I hope you're all staying home and staying safe. Although some people have the option to work from home or have virtual classes to study for, there are many people who have a large amount of free time on their hands. If you haven't come up with activities to keep busy, this post will hopefully inspire you with some ideas that will keep you entertained without harming the planet!
You may have heard the saying: reduce, reuse, recycle, but I'd like to add two more items, refuse (say no to non-ecofriendly products) and rot (to compost as often as possible). I try to keep these five things in mind for every item that I purchase or discard.
Decluttering
This is a perfect time to do some spring cleaning! Take the time to clean out your closet, your wardrobes, your book shelf, or go through old papers, old toys, old souvenirs. Decluttering will definitely help you feel refreshed and ready to go when the world goes back to normal. Keep reading for some of my recent decluttering experiences.
I have been doing a lot of cleaning, as has the rest of my family. My one rule for everyone is: don't throw anything in the garbage unless you really really have to. I tend to separate things into different piles for where to bring them. Anything that can have a second life, we bring to the nearest Renaissance or to a clothing donation bin that are all over Montreal. If not, my nearest eco-center takes an insane amount of items. Check out the free Montreal app "Ça va ou?" for what to do with any item.
Putting items in the recycling bin works as long as there aren't too many materials together, or else, it may end up in the garbage, so it's important to separate them. A few weeks ago, I decided to get rid of some old agendas. I took out the spirals and recycled the paper. I was fortunate enough to be able to give the spirals to a friend who was working on an art project and needed some. She informed me that most colleges and universities have art supply rooms that accept all kinds of materials.
In fact, Concordia has a great recycling program that you should definitely look into if you have time to drop off your stuff (once we're allowed out). You can also simply ask friends or family members if they want any of the items that you want to get rid of and eventually meet up. This is especially true for clothes, my cousins and I try to trade some clothing items every now and then.
Online Shopping
Since we can't physically go shopping, I'm sure a lot of people are doing online shopping. Something to keep in mind is that it's a really important to support local businesses that may be going through a hard time right now. This goes for local restaurants too. Uber eats is offering free delivery for local restaurants. If there's nothing you want at the moment, an easy way to support them is to purchase some gift cards for future usage.
If you still opt for large companies, try to support the ones that are trying to do things good for the environment. Whether they are working on having more sustainable brands, recycling materials, or reducing their waste, if they are making a difference they are worth supporting, in my opinion. Just be aware of greenwashing.
There is usually a box to enter any kind of request for the shipment, if you type "avoid plastic packaging" they will usually listen. This will reduce your environmental footprint as cardboard is usually used instead and that can be recycled properly unlike plastic. You can also do the same if you order food online! Opt out for plastic utensils since you have regular ones at home already. Try to order from places that don't use styrofoam since this can't be recycled.
Lastly, try to use this time to reduce your shopping, especially if you don't absolutely need something. It's better for the environment and your pocket.
Workout
This is actually an amazing time to get in shape, especially right before summer. Make a workout schedule that works for you, and stick to it. The goal is to make it a habit so that once this is all over, you will keep going. You don't need weights or machines to workout if you don't have. There are tons of videos out there that just require your body. This is my favourite one right now. I'm working on being able to follow the entire video without stopping or skipping sections.
There are also tons of organizations that are offering free virtual classes through applications like Zoom that you should definitely try! In the last week, I participated in a live dance drop-in (Check out Tripoli Studios) and a Zumba workout hosted by a friend (message me if you want more info)! You can always go for a walk or a jog to get your body moving and get those steps in.
Be creative!
Use this time to explore new hobbies. Learn a new language, make a painting or a drawing, write a poem or a book, there are tons of things to do. Don't forget to facetime with friends and family! Try to make something using old materials that you have lying around the house.
This goes for food too - create a recipe with all the items that are about to go bad in your fridge to reduce wastage and spoilage. Learn how to make nourishing meals. It's a great time to eat local produce and experiment with healthy recipes. Try having a day where you only eat plant-based meals each week, like Meatless Mondays, this will significantly reduce your environmental impact and could have a positive impact on your health.
And if all else fails, there's an unlimited amount of tv shows, movies, games to play and music to discover.
By: Bianca Deltorto-Russell
You may have heard the saying: reduce, reuse, recycle, but I'd like to add two more items, refuse (say no to non-ecofriendly products) and rot (to compost as often as possible). I try to keep these five things in mind for every item that I purchase or discard.
Decluttering
This is a perfect time to do some spring cleaning! Take the time to clean out your closet, your wardrobes, your book shelf, or go through old papers, old toys, old souvenirs. Decluttering will definitely help you feel refreshed and ready to go when the world goes back to normal. Keep reading for some of my recent decluttering experiences.
I have been doing a lot of cleaning, as has the rest of my family. My one rule for everyone is: don't throw anything in the garbage unless you really really have to. I tend to separate things into different piles for where to bring them. Anything that can have a second life, we bring to the nearest Renaissance or to a clothing donation bin that are all over Montreal. If not, my nearest eco-center takes an insane amount of items. Check out the free Montreal app "Ça va ou?" for what to do with any item.
Putting items in the recycling bin works as long as there aren't too many materials together, or else, it may end up in the garbage, so it's important to separate them. A few weeks ago, I decided to get rid of some old agendas. I took out the spirals and recycled the paper. I was fortunate enough to be able to give the spirals to a friend who was working on an art project and needed some. She informed me that most colleges and universities have art supply rooms that accept all kinds of materials.
In fact, Concordia has a great recycling program that you should definitely look into if you have time to drop off your stuff (once we're allowed out). You can also simply ask friends or family members if they want any of the items that you want to get rid of and eventually meet up. This is especially true for clothes, my cousins and I try to trade some clothing items every now and then.
Online Shopping
Since we can't physically go shopping, I'm sure a lot of people are doing online shopping. Something to keep in mind is that it's a really important to support local businesses that may be going through a hard time right now. This goes for local restaurants too. Uber eats is offering free delivery for local restaurants. If there's nothing you want at the moment, an easy way to support them is to purchase some gift cards for future usage.
If you still opt for large companies, try to support the ones that are trying to do things good for the environment. Whether they are working on having more sustainable brands, recycling materials, or reducing their waste, if they are making a difference they are worth supporting, in my opinion. Just be aware of greenwashing.
There is usually a box to enter any kind of request for the shipment, if you type "avoid plastic packaging" they will usually listen. This will reduce your environmental footprint as cardboard is usually used instead and that can be recycled properly unlike plastic. You can also do the same if you order food online! Opt out for plastic utensils since you have regular ones at home already. Try to order from places that don't use styrofoam since this can't be recycled.
Lastly, try to use this time to reduce your shopping, especially if you don't absolutely need something. It's better for the environment and your pocket.
Workout
This is actually an amazing time to get in shape, especially right before summer. Make a workout schedule that works for you, and stick to it. The goal is to make it a habit so that once this is all over, you will keep going. You don't need weights or machines to workout if you don't have. There are tons of videos out there that just require your body. This is my favourite one right now. I'm working on being able to follow the entire video without stopping or skipping sections.
There are also tons of organizations that are offering free virtual classes through applications like Zoom that you should definitely try! In the last week, I participated in a live dance drop-in (Check out Tripoli Studios) and a Zumba workout hosted by a friend (message me if you want more info)! You can always go for a walk or a jog to get your body moving and get those steps in.
Be creative!
Use this time to explore new hobbies. Learn a new language, make a painting or a drawing, write a poem or a book, there are tons of things to do. Don't forget to facetime with friends and family! Try to make something using old materials that you have lying around the house.
This goes for food too - create a recipe with all the items that are about to go bad in your fridge to reduce wastage and spoilage. Learn how to make nourishing meals. It's a great time to eat local produce and experiment with healthy recipes. Try having a day where you only eat plant-based meals each week, like Meatless Mondays, this will significantly reduce your environmental impact and could have a positive impact on your health.
And if all else fails, there's an unlimited amount of tv shows, movies, games to play and music to discover.
By: Bianca Deltorto-Russell
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