Make Something
It's both an act of love and activism
Recently I dug into a picture book story idea about overconsumption. It’s a topic I think a lot about, write about here, and naturally felt like the next right step in my storytelling journey. I’ll talk more about where I’m at in that process in two weeks. For now, let’s talk about one point I brought up in the manuscript.
When you want to buy something, consider making it instead.
I’m not just speaking to the self-proclaimed crafty types here. Get creative. (And we’re all creative!)
When you think you have nothing to eat, scour the fridge and pantry. We’ve thrown together delicious salads and tasty rice bowls and breakfast buffets out of what we need to eat before it spoils. Did you know food waste accounts for 11 percent of the world’s emissions?1
When you need to send a thank you note or give someone a birthday card, look in your art cabinet. (Or whatever you keep art supplies in. We have multiple locations in our house.) Handmade, collaged, stamped, or drawn cards are the best. They mean just as much, if not more, than a card bought from the store, and are often easier to recycle.
When an article of clothing wears out, consider mending it. I took a visible mending class through our library a couple years ago and it was so fun to learn different techniques and meet people from my community. Embroidery is a really cute way to embellish something and give it a longer life. Sashiko is a forgiving stitch method that I think lends itself well to imperfection.
I have been wanting to crochet a market bag for ages. Last week I finally pulled out my scrap yarn bin to see what I might have enough of. I scanned my Pinterest board for a pattern I saved and whipped this out. It is pretty wonky, but it held three mangoes and I learned what I could do better next time.
One of the keys to replacing disposable and plastic in your life, such as produce bags at the grocery store, is not going overboard on the reusables. Cotton yarn and fabric require materials and water, so overbuying this stuff isn’t great either. In my case, for example, I have eight net bags like this that I bought from Ikea. Most of the time they’re enough, but not always. I decided instead of buying more, I would try making this one. I used up scrap material, refrained from spending money, and am cutting down on plastic use and waste.
As a reminder, this is not a be-all well of research. This newsletter serves to touch on a topic to get us thinking about it in a manageable, digestible chunk. Further research and thought are encouraged!
Making something can be an act of love:
Toward yourself. Spending time creating is self-care.
For someone else. Handmade gifts are the absolute best.
For the planet. Earth needs us and our care and creativity.
Tell me, what have you made lately? What would you like to make soon? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments (or hit reply to this email).
Just a reminder that I still have “Neurodiversity is a Gift” prints available in two color options.
I hope you make something cool this week!
Love, Heidi
https://www.rts.com/resources/guides/food-waste-america/
I love making things. I have made sculptures for events and my business from trash that I save (Pringles cans, cardboard tubes, cardstock the we've only used part of, old foam board, etc.). I also use old glass jars to give flowers to friends and neighbors that need a pick me up. It's my favorite thing. Just found out that glass has a 1 million year life cycle. 😵💫🤯 So I've learned where I can take glass jars to responsibly dispose of them. Baby steps, right?