Small measures

Growing up in a world of consumerism, it's a major shift of consciousness to try to think in terms of using and wasting less. It's a slow and steady re-wiring, but each little step changes the way I look at things in my house. I have a dryer, but I hate having to use it. On the other hand, when it's raining, or in winter when the clothes line is next to useless, I have 5 people's washing to get through, and I can't spend 6 months with wet clothes all over the house constantly and maintain my sanity.

A year ago I bought a Victorian style clothes airer which attaches to the ceiling and is raised and lowered on pulleys. We finally put it up last weekend (resulting in the injury to Crash I mentioned in this post), and I've used it this week. Behold the fully laden airer!

It takes a small load of washing, and it dried in a day. I'm hoping to be able to dry most of my washing on it in winter, and all of the rain affected washing in summer. It's a little thing, but it makes me smile. 

An even littler thing shows more a shift in attitude than any actual positive impact on the planet. Crash got a deep fryer for his birthday, and we just had a batch of oil reach the end of its useful life. Throwing it out seemed such a waste, but it was unlikely anyone would want to come pick up 4 litres of biodiesel. A moment with Google and 10mins in the garage produced this. 

The wick needs some work, as do the aesthetics, but I like the idea of used oil tealights - especially when it's vaguely frangranced with Chinese five spice. I know the practical implications of an air dryer and recycling vegetable oil are terribly small, but it's indicative of a change in thought patterns that is slowly reducing our consumption all round.