plastic packages:

• Mesh bags from produce can be reused to buy your bulk produce items next time you're shopping. Visit us at Reuse Centre if you need some.

Simply cross out UPC codes and put them in your reusable grocery bag to have handy for next time you buy bulk produce items - no need for film plastic.

• Yogurt containers can be used to store your own homemade yogurt 
• Save your house-cleaning spray bottles and containers to refill with your own homemade products. 

Want to read more about an effort to Reuse packaging?  Loop is partnering with some large companies to sell their products in refillable containers.

So you see, Reuse is for EVERYONE and the Reuse Centre has practical items that are ready to be reused by you, no glue gun nor glitter required! We would love to hear your " recipes " for refilling containers and ideas to reuse packaging in the comments section below.

Photos and Submission by Andrea (Staff)

DIY Valentine's Decor

Valentine's Day is next week! Thursday, February 14th, in case you need a reminder of the date 😉 I always find that Valentine's Day sneaks up on me and I'm usually scrambling to put some kind of decoration up to celebrate the day. It must be that I still haven't come out of the fog of the holiday season and the start of a new year. It could also be that it's the middle of winter and I'm in hibernation mode. This year is no different and the extremely cold weather that we've been experiencing over the past couple of weeks hasn't helped. Luckily for me, I found these really quick DIY projects that have inspired me to get crafting and get into the Valentine's Day spirit.

Custom Centerpiece

This is a simple and pretty way to add some Valentine's spirit to your home. All you need is a vase, some branches or twigs, and paper and glue. You can customize your bouquet by using different colored or textured paper or adding some ribbon and bows to your branches. Check out the full tutorial details at moneyhipmamas.

Decorative Frames

This is another example of a very quick DIY project. All you need is an old frame, paper, and markers, crayons, or lipstick, which is what was used for this example. Don't have an old frame at home? Don't worry the Reuse Centre carries lots of frames, in a variety of colors and sizes. Check out iheartnaptime for full instructions.

Textured Canvas

The final project that I found are these cute custom heart canvases. All you'll need are some blank canvases, pom poms, doilies, foam pieces, scrap paper, and glue. The different colors and textures are so appealing. The beauty of this project is that you can use anything on hand to create your patterns or designs. You could use buttons, puzzle pieces, or yarn to create hearts or spell out LOVE. Basically, whatever you're feeling inspired to create! Full instructions can be found at designimprovised.

I'm feeling pretty excited about getting started on making these projects and getting them up in my home this weekend! If you're still looking for something fun to do on Valentine's Day check out the details for the Reuse Centre's Valentine's Day date night workshop.

Vanessa (Staff)