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walkerspruill
Jan 17, 20224 min read

Sustainable Swaps? or Nots?


SHOW NOTES for Green Assistant Radio Episode 06 (aired: 01/17/2022) on Asheville FM


Single-Use Items and Swaps


Remember, any swaps mentioned are just ideas. You have to find what works for you. It feels good to do good. And there are so many different swaps to try, adopt, refuse, and share! You can listen again through January 30th in the archives on AshevilleFM.org.

Please, let us know if you have other ideas, questions, or concerns about single-use items and replacements. Also, if you have a different perspective on an item, please let us know. This is community. – You can contact us right here.


 

Green Assistant Radio Shout Outs:


Featured Music:

Rebelution, “Courage to Grow” Courage to Grow

Little Bird, “Who Cares” who cares

Cat Power, “The Greatest” The Greatest

Dustin Thomas, “Find Your Way” Awake, Rise, Shine [DUSTIN THOMAS]


Link to last week’s Show Notes, including how to listen to the archived E-Waste and Electronic Recycling episode through January 23rd.


This Episode's Featured Shows on AshevilleFM.org:

  • Asheville FM Music Sessions - Airs every Tuesday 4-6p, bringing you local music of every genre, interviews with bands, and more!

  • My So-Called Radio Show - Airs from 3pm-5pm on Saturdays, playing mostly punk, rock, and pop, with an emphasis on new releases. My So-Called Radio Show keeps an eye and ear on local happenings as well as milestones (birthdays, deaths, landmark events) in the wide world of music history.

Underwriters of your Community Radio Station AshevilleFM featured during this episode:

West Village Market and Deli: https://www.westvillagemarket.com

Studio 1127: Studio1127.art


Carolina Recycling Association can be found here: cra-recycle.org

- I can't find a picture of the bag I made at their event, so here is one exactly like it:

How To Make a No-Sew T-Shirt Bag https://youtu.be/Cin_wLIW9S8

Reconsidered Goods, a Creative Reuse store in Greensboro, NC: ReconsideredGoods.org

++++ Have info about WNC Creative Reuse biz or groups? Please let us know here. ++++


 


YouTube Videos that I enjoyed

while researching this episode:



+ 3-Part Video Series focused on Single Use Swaps:

+ And I really like this video about “Zero-Waste” living:


Channel: Gittemary Johansen https://www.youtube.com/c/Gittemary


 


Walker's Favorite Single Use Swaps:

- To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensils- this is my favorite brand. They hold up great, have a good pouch to hold them, and are smooth textured... unlike some others that I got that shall not be named.

- Reusable Feminine Pads- great for the time of the month and for bouts of incontinence. Try different brands and find the ones that you like best.

- Washcloths over Paper Towels- easy swap for me, for cleaning, drying, wiping. It's all good. I have a stack in the kitchen and in the bathrooms.

- Reusable Coffee Cup- I am not excited about where I got this (at Starbucks) but they have these plastic reusable cups that are AWESOME! One costs about $2 and, as long as you don't lose it, will last forever! But there are tons of brands and styles out there, so do your research.

- To-Go Containers- I always have my own containers when I go anywhere! Dine in and take my leftovers to go, without added waste! (Oh, my containers are perfectly stackable, as they all came from the same restaurant. Single-Use Nothing!!


👈 This is a peek at the repurposed shoe box that I keep in my car. It keeps the containers clean and contained, ready to use whenever I need them. Also a few jars, because why not? They fit. And they are handy for drinks on the road.





Single Use Swaps that I personally REGRET purchasing:

- Refillable, compostable Dental Floss: Yeah, I have the container to refill... along with both rolls of floss, only one of which I touched. It is not strong enough for how I like to floss. So, that was a bust.

- Coffee Sock - this is the cloth coffee filter that I purchased. And used it only a handful of times. Reminder: do not put things down your sink other than soap and water- and toothpaste in the bathroom - because it can clog up the sewer system. Anything put down the drain (or toilet) has to be treated, so keep it clean. 😂 But, yeah. You get it.

- Reusable Straws: I have a few, some metal and one silicone straw. I NEVER use them. TBH, I never really used straws before I purchased the "sustainable" ones, so I actually kinda knew better! I didn't need it in the first place, but it was "so cute." Literally. 🙄

- Silicone Ear Swab (to replace a cotton tipped swab): If you use these to clean your ears, don't. It seemed to push dirt into he ear canal. Now, if you use cotton swabs to wash off makeup, or clean around the house, it can be effective. Up to you, but for me, a wasted purchase.

- Washable HVAC Air Filter: Well, I wouldn't say that I always regretted this, but I only used it for about a year. Now, the disposable filters are also terrible! Mixed materials. Not recyclable. But all the foam and plastic that went into that washable filter, just to throw it away later. 😭 But I just didn't keep up with washing it, and we had allergies in the house at the time. Ugh. This one is on me. I wasted that resource.


 

The Green Assistant Tip of the Week:

Keep a stack of 5 repurposed to-go containers in your car. Now you have a:

- to-go container for leftovers at a restaurant.

- container for bulk purchases at store.

- container to hold snack trash and that apple core, until you get home.

- plate to enjoy "the spread" at a party (or to take some home with you).



 

Next Week's Show: We have no idea! 🤪 Have a topic you want us to cover? Contact us at GreenAssistantRadio.com or email us at thegreenassistant@gmail.com.

And, while we have no idea of the topic, it will be green and it will be on AshevilleFM.org on Monday from 11am-12noon. Stay tuned!



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