Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Waste Not... and a Giveaway!

Birthday Party for the Trees at imabima.blogspot.com

Did you know how easy it is to save the world?
One Sandwich at a Time!

If you would like to slow global warming, if you would like to save water, if you would like to slow deforestation and overgrazing and cut back on the pesticides and fertilizers used to grow your food, all you have to do is change your lunch today (or tomorrow, if you’re reading this after lunch):
Pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead of buying a lunch based on animal products, like a hamburger, fried chicken, or ham sandwich. Want to do more? Have another PB&J tomorrow.

from the PB&J Campaign -- check it out!

But has this ever happened to you?
One "regular" piece of bread...and one "end" (which the kids won't eat, right?):

So here's what I do...spread peanut butter (in our case, chocolate soy nut butter -- peanut-free school) on the back of the "end" (and a little on the other side too), like so:

Put it together...and you'd never know the difference! And you haven't wasted the end.
Pretty neat, huh?

Put it in your reusable container:

And then into your re-usable lunchbox! (Although not as cool as these and my lunches don't look nearly as beautiful as hers.)
That's what Works for Me! What works for you?

And now....The Giveaway:

In honor of Tu B'Shevat (the Birthday of the Trees) and the commitment to the earth that the holiday brings with it (read more here and here), Skeeda: Reusable Bags for the Hip, Eco-Chic Shopper is giving away one gorgeous, awesome re-usable shopping (shlepping) bag! The bag is very strong, washable, folds flat and is beautiful! Visit their lovely site to see all their affordable and beautiful styles. (Read more about re-usable bags here.)


How can you win?

1. Make a comment here or on any of my Tu B'Shevat posts today or tomorrow. Do you use reusable bags for groceries, lunch, shlepping? This is your entry! You can enter each day - once per day. Come back and visit all week for this and other giveaways.

2. For an extra entry, post on your blog or tell a friend about this giveaway and Skeeda's Bags and link back to me. Use my button:

<a href="http://imabima.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc126/imabima/tubshevatparty.jpg" border="0" alt="Birthday Party for the Trees at imabima.blogspot.com"></a>

3. Don't forget to give me a way to get in touch with you if you win!

4. This giveaway ends on Thursday, January 18th at 9pm Central Time. Winner will be announced Friday morning, along with the next Tu B'Shevat Birthday Giveaway!

Come back all week for the Tu B'Shevat Birthday Party and more green green green....re-use a bag, hug a tree!

My Previous Tu B'Shevat Party Posts:
Go Vegetarian and be green?
For the Love of the Trees

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

So THAT's why Georgia has gone Totally PB&J in 2008. No kidding. And the end idea is ingenious. I'll use it (and re-use it).

Britni said...

I'm a big fan of reusable bags. I mostly shop at Whole Foods and love the 5 cent discount! I'd love this bag!!

Superdumb Supervillain said...

Those are very cute. I especially love the polka dot styles!

Superdumb Supervillain said...

I posted your button on my sidebar, by the way...

Cat said...

Reusable bags rock!
One of the local stores where I lived before offered a donation to charity for every bag that was saved, I miss living in the Bay Area.

Karla Porter Archer said...

great idea. I need to remember this. I usually save them for making bread crumbs or stuffing. But this is much easier that saving them...

Blessings,
Karla

Anonymous said...

Love these bags - the style, and the purpose! Would love to add one to my growing mix and match collection of reusable bags!

Camille Wilson
wiredwilsons at gmail dot com
www.snaphappymama.com

Reiza said...

Pardon me while I drool over those bags. Those are fabulous.

We use plastic, but we recycle them. We bring the Volde-Mart bags back for recycling every few weeks plus we use other plastic bags to line small garbage cans.

I really want to start bringing some bags with us, I just haven't been motivated. Those, however, might just be the motivation I need.

and hey, I added your button in a post. Here's hoping I win this one. I'm in love with those bags.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful schlepping bag! And thank you for the bread end tip too. I'll have to look for the Chocolate Soy Nut Butter. That sounds like something our son would love.

Edi said...

I would love that bag.

I do reuse shopping bags...

Anonymous said...

That's exactly what I made for both girls today. I'm cool.

I would love to win the bag to add to my collection. I do use reusable bags. My grocery store sells them (not as pretty as those ,though). But if I can't enter because I just won (yay!) then you can not enter me.

Melissa Markham said...

I am working on joining the reusable bag movement. Plastic bags begone, so this would be a great way for me to begin!

I love the way of using the end crust. I also take mine and throw them out to the birds for food. PBJ rocks!

I am curious, since I am just beginning the reusable bags movement, how does that work in big stores? How do they feel when you walk in with your own bag(s)? and doesn't it throw them off with bagging up the items? Walmart has its handy carousel and Food Lion has its plastic bag holder...and then there is the leaving with your own bags and the people standing guard at the door...

Laura said...

I would LOVE to have that bag! Way to be green, by the way!

Tara said...

Hey, enter me please! That bag is totally cool and might remind me to use the green bags I have. Great idea for the pbj too. Fortunately, my 7 yr old loves the ends, so I can just pack them for him!

Anonymous said...

I am trying to find ways this year to be green! This bag sure would help! I always use my plastic bags to line trash cans but I always have way to many.

Robin said...

Awesome sandwich idea!

I don't have any reusable bags, but I do keep and then reuse all of the plastic bags I get from the supermarket. A reusable one would really come in handy though.

Tiffany said...

I bought 4 reusable bags when I was at Wal-Mart last week. I plan on getting more because I need to keep some in both of our cars so that I have them when I need them. I can't use them if I don't have them with me. I would love to have a pretty one like this. Please sign me up!

Kim said...

Luckily, my DS eats the ends - however, I do have to find that soy butter - all our schools are nut free as well - he misses PB&Js.

Great looking bag.

Angie @ Many Little Blessings said...

I don't have any shopping bags, and I really would LOVE one! I just posted about your giveaway on my blog as well.

Oh...and great idea on putting peanut butter on the end of the bread. Excellent!

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Love the end-of-the-loaf suggestion. I usually save it for myself. Add some PB, honey, raisins, bananas... heaven. Maybe some granola or nuts for crunch...

Man, I know what I'm having for lunch today! :D

As for reusable bags, I was given one last year as a freebie for a bike ride I did. I sure wouldn't mind handing it to the Tour Manager and using something more stylish!

Amanda said...

That is one cool bag! I have two small ugly green ones from my grocery store which I use for hefting milk and heavier items. And I have a big IKEA reusable bag which I love and try really hard to remember to bring with me when I go to IKEA. But I use it for everything.

When my daughter plays grocery store she always goes to the pantry to grab the reusable bags...I think that is so cool.

If I won this cool bag it would definitely make me look much cooler in my suburban grocery store. I may be the envy of all of the SAHM's as I peruse the organic fruits and veggies. Or seach for my Chocolate Soy Nut Butter (which sounds delicious!).

Jenn said...

That bag is so cute, I would love to have it! I have black ones that I use, not nearly as stylish. :)

the planet of janet said...

what a great idea for the end of the bread!! sneaky too!

reusable bags are a wonderful thing.

Lomagirl said...

I am really trying to use reusable bags. I actually remembered to take one to the store the other day- and got 5c. refund! Woo-hoo! I'm bringing lunch in one, now, too.

HilLesha O'Nan said...

This is awesome :)

Frances said...

I would love to add this one to my small collection of reusable bags - I always come up short at the grocery store (and miss out on 5 cent refund for each). Thanks for the opportunity!

My DH actually surprised me with an apology that he had not used reusable bags for his recent grocery trip - this shows that he has embraced the idea! I need to get some more bags for him to keep in his car.

Anonymous said...

Wow -- what a great resource!! I ate P and J for SIX years as a kid and now I know that I was performing baal tashchit :)

You rock!

lisa h. said...

that is insanely simple! why don't i ever think of this stuff!? thanks so much....now i won't be throwing the ends out my back door for the birds!

lisa h. said...

i would love to win a bag. we use reuseable lunch bags, but haven't tried it out for groceries. i've seen some for sale at Trader Joe's.

Anonymous said...

ooo I love the bag! I've been tricking my kids with the inside out heel for awhile. The joys of a sneaky mom :)

Anonymous said...

Would love the bag -- sooo cute. I'm so happy to see someone else advocating not eating meat to support our green earth. moodymommy@sbcglobal.net (aka Sophia Leto from Chicago Moms Blog)

ikkinlala said...

I love reusable bags, and I'm glad they're more popular now - a few years ago, cashiers would look at you funny if you brought your own bag.

Channah said...

I never had PB&J as a child. Now when I try it, it feels so sweet - peanut butter and bananas, on the other hand... mmm..

Sarah said...

Genius! Why have I never thought to flip th ebread?

United Studies said...

Now that is a clever idea for the bread-loaf ends. :-)

Taryn said...

We just started using reusables for shopping!

windycindy said...

I love the peanut butter bread story! That happens to me all the time, but I don't mind it. Now, I know what to do for my sons. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

Thanks for the bread tip.
I'm going to use it tomorrow.

Feel welcome to visit "works for me" at my blog

Laane on the World

Have a great day!!!