Apparently, the first rule of Zero Waste is refusing items. This according to Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home. So today, that’s sort of what I did.
Today was Meet the Teacher for The Girl and Middle School Orientation for The Boy. The Boy doesn’t give a rip about how his locker looks. Slap up a few magnets and he’s good to go.
The Girl, however, is of a completely different mindset. She wanted it decorated.
We mostly reused what she already had from last year, but she did request wall paper and a locker carpet (we got a Swiffer type rag from the Dollar Spot at Target). She chose a roll of black and white contact paper at Target and, this morning, I created this:
When I was done, I had about a half a roll of the contact paper left. Which I had absolutely no use for at home. What to do, what to do. As I sat there, putting the magnets just so on the door, I considered my options.
I decided to donate the leftovers to the classroom or to another kid who wanted it. The Girl delivered the half roll to her teacher and I left with nothing.
In the immortal and annoying words of London Tipton (from Suite Life on Deck – a Disney show), Yay Me!
Love that locker, it is so pretty! And good idea to donate the extra wallpaper, yes, Yay You!
I have never seen a locker decorated before really cute and good idea to donate the rest of the contact paper.
That smile is worth all the effort it took. I’m sure of it!
I like the idea of donating the leftover paper. I am sure that there will another child who will appreciate it. Well Done!
That is pretty slick! Yay for you and The Girl! 🙂
Wowzers! That is some locker! Great job.
I understand the problem. Daughter begs for decorated locker (i have one) and mother caves and does not actually enact zero waste principle of refuse. Mother justifies this action by donating leftovers. Been there, done that, however, this is not zero waste action! LOL
Yeah, I am just starting and am nowhere near Zero Waste. And I didn’t cave. I willingly decorated her locker. But I didn’t want to bring the leftovers back in to add to the already ridiculous clutter problem at home. I’m happy with becoming educated and making small steps to start, even if its not ‘perfect’ just yet.
I am nowhere near where Bea Johnson is either. I apologize for alluding to the fact that perhaps you caved. It was coming from my own sense as a mother to a 12 year old girl and “leaning” in, yes, willingly, to her desires, despite my belief in moving resolutely towards a zero waste, minimalist lifestyle. What caught my attention was the reference in your post to this concept. Like you, I have been educating myself about this process and making steps towards it. When we purchase items that eventually end up in a landfill as there is no recycling of this type of product, we vote to the production of them and the disposal of them. I’m still stumbling and falling down! I just had a situation with my girl where she begged for plastic locker shelves for her Grade 7 year, only to find out that the lockers have shelves. Dilemma, right? The hassle of selling a $15 item on eBay did not pay off in the balance of my life’s demands and thus they went to the Goodwill — and yup, where will they end up? In the landfill. I feel that this last incident has set the bar higher now; NO MORE WASTE!
Again, my post was meant in more of a chiding, casual way and I am sorry if I offended you. I love your blog and follow it regularly. I wish I had blogged my heart out with my massive shift to minimalism in the last two years. It must be very cathartic. You are brave to attempt this in spite of your back issue.
Peace,
I wasn’t offended! We’re trying to get rid of the clutter to move to a more minimal, intentional way of living. Including reducing waste. 🙂
I can assure you that if the donated paper didn’t find its way into another kid’s locker, the teacher will find a use for it somewhere. My sister spent the whole of her working career as a teacher, and the entire profession has a knack for finding creative ways to use free/low cost items ranging from gelato spoons to shoe laces to clothes pins to bottle caps. Half a roll of perfectly usable contact paper must feel like discovered treasure!