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Stick it in a jar

Every year I choose a simple gift to make in bulk.It's always something that I can knock out in an hour or two and it often involves a jar (or a bottle).Jars because:#1 I always have a stash of them in the kitchen and it's good to reuse things#2 It's super easy to make things look awesome. This year, I rustled up 10 different gifts in jars to show you how easy it is - you're welcome. All 10 jars are filled with things I foraged from home or that I could source package-free from my local bulk sto...

It's a wrap

I'm not sure that I've ever purchased new wrapping paper.Growing up, my Mother always saved the wrapping paper from presents we received - and her hall cupboard is still a treasure trove of paper, gift bags and bows. It's a habit that has stuck with me, and I always reuse what I have and get creative with other things I can forage around the house.  You may not feel like you're going to save the world by re-purposing your  gift wrap, but CARE Australia found that in Australia alone, th...

Christmas Zhuzh

Decorations, baubles, seasonal accessorising, festive home fashion...whatever you want to call it, it's totally a thing. A thing where we're surrounded by temptation and can end up buying a whole lot of stuff that we don't really need and only use for a really short amount of time. When I put my mind (and my Pinterest account) to it, I was amazed at what I could rustle up with things that I already had at home. But if DIY really isn't your thing - I've got your back......

Conversations about the big things

The other day my nine-year-old walked in the door, put down her school bag, looked at me and asked “is all of this flooding our fault Mum?”I knew it was a significant parenting moment. One where I couldn’t just rattle off some half-arsed answer as I continued to wash the dishes.While I feel like I navigated the conversation ok, it got me thinking… Climate Change is such a big deal, and as its impacts become more visceral and real in our everyday lives, how the hell do we talk to our kids...

Different mediums

At 11.31pm one recent Friday evening, I sent my friend Brydie an email.The flooding in Auckland had just happened and my mind was in overdrive.What else could I be doing to engage people around climate action?Brydie writes incredible poetry and other amazing creative stuff.Maybe using the medium of art would engage more people or get them thinking in a different way?So I sent her my ramblings and she magicked them into something new and beautiful....

Hop on Hop Off

My kids totally dig their scooters as a way to get around.We use them heaps for trips to school, around the neighbourhood and into town.   I’m a big fan of scooting because:- It’s faster than walking and the kids love it- If needed I can jump on and ride or throw one scooter over each shoulder and carry them- They’re easy to hop on and off if the kids want to stop and pick up a stick or check out a butterfly- They’re super compact and easy to store- Second-hand scooters are pretty ...

Hauling croissants

I've fallen in love with riding my bike.I use it for a lot of my short trips around town, and here's why I'm in to it:- It's faster than taking the car - yep for real. I'm often passing traffic and I don't have to find a park. - It's great incidental exercise and my calf definition is 42% better*- When you're on a bike you're automatically friends with all other cyclists. Even the lycra-clad pelotons will give me a wave when we pass each other (ok when they pass me)- With a solid basket and some...

Stepping out

There are heaps of short trips I do where I can walk instead of taking the car. Heading to the shops, taking the kids to school, going to play dates (mine and the kids), going out for dinner... Things I love about walking: I don’t need any special equipment  Being outside gets me out of my head and means I ‘feel’ the day (it's so damn easy to end up spending too much of my time inside my office, my house, and my car every day) It connects me with people. I chat to people I pass, ...

How I roll

I reckon we all get that driving our cars is a really big deal when it comes to our impact. But there are a heap of barriers that can get in the way when it comes to changing our transport habits. Using my car less used to feel like a bit of a romantic notion. It felt like sustainable transport was for other people…people who lived in big cities, people with less busy lives, people who felt comfortable in lycra or sneans. But then I read that nearly a third of all car trips in NZ are sho...

Clothing Connection

Last weekend I attended my first clothes swap. I've written a lot about clothes swaps and my friends and I regularly swap on a micro-scale, but this was my first-ever proper ticketed event. I was there to speak on an interview panel, otherwise, I'm not sure I would have gone.I've always loved the idea of a clothes swap, but often wondered whether my clothes would be good enough to swap, whether there would be other good stuff there, or just generally whether the whole thing would be a bit awkwar...

Fending off temptation

There is a trillion-dollar marketing industry convincing us to buy more. It’s researched, it’s resourced, it’s shrewd, and it knows how to tap into our desires. When it comes to fashion, I’m pretty hyper-aware of my consumption, but I’m not a robot… I still feel that pang of desire when I see advertising for the latest shiny new trend. I still get tempted by the promise. So I've learnt to avoid the temptation. Not in a weird ‘hideaway from everything’ kind of a way… ...

It's all in the list

Twice a year, as the weather starts to change, I do a wardrobe audit. It sounds like a big deal, but it's really not... I pull everything out of my drawers and wardrobe and give it the once over - checking if it needs a wash or any repairs.I play around with outfit combinations including accessories and shoes (there are always so many more options than I think there are going to be).I create a pile for anything that I'm going to pass on (assuming it's still in good condition). I'll take pho...

Time after time

I have a favourite pink skirt.I bought it secondhand six years ago and it cost me $34.I feel good in it and so I wear it over and over again.I mix it up with different tops, shoes, and accessories.Sometimes if I'm riding my bike I bunch it up into a hair tie so it doesn't get stuck in the chain. Pretty much everybody I know would have seen me wear it at least once. People would have also seen my friends wear it, as some of them have borrowed it sometimes.   That skirt has seen some fu...

Repair and repeat

I'll always try and fix things to avoid replacing them. Sometimes I'll outsource the fixing, but often I'll give it a whirl myself. I do it for the planet, but I've also realised that it saves me a heap of money and gives me a massive buzz of satisfaction.Our doormat is 7 years old, and by my calculations has been walked over at least 11,680 times. It was looking so well-loved that a friend even offered to buy me a new one for my birthday. Long story short - I instead chose to go out for a drink...

The Beauty of Imperfection

Kintsugi is the 400-year-old Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. It's about emphasising imperfection and celebrating flaws. Instead of just fixing something that was broken, it creates something beautiful and unique.There's a lot more to Kintsugi than I am qualified to share and you can read more about it here. But I love how it's helping to shape my thinking when it comes to repairing things. ...

Reuse to the power of many

Switching to reusable and refillable packaging has been a game-changer when it comes to reducing packaging waste in our kitchen. But I get that it can be a bit of a mindtangle... it's hard to know where to start and I know I felt a bit awkward the first few times I took my reusables. But once you get the hang of it, I reckon you'll be amazed at how damn good it feels. Here are just a few of the ways I use reusables:Takeaways: For evening meals, we phone ahead and ask if we can BYO containers - ...

Scrap Magic

I was staying with a friend recently and she started looking really sheepish while reaching for the rubbish bin one morning in the kitchen (I have that affect on people quite a lot). Her family never eat the crumbled weetbix in the bottom of the bag and they end up getting thrown out.One of her children loves baking and a quick google found this recipe.  Now the crumbled weetbix go in a jar and when there's enough of a stash they get magic'd into a lunchbox staple.  It made me reflect ...

Compost to go

I'm not sure when the last time was that I threw any food scraps in my rubbish bin - I honestly can't remember. The more I learn about the impact of food waste, the more I realise what a big deal it is, and the more I intensify my steely resolve to not waste any of it. I'm frequently bringing home random stashes of food scraps to throw in our compost bin. I take a smoothie to work for breakfast and the cup comes home packed with banana skins, apple cores, coffee grinds and other assorted compos...

School lunch hacks

Want the lowdown on some of my school lunchboxes hacks?!? Read on...My 3 top habits for lunchboxes: #1 Cook extra at your evening mealPop a portion into lunchboxes when you serve to avoid someone eating it all! A good solid 'main' in the lunchbox is a great way to get something really substantial in there, and takes the pressure of having to fill it up with lots of other stuff. Favourites in our house are sausages, lasagne, and quesadillas. My kids are happy to eat leftovers cold, but you could ...

MacGyver Fashion

I don't have a huge wardrobe which means that things have to be multi-purpose.Here's my regular go-to black jeans and black top combo worn 5 ways in 5 days. I recently rocked out this line-up, and at the end of the week asked if anyone had noticed...Turns out nobody had picked up on the rinse and repeat of my base outfit.Although part of me felt mildly insulted that no one was really paying attention to what I was wearing, I was stoked to know that I could legit get away with it....

Lunchbox habits

My aim in the kitchen is to reduce my impact without it taking a heap more time or effort. And given the time of year it felt fitting to bring it to life by talking about how I roll when it comes to school lunchboxes. My 3 top habits for lunchboxes: #1 Cook extra at your evening mealPop a portion into lunchboxes when you serve to avoid someone eating it all! A good solid 'main' in the lunchbox is a great way to get something really substantial in there and takes the pressure of having to fill it...

The advent of the advent

I love the tradition of advent calendars, and you really can let your imagination run wild with them. Here a few of my favourite ideas: - Keep it simple and write a Christmas themed activity on your existing wall calendar for each day.  - Go deep on Pinterest and sew your own reusable pocket calendar and fill them with package-free treats from your local bulk store. I have a friend who had one made by a local crafter using sentimental linen and clothing from when her daughter was a baby whi...

An explosion of wonder

Turns out mushroom kits are quite the thing.I tried a few different versions because I didn't back my rookie gardening skills - apparently I didn't need to worry. The problem instead became wondering what to do with the avalanche of mushrooms that grew!I tried some from Mushroomate - a  high school sustainability project that flourished into a business. I love that they are focused on NZ mushroom varieties and rescue ice cream containers and cafe bulk containers to create their kits. The ot...

Boxed Up

Who knew popping things in a wooden box could look so damn good?!? Salad is something we eat a lot of, and I LOVE having it right on the benchtop ready to go?I picked up this wooden box at the op shop and knew it was destined for better things on my benchtop. Of course it doesn't need to be a box... a basket, a bowl, a colourful cooking pot, anything that works with your bench vibe.I used a couple of cut-off 2L milk bottles and an old 5L plastic container to plant in. I simply cut off the top an...

Benchtop gardening - regrowth

I'm all about hacks that don't take a heap of time and effort - and this benchtop gardening adventure has completely nailed both of those! Regrowing food from scraps means you only have to go as far as your fridge to get started. I gave it a  whirl with bok choy and celery because that's what I had on hand, but you can do it with heaps of things: Potatoes and kumaraBeetroot, turnips, parsnips, carrotsLettuce, cabbage, and heaps of other leafy greensBulb fennelLeeks, garlic, and onionsDepend...