One little virus created a big pandemic, but along with devastating challenges came opportunities to make positive changes as we reenter each other’s company.

Life is a banquet…bring your feast gear, as in, don’t bring single use products to your next social reentry party.

Like many, I woke up each day during 2020-2021 hearing more news of things being dicey, dreadful, deadly.  Along the way though, there were rays of hope.

Reports came out about reduced air pollution and clear blue skies, where the usual smelter of smog had been for decades.  Commuters staying home meant less fossil fuel being burned, and made a difference.  Or so it appeared.  

The skies over some big cities gained visibility. We all witnessed a change in behavior that made a difference. Overall, global pollution was not permanently reduced, but local changes occurred, visible and breathable, for all to experience.

This was a great example of disrupting the social routine and seeing a benefit.

You don’t have to wait for society to catch up. 

Save the planet? Overwhelming.

Small, but permanent improvement in quality of life?  Possible with one tiny step at a time.  You can choose the change that works in your life.

Tote Bags = Trash Reduction, Leading to Trash Elimination 

Tote bags are great for groceries.  One day I decided to ditch plastic bags, right now, because commerce was not catching up fast enough.  I began a quest for a grocery bag pattern.  I ultimately made my own and have used them at the grocery store for over a decade.  For our family of four that meant saving about 20+ plastic bags a week. 

I have avoided using a minimum of 1040 plastic bags per year.

You can download my grocery bag pattern for free here. It is the first in our Seasonal Download Series.

Too busy to sew?  Buy one of our Tiny Planet themed tote bags in the Chandler Designs Store.

So what’s Feast Gear?

We are starting up with seeing our friends, going to, or hosting, picnics and even some potlucks again.  Generating more trash is just not on the menu.  We wrap up our own utensils, plates, cloth napkins in a tote bag ready to go.  We come home with everything in the same bag, ready for the dishwasher or the washing machine.

You don’t have to wait for society to catch up.

Pick a change that works for you, and make a difference.