Sweet B's Impressions: 7 Days 1 Challenge: Thirteen

Monday, March 25, 2013

7 Days 1 Challenge: Thirteen

I had another food challenge scheduled for this week. But then I thought y'all might be tired of food challenges (even though I really enjoy them....however my co-workers don't think I do). While brainstorming for other ideas, I was washing my hands. As I grabbed some paper towels it hit me. Do I really need this many paper towels to dry my hands? Would one suffice? Actually, two (because they're extremely small) work well. Soooooo, this got me thinking.....

*In case you're new to these challenges, the challenge starts on Monday and ends Sunday night. The following Monday I'll post a new challenge.

This week's challenge:

Be conscience of your waste.

Yes, this week I'm challenging you to become aware of what you use and how much of it you use. Can you replace it with something else? Do you really need to take that long of a shower or leave the water running while you brush your teeth (Mr. B, I'm talking to you.)?

Here are some examples to help you this week:

Don't let the water run.
Turn off the lights when not using a room. (Mr. B constantly reminds me of this.)
Use glass containers instead of plastic Tupperware. Watch your use of paper plates. (I'm constantly reminding Mr. B of this.)
(And my favorite...) Reusable mugs! Invest in a good coffee mug or water bottle. I also keep mugs in my car just in case. A lot of places will give you a discount if you bring in your own mug. Starbucks takes off 10 cents. Starbucks also offers reusable cups for $1.00, but you still need a sleeve if ordering a hot beverage. Which brings me to my next example....
Reusable sleeves! My friend, Jessica, bought me my "B" sleeve (which is quite famous on Sweet B's and I'm constantly asked where I got it--btw, she purchased it at a Hallmark store) and it's one of my favorite things. If it's not on my beverage than it's in my purse. I use it for both hot and cold drinks.

And napkins, which I'm kind of not sure about. I've been told by a few people to switch to cloth napkins for home and work. Regular napkins are bio-degradable. Cloth napkins have to be washed. But now I'll have to use extra water to wash napkins and towels. We have a well and try to preserve as much water as we can, especially after last year's very dry summer.

Which is actually better? Hmmmm.....let me know what y'all think! (And feel free to add more examples below; I just suggested a few to get you going.)