Weekly diary #58: it’s my birthday!

Hi there! Welcome to a new weekly diary of mine in which I want to show you what eco-positive living looks like. I am not perfect, but I do want to show that small steps can make a big impact. The past week I was interviewed, I was mentioned in the local newspaper with Loose Enschede and I turned 20! Wanna read along? Here’s weekly diary #58.

Thursday

After school I prepared a new order for Loose! After that, I went thrift shopping with my mom. I brought in some clothes I don’t wear anymore, but the store didn’t take them. This is always my first stop, when the shop doesn’t take my clothes I put them in the textile recycling bin. From there they go to another secondhand shop (where they usually do sell items that are still in good shape, says someone I know who works there). And if they eventually aren’t sold after a long while, they’ll go to a recycling company which makes new products out of the textile. For me, this is an important thing. Some companies sent their clothes to third world countries, in for instance Africa. But over there, they are drowning in our clothes. We buy and get rid of so much clothing, they have more than enough. I’ve seen huge garbage piles of our clothes there in documentaries discussing the issue. Also, because they are flooded by our clothes, they can’t build a clothing industry of their own, which gives them less opportunities to earn some money and create better circumstances of the people living there. So, my clothes are staying in the Netherlands. Also, yesterday I was mentioned with my webshop Loose in the local newspaper! Even though they spelled my name wrong, I still feel so thankful for it! This some good advertisement for me. Loose is growing, which is awesome! This’ll definitely help! The owner of the thrift shop we visited saw the article and was so enthusiastic about it! She asked if I had any business cards, so she could give them to her customers to promote Loose. I told her I don’t have any cards, since it’s a single use item and I’m against those. But the offer stood. I found it all so sweet, and useful! It’s always great to meet like-minded people. I’m thinking about making some cards anyhow, but out of trash! Used cardboard boxes, and then I’ll order a personal stamp to make them mine. This is in line with my values, because trash will get a second life, and I’ll be able to promote Loose! Win-win! Also, there is a fair upcoming, and she suggested that I could hire a stand and promote Loose. I have been thinking about that for a while now, but I hadn’t acted just yet. So, I agreed! I’m hiring a stand a promoting Loose and hopefully talk to people about the trash problem we have. Let’s do this!

Friday

Today I had my first volunteering day at the Food Bank. The Food Bank is an organization that gives leftover food (from supermarkets for instance) to the less fortunate people. It was a fun day I must say, I really enjoyed it. It gives you a really good feeling, helping others. Also, it makes you think. It makes you think about how lucky you are, but also about inequality. It’s not really fair, and as a system I think we can do better. At night, I was really craving a snack, Bugels. It’s a pre-packed chips snack. I can’t make them on my own, but I can refuse them. So, I went for another snack. I bought some loose pistachio nuts. Problem solved, without plastic or waste! While I was doing groceries I also bought some endive, I thought it was spinach haha! I realized I know so little. I bought it that loose as well. There was also one box of vegan burgers in cardboard left at a low price, so I took those too. Cardboard still isn’t ideal, but meat substitutes isn’t something I refuse a lot, I find it hard to do without. So, finding them in cardboard today was a win.

Saturday

Today I worked at my regular job in the supermarket. After that, I watched Thirteen Reasons Why the whole night and went to bed early. I’m a granny on Saturday night, I know. But I really don’t care haha.

Sunday

Ah, it feels good having a day off again after 5 days of work and school. I tend to wake up earlier these days, I don’t really know why. I always have these periods of long sleep and then shorter again. But, I do feel rested when I wake up so it must be fine. I went to the first group class at the gym, to work out. They had a new program (they switch every once in a while) and this one gave me waaay more energy and motivation than before. Great! I blogged the major part of the day, and did some photographing. Among other things, I photographed myself this time hahah, that’s so strange to do haha. But, at the same time it was a lot of fun.

Monday

Another day off.  I hired the stand for the fair and prepared some orders for Loose! At night, I wanted to cook endive stew. I already had the endive but I still needed some loose potatoes. Finding those is hard! Supermarkets don’t sell them loose, which I find really strange. So I went to the greengrocer and asked him. He said that he had some lying loose in the back. Great! But, then I saw he got them loose out of a plastic bag. The bag was already open, but still. Next time, I’ll only buy potatoes on market days, where they do sell them loose. In stew it is common to eat bacon, and I bought a vegan replacement for those today. I’ve been wanting to try these for a while and today I did. They are in plastic, but meat substitutes I’m lenient with as I said. I just can’t refuse them just yet, maybe a goal for the future. The endive stew was great by the way.

Tuesday

Today I got up early, because I was asked for an interview by a journalism student! It was in Arnhem, which is near my school. I could combine it perfectly. I am so excited that I was being interviewed again about waste and how to prevent it. I’ll see the result soon enough I hope. When I was done with school, I forgot my phone there. And I know this sound ridiculous, but I thought it was a disaster at first. One day without a phone, oh my god. I called the teacher with someone else’s phone and she kept it safe for me till tomorrow. I couldn’t go back, because then I’ll miss my handball training. But, the reason it bothered me (because normally I can do one day without my phone easily) is that it is my birthday tomorrow and family tends to call. Stupid. So stupid to forget it exactly today today.

Wednesday

It’s my birthday! Woooo, I’m not a teenager any longer. So, the title of this blog is kinda off. But, it’s where my journey all started, as a teen, so I’ll keep the name. Birthdays aren’t a huge thing for me I guess, because you get older every day. I try to make my dreams come true every day and treat it like it could be my last one. But! It is always a good moment to reflect on the past year. And it’s been a awesome one! Highlight of the year? The official launch of Loose, my package free webshop. Of, course there are many others. I feel so blessed. The coming year will be just as great I hope, with new goals and highlights! For the most part of this birthday I didn’t have my phone haha, and that’s a first one. It isn’t that bad really, I’ll see all the messages later today. You know what’s also a first? My first birthday as a vegan! I’ve felt loved and happy all this year. If you’re reading this, thank you. For reading my blog, and if you know me in person, thank you for all other things, whoever you are! I’ve asked for nothing (because zero waste) for my birthday this year, and I’m excited to see if it’ll work.

Yours sincerely,
Romee