Giving cuts

When I was a kid, cutting in line (aka line jumping) was a tragedy for the rest of the kids in the line. I mean, it could really ruin a kid's recess to have a kid cut in line for the slide, or swings, or a change at four-square. Today, we rose above all that.

The project:
Give cuts to a woman at the ice cream store to pick up a pre-ordered birthday cake. She seemed pretty patient, but clearly had other things to do. There were four of us, one of her, and no one else to risk offending. We waved her ahead.

Time:
2 seconds to grant the cut, 5 extra minutes of wait time in line.

Why bother?
It's Saturday, mid-afternoon. For once we have nowhere we really need to be. (Actually, LOTS of times we don't really need to be in a rush for anything, but today...absolutely nothing but a nap and playtime headed our way.)

Worth it?
The lady seemed greatly surprised by the move. Her smile was certainly a great reward.

Recycling glass & plastic

We recycle every day at our house. Most of our recycling goes into the big bin that rolls onto the street for pickup every two weeks. (I wish they'd pick up recycling every week, trash every other 'cause we recycle more than we throw out!) But there are some items we turn in ourselves.

The project:
Turn in glass bottles, aluminum cans and plastic beverage containers we've collected from our own kitchen and from our neighborhood cleanup efforts.

Time:
10 minutes

Why bother?
It just doesn't make sense to throw these things in the landfill. Rather than mine and process fresh aluminum, our cans can be crushed and melted and repurposed for any number of things. According to the Energy Information Administration, using recycled aluminum, for instance, uses 95% of the energy it takes to mine and process the ore. Here's a kids' page full of activities about recycling.

Worth it?
It does cost us some gas and time to head out to the recycler, but we generally do this on our way through that part of town. The cash they give us for our recycling more than covers our vehicle expense. We put the cash in the girls' savings accounts - every little bit counts!

Just some of the stuff made from recycled "waste:"

If You Care 100% Recycled Aluminum Foil Roll, 50 Square Feet (Pack of 5)

Oval tray

Aluminum tiles

Door hardware

Stick & Cone Incense Burner

Chairs (80% recycled)

Recycled Glass Products:
Glass tiles

Garden Gazing Ball

Hummingbird Feeder

Counter tops (partially glass)

Recycled Plastic:
Timbers

Garden Composter

And of course:
Other stuff

Donate to the Library

Our library is very small, but we're happy to have one in walking distance. We support it through late fees (oops!) and donations of books and magazines.

The project:
Clean out the magazine basket/box and drop the donation off at the library.

Time:
20 minutes

Why bother?
If I haven't read the magazines from November yet, I probably won't. So rather than make magazine reading feel like old-school homework, we'll start the year anew with an empty magazine basket, and the library will reap the profit. Our library sells donated magazines. All proceeds go back into the library for things like books to be placed in circulation for us all.

Check with YOUR library for any guidelines. Clearly, any donations must be...ahem...family-friendly. And our library requires that they be no more than three months old.

Worth it?
Sure - out with the old for our house, in with a new supply for our library "bookstore."

Cleanin' up the 'hood

We live in a very nice neighborhood, but for some reason, even in very nice neighborhoods, people think it's OK to toss their trash on the ground. It's a bummer. I may not clean up the house as well as I should, but dang it, let's grab the wagon and take a walk!

The project:
Pick up trash in the neighborhood along one of our regular paths.

Time:
20 minutes

Why bother?
People are more likely to litter in places that already looked trash. Don't believe me? Check out this article about a Dutch study into trash and trashy neighborhoods. So, maybe if we pick up the trash, fewer people will toss theirs, then our neighborhood will remain pleasant.

Worth it?
Sure - exercise, community service, tired little girls.

Garbage "Prank"

We'd stayed home most of the day. The only foray out today was for the girls' first violin lesson and there hadn't been much opportunity to do good deeds beyond our regular family care and household chores. After dinner with one of my best friends, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. Tomorrow's garbage day so I came up with this idea.

The project:
Roll as many residential trash cans to the curb as you can get your hands on in a one-mile walk (or more).

Time:
A few minutes more than your regular walk time.

Why bother?
Taking out the trash is, for so many people, a tedious chore, and most wait 'til the last minute, when they're hurrying out the door to get to some more important (or more entertaining) function. Wouldn't it be nice to have it done already?

Worth it?
This was an easy task, and I found myself smiling as I went about this "prank," imagining my neighbors rushing out in the morning to take care of the bins only to find the job was already done. Maybe they'd think their spouses or children or neighbors did it. Maybe it would warm their hearts to know said people would do such a thing without being ask. Maybe they'll secretly do something nice for the people THEY believe did the chore. Wouldn't that be cool?

Association Participation

I'm not a big fan of the limitations homeowners' associations place on the property owners who've shelled out for their own private space, but I live in such an association and it does serve some purposes. The association exists, in large part, to provide all residents with a beautiful 14-acre, tree-studded open space which we enjoy greatly. There are no parks in our neck of town, so this open space (plus the play structure in our backyard) does the trick.

All associations require leadership, and this year (and last, and the year before that) it's my turn.

The project:
Attend tonight's association board of directors meeting, serving as secretary.

Time:
Two hours for meetings and posting of minutes.

Why bother?
Someone has to do it. Not too many of our more than 100 property owners are interested.

Worth it?
Well, the park is maintained, and that's great, but I really don't care if people paint their house purple or keep chickens in their backyard. The association is a bit picky about that kind of thing. Then again, there's a fine line between keeping pets in the backyard and creating a stinky farmyard on less than 1/4 acre with only a thin fence to keep the smells, dust and noise out of the neighboring property. It would also be more fulfilling if more members were involved. We've tried events, we had a newsletter, we've posted invitations to serve on the board (or attend meetings). No dice. Not very fulfilling.

Project Linus #2

Today we had a fairly relaxed day here at home. The weather was TERRIFIC, but terribly hot for some of us....ok...me, so after a morning of cleaning up the yard, riding bikes in the street, and playing we came inside for some shelter from the elements. The girls and I decided to start a Project Linus piece. V got distracted and made a pillow instead. E and I finished one quilt top before realizing we have no backing material or batting. Uh...oops!

The project:
Make a blanket for Project Linus with my young seamstress.

Time:
One hour

Why bother?
She loves to sew, but we need an outlet. This project meets both needs while providing blankets for a good cause. I still have the knitted cap the hospital gave E when she was born.

Worth it?
Time spent together working on a common project, making something for a stranger who might really appreciate the gift, all worth it.